Comments on: Are you kidding?

By: John Lepp

John Lepp — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:17:24 +0000

Hey Laurie. Our experiences are showing that those charities who are dedicating someone to social media are doing quite well-ish at it. As I’ve said before, @alscanada – or you – have obviously been doing a remarkable job with it! you need a raise as far as I’m concerned. Cheers!

By: Laurie Pringle

Laurie Pringle — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:04:52 +0000

I think we’re at the point now where organizations are going to have to appoint management level people to staff social media.

I am the major/planned giving staff and I’m doing much of the social media and eblast work for our organization. There are days where I get 3 hours sleep because I’m doing it. Nobody is forcing me to do it! I take the initiative because 1) I enjoy it. 2) I think it’s very important to be in this space early. 3) I think it’s very important to stay informed and up to date.

How long can I keep it up without it impacting my “real” job? Good question. As we begin the process of redesigning our website, creating and implementing a social media strategy and really looking at how to best integrate all our communications in a way that benefits all aspects of our charity, the issue of staffing and staffing with appropriate expertise becomes a major priority.

By: John Lepp

John Lepp — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:33:04 +0000

Thanks Tara for your thoughts – I am still shocked that there are so many charities and nfp’s where access to a lot of these social media channels that others are using effectively for fundraising – is shut off or off limits.

By: Tara

Tara — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:23:52 +0000

As the person who’s organization’s IT people block and ban such things are YouTube (except when it’s embedded in the Naked Idea’s emails (o;), I believe they will have to make some concessions for fundraisers at the Foundation so we can get involved on the social media side. We are all under the same system and restrictions as the Hospitals, that’s why it is blocked. However, I know one of the things that we’re finally wanting to start to get into is utilizing social media to communicate with our donors and reach new audiences. It seems we are already behind since we know some of the other big hospital foundations are already utilizing these systems. I’m actually attending the ArtezInteraction Conference September 29th which will look at social media strategy etc. So that should be interesting. I attended a session on social media at the AFP Congress last year but I didn’t find it overly useful (one of the few poor sessions at Congress last year).

My biggest challenge is finding the time to fit it all in at work. I’m with Michael, find me those extra hours in the day. I’m not going to be doing it in the evening when the last thing I usually want to do is go back on the computer after spending most of the day on it.

When I was on maternity leave the first time I rarely touched my home computer or looked at email. I was thrilled and sometimes think I could live quite happily in a world without it but then there are other times when I really appreciate being able to communicate with people so easily via email, MSN, Skype, Facebook etc. It’s a brave new world and I guess I’ll just have to get used to it.

And I’m not really ‘old’ either. Maybe just a bit old-fashioned in the way I think. I’d rather enjoy the outdoors and my children and husband than spend much of my ‘free’ time on the computer. Although I have to admit I do enjoy TV and watching movies but that’s a form of escape.

Sorry for babbling on….

By: The Naked Idea: JULY in review « The Naked Idea

The Naked Idea: JULY in review « The Naked Idea — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:11:50 +0000

[...] July 6, 2009 – Are you kidding? [...]

By: John Lepp

John Lepp — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:11:04 +0000

Hey Chris – I think a lot of us agree with that – but like any marketing channel – once people (advertisers, marketers) see potential for income of some sort – they are all over it. So what’s the answer? I think the answer is we limit where we spend our time. And be prepared to be marketed to in all sorts of intrusive ways. I think your other point is interesting as well. I am one of those who use the tools of social media to sell what I do- and it’s great because it doesn’t cost me too much more than my time – compared to traditional marketing channels where I had spend a ton for an ad. Social media has allowed my business to grow in ways that traditional media never would have allowed it to.

By: Chris Raymond

Chris Raymond — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:53:13 +0000

Well, I do use FB and Twitter, and folks, I DO NOT WANT to have YET ANOTHER venue to be sold to, solicited from, or otherwise treated as a “marketing opportunity.” I am tired, tired, tired beyond belief at the constant perversion of social media to sell, sell, sell, hype oneself, post comment spam, etc etc.

By: John Lepp

John Lepp — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:21:40 +0000

Hey Michael, thanks for your comments… I honestly don’t think it would be much of a course – it’s like anything – find the balance. I’m like you – mostly a solopreneur – and I try to find that balance and I know it’s not easy. But it is possible!

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 01:33:50 +0000

Perhaps those who don’t want to read blogs, Tweet, FB, LinkedIn, etc. are also those that still read a physical newspaper. If so they are reading a blog every time they read the editorials page. Blogs are just selective editorials.

I’ll admit it, even though I am extremely technical, I was very slow to pick up the blog thing, Facebook and I am sad to say I am still not on Twitter. Hey, I’m old (47), it takes me a while.

Being a business owner I have to budget my time. So far I haven’t managed the balance so I can include the ‘tweets’. When I left the corporate world I was just too darn happy to give up the Blackberry. I still think my hip is damaged from that thing. If I sit in front of my computer it is often to write estimates and proposals. I know that means eventually I am going to have to break down and get an iPhone or another Blackberry.

Maybe I should have paid better attention in school but I didn’t and now I am slow. I will admit that I understand it all, I know its value and I believe in its value. I just need to figure out how to get those extra 4 hours into each day.

There is an idea! Start a business of teaching us baby boomers how to manage all the social media! Don’t just tell us we should, show us how the [insert expletive] to manage it all and still do what we do. There has to be a fortune in that service somewhere.

By: Laurie Pringle

Laurie Pringle — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:19:42 +0000

I agree w/Sonya.

It’s here to stay. It may not “look” the same (i.e. Twitter & facebook) but it’ll be here. Social media has been around for decades. MUDS and MMORPG’s are a great example of “old school” social networking. As are old industry forums where people congregated… as are dating sites!

Heck – personal ads in the penny saver are a form of social media.

We treat it like it’s new because as Homer Simpson once said “The internets available on computer now!” There’s really nothing new about social media – except that it’s a lot more popular and the technology to take advantage of it is in an increasingly larger number of homes and the demographics are increasing.

The challenge now is to find the balance for the social and the media. We wouldn’t walk into someone’s private party and start asking for donations. Social media is a gathering, social spot… you can’t go off asking folks to give, or take action for you if they don’t know you, like you, trust you and want to help you.

It is and will always be about relationships.