| The digital age presents an exciting new range of | | | | time intervals to be effective without drowning |
| nonprofit resources. With practically the whole world | | | | people in messages. It may be helpful to tailor |
| at our fingertips, non-profits can now solicit more | | | | frequency to the length of the campaign. If a |
| volunteers and donations than ever before. | | | | particular quantity of cash is needed within a week, a |
| Facebook is a social networking tool accessed by | | | | daily reminder may not be a bad idea as it will only be |
| more than 400 million users worldwide. Primarily | | | | for a limited time, but if it's closer to six months or a |
| targeted to the individual, the site is home to more | | | | year, daily reminders will fade into the background at |
| and more businesses and organizations seeking to | | | | best, and at worst irritate and drive away potential |
| promote their brand or message, including non-profits | | | | donors. |
| targeting causes ranging from the conflict in Darfur to | | | | While Facebook users may set up their own page |
| the fights against Breast Cancer and global warming. | | | | and rely on their extended network to spread word |
| According to the site, over 30 thousand nonprofits | | | | of the cause, there are also third-party applications |
| use Facebook. | | | | set up to help with nonprofit marketing, for a fee. |
| The process is in some ways simpler than knocking | | | | Using Causes, fundraisers with a registered U.S. or |
| on doors or cold calling. One need only create an | | | | Canadian charity have access to promotional tools as |
| account and a description page for the cause, then | | | | well as secure online payment options. According to |
| convince friends, family and acquaintances to "like" | | | | the Causes blog, the application has helped Canadian |
| the page and support the charity. Once they link the | | | | and American non-profits raise more than $12 million. |
| page to their own nonprofit and networking sites, | | | | Similar services are offered by ChipIn, who provide a |
| their whole network is tuned in, and with any luck | | | | widget supporters can copy and paste. As a bonus, |
| and a noble cause, the many branches of friends of | | | | they provide pages for organizations that wish to |
| friends, relatives, etc. will reach out and draw in | | | | use the widget but don't have their own space. |
| donors. | | | | Facebook can be an effective means of raising |
| While social media can provide a relatively unobtrusive | | | | money for a cause and there are plenty of tools to |
| means to gather funds with little legwork, some | | | | help with the effort, but regardless of what nonprofit |
| effort is still required to bring results. Facebook is | | | | internet strategy you choose, it is important to have |
| abuzz with innumerable messages and applications | | | | a clear message and follow through on any promises, |
| vying for the user's attention, so the savvy | | | | and as with any kind of advertising, never be afraid |
| fundraiser must keep people interested with regular | | | | to mimic other successful campaigns that have come |
| updates and a running donation total. | | | | before. |
| With reminders, it is important to pick appropriate | | | | |