Earlier this week, Beth Kanter wrote about how to translate social listening into good twitter conversation that supports your objectives , riffing on David Lipscomb ’s Social Messenger Framework — one of the communications planning tools that he’s made available at RedPen21.com . One document that caught my eye in particular was Lipscomb’s Media Selection Map , designed to help you figure out which communications channels — offline and online — to choose for a particular purpose. It all starts with…(read more)
Non-profit Communications
Non-profit Communications: Which Media to Use?
Non-profit Website or Non-profit Blog?
Think a blog is just another name for a online journal, not really suitable for a serious non-profit organization? Think again! A blog can be whatever you want it to be. In fact, the main differences between a website and a blog are in the technology behind the scenes, and how your visitors interact with your content….(read more)
Introduction to Blogging for Non-Profits: Free Webinar Recording
Is your organization looking at starting a blog, to help you connect more directly with your members and supporters, but you’re not quite sure how to go about it? Or maybe you’ve started a blog, but it doesn’t quite seem to be doing much yet? There’s a lot of “how to blog” information out there on the Internet, but you’ve probably already discovered that much of it is geared to business or personal blogs — not to nonprofit blogs — and some of the advice can be downright confusing if you’re not all…(read more)
Twitter 101 for Nonprofits
You know how, every so often, you come across a presentation you wish you’d created? For me, this week, it’s Twitter 101 for Nonprofits . In this slideshow introduction to the “fastest-growing social media platform in the world,” Frank Barry (@franswaa) and Jeff Patrick (@commonknow) hit a strong balance between overview and detail, how to and real-world case studies. In brief, here’s what the 58-slide presentation covers: What is Twitter and where did it come from? How does Twitter work? How big…(read more)
How to Get Started with LinkedIn
Whether you’re looking for a first job or making a career change, or simply looking to meet other professionals in the non-profit sector, LinkedIn is the social network of choice. Can online networking help your career? Already, 45% of all US employers use social networks to find qualified employees, and 72% plan to step up their online recruiting….(read more)
Viral Cats Destroy a Nonprofit’s Website – and that’s a good thing
Have you seen the Greenville Humane Society’s new website? If not, it’s likely that a dozen friends will share the link with you before this week is over. As a case study in how nonprofits can use “viral” content – to gain attention, to promote a cause, and to call for action – SpaysNotStrays.org is a winner….(read more)
How to Post Twitter Updates on Your Facebook Page
A Wild Apricot reader left a comment on our post about how to publish your Facebook Page to Twitter, asking: “Is there an application out there to update a Facebook Fan Page’s status from Twitter?” The short answer is, yes, there are several ways you can do this. Here are three different tools that will do the job….(read more)
The Good, the Bad, and Missed Opportunities: a Fundraising Case Study
We know that it’s key for non-profits to connect online activities with real-world actions , but the reverse is also true, as a door-to-door fundraising campaign reminded me last week. People need to be able to take action for your cause in a way that is comfortable and convenient for them. Limit their choices — lock your prospects in to a yes-or-no proposition — and you may miss out, not only on a one-time donation but on the chance to build an enduring donor relationship. Here’s the story: Two…(read more)
6 Free or Cheap Web Tools to Schedule Volunteers
When a friend mentioned the online system his employer has started using to schedule shift work, my first thought was how useful a similar tool could be for non-profit volunteer coordinators. Sure enough, there’s a version of the web-based software that’s specially designed for scheduling volunteers — and it’s free for qualified charities….(read more)
Is Your Non-Profit Website Turning Off New Readers?
“Nobody cares about your website,” Gerry McGovern tells business folks: “Your customers couldn’t care less about your new look, your new design or whether your dog has just had kittens.” Focus on your audience: That’s the single most important piece of advice you’ll ever get about publishing a successful website or blog. But does this advice apply equally to non-profits? Yes, and no. …(read more)
100 Online Tools for Non-Profits
Tight in the budget and short on staff, non-profits are always on the lookout for new ways to get things done — and the Internet is a real treasure trove of useful tools. Here are 100 different applications to help you out with a variety of tasks from project tracking and collaboration to donor and membership management, and from building your non-profit website to tracking its effectiveness. …(read more)
What are Your Non-Profit’s Goals for Social Media?
For every hour your non-profit invests in social networking, an hour is lost to other projects that might further your cause more effectively. How can you know if social media is the best possible use of that time, unless you’ve first figured out what you want to achieve?…(read more)
Free Popcorn: a Case Study in Social Networking
I just received a real-world lesson in social networking done right — and a free bag of popcorn — thanks to Love Your City, a community outreach program by churches across Canada. What does this have to do with using social media to recruit new members to your non-profit? There are a number of lessons here….(read more)
Wanted: Your Blog Posts on Non-Profit Technology
Wild Apricot Blog is pleased to host the next edition of the NonProfit Blog Carnival, a round-up of the month’s best blog posts for non-profits. This month’s topic? Non-profit Technology , of course! Deadline for submissions is June 26, and the Carnival round-up will be published on June 30. This is a chance to showcase your recent blog posts about: Case studies; Best practices; Opinions and Editorials; Tutorials and “How to” guides; Low-cost or free web-based or desktop tools; Best web resources…(read more)
5 Quick Free Ways to Set Up Your Own Chat Room
For quick consultations with colleagues, or staying in touch with your contacts, free instant messaging (IM) services like Google Chat, Skype, AIM, and many others will fit the bill. But if you need a user-friendly way to interact directly with those online supporters of your organization who aren’t on your contact list, a chatroom might be a useful tool for strengthening your online community. In her introduction to Meebo , Soha explained step-by-step how to embed a MeeboMe chatroom on your organization’s…(read more)
Maddie - I'm glad you got a google, er, giggle out of that post. Thanks! 
Thanks for including me in this list. I am very flattered. (You've put me in good company.) 
Like electricity, the Web is everywhere and changes everything, But the one thing it can't deliver is freedom. 
Thanks, Maddie! Have a great weekend. 
The best ideas always come from the field! Teresawww.dailyvoicemaildealio.comYour Virtual Retail Coach!