Marketing the Mission in a Web 2.0 World

Carol Palmatier works with mission-based organizations to help them utilize Web 2.0 tools to more effectively market their mission. She is the Words Girl at Graphix For Change, and owner/marketing consultant at Brandeur Marketing.

Understaffed. Overworked. Dedicated to the cause, yet running on empty. When you work for social justice and social change, these emotions are all too familiar.

I was privileged to be a part of the National Sexual Assault Conference last week in Washington DC. There I met some truly amazing and inspiring people who are working to change the world. Not just in words or in lofty concepts, but right down on the ground. They are working to change the world and make it better place. They do this with the advocacy and services they provide for survivors. They also change how the world will look in the future, through education, prevention and policy initiatives.

These people are truly remarkable.

And they have a problem.

Almost everyone with whom I spoke had a common issue. These organizations working for social change have huge amounts of data, research and educational material in their possession. And yet they are struggling to get that information out to the people who really need it...the survivors, the people in crisis who don't know where to turn, as well as volunteers and donors who could support their work. In an age when access to any amount of information is literally at your fingertips, why is it so hard for these organizations to connect with the people they are desperately trying to reach?

Bring on Web 2.0

The solution, as it often is, is found where the problem lives. There is TOO much information available online, and much of it is myth, misconception and just plain garbage. Many of the people I spoke to lamented the fact that a survivor of sexual assault has to wade through page after page of utter dreck to find the real gems of help, wisdom and support. The answer? These organizations MUST be present on the Web and join in the discussion where it is happening.

Having worked in non-profits for many years, I might guess at what's going on in your mind right now. "Okay, fine, now you want me to add another whole set of tasks to my understaffed, overworked team. Are you serious?"

Um...yes. You have to.

The good news is you probably already have about 90 percent of what you need to make it happen. The other 10 percent is part planning, and part motivation. Let's look at an example:

Think of the last report you read about statistics or trends in your city. It probably contained at least 5,000 words about the issues your community is facing, and suggesting some ways to respond. Now think of the people you would most like to know this information. Is it potential donors? Volunteers? Granting organizations? Other community leaders?

Take a minute a really get a clear picture in your head of 1) what info you want to share and 2) who you want to share it with. Now take the next 20 minutes and rework a section of that report into a 500 word piece, written in your own words. (If the report was published by your own organization, even better...you can likely use much of the content as is without rewriting, since your organization already owns the copyright). Don't agonize over the writing itself. Rather focus on what you passionately want to say.

After you've drafted it, read through it again. Tweak it, give it a careful proofread, and save it. Don't worry about winning a Pulitzer Prize. Just make sure it's clear and readable, with good spelling and grammar.

Now go to your blog and post it. If your organization doesn't have a blog, ask someone in a similar agency to let you post it as a guest author in their blog, with a link back to your website. Tweet it. Update your status on Facebook and give people a link to the post. Send a copy of it via email to your contact list. Add it as an article in your next newsletter. Email it to the editor of your local paper.

Congratulations, you've just used Web 2.0 tools to market your mission, and help get crucial information to the right people. You've joined the discussion where it is happening. You've positioned yourself as a leader in your field. Most importantly, you've changed your corner of the world.

The conversation is happening all around us. Learn how to leverage the tools available and make the Web work for you. The World 2.0 is waiting for us.