Best Techniques for Newsletters

As we learned in class, e-newsletters can be an excellent way for an organization to share upcoming events, accomplishments, and relevant news. And they have the eco-friendly benefit of being delivered straight to a user's inbox. Because users will choose to subscribe to your newsletters, it is also an excellent way to groom your audience down to people who genuinely care about your organization and its needs.

Newsletters are nice because they allow you to communicate a lot of information without sending a truckload of emails. Some organizations also add a personal touch by listing staff member birthdays, weddings, etc. so that readers can see the human side of the non-profit world.

However, newsletters can be quite the undertaking if you don't know where to start. Fortunately, the Network for Good has released a marketing guide for non profits who are interested in creating a yearly, monthly, or weekly newsletter. You can download their presentation by clicking the link below.

http://nnaac.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Nonprofit-Email-Marketing-Guide.pdf

Non-Profits and Instagram

Instagram is the mobile sensation that is sweeping the nation, and is especially among young adults. The app/website, which allows you to take a photo and then add filters and edits, has given birth to a whole new generation of photographers. But you may not realize that non-profits are capitalizing on this new media in order to spread the word about their causes and document their impact in real time.

What's awesome about Instagram is, like twitter, users can attach hash tags to their photos and automatically have them categorized instantly. That means that anyone who knows the non-profit's hashtag can help to raise awareness. It is really an interactive medium because anyone with a mobile device can become an activist for your organization! And with today's mobile generations, I think this would be an excellent digital tool for the non-profits of today (and tomorrow!) to consider adding to their repertoire!


You can view some examples of how non-profits are promoting their causes by checking out this article on Instagram's blog:

http://blog.instagram.com/post/8758032746/nonprofits-on-instagram

A picture of a seal raises awareness for Galapagos ocean pollution.

Stellar Procrastination

If you're anything like me, you will procrastinate on homework by surfing the web, checking your facebook, etc. Suddenly, you look at the clock and hours have flown by. You think, "wow, I just wasted all that time." Sound familiar?

Well, you're welcome Colorado residents because I have come across a fabulous website that helps you procrastinate in a charitable way...and you may actually be SMARTER when you're done.

freerice.com is a wonderful website that gives you a word, and a list of synonyms. For example:

Quiet Means:

       1. bad

       2. chubby

       3. silent

       4. not good

You choose "silent" and BAM! 10 grains of rice get donated to a starving country. The words get more difficult as you go on, too. So next time you're looking for a way to waste time, consider wasting it in a way that feeds the hungry!

Once Upon a Vine, The Non Profit Sector Grew

We already know about Twitter. It's short, sweet and to the point. But maybe you haven't heard about Vine, the new Twitter video system that allows users to upload short (6 second) video clips that are displayed on your feed and accessed by millions.

Now you may be wondering how six seconds is enough time to communicate the mission and goals of your organization, right? Well, much like everything else media related, you can condense just about anything and still have it be effective. If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many can you get out of six seconds of video? Granted, Vine is a recently released application (Born in January 2013) so it may be a passing fad, but why not take a risk and make a vine video? Who knows, it could pay off big time in the future.

Be sure to check out this article by "Non-Profit Nate," a well known blogger. He teaches you 21 ways that any non profit can use Vine to reach an previously untapped audience. I've also posted the video on his page that you may find interesting!

http://nonprofitnate.com/2013/01/25/21-nonprofit-uses-for-twitters-vine-video-app/

Website Approaches Homeless Unemployment

If you're anything like me, at least one night of the week the last thing you want to do is slave over the stove to make dinner. Also, if you're anything like me, pizza sounds good regardless of the day, time, or weather. So why not order a pizza this week and help a good cause while you're at it.

Pizza Fusion, located off of East Colfax in Denver, has some of the most stellar pizza I have ever tasted. They only use natural ingredients, and their stores and business practices are eco-friendly. But perhaps the most amazing thing about Pizza Fusion is that their staff is comprised almost entirely of individuals from The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. That means that in addition to making hot, cheesy goodness they are also providing valuable work experience and training for the homeless. These are skills that can help them obtain future jobs and careers. Plus, a portion of their proceeds channel back to supporting the Coalition and their mission. So if you're hungry and in the Dever Metro area, consider ordering from Pizza Fusion. It's just as delicious, but so much better for our community.

Order Here!

http://pizzafusion.com/denver026/

TED Talk: Non-Profit Mentality is Wrong

For those of you who are unfamiliar with TED Talks, first of all... get familiar! They are an awesome resource for society. Each short talk deals with a pressing issue that's going on right now in our world today, and the information comes straight from the mouths of an expert who can tell you first-hand what to expect moving forward. It's also an awesome digital promotion tool because it combines the visual/audio quality of video with the hard-pressing facts that are often overlooked in long-winded articles and "traditional promotion."

Here is an excellent TED Talk by Dan Pallotta, a well-respected activist and fundraiser. He talks about how the way we think of charity and the non-profit sector is worrisome. Even though non-profits often have to work with a small budget, he argues that sometimes spending more money is worth it if they get the job done. Anyone who is interested in pursuing a career in this field would be greatly humbled by this talk! Hopefully we can begin taking steps in the right direction to achieve a more perfect world of charity.

Check out the video here:

http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pallotta_the_way_we_think_about_charity_is_dead_wrong.html

Tweeting for Change

Facebook seems to be dying a slow death at the hands of Twitter, an addicting form of social media where users can create short "tweets" about what they are doing, what they're interested in, and what's going on around the world. As you can imagine, non-profits all around the nation are utilizing this social media form to spread the word about their efforts and progress. However, some are excelling more than others. The article below from sproutsocial.com talks about the five non-profits who are using twitter well and the impact it has had on their organizations.

http://sproutsocial.com/insights/2011/11/nonprofits-using-twitter/

If I were a non-profit, this would be the first social medium I look into simply because of how fast it is growing and how easy it is to promote your message. By developing a hashtag, organizations can create their own twitter feed and interact with volunteers, donors and community members. It is also a great way to network and form relationships with other non-profits because it allows you the opportunity to "re-tweet" and pass the message on to your followers.

Some people may think that 140 characters can't convey a big message, but I beg to differ. One look at the link above proves that small words can go a long way!