There is an abundance of ideas and suggestions for how to address serious issues. There are new formulas and models, platforms and groups emerging to take on the challenges that exist in our society. But our tendency—and humans are creatures of habit—is to focus on the elements we can control. Too often, individuals return to what they know. Organizations repeat what they have done before. In the face of the serious issues that threaten every facet of our existence, which are growing worse by many accounts, we do not have the luxury of looking back or repeating what we have done before. If what we are doing isn’t working anymore, we have to do something different.  Start by thinking differently.

We should be thinking bigger. What is the potential for technology and the Internet to redefine our culture, and what say do we want to have in that? What must be changed or adapted within our society to ensure that the solutions that are developed today—the ideas that emerge from the massive and frenetic coordination of people online or through connections that only recently became available—aren’t lost as we head into the future?

For starters, the discussion about addressing serious issues and solving complex problems should include more voices, provide more access to information, invite more collaboration. Fueled by technology, we all have the ability to learn or discuss whatever we believe is relevant, to produce and distribute information so that it reaches audiences any time, any place. With a more diverse (and deeply invested) audience, and through any device, we don’t have to rely on someone else’s channel or community to have an impact. Instead of a few companies, distributors, creators, and the like, there should be millions.  We should experiment more, try different things, and be confident that the solutions we need will begin to emerge.

Of course, with the flourishing of ideas comes a responsibility to focus, prioritize, sacrifice, and learn. It is no longer sufficient for each sector in our society—government, media, education, business, philanthropy, and more—to operate separately and compete. Individuals and communities must do more than wait for direction or expect someone else to take responsibility for what they want to see happen.  There is also a lot of bad content that overwhelms and distracts.

We must resist the desire to define or contain the new, emerging culture we live with too quickly or focus our attention on finding ways to marketing and monetize things before we can make sense of them.  We try to prioritize stories and concepts because they fit better into an established system. We spend far too much time talking about business models and marketing strategies. We obsess about the most effective and compelling ways to push information, which day of the week to send an e-mail, or what hashtag will register the largest following. We are quick to launch a new activity but slow to embrace the lessons, good and bad, from organizations that have been operating for years. We discuss and scrutinize and criticize the experiments that fall short of our expectations, but don’t offer solutions or recommendations that might help for next time.

We should be looking to support and enhance, cultivate, and create a broader commitment to change and a larger vision of what is possible. If the outcomes seem easy to find, they probably aren’t the ones driving the important changes we need.

Everyone serves as a gatekeeper now, and each of us can be a storyteller. Every person with a blog or cell-phone-enabled camera can deliver change. Every person with a computer and an Internet connection can demonstrate their creativity and innovation to the world. It is happening every day. But how much time do we really spend listening to, and hearing from, our audience—what they want, what they value, and how we can help? How much time do you spend delivering on what your audience wants, instead of trying to compel them to accept that what you are doing is important? Do you know what they want? Have you asked? Did you listen to the answer?

I get asked all the time what one thing we should do.  I don’t have an answer.  There isn’t one.  We don’t need a plan, a set of steps, or a list of policies—that’s too short term; we need to think bigger. We don’t need a model, a proven example, or a data set to work from—we have never done what we need to do now; there is nothing to copy or emulate. We don’t need a strategy or a road map, a report, or an event. And we certainly don’t need another tool, app or widget – not until we understand better how to use the incredible resources we have to drive meaningful, measurable action.

We need to change the way we think, act, and organize. We need to change the way we talk and listen. Everything we know—and how to apply it—must be reconsidered.  We need to shift & reset.

[The post was adapted from Shift & Reset: Strategies for Addressing Serious Issues in a Connected Society]

Bio

Brian Reich is senior vice president – global editor for Edelman, where he provides editorial vision and strategy for the company. He is well known for his expertise in new media, Web 2.0, social networks, mobile, community, ecommerce, brand marketing, cause branding, and more. Brian is the author of Shift & Reset: Strategies for Addressing Serious Issues in a Connected Society (Wiley, 2011) and co-author of Media Rules!: Mastering Today’s Technology to Connect with and Keep Your Audience (Wiley, 2007). Learn more about Brian at www.shiftandreset.com.

Share this:

As I’ve been traveling around the country with our Social Media for Nonprofits conference series promoting my new book, Nonprofit Management 101, I’ve enjoyed listening to industry leaders like Guy Kawasaki and Beth Kanter shed light on the changing media landscape. In particular, I’ve learned about how nonprofits make the best use of social media to advance fundraising, marketing and advocacy goals.

Although our focus may be on providing nonprofit execs with practical tips and tools—actionable insights nonprofits can put to use immediately—there are two salient takeaways that I believe anyone looking to take a cause viral, whether that’s feeding the homeless or pushing product, need to know in order to be successful online: the secret to going viral; and how to approach World 2.0, where everyone is smarter than anyone.

1. 1. The Secret to Going Viral

My diligent research has proven that I will hear the word “viral” within 42 seconds of talking with any organization interested in marketing a cause or product online.  Everyone wants her campaign to harness the immense word-of-mouth power that is the allure of social media.  Though, for all the speakers I’ve heard promise to share the secret to going viral, it was a casual conversation with my mentor and friend, Bill Ryan, that finally offered enlightenment.  It’s simple yet confounding: C+C+C = C.

• Compelling: Never mind the what; the key is sharing the so what with your audience. If you can’t convey why they should care, and how what you’re talking about relates to their interests… it’s game over.

• Concise: Einstein said it best, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” How can you expect folks to spread the good word if it’s too long and complicated to remember?

• Credible: Great, so you’ve engaged me and done it quickly, but if you try and tell me that your magic beans are the cure to cancer tomorrow, I’m onto whatever else my fascinating network of do-gooders and colleagues is up to.

Put ‘em all together and you get the key to viral victory:

• Contagious: The holy grail of social media marketing is attained when your engaging, short, and believable message takes fire and people start spreading it on your behalf; hopefully even remixing your message and broadening your appeal.

1. 2. Crowdsourcing 101

As Pulitzer Prize winner Carl Sandburg first noted in 1949, we have entered a world where everyone is smarter than anyone. Never before has this concept held more true.  From 1768 until just a few years back, the Encyclopedia Britannica was the quintessential fountain of knowledge, with its ivory tower approach to amassing and disseminating knowledge. They employed thousands and spent millions building their empire, only to have a rag-tag, open source team of techies turn their world upside down.

Today, Wikipedia continues to rely almost exclusively on volunteer editors and supporters, instead of paid professionals—this June they tallied over 11 million edits in all, with loads of contributors all working on any one article.  Their approach yields quality and quantity; as early as 2005, the journal Nature claimed Wikipedia was as accurate as the Encyclopedia, and today it contains over 50 times as many words and articles as its predecessor.  Why?  Because Wikipedia empowers a community of people, albeit small in proportion to their overall user base, to actively contribute to its fountain of knowledge. They are YouTube, not Paramount.

So whether it’s Wikipedia or YouTube, The Red Cross or charity:water, the question is not how can you use social media and the Internet to expand market share or spread the word about your cause; the question is, How can you use interactive technology to create a mutually beneficial partnership with your constituents? Put yourself in their shoes and make sure you have a clear, compelling reason for why they should bother listening to you in this attention economy, and certainly why they should go through the effort of telling their friends about you.  Then open your arms and welcome their input and active participation in shaping your content.  In this world, context, not content, is king.

The secrets to going viral and crowdsourcing may be useful and powerful insights, but never let anyone tell you they’re a social media expert; the field is moving too quickly for anyone to claim guru status in this newly forming world.

So tell me—what are the most useful insights you’ve come across that guide your efforts online?

Follow Darian Rodriguez Heyman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@dheyman

Share this:

Did you know that we, as human beings, are inherently generous?  Our brains are actually hard wired for altruism.  When we see or hear someone’s pain, our own neurons fire in the same way they would if we were feeling that pain ourselves.  We want to help others, and when we do, we’re rewarded with happy feelings – and a dopamine dose to our brain’s pleasure center.

So why is it so hard to raise money?  People should be giving all the time if it’s human nature.

Here’s the rub: to get people to act on their natural impulses, you have to ask them to help in a compelling way.  And we often fail to do that.  We tend to get so obsessed with our mission’s needs that we forget to consider the donor in the picture.  What about their neurons?  How can we connect to them in a meaningful way?  And how can we deliver the happiness that giving brings?

We need to focus on what we give our supporters, not on what they give us.  We need to give them the chance to do extraordinary good through our organizations.  We need to give them memorable stories about the difference they made.  And we need to give them credit for the good that happens.

That’s the real gift of fundraising – not the donation you extract but rather the reward you provide.  Through your own generous orientation, you inspire generosity from others and build a community of giving.

One of the best marketing minds on the planet, Seth Godin, has noted: “A gift binds the recipient to the giver, and both of them to a community.  A contract isolates the individuals, with money as the connector.  The gift binds them instead.”

When people feel that supporting your cause is a transaction, so much is lost.

Here are three things you can do today to practice this principle.

1. In your next email, give donors a wonderful story about one person (or animal) whose life was changed because of them.  Just one.  It’s more powerful that two or ten or twenty thousand.
2. Thank a donor out of the blue – just pick up the phone, call and give them credit for what has happened at your organization.
3. Experience the happiness that these acts of gratitude gives people  – and the happiness it provides to you.  It will give you nice dose of dopamine and remind you why you came to this work in the first place.

Own the great space of what you give rather than the tiny territory of what you need.  The former is a much more fertile place to be a fundraiser – and to make a life.

Have a generous and happy week.

Share this:

Facebook just announced that 800 million people have logged on in the last 30 days, solidifying its spot as the equivalent of the world’s third largest country, and growing fast. But how can nonprofits harness the power of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social media to turbo charge their engagement and fundraising efforts?

In short, the answer is using readily available, sometimes even free, technology to turn your donors into fundraisers.

You should never allow a donor to drop off a check and then just drive away. When they come to your website to donate to your cause, they already have their hearts and wallets open— this is the peak of engagement and it’s crucial to seize the moment.

Which of these would you rather have: a donor ready to give you his money, or a supporter ready to introduce his friends to your cause? We would all like both, but are we letting him know that?

The old saying goes, “You don’t ask; you don’t get.”

Think about your website— are you clearly spelling out how folks can support your efforts? Take an objective look and ask if visitors can easily figure out how to:

1)    Join the cause, i.e. subscribe to your newsletter, etc.

2)    Donate within three clicks from any point on your website

3)    Let their friends know they gave, and invite them to follow suit

Most nonprofits get in their own way online, forcing people to search around to donate or spread the good word once they do—always remember to streamline the online experience; your website should act like ball bearings for donors and supporters.

Ask everybody who comes to your site to donate, subscribe for updates, and share a Facebook or Twitter update; and turn every one gift into ten! Here at Fundly, a platform for online and social giving, we call this the “Social Multiplier Effect”. May it serve you as well as the thousands of nonprofits we’ve helped!

For more tips and tricks, see Fundly’s Social Fundraising blog.

Share this:

As Michelle Nunn discusses in Chapter 33 of Nonprofit Management 101, holding a volunteer reflection event will enhance your volunteer program by it opening up communication among your volunteers and allowing your organization to reflect on the important role these individuals play within your organization.

The first agenda item of a volunteer reflection event is to formally thank your volunteers and honor the work they have done. Let them know the impact they have contributed, and how their efforts have helped you accomplish your mission. This is best done by the person who works directly with them (the volunteer coordinator) AND the leadership.

It is important for the leadership of the organization to be at the event and recognize and show their appreciation for the these individuals that give their time, knowledge, and experience to the organization. After all, they are ambassadors for you and will encourage others to learn and become impassioned with your cause. Also, make sure that all staff attend the event, and are getting to know the individuals your organization depends on and is honoring.

The second agenda item of a volunteer reflection event is to ask for feedback about your volunteer program. Be sure to ask both specific and generic questions. You’ll want to gather specific feedback about the tasks and work the volunteers do, things they like, and things they would improve. Are they being effectively managed, and are the tasks they do rewarding? Also make sure to get their feedback about volunteering with your organization as a whole. How does it make them feel, and do they feel a part of your organization, or like an outsider? In addition to a dialogue, using a survey is a great way to get overall satisfaction rates and feedback about your volunteer program.

A volunteer reflection event will yield more meaningful relationships with volunteers, while also informing your volunteer program. The information you glean from this process will be extremely valuable to the development of your volunteer program and will inform your strategy for engaging volunteers in the future. Remember, volunteers are one of your organizations most valuable assets; they are champions, donors, and friends. If you treat them as such and cultivate these relationships properly, you’ll build loyal volunteers who are deeply connected and devoted to your organization and your volunteer program will thrive.

Share this:

If you like to rant, why not write an op-ed? An op-ed is not a rant per se. But it gives voice to a sound argument from your personal/professional perspective.

If you work for an agency or organization that feeds hungry people. Or for an organization that protects the environment. Or provides health services to low-income women. Then you probably have first hand knowledge, experience and opinions about governmental or corporate policies and practices that affect your work.

We would all benefit from hearing your perspective.

Your viewpoint and vantage point could open up a debate. Expand an argument. Shed new light on an issue.

If you’re a non-white woman, chances are your perspective is not being reflected in our newspapers. According to The Op Ed Project, most of the voices on the opinion pages are mostly western, white, privileged and overwhelmingly male.

Plus newspapers are hungry daily for copy to fill their opinion pages. Check out these examples of printed op-eds.

If I’ve convinced you that you have something to say, let me share a few successful suggestions for writing an op-ed. (Thanks to The Op Ed Project)

First, find a news hook, commonly known as the lede (yes, it’s spelled correctly) to make your piece topical and relevant. Here are a few lede ideas.

• The anniversary of a court decision – 34 years ago today, the Supreme Court re-instated the death penalty, now our state is considering banning it.
• The anniversary of a death or birth of a leader –Roger Nash Baldwin, the founder of the American Civil Liberties Union, couldn’t have predicted the civil rights issues facing this country, 30 years after his death.
• An upcoming national or international meeting or forum  – As bluefin tuna ply the deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean their ultimate fate lies in the hands of the members of CITES.
• Connect to popular culture – High school singers and dancers may entertain us on “Glee” but most teenagers in public school lack access to performing and visual arts programs.
• Cite a study that supports your position or refutes it – If you’re worried about why your teenage son won’t discuss his problems, look to his genes. A new University of Missouri study shows…

Don’t worry about repeating items covered in other sections of the newspaper. You will be reinforcing or supporting their pieces with your own perspective.

Next step, state your argument or thesis. Either explicitly or implied.

Follow that with an argument based on evidence, i.e. statistics, news, reports from credible organizations, expert quotes, scholarship, history, first-hand experience. If you base it on the latter, you will surely express a new voice.

Follow that with one to three points backed up by evidence and a conclusion.

Your penultimate paragraph should be your “To Be Sure” section where you acknowledge legitimate points made by your critics and any flaws in your argument. Also include any bona fide counter arguments.

Close the piece by circling back to your lede.

Share this: