I attended an awesome seminar last week with @ChrisBrogan, author and marketing & Twitter guru at Best Buy HQ in Bloomington, MN. I found Chris Brogan is as quick witted and entertaining in person as he is on Twitter.  And I found him to be a fountain of knowledge about how best to use social media. One of the most powerful things he shared with us: The three main ingredients of social media are Listening, Connecting & Publishing. With a big emphasis on the listening.

What social media offers for nonprofits is a way to listen to your community. Whether using Facebook, Twitter, a website that’s interactive or sending email with a call to action, the whole point is about more deeply engaging your community. The very best way to deeply engage others is by hearing what they have to say. And not just about you. Listen to what gets them frustrated, or excited or causes them to feel great about anything and build on that.  

The power of social media is that it CAN be helpful. If you don’t think so, take a look at how much money was raised in text messages in a few days following the Haiti earthquake. Millions of dollars. $10 at a time. By millions of people all over the world.

Being helpful is key. One of the best ways to use social media is in support of your fundraising and marketing efforts. How? Share startling statistics, answer FAQs, share the cost of serving one client, send followers to helpful resources at other people’s websites. The more helpful you are using your chosen method of social media, the more “followers, friends and engaged listeners” you’ll generate.

On May 6, my membership webinar topic will be Social Marketing for Social Profits. Guest speaker is national social media guru: Amy Sample Ward.  In a recent blog post @amysampleward talks about the Effects of Joining the Conversation.

Amy says: “People are talking online and the best way to influence what they are saying or how they are thinking about issues is to talk with them.

Amy reminds us that being an active member of the conversation…whatever the conversation is…pays off. But I say: First you have to join the conversation.