Does something always need to have a strategy?  Can’t you just jump in and do it and figure it out as you go?  That is basically how I feel about social media and I wish that more people would follow suit.  Specifically, I wish that more non profits, would quit talking, analyzing, waiting, and strategizing about it and just do it.  What is the worst that could happen?

It compromises our brand – Pardon my cynicism here, but how?  By you going directly to your customer, client, donor, etc. and telling them your message directly from you vs. having to pay for it in ads or beg for exposure in more traditional media outlets?  Also, think about it….if you can get directly to your client, donor, and customer in a new and different way you have their attention – and that attention can build affinity which they can pass on to there sphere of influence which can only further your message.

It costs too much -Cost is relative. In terms of dollars, it won’t cost you a thing.  In terms of time – like anything, the time you put into it is a direct ratio to what you want to get out of it.  If you don’t put in the time to build relationships, talk with your clients, customers, donors, whatever…you will never see the value.  BUT, if you invest the time in giving it a shot, the results could be a reach that goes well beyond what any marketer could hope for. 

What do we have to say - If your organization is worth being in existence, it has something to say.  Spreading your mission, telling your story, sharing your impact, interacting with people that could benefit, providing additional support to your clients, etc….providing access….those are things that say so much in not only what people can see, but also how they feel about your organization.

I don’t understand it – What better way to understand it then by experiencing it.  Are you personally using programs like Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, FriendFeed, etc?  If you are too scared to put your organization out there at first, then put yourself out there.  Get involved and experience the Web 2.0 world first hand.  That will give you a better way to explain to others the value that is out there for your organization.

Our people aren’t on those things - WRONG!  Guess what, the people you work with are out there, the people you want to work with are out there, and your competition is out there.  If you aren’t, you are going to get left behind.

So, what are you waiting for?  Do something, stop talking about it.  Get involved, give it a shot…what do you have to lose, outside of more dollars, more exposure, and furthering your mission!

My head hurts.  It has taken me awhile to admit this, but I can now say that I’m addicted to information and terrified of taking action. Blogs, Tweets, Fan Feeds, Ideas, Social Resumes, all of it.  I eat it up like Cookie Dough Egg Rolls….which if you haven’t tried yet, you must.  But like this delicious treat, too information much can really make me sick.  I am so overwhelmed with options and ideas, I feel paralyzed to take action.

When I started out on the journey of networking in a virtual world, I wanted to connect with people from high school and college, have access to the deep thoughts of Ashton Kutcher, and maybe get Perez Hilton updates on my phone – you know, the really important stuff.  Then, as I started to get further into my career, I realized that I could use these same things I was using to creep on old boyfriends and snotty girls from college could be used in a more productive way – for good, not evil.

It evolved into connecting with like minded people outside of my sphere of influence…but my tastes were still not discerning.  I wanted to follow everyone that had anything to do with fundraising.  I tried to click on every last article that came up on my search of #nonprofit or #fundraising.  It was exhausting, educational, but most of all, a waste of time.  I got so hyped up about keeping up that I forgot that you cannot keep up.  Twitter, Facebook, and your Google Reader – although great places to go for inspiration and to organize your thoughts, are not meant to be followed line by line.

I worked so hard for so long to go back and catch up on every last tweet.  I have stressed out about having 1000+ in my Google Reader for weeks.  I created busy work and added things like “Check Facebook” and “Read Blogs” into my to do list just because I was so afraid of missing something – of being left out – of not knowing it all.

One day I woke up and realized just how ridiculous it all was.  I had 500+ friends on Facebook, hundreds of people I followed on Twitter, and too many blogs to count.  The thing I went into this entire process looking for – access to information -was the very thing that was making me feel overloaded.  I had too much access – too much information – and was so cluttered in my mind, I couldn’t see straight.

After a few minor breakdowns, I now find myself cutting alot out.  I no longer follow someone on Twitter just because they follow me…I want to fill my life, my Inbox, and my Feed Reader with people I have a connection with, with people I admire, and people I can build a relationship with.  I want to read the writings and thoughts of people I know, or at least want to know.

I am working on turning off the noise and turning up the substance….and so far, my head feels much better.

Pardon the profanity stars, but this presentation is worth sharing. Information such as this should not be closed to only for profit companies. People engage in social media when they are passionate about something and have something to say. What better people to benefit from that than great nonprofits and world changing causes.

I’m guilty of it. So is my sister. So are my volunteers. I visit places on the Internet….at work….during the workday…for things other than my job. I know you are shocked because I’m sure that when you are at your job, it is all Excel and Powerpoint and less Google Reader and Twitter. Does that mean I don’t get my job done? No…in fact, it makes me a better employee.

You see every day when I come in, I turn on my networking websites. Yes, I want to creep and see what my sexy single city-friends were up to last night while I watched bad reality TV and cleaned my kitchen in the suburbs. But also while I’m doing that, I’m also being connected to others who are sharing ideas and stories about how they are spending their day, about what they are passionate/frustrated/excited/observing in their world. These interactions – as one sided as they can be at times – spark ideas/passions/observations in my that can have a big impact on how I can better do my job and innovate my projects and workplace.

Case in point, while sitting in my office on Friday with Twitterfeed in one window and Facebook in another, I was simultaneously monitoring a hashtag tweets from a conference my nonprofit didn’t have the funds to send me to while also researching how for profit companies are using Facebook Fan pages to further their brand. To the general observer who walked past my office it looked as though it was just another day in my “cush” job. What employers need to understand is what was shared this last weekend at the Clinton Global Initiative University and said best by Kristin Ivie at Social Citizens.com…cut us social networking slakers some slack…we are learning the tools and technology to help further your company/message/cause and we just may save the world, one tweet at a time.