New Media
It’s about a dialogue. And the technology available today that makes the dialogue possible.
New Media generally include things like:
Why should New Media matter to me? Here are 6 good reasons:
1) The way people communicate is changing.
And we don’t just mean they’re becoming increasingly comfortable with text messaging or online social networks. What we mean is, now more than ever, your organization’s supporters want a dialogue. Your story hasn’t changed. But the way you invite people into it needs to.
2) Traditional ways of telling your story (television, radio, direct mail, etc.) are becoming more expensive and less effective.
It wasn’t too long ago that the idea of losing money in the acquisition of new donors was preposterous. But over the years, we’ve come to celebrate making back 80 cents on the dollar in acquisition, in the hope that over time our investment will pay off. With costs rising and response declining, this is only going to get worse.
3) It’s a way to reach people you never could have reached before.
Because New Media is about a dialogue, your organization is being presented with unprecedented opportunities to tap into the social networks your donors inhabit. They’re saying, “If you move me, if I feel like I am a part of your cause, then I’ll tell everyone I know about you.” Which leads us to the next point . . .
4) It creates the perfect environment for the best kind of marketing —word of mouth.
How many times have you seen a really great direct mail piece from an organization you support, and felt so moved that you were compelled to share it with 20 or 30 of your closest friends? We venture to guess you haven’t (unless you’re in the business of creating it, like us). But, while it’s ridiculous to think of that happening in the direct mail world, it is completely believable that you’d forward compelling online content to your friends. Stop and think about that.
5) Your constituents want to be a part of your story, with their friends.
Again, New Media is all about a dialogue. Fundraising — or at least good fundraising — has always been about the donor, not the organization. And that is only going to become more true over time. Your supporters ultimately do not care about what you are doing to improve the world. They care about what they are doing to improve the world through you. And they want to involve their social circles in what they are doing, too.
6) It’s about survival.
All the signs point toward a dramatic shift from traditional to New Media in the coming years. In many ways, the shift has already begun. Smart organizations are at least “putting their toes in the water” and starting to test.
