When hiking in Alaska, my companion whispered that if we were very quiet-and lucky enough to come near a bear-instead of running I should open my coat wide to look bigger than the bear. This would cause the bear to perceive that I was formidable and he would flee. I saw the approach for its value and have since modified it into a theory I apply on how to successfully envelope social media into the fundraising efforts of non-profit organizations. The Bear Approach to Fundraising-how to use social media to project an image of strength.
Raising money is based on three things: relationships, relationships, and relationships. We have many reasons for giving- altruism, community affiliation, repayment, religious philosophy, or even social recognition but all these reasons can be distilled to one basic tenet: We give because someone we like and respect has asked us to. Furthermore, the size of the donation grows exponentially in direct proportion to the strength of the relationship-the more intimate, authentic and personal the relationship, the larger the gift.
Every year thousands of nonprofits shutter their doors. Why? Most nonprofits have important, critical missions that demand our attention and support, but only a few will survive. Are these the ones with the best, most important missions? No. These are the ones with the best network. And by best I don't mean the ones with the most celebrities or VIPs. I mean the most engaged and the most active.
This is where social media can help.
What is social media? Social media encompasses all new media that creates and encourages social interaction and is also user-driven, widely accessible and scalable. Facebook has become the brandnomer (like Kleenex to facial tissue) but the reality is the social media world encompasses many technologies including:
Blogging (WordPress)
Micro-blogging (Twitter)
Video sharing (YouTube)
Music sharing (ReverbNation)
Product reviews (Epinions)
Business reviews (Yelp)
Information sharing (Ehow)
Virtual worlds (World of Warcraft) and
E-communications or e-newsletters sent by nonprofits to their network
Social media is a powerful tool in the fundraising kit to help grow, cultivate and steward relationships. Social media creates communication pathways that are accessible, have the capacity to reach many people, and can be updated immediately to keep content fresh.
In "Small Change: The Revolution Will Not be Tweeted", author Malcom Gladwell reminds us that social networking is about relationships constructed on weak ties (this is why we can have thousands of friends on Facebook that we never could have in real life). Weak ties are valuable because they are a low-maintenance network of individuals connected through an invested interest but weak ties don't promote high-action. Most movements attributed to online buzz are based on easy-to-take action steps, like signing an electronic petition, or involve transmitting information to a group ready to mobilize. Online giving for causes frequently involves a high quantity of donations but the gift size is no larger than $25.
However weak ties are still relationships. The idea is that someone we trust starts the ball moving-potentially introducing a greater number of individuals to a new idea or cause-and the network grows because the introducer is familiar. And therein lies the value. Social media is efficient in disseminating new information to a lot of people who have already identified that they are open to hearing about the idea.
This is where social media hits its stride. Tools such as Facebook, blogging, e-letters and Twitter are successful in doing two things: first, they allow nonprofits to cultivate new relationships, many more then they could otherwise have without these portals and second, they allow nonprofits to steward pre-existing relationships.
This takes me back to my first paragraph. Social media is the coat we are wearing in the woods. It allows us to develop our public personality by presenting only our best and most exciting news-the same method we employ when we are cultivating new and stewarding committed donors at an event or over lunch.
A list of ten tips that should be used when creating your social media efforts
Always link to the Big Picture, the overall idea you want to message
Build trust when conveying information through factual and technical accuracy
Be cool, create and convey an emotion with visuals and language
Invite readers to join a successful movement with easy calls to action
Tell powerful stories
Project optimism, avoid using guilt
Celebrate people for taking small initial steps
Use inclusive language that creates a larger sense of community and connectedness
Spotlight heroes to emulate
Link your big ideas with every day realities and interests
But be warned. The downside to social media is found in its neglect. As powerful as it can be for cultivating and stewarding support, letting an online campaign go unattended for too long or an e-letter reach a donor's mailbox on the wrong day, with two much copy, or no visuals, can quickly turn off interest or create the perception that the agency isn't doing well.
Social media can do wonders at growing and nurturing a network but like any tool, it must be used with care. I am reminded of the telephone game we played as kids. We sat in a circle and passed on one message-listening excitedly as "Sally had pizza for dinner" turned into "Sally got a job in a plaza." Back then it was fun, but now we can see the real power that messaging through networks has in reaching people and helping us advance our missions. And with proper social media stewardship many guests at Sally's dinner may become major donors.
Dylan Kendall is a fundraising consultant and managing partner of Dylan Kendall LLC -- a home accessories company that believes in bringing simplicity, creativity and joy into the home. She is also the founding director of City LA: pLAy Smart, a new children's museum in Los Angeles that focuses on arts, media and culture. Formally, she was the Founder and Executive Director of Hollywood Arts, the only independent non-profit organization in the nation dedicated to helping homeless, low-income and transitional age foster-care young people, ages 18 to 24, become self-sufficient through arts-based education in arts, music and media.
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