I’m doing something for charity this week, and would like your help.
On Tuesday I’m speaking in Southend, to a group of charities involved in the Colourthon, an annual fundraising walk (well, series of walks) that helps participants raise funds for scores of charities every year.
You may be surprised to learn that many of the charities attending don’t have a Twitter account, and aren’t on Facebook. My job is to help them understand why social media can help them fundraise, and give them some ideas to get started.
No matter how small a charity is, they all rely on the kindness of others to help them do their work. What ideal candidates for the supportive environment that we know social media can be!
How you can Help
Now, I thought, I know lots of people who use Twitter and Facebook, who blog and, who take part in charity fundraising. I could just use some examples that I know already, but in the tradition of this blog, maybe I should ask them what they like to do most?
So here are my questions.
- Why do you get involved in charities that use Social Media?
- What types of things do you like doing?
- Tell me a story about how Social Media helped you fundraise
- What advice would you give to a charity getting started?
Please comment below, and/or post your ideas on twitter. Use the #colourthon hashtag and I’ll curate them. You can follow @Colourthon on twitter too and like them on Facebook.
I’ll curate the twitter advice and share the links with the audience so they can get the most out of anything you share.
My talk is on Tuesday evening at 7pm and if all goes well, I’d like to share some of your ideas with the audience live, so do join us on the hashtag.
Thanks in advance for your help and ideas.
Su
Please do have a look at a group I’m involved in called ‘analysis exchange’ – where Online/Analytics geeks from all over the world come together to help non-profit orgs do better online.
It could be SEO help, simple web analysis, web design improvements etc.
Each charity (who signs up) is assigned a project manager (voluntary) and one student (voluntary). Student does the work (builds CV) with the PM who sets the brief (gains experience) and finally both present findings to charity. Then it goes into implementation….
Apply the same principle/methodology here.
Hi Pritesh,
That’s a great idea, thanks.
Search Engine Optimisation is essential if people are going to find your stuff using a search engine like google.
Do you have a link to the group and more information?
Hi Su
I should point out that all time devoted to each charity is voluntary.
More info here: http://www.webanalyticsdemystified.com/ae/faq.asp
Particular case study to note is the work done for Charity Water. http://analysis-exchange.tumblr.com/post/4026280885/analysis-exchange-success-story-charity-water.
I’ve also noticed a few members tweet that they have given up their birthday and give donations to Charity Water instead. Bit like a niche twitter movement, when one tweets it……other kinda follow.
Great case study Pritesh. And thanks for coming back with the links.
Your point at the end is great too. People do this stuff with their friends and family. Explains why Facebook is a good platform for charities don’t you think?
Hi, my name is Patricia Vila and I am the Marketing Director at Chapman Partnership. I would like to learn how to raise money on twitter as well as all social media. We a homeless shelter that serves 800 people, 200 of them are children.
Why do you get involved in charities that use Social Media?
A personal reason for supporting that charity in the first place, normally come across their T/FB accounts when on their website looking for information
What types of things do you like doing?
I climbed Kilimanjaro for BHF, and now I am attracted to the ‘different’ or challenging fundraising activities. Sometimes simple is easiest tho e.g. online raffle ticket purchase through PayPal.
Tell me a story about how Social Media helped you fundraise
I raised over £8k for BHF by blogging the story from city chick to mountain gal. By the time I reached summit night my family were answering calls at 4am to check I was safe and that I had made it. The blog was honest and shared the ups and downs of training, prep and my time on the mountain.
What advice would you give to a charity getting started?
Don’t forget the power of the influencer. Support your fundraisers and help them learn how to use social media to raise money for you
Hi Karen,
Thanks for your thoughts, much appreciated. If you’d like to share some links (your blog, your JustGiving page) feel free.
Hi Su,
Through a long-term Health issue, I’ve been a member for over 20 years of the Charity, the National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society (NASS), http://www.nass.co.uk . I have seen the development of this Charity over this time including its first ever web-site – and more recently during the last year or so with the development of the use of Social Media. They have a Facebook Page, staff have Twitter Accounts, and the Director regularly writes a blog with new posts. Information from research, and conferences, e.g. Technical, video presentations etc… are put-online, typically in a members area. Membership together with an on-line Shop, once with cheque payment has been developed with on-line payment.
It’s a wonderful and delightful example, as to how they, as a small charity, have very simply and sensibly, embraced and used Social Media to provide awareness and support to both members and also non-members. And fundamentally not too pushy for donations, which Charities sometimes use in an aggressive manner.
Why do you get involved in charities that use Social Media?
My support for the Spinal Injuries Association stems from my involvement with biking. http://www.spinal.co.uk/index
Unfortunately, “I’m sorry mate, I didn’t see you” collisions can result in innocent bikers receiving life-changing spinal injuries. The SIA does not accept that life stops after spinal injuries – it does great work in pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved by the spinally injured.
What types of things do you like doing?
We generally have fun when supporting the SIA. Naturally, we like riding our bikes, so the SIA might organise a run for us to a location we like to visit. We pay for the privilege of going somewhere we were going to visit anyway…
Tell me a story about how Social Media helped you fundraise
This year, the SIA’s had a new fundraising idea, to produce a “calendar girls” style calendar, but with men. http://www.spinal.co.uk/product.php?productID=339&categoryID=30
I’ve had a few retweets for this!
What advice would you give to a charity getting started?
Get involved with twitter via people you know in the real world, many of whom will be on twitter. Their contacts will be people you don’t know – yet!
Thanks for your answers Linn, good point about remembering to find your ‘real life’ contacts on twitter, something many people forget to do.
And the calendar looks great!
FB with Just Giving is the main combo i use. if a friend posts that they’re raising funds, i am much more likely to donate if there’s a link to a Just Giving page – it’s right there, so they’ve removed the barrier to donation.
My fave example of a blog for fundraising was http://www.rungeordierun.com/ when Mark was crossing the USA last year. i was learning to run at the same time he was doing his epic challange, so thinking about his efforts kept me going when my training got tough. as a consequence i donated more than i would’ve normally done.
Finially i’ll give you some examples of social media charity fail: there are plenty of people whinging about folk posting distressing pictures to FB under the banner of “raising awareness” & i’ve got to say i agree. a picture of a beaten animal or child is not going to make me donate. i know these things happen; i don’t need to see these pictures. likewise, whilst philosophically i completely agree with Amnesty’s goals, i unsubbed from their Twitter feed cos of the relentless stream of bad news (10s of stories every day) was just too depressing. & yes it is depressing that there’s so much injustice in the world, but the success of things such as fancy dress fun runs show that you win more hearts, mind & cash if you accentuate the positive.
Emma wrote: “… there are plenty of people whinging about folk posting distressing pictures to FB under the banner of “raising awareness” & i’ve got to say i agree. ”
I tend to agree that people banging on about bad news is a turnoff, but some charities need to tell it how it is. See, for instance, #wateraid #worldtoiletday. http://t.co/sKECohs6
We’re pretty familiar with the need for food aid, and even clean water, but how many people think about the knock-on effects of lack of toilets?
Equally, I’d rather donate quietly to good causes out of my own pocket, rather than brow-beating my friends and family into sponsoring me to do a fun event I’d probably like to do anyway. So for me the pics of people enjoying a fundraiser is a major turnoff … but that’s just me. (I’m a GOW!)
1. Why do you get involved in charities that use Social Media?
Raise awareness, connect with like minded people and organisations, learn from others
2. What types of things do you like doing?
Engaging with others and sharing their story. Conscious effort not to continually broadcast our message. If people are interested they’ll ask.
3. Tell me a story about how Social Media helped you fundraise
We do not raise vast sums through social media or online giving (about 10% of income) . Our sucesses are centred around finding new Trustees (who we’d never find through traditional channels), newspaper and tv coverage, speaking engagements where we can raise profile etc., new supporters and volunteers.
What advice would you give to a charity getting started?
Aim at connecting with people first. Do not push the fundraising angle. Social media is a conversation! People will donate if they feel engaged and can do it on their own terms. Focus on one or two platforms. Don’t get disheartened your voice will be in a sea of voices and it takes work to get heard. Being accessible does not mean being online 24/7.
Hi Su
Thanks for the interesting lead topic, I feel that charities and social media really can work together so nicely and in so many ways.
1.Why do you get involved in charities that use Social Media?
My first awareness of several charities that I have recently donated/contributed to has come via social media – Facebook or Twitter, with a stronger link to F’book for me.
There is often several links to the charities website and to other sites that they are linked with and this gives me a strong sense of how genuine a cause is. For example I have recently brought from sevenly.org and I only heard about them via a f’book link.
2.What types of things do you like doing?
I like a win:win situation – I buy something that I need that supports your charity (again sevenly.org – a brilliant example of this). Although not able to contribute regularly to charities I am compelled to spend my money where I feel it will make a difference – even if it is just a small percentage of my spend that goes towards a cause it is still helping.
3.Tell me a story about how Social Media helped you fundraise
We currenly donate 5% of our total sales to Marys Meals – an easy way for us to contribute to a great cause.
4.What advice would you give to a charity getting started?
Don’t hesitate – go for it! Find a volunteer within your organisation who has some knowledge of social media – or hire a VA for 2-3 hours/week to get you started.
Make sure you take a professional approach, there are so many charities and companies using social media to fundraise/create awareness. As consumers we now expect a high quality presentation and via social media this dosen’t need to be an expensive outlay for your charity.
The ripple effect of social media should not be underestimated for charities, my giving via sevenly (or whoever else) is noticed by my friends and then there friends etc.
Even if you have some board members who are not so sure about social media as a fundraising avenue I am sure you could find a lot of great case studies to convince them of otherwise.
Cheers, Ruth