Todd's next big adventure:
How to parlay social media tools to help non-profits. I am sure a lot has been written. I am sure there are millions of ideas.
I want to hear them all.
In the meantime, I remain convinced that social media is going to change how people give back to their community. I currently serve on the Board of the Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta, a non-profit that provides furniture to families and individuals just out of homelessness or fleeing domestic violence.
We are small, with a limited budget, and with a limited ability to help our clients. But we have ambitious plans! And I firmly believe social media will be a big part of that growth.
I wrote a post while back that "giving back" is good marketing: http://intrepid-llc.com/2008/11/18/intrepid-marketing-giving-back-to-your-community-is-good-marketing/. I believe it so. More each day. Richard Branson wrote a post on the subject just today: http://entrepreneur.virgin.com/2008/12/18/social-responsibility-just-business/.
If you follow Twitter at all, you will observe people all over the Twitterhood informing people of how they can help one cause or another. I think it is a great thing. People can choose to make a contribution to a charity of their choice. And even if they don't take action, they are becoming aware. And that is a good thing too. Seeing your colleagues involved and giving back make the world a better place.
But how can it all work? Is there a risk that too much communication about non-profits via social media will confuse people and won't know where they should take action? I am sure.
Which is why you need to be clever with your social media strategy. And like any organization, non-profits need to have a marketing strategy. And be sure they focus on brand positioning - and differentiation.
But that's where social media can be used to benefit. You can reach new people. You can build an online community. You can raise awareness exponentially. You can test the validity of your marketing messages, and volunteer and fund-raising appeals, through social media. You can gauge the many different ways people may be willing to contribute.
So help me - and help educate others. Send us unique blogs of non-profits. Send us a list of non-profits on Twitter. On Facebook. Help us find out what others are doing that works - so that we can apply those best practices to the non-profits we are helping. And help all of us learn about new non-profit organizations that we may want add to the list of groups we want to help.
Todd Schnick. Be Intrepid. www.intrepid-llc.com
Posted in General Marketing Strategy, Social Media