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Posted by Reikob, on September 3rd, 2010, Reiko Beach, President of The Toolbox, Inc., Web/Social Media Speaker for The Non-Profit Toolbox, TRB Design, Inc.
 5 Great Posts from around the Web Here are 5 great posts we read this week. They span from Beth Kantor on using listening tools to integrating video into your communication strategy.
- How are you listening? Beth Kantor has some new tools to try out: What Tools Are You Using for Listening, Engaging, and Social Media Management? RowFeeder and NutshellMail.
- Is your nonprofit apolitical? 4 Ways to Remain Apolitical in the Non-profit Sector by Ingrid Zacharias, Envisioning the Future International blog.
- John Haydon on different ways to updating on Facebook: The Unofficial User’s Manual For Updating Your Facebook Page
- Thinking about using video for your nonprofit? Here’s a great article from Duck Call from the 501 Tech NYC: Beyond the Viral Video – Talks about the where and how’s to integrate it into your communication strategy.
- As we “kick off” our Fall season of getting back to work here’s a humorous look at: How not to run meetings by Social PM Chick.
Join us for our next Networking for Non-Profit Event September 30th!
Posted by Tom Beach, on September 2nd, 2010, Executive Director of The Toolbox Inc., Videographer and Blogger for The Non-Profit Toolbox.
 The term Freemium is only 4 years old. Fremium is one of the more interesting new business models. Although the term is barely four years old, it is one of the most popular models for start-up organizations. Fred Wilson first articulated this term in 2006 this way:
“Give your service away for free, possibly ad supported but maybe not, acquire a lot of customers very efficiently through word of mouth, referral networks, organic search marketing, etc., then offer premium priced value added services or an enhanced version of your service to your customer base.”
Freemium works extremely well on the web. An example would be the anti-virus software AVG – you can download the free version or if you would like more “premium” features you can pay for a premium version. AVG stays sustainable because there are enough premium users to support all the free users. Television is another, content is free for the viewer because it is supported by advertising. The important thing to realize is that free is relative – the product or service is free to one group because another group is covering the cost of the service.
Most Nonprofit Organizations are naturally using this model. They are supplying goods or services to one group for free – while being supported by donations or grants. This is a very important concept to understand. If you understand this, then you know that in reality if you want your organization to be sustainable you need to market to the people or organizations that are paying for your organization to supply free stuff. Your supporters really want to understand your mission. They want to hear stories how your organization helped in their given area. Give them the stories – this is how you will keep being able to “free stuff”.
Join us for our next Networking for Non-Profit Event September 30th!
Posted by Guest Post, on September 1st, 2010,
Guest post by Chad O’Connor, Adjunct Professor Emerson College
In an earlier guest blog I mentioned some issues regarding uses and gratifications and selective exposure. To recap, we are constantly seeking ways when we communicate to get people to pay attention to us, and when they do pay attention to what we are saying they are more likely only listening for key signals and thoughts that reaffirm what they believe already.
To get deeper into this concept, it is increasingly important to focus on the way we phrase what we say, the order in which we are saying it, and changing our approach based on the audience. The importance of this comes to bear when people come to the conversation with preconceived ideas about the speaker and what the speaker is looking to accomplish. In the nonprofit world, just as in the rest of the economy, people are looking for money. Though your cause may be noble, this does not mean that your potential audience is experiencing some donor fatigue. They have been hit up for money already from so many angles that yet another person asking for money may be too much to bear. When they know they have a meeting coming up with a nonprofit they may be conditioned to be immediately defensive or reluctant if they know that an ask for money will be coming within minutes.
I suggest being open to outside the box solutions and asks because it truly engages your audience and reduces some of their preconceived barriers. By asking for more general help (ie. “So what we are asking for is your assistance in any way you thing you can help: connections to people; in-kind items or services that could accomplish X; coming to future events to show your support”) you get people to think about what is the best way they can get involved, not just say to themselves “I don’t have money to give right now so I’m not getting involved.” How you build this case will be the subject of my next blog entry.
Chad O’Connor teaches communication at Emerson College in Boston, serves as a connector for Boston World Partnerships, and works with various individuals, companies and nonprofits as a communication consultant on issues such as public speaking, message strategy, copy refining, etc. Chad can be contacted at his gmail account, chad.a.oconnor ,and found on Twitter @chadoconnor
Join us for our next Networking for Non-Profit Event September 30th!
Posted by Tom Beach, on August 31st, 2010, Executive Director of The Toolbox Inc., Videographer and Blogger for The Non-Profit Toolbox.
Susan C. Hammond of scHammond Advisors is searching for one nonprofit organization that wants to establish an advisory board or council and needs help. In exchange for her services the nonprofit organization must be willing to allow Susan to document the formation process in the form of a written and publishable case study. The nonprofit will use Susan’s book the Advisory Board Kit: A Comprehensive Guide to Establishing an Advisory Board.
Interested nonprofit organizations who meet the criteria below should contact Susan directly. The information requested should be delivered in one package.
Qualifying Criteria:
The organization must:
- Submit an essay of no more than 1000 words on how the organization will use and benefit from an advisory board.
- Be in operation for at least two years.
- Employ (i.e. pay) a minimum staff of 3 people, full or part-time.
- Provide a copy of their 501c3 letter from the IRS.
- Commitment from the Executive Director/CEO and the chair of the board of directors that they will be involved in the project.
- Evidence that the Board of Directors approved the project (i.e. copy of Board meeting minutes where vote was taken or a letter from the Board Chair).
- Be located on the South Shore of Massachusetts or upper Cape.
Prior to the start of the project the following information must be provided:
A list of staff & board members.
- Copies of Form 990 for last two years.
- Copies of the operating budget for the current and prior year.
- Copies of internal comparative financial statements for the current & prior years.
- A copy of the fundraising plan or a summary of activities for the last 12 months.
- Copies of Board Meeting minutes and Executive Meeting minutes (if any) for last two years.
- Copies of the organization’s Annual Reports (filed with the Massachusetts Secretary of State) for the last two (2) years.
- Copy of the organization’s Certificate of Solicitation filed with the Public Charities Division.
All information received will be held in strict confidence. Susan will provide a detailed work plan that includes a confidentiality clause and a copy of the Advisory Board Kit and related materials.
Applications Deadline: October 1, 2010
Project Start: On or around October 15, 2010, approximately
Project Duration: 4-6 months
This is worth $5,000 in donated fees! Contact Susan at 781-837-1999 or susan(at)schammond.com.
The Advisory Board Kit is a product of scHammond Advisors.
Join us for our next Networking for Non-Profit Event September 30th!
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