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The NEW FACE of "Do - Gooders":
One of my fellow Next Internet Millionaire contestants, Jason Marshall, is getting ready to do an online fundraising for his student, who is confined to a wheelchair, in order to buy a wheelchair accessible van to drive him around. He is doing this by holding a product launch where many internet marketers are donating the products to be sold and they are promoting this to their lists. (You'll hear about the details soon as I've agreed to help.)
Another woman I met, Joanie Winberg, has just launched a membership community site for women going through divorce. As one of her "Panel of Experts", GutZy Women LLC agreed to be a resource for women on her site who may need some direction in building in some income for themselves and their families from internet marketing.
On April 5th, I will be holding a special educational event specifically to share valuable pointers with women artists on how to better market and sell their art. The event is in conjunction with SWAN Day (Support Women Artists Now), a grassroots effort that is being coordinated by The Fund for Women Artists through its websites. This Nonprofit has provided us with a national website and promotional tools already in place so that we can co-promote, us to our list and them to the world.
Hayley Solich from Australia, an extremely talented and passionate woman I met through my Virtual GutZy Women Clubhouse, just launched her Women Can International, Inc. As a "supporter of the cause" woman featured in her next newsletter, GutZy Women LLC stands to benefit from the attention of other women who are passionate about helping us all be the "best we can be" as we offer our gifts and talents to the world. GutZy Women will in turn reciprocate... by holding a teleseminar/webinar interview with Hayley Solich. ( in the works)
These are just a few real, close to home, examples of how this new way of "cause marketing" is being created by possibility thinkers who gather online.
This got me thinking...
WHAT ARE THE STATS?
In the spirit of community service, inspired by the many dedicated non-profit inspired women (and enlightened men) that I interact with every day, I took a look at the use of web 2.0 technologies, blogging and other social media by non-profit groups.
I used the study titled "Blogging for Donor's Hearts" done by the University of Massachusetts in my research for this article that analyzed social media use in the largest charities in the United States.
The study determined that only thirty four percent of the "Fities) have blogs or use web 2.0 technologies in their marketing.
When I took the time to check the ten largest U.S. charities the following statistics really stuck out:
1. United Way - three blogs
2. Salvation Army - no blog
3. Feed the Children - no blog
4. American Cancer Society - no blog; extensive discussion boards
5. Gifts in Kind International - no blog
6. AmeriCares - no blog
7. YMCAs in the United States - no blog
8. American National Red Cross - no blog
9. Catholic Charities USA - no blog
10. America’s Second Harvest - no blog
Only one of the top ten biggest charities in the United States have blogs but what is even more disheartening is that apparently only thirty three others among the remaining one hundred ninety ranked charities on the list have a blog.
In addition to blogging, the Forbes 200 Charities that understood and leveraged this digital marketing medium also made extensive use of other social media:
41% - Online video 34% - Blogging 34% - Social Networking 33% - Podcasting 26% - Message Boards 13% - Wikis
In total, three out of four of the largest charities in the United States used some form of social media in their marketing campaigns.
How does this impact the non-profit world?
If you consider that only eight percent of large businesses in the United States use blogs, and merely five percent of all small businesses in the United States use blogs, non-profit organizations at thirty four percent usage are leading the way in the use of social media.
It begs the Questions...
Do non-profits understand the opportunity of blogs and other social media devices to build community and connection more comprehensively?
Do non-profits, which rely heavily on good will, understand the how to leverage the effectiveness of social media to generate positive thoughts?
What will it take for businesses, large and small; to identify that they also rely on the good will and intentions of their customers, employees and communities in order to be more successful in today’s economy?
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