When people hear that I consult to not for profits on communications, sooner or later, they ask me, “Dennis, is it really worth it? Can I raise funds for my organisation on social media?” I’m sorry, people, but those are two different questions. Question 1: Are Social Media Worth It for Your Organisation? First, […]
Chopsticks, Hammers, and Social Media
My dear father could never master the use of chopsticks. He resented people who did. Whenever we went out to a Chinese restaurant and other people reached for the sticks, he would grumble, “A fork has always been good enough for me. I don’t know why it’s not good enough for you.” I think of […]
Areas to Address in a Workplace Social Media Policy
Cases of employees losing their jobs for careless social media postings have been well documented in the media over the last few years, and sometimes have gone before the courts. With the self-publishing nature of social media and the desire to share opinions on all sorts of issues, comes the very real possibility that something […]
Listen Up! (If You Want to Succeed in Social Media)
By Dennis Fischman The secret to social media success isn’t in talking – it’s in listening. That’s what Dave Kerpen, the author of Likeable Social Media, wants us to know. Dave tells the story of the time he arrived in Las Vegas after a six-hour flight only to wait another hour at his hotel, […]
Can Your Organisation Tell a Story to Save Itself?
By Dennis Fischman Have you heard the tale of Scheherazade? She was a noble lady who married the king of Arabia. Her new husband had a grim habit: marrying and killing off a wife every night. Scheherazade’s beauty couldn’t save her, but her stories did. Night after night, she told him one fascinating story after […]
All Hands on Board for Social Media
By Dennis Fischman Let’s say you’ve made the decision: you want your employees on social media. It took some courage to arrive at that decision. You’ve heard the horror stories about what can happen when things go wrong. But you know that people will talk about you online, no matter what. It’s better for […]
How Small Not For Profits Light Up Social Media
From Dennis Fischman Is your not for profit organisation based in a single community? Congratulations: you have natural advantages when it comes to social media. What are your advantages? The same strengths that social media maven Mark Schaefer sees for small businesses–only more so. Local angle. “I could care less about a tweet from a mega-brand,” […]
Too Old for Social Media? Not!
From Dennis Fischman A bright and accomplished colleague wrote to me with a troubling question. “There was a job opening my contact encouraged me to apply for. I hesitated because one of the requirements said “Digital native” which threw me off. My understanding of the definition is people who grew up with technology from birth, […]
The New Culture of Generosity
The connection economy has caused a shift and I have watched this shift in myself, my colleagues, and the marketplace. I call it “The New Culture of Generosity”. Against popular opinion, I don’t believe that social media promotes narcissism. It certainly doesn’t reward it. While there will always be exceptions, the people who are “takers” are […]
10 x 10 – Reasons Why Your Not-for-Profit Should Consider Blogging & What to Post About
Blogging is one of the most important marketing activities your organisation should embrace in 2013. In fact, when marketers were asked in the 2013 Social Media Marketing Industry Report what online platform they wanted to master, 62% said blogging. The power of blogging to reach new audiences and prospective supporters cannot be underestimated. If you want your cause to be […]
B-Cause 