2014: The Time For Charities To Become More Social

Often times people feel that a charity or other non-profit organization only wants to converse with them so that they will pull out their wallet or billfold. Is this a possibility? Absolutely. BUT, does society make this assumption because the charity has skipped the step of introducing their cause and gaining peoples' hearts that irks us, or is it just merely because we don't want to be bothered or hassled at all? My guess would be a combination of reasons. So how can charities be more appealing and successful in their attempts to fundraise? I'd start with promoting authenticity. To all charities: Stop apologizing for needing donations. We know you need them. And we are okay with that. But don't send mass emails only asking for donations. Instead, begin by appealing to your audience's heart so they feel involved, passionate, and desire to be apart of what you are doing. Create a community effect so people crave involvement. Whether this involvement is volunteer work, spreading word-of-mouth about your cause, and/or donating-- it is all beneficial. The use of social media platforms by charities is encouraging this through live posts of what the charity is doing, where, and how it is helping. It shows their purpose and how its being fulfilled with each Instagram photo, YouTube video, or Facebook update. But how many charities are actually putting the time and effort necessary to accomplish a successful social media presence? In my opinion, not enough. For instance, United Way, one of the largest charities in United States, has had an Instagram presence for only 48 weeks with 89 posts to date. I have hopes that the year 2014 will push United Way and many other charities to have a more prominent presence in social media.