Non-Profit Poke: Social Networking as Business Boost
By KYLE REYES
Updated 9:55 AM EST, Tue, Jan 6, 2009
Facebook's not just for college kids any more.
The change started slowly. I noticed "grown-ups" joining. Former teachers. Mom. My roommates mom (disguised as their family pet).
At first? Weird.
NBC 30 anchor Gerry Brooks added me as a friend (I think because he felt obligated). Fellow producers poked me. Managers sent me friend requests.
Awkward.
But as the very face of some of these social networking sites began to change, so did the perception about how they could be used. Facebook, MySpace, Digg, Twitter -- the new tools of comprehensive marketing.
And THAT is why many Connecticut non-profits are jumping on board.
Why They Do It
"Cultures and trends are ever-changing and organizations, desiring to remain in the public eye, are having to adopt new ways to reach organizations."
That's Karen Butler. She's the Vice President of Communications for the Connecticut Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. She said the Internet is redefining the concept of how non-profits market.
"With more and more people turning to social networks, we need to look to those networks also. We can share information about events, activities, and our mission very quickly."
She said the reach of the web is something that is really unrivaled.
"We want to share the message. We want to reach out to people with MS, their families, their friends, and everyone else. This is a tremendously effective way to do that."
Karen said that even time conservative organizations are thinking outside the box.
"There are definitely risks to social media and being 'too accessible' or 'too connected'," she said. "My organization is transparent, accessible, and embraces change. But we're now seeing even conservative organizations, who once held the cards close to the vest, are now opening up like never before."
Many groups are cautious, for good reason.
She said as more and more media outlets close up shop or face budget cuts, the MS Society and other non-profits have had to find new ways to get their message out there. And the Internet is about as real-time as you get.
"There's always the concern that people may express themselves inappropriately or an an offensive fashion, or in a manner that doesn't represent the beliefs of our organization," she said.
But the non-profits can control a great deal of what goes out, and what doesn't.
"There are controls in place for many of these sites, and it's learning about those controls and learning about what's available to you. To be accessible, you do take a risk."
Spanning the Ages
For the American Cancer Society, YouTube and Facebook have been invaluable.
Megan Orciari works with the ACS in Meriden. She's a young, hip 20-something who's helped drive the organization into the digital age. She said it's paying off.
"We're putting a lot of relay videos up on YouTube to garner support. We wanted to demonstrate to people what these events are and teach them about our mission," she said. "People love it. They'll go onto YouTube to see what a relay is about. There's a lot of excitement about it," she said.
As with other organizations, it was a slightly bumpy start.
"It was a little overwhelming to them (older employees), but with our group - everyone is so supportive of each other that everyone helped each other get through it. It was exciting for them to be befriended by a younger person in the committee."
She said the reality of it is that so many people are part of these social websites, making marketing the non-profit easier.
"It helps spread the word. It helps put a date and a place on people's radar. It gives them a countdown to the date," she said.
And perhaps more importantly - it sparks a discussion.
"We'll post links to stories on our facebook and it spreads the word too. It definitely spreads the stories more. They'll make comments about it and start a discussion."
A Sense of Volunteerism and Community
Cassandra Davis is the Special Events Manager for the Connecticut Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. She said the sites have been a tremendous way to reach a different audience.
"We started using them as the staff has decreased in age," said Cassie. "In the past year or so, they've become more widely used. We use them for almost every single event we have. They're a great way to get the word out there about them."
She said it's not just about the publicity for events, but it's about gathering support.
"We started out using them for general volunteer postings. And lately I've been getting friend requests from Team Leaders, parents, and kids with CF more than I ever have," she said.
Cassie said her organization also quickly learned about another benefit of having the multimedia platforms.
"Kids with CF don't tend to hang out with each other," she said. "That's because they're generally told not to. Some of them might carry a strain of bacteria that can be passed only from one child with CF to another. Facebook provides them with a way to find others to talk to while still being a part of the organization."
First Published: Jan 5, 2009 12:46 PM EST
You Might Like
You have 2000 characters left
