As a nonprofit today you have the opportunity to be creative and try new things you never have before. With use of email & the internet there is the opportunity to reach a greater and more diverse audience than ever before. Through mail merges and online prospect research there is the ability to personalize communication. Through blogging and e-newsletters current information is more readily accessible.
In such a technological world I think that it would be wonderful to see more CEOs or Executive Directors blogging about the work of their nonprofit. I am very happy when I see an organization sending out a quick e-newsletter update on a project area that the organization is working with or creating a distribution email to engage experienced volunteers in urgent projects.
Check out this post about what could happen in 2008 from a great blog called Tactical Philanthropy. I encourage you to try some new ideas and new fundraising programs. If you are a small non-profit your organization is often a lot more nimble and has the opportunity to try some new creative programs and I’d love to hear about them (write a comment and let me know about what you are doing). Another new and developing area in fundraising is cause marketing here is a great post on how to start from a blog called Selfish Giving.
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The Selfishgiving.com peice is pretty good, and dovetails
with the comment I posted on a prior post of yours:
http://asmallchange.wordpress.com/2007/12/15/starting-a-business-program-part-2
Specifically:
“Take a different tack and tell them something they don’t
know about you, like how you can help them grow their
business. ”
and
“Think of yourself as a nonprofit professional who helps
companies make and save money.”
Sounds like things I could have said.
I’d love to see more CEOs or other NP exec’s blogging, but
there’s a big risk: the temptation to “outsource” the
writing. In otherwords, what’s key about blogging is that it
be open and authentic. In my mind that means that the CEO
(or whomever’s name is on the blog) actually do the writing,
without a lot of organizational filtering from PR-like
departments. How many CEOs have the time? How many have the
skills? How many organizations will let them?
And sadly, a NON-authentic blog will do much more harm than
good.
Nice to discover your blog!!
I was so excited to find your blog when I saw your most recent post on Digg. I am part of a team called echoDonations. We are in the beginning stages of spreading the word about our new web-based technology for the nonprofit community. We have developed a way in which donors can contribute to nonprofits and receive cash rewards for their investment…similar to investing in stock. The best part is – you can donate as little as $25, and you receive return on this investment every year for your entire life.
I would love to add you to my blogroll. Please check out our site for yourself: echoDonations.org
Michelle