Blue Trolley Press » Social Media

Twitter Jump Start by John Haydon

Jeff Stanger — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 19:11:05 +0000

Twitter Jump Start is a fantastic tool for nonprofits that have been wondering what all that “twitter stuff” is all about. John Haydon, of Corporatedollar.org, lays out a simple to follow plan for setting up your account, customizing your profile, and conducting a campaign.

Particularly useful is a “Twictionary” that helps you understand the language of twitter and “10 Twitter Tips to Increase Online Donations.” You will want to share this free download with your development staff and board. For those who are skeptical about how Twitter can help your organization, Twitter Jump Start will win them over!

Facebook Causes Top $10,000,000

Jeff Stanger — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:00:02 +0000

Facebook Causes has topped $10,000,000 in funds raised in just 2 years. Surprisingly, half of that came in the past 6 months. Despite the lousy economy, people are still giving and an increasing number are giving via Facebook.

Consider these numbers from the Causes blog:

26,000 Causes have received a donation
$25 median donation
$5,000,000 donated in 2009
$1.4 million donated via the Birthday Wish feature

The Birthday Wish feature is of particular interest because it has raised so much money in such a short time. It’s a very simple app that allows a user to donate their birthday to their favorite cause. This is a Facebook twist on the peer-to-peer campaign that makes it simple for you to ask friends to make a donation to your favorite cause in lieu of a birthday present. The success of which, you can’t afford to overlook as a fundraiser.

With the $10,000,000 mark reached, more nonprofits will be creating Facebook Causes. If you haven’t created one, keep in mind the fundamentals of fundraising before you do. You still have to make a strong case for support and you have to present a clear call to action. These still apply whether your online or meeting a donor face-to-face.

Let the Donor Speak

Jeff Stanger — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 12:34:37 +0000

Chris Anderson writes in The Long Tail, “For a generation of customers used to doing their buying research via search engine, a company’s brand is not what the company says it is, but what Google says it is.”

This applies to nonprofit fundraising as well. People under 40 are more apt to believe what their peers say about a nonprofit than what we say in a mission statement. Amazon gets this better than any for profit or nonprofit. Of course, you have to be prepared for the good and the bad.

Nonprofits need to be transparent in the new age of fundraising. Don’t be afraid to allow your site visitors to comment or interact via a forum. Let the donor speak. She might be your best fundraiser.