Comments on: Social Media: What Priority For Fundraising? http://www.theagitator.net/branding/social-media-what-priority-for-fundraising/ Fundraising and advocacy strategies. Trends, tips ... with an edge Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:27:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Glenn http://www.theagitator.net/branding/social-media-what-priority-for-fundraising/comment-page-1/#comment-9058 Glenn Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:36:48 +0000 http://www.theagitator.net/?p=1242#comment-9058 I think social media is important to organizations, but not necessarily for fundraising per se. Just like having a good website may not be directly related to a direct mail appeal, many donors will look at the organization's website to learn more about them before donating, even offline. Social media may well play a similar role as part of a greater donor relations/communications strategy. If I can't send the organization a tweet and get a response, why would I donate to them? I think social media is important to organizations, but not necessarily for fundraising per se. Just like having a good website may not be directly related to a direct mail appeal, many donors will look at the organization’s website to learn more about them before donating, even offline. Social media may well play a similar role as part of a greater donor relations/communications strategy. If I can’t send the organization a tweet and get a response, why would I donate to them?

]]> By: Jill Ruchel http://www.theagitator.net/branding/social-media-what-priority-for-fundraising/comment-page-1/#comment-8988 Jill Ruchel Fri, 18 Sep 2009 22:54:34 +0000 http://www.theagitator.net/?p=1242#comment-8988 I think you've got this social media thing all wrong. You're setting it all up as an either/or situation - do social media or do something else. Yes I agree we have to prioritise and yes I agree we have to keep doing the things that make money, testing, improving etc etc. But social media should not be ignored. It's the product of a whole new paradigm. The world is changing. Ways of doing business, communicating and yes, fundraising, are changing. It's not always clear exactly how they are changing, or what will emerge. But to spend so much time bagging social media is a waste of energy. Spend what time we have examining and embracing the change, looking for opportunities and testing new things. This is a time of growing consumer democracy and consumers are demanding organisational transparency. Donors are too! This will be as huge for charities as it is for business. The new media will generate new models of operation - take a look at things like kiva.org. The charities that are aware of and respond to these new demands and rapid changes are those that will be will prepared to take advantage of new opportunities. The others will trail behind and over time, fade away. Frankly, it's the quick and the dead, and any monolithic, backward looking organisations that fail to embrace change - responsibly - will die. I think you’ve got this social media thing all wrong. You’re setting it all up as an either/or situation – do social media or do something else. Yes I agree we have to prioritise and yes I agree we have to keep doing the things that make money, testing, improving etc etc.

But social media should not be ignored. It’s the product of a whole new paradigm. The world is changing. Ways of doing business, communicating and yes, fundraising, are changing. It’s not always clear exactly how they are changing, or what will emerge. But to spend so much time bagging social media is a waste of energy. Spend what time we have examining and embracing the change, looking for opportunities and testing new things.

This is a time of growing consumer democracy and consumers are demanding organisational transparency. Donors are too! This will be as huge for charities as it is for business. The new media will generate new models of operation – take a look at things like kiva.org. The charities that are aware of and respond to these new demands and rapid changes are those that will be will prepared to take advantage of new opportunities. The others will trail behind and over time, fade away. Frankly, it’s the quick and the dead, and any monolithic, backward looking organisations that fail to embrace change – responsibly – will die.

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