Thursday
05Nov2009

On Frogloop's Radar

DateThursday, November 5, 2009 at 09:01AM | by AuthorAllyson Kapin

Twitter Unveils Lists Feature:

Twitter has rolled out their new beta “lists” feature that allows users to create lists of people and nonprofits to follow. For example, Frogloop just started a list to follow nonprofits.

This “lists” feature is long over-due and should help users organize their twitter followers plus help promote the people and nonprofits users value the most. Prior to this feature, Twitter users had to use apps such as TweetDeck to segment different groups of people they wanted to follow on Twitter.

Care to know what lists include you or your nonrprofit? Login to your twitter account. Then look next to your “follower” and “following” count and you will see the “lists” count. Click on the “listed” link. In the event, that you end up on a list you don't feel comfortable being affiliated with, block that user and Twitter will automatically unlist you. If you would like to continue to follow that user, click on the their name and "follow" them back.

So what kind of impact will the “lists” have on nonprofits? Will everyone just start following lists instead of their usual twitter stream? Personally, I find the “lists” feature a little clunky at the moment. From a usability perspective, I would also like to see the “lists” stand out in a slightly bigger typeface and different color. Robert Scoble recently wrote a great post about the benefits and limitations of the lists.  As Twitter fleshes out the usability issues on this new feature, it could prove to be quite powerful.

What’s a Follower Really Worth on Twitter?

In early October, Twitter added over a dozen new nonprofits and social change makers to their “Suggested User” list. Beth Kanter was one of the social change makers who made Twitter’s list and since then has been tracking the impact of her rapid growth on Twitter (now at over 125K followers).

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Wednesday
04Nov2009

Are Nonprofits Flunking Email Marketing 101?

DateWednesday, November 4, 2009 at 09:58AM | by AuthorStephen O'Keefe

A new survey of 38 top nonprofits by Care2 reveals that many of these well known organizations are essentially flunking “Email Marketing 101.”  Perhaps the most damning statistic is that, on average, nonprofits are taking eight whole days to email a response to someone who signs up for their email list. The survey also showed that nonprofits are employing a wide variety of approaches – all over the map, really -- to welcome and cultivate new email subscribers, thereby indicating that there still is no widely adopted “best practice” for this situation. Yet another key finding was that most nonprofits don’t display email signup and registration opportunities prominently or particularly effectively on their sites. And the actual copy on the sign-up forms was pretty mediocre, too.

The study was not scientific, and the sample size was limited to only 38 randomly chosen organizations, all with a national footprint and 36 of which have annual revenue in excess of $5 million. Still, we were really surprised by what it showed, especially given how well-known and admired these nonprofits are. For example, 14 of the 38 orgs (that’s 32% of them) sent no automated transaction email confirming a registrant’s subscription through their website. (The email address used for registration was a Gmail account with default Spam and filter settings). Nada, Zip. In one instance, a very well known nonprofit seems to have done this intentionally, waiting until the next day to send a confirmation message.

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Thursday
29Oct2009

Winning Campaigns: Integrating Offline and Online Strategies is Key

DateThursday, October 29, 2009 at 02:27PM | by AuthorShayna Englin

My first campaign job was in 1995 at Colorado NARAL.  We didn't have an email list and we were just about to launch a website (complete with animated GIFs, natch).  Among my responsibilities was maintaining the citizen lobbyist phone trees - a job that entailed calling everyone on it every so often, in addition to activating it sometimes just to make sure everyone on it still knew what to do.  Over the many intervening years, I've worked on many campaigns.  These days, I'm far more likely to step back and marvel at how much easier it is to do some of the basic work of campaigns than I am to test a phone tree.

As a consultant who specializes in helping organizations recruit, identify, and mobilize activists, donors, and members to make social change, I'm often working at the intersection of offline and online campaign teams and plans.  It's encouraging to see integration of online tactics and tried and true campaigns out here in "meatspace." Leveraging the strengths of online campaigning - efficient, affordable, trackable, flexible - with those of offline campaigning - targeted, long-lasting, high-impact - can make all the difference, and I've developed a few big picture best practices to help guide the way:

Build Momentum
The cardinal rule of offline campaigns is layering: multiple contacts on the doorstep and on the phone build on each other to create momentum.

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Tuesday
27Oct2009

How to Write the Best RFP's

DateTuesday, October 27, 2009 at 04:29PM | by AuthorAllyson Kapin

Did you know there is an art to writing a good Request for Proposal (RFP)? A well written and informative RFP will generate thoughtful proposal responses to your specs and criteria and will ultimately help guide you in choosing the right vendor for your nonprofit's next project. A poorly written RFP, on the other hand, which doesn’t provide basic information like Project Scope, Objectives, Target Audiences, Timelines, and Budget or asks the wrong questions can turn the RFP process into a nightmare and end up wasting your time.

As Partner of an online communications firm, I receive and read a variety of RFPs weekly. This gives me a unique perspective into how RFPs need to be written to generate competitive bids. The following is my personal guide to writing the best RFPs.

Provide Organizational Background
Educate the vendor on the background and mission of the organization. This should not exceed 1-2 short paragraphs.  

Lay Out The Project Scope
Define the purpose of the project such as a website redesign, an online marketing campaign, etc. This should be followed by a project description which details what you are looking to achieve. For example, if the RFP is for a website redesign, discuss what a successful redesign will accomplish for your nonprofit internally and externally.  

Define The Core Objectives And Any Functional Requirements
It's important to be very specific in this section and list goals and/or requirements. For example, if the RFP is for an online marketing and advertising campaign – discuss any branding and recruitment goals, target markets, etc.

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Tuesday
27Oct2009

Upcoming Webinar: Cause Marketing - Getting the Message Right for the New Consumer/Donor

DateTuesday, October 27, 2009 at 03:28PM | by AuthorAllyson Kapin

As more consumers and donors look to live lives of purpose, the cause-oriented marketing space has become increasingly crowded. Clear communication of your brand is more important than ever to cut through the noise.

Join Care2, the largest online social networking community of cause-oriented adults, and BBMG - a values-driven branding and marketing firm - for an informative webinar on how socially responsible brands and nonprofit organizations can leverage current consumer trends to win loyalty and inspire action.

BBMG will share insights into today's conscious consumer and specific ways companies and nonprofits can communicate their value through partnerships of purpose. Then, Care2 will demonstrate how this is brought to life by sharing case studies from several recent for-profit/ nonprofit Cause Marketing campaigns.

Cause Marketing - Getting the Message Right for the New Consumer/Donor

When: Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 2PM Eastern Time.

We have a limited amount of webinar lines, so please take a moment to sign up now. It's free.

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Friday
23Oct2009

Email is Dead? Long Live Email

DateFriday, October 23, 2009 at 04:27PM | by AuthorAllyson Kapin

First there were rumblings that direct mail was dying. Then TechCrunch said Web2.0 was dying. Yea right! What medium is the next victim? Email, according to a recent article by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). Email is not king anymore because Web 2.0 platforms like Twitter and Facebook are the new king in town, said the WSJ. Could email really be fading away? Let’s take a look at the facts.

Email grew 21% between 2008-2009.

In August 2009, 276.9 million people used email in the US and abroad as compared to 229.2 million people in August of 2008 according to the Nielsen Company.

Social network demographics can be skewed. What percentage are really “active users” and communicate via social networks daily?

Between 2008 and 2009 the number of users on social-networking and other community sites jumped 31% to 301.5 million people. While this stat is technically true, many people who sign up for social networks are not on them as much as they are on email. In a recent study by First Monday: Peer Reviewed Journal on the Internet - of 309,740 twitter users, 211,024 posted 2x or more in 206 days. Oddly they describe this audience as "active users". A study by Harvard stated that 10% of active users account for 90% of all tweets. Industry expert and strategist, Jeremiah Owyang blogged a few months ago that “the actual active conversion rate will often range from 10-40% of actual users sticking around and using the social network, so don’t be fooled by puffed numbers.”

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Wednesday
21Oct2009

New Study Reveals Nonprofits Still Need to Adapt Online Communications Best Practices

DateWednesday, October 21, 2009 at 03:18PM | by AuthorAllyson Kapin

After studying over 50 international nonprofit organization's email lists and response rates, the 2009 eCampaigning Review Study revealed that 60% of nonprofits present a compelling argument for supporters to take action, yet close to 70% of the organizations did not send a follow up email within one month. 37% of nonprofits did not even bother to send a thank you email. This surprised members of the nonprofit community because both thanking supporters and updating them after taking an action online is part of Online Advocacy 101. Both email strategies should be a part of any online communications cycle.

The study conducted by Advocacy Online, Duane Raymond of Fairsay and consultant Jess Day also noted that 50% of organizations' online lists had 40% or more inactive supporters. Only 9% had a strategy for reactivating dormant supporters. Yikes. What can we glean from this study? Nonprofits need to:

1. Segment their lists more and write separate emails that resonate with different levels and types of supporters.
In July, Frogloop posted an article on Five Symptoms that May Indicate that your Nonprofit Is Suffering from List Decay and suggested nonprofit’s consider asking themselves the following: How can members help the nonprofit and advance the mission besides signing petitions or donating money? Are their offline events they can sign up to attend? Can they volunteer? Write a letter to the editor?

2. Survey their list at least once a year and ask supporters what issues do they think the organization should take on?
The key is to make online members feel like their opinions count and that your organization cares. Also ask members what motivates them to take action and donate money.

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