photo credit: jvh33

Deep in your heart, you know denial will no longer work.

Up until now it may have been reasonable to call social media a fad.  Sure, the marketing intern has been talking about Twitter in staff meetings for over a year–but she’s 22; what could she know about reaching your people?   But now your mother has a Facebook account, and so do most of your volunteers, donors, and potential volunteers and donors.  They all also have (and use!) e-mail and slowly but surely they are going on line to socialize and gather information.  You must be where they are to stay connected to them.

So what can you do?  The budget has been slashed, you don’t have tons of money to try new marketing ideas (especially ones you don’t fully understand yet.)

Luckily, a big budget isn’t the most important element of a good social media campaign.

In addition to learning to listen, and learning the tools, January’s Non-Profit Blog Carnival focus is “Social Media on a Budget.”  There are great resources especially for nonprofits including:

• multiple articles about on-line fund raising
• the 6 benefits of twitter for nonprofits
• DIY communications planning (no PR firm required!)

You don’t need to wait.  Read these articles today, bookmark them, and start building your nonprofit’s social media strategy.  You will be amazed at how quickly you start to see results.