In order to create and add a custom tab to your organization’s Facebook page, you must be an administrator. If you are not sure if you have administrator privileges, go to your organization’s page and look under the main logo (left column). If you see the link “edit page,” then you are an administrator. If you do not see the link, contact the person who set up the page for you and request to be added as an administrator.

TIP: Even if you are not going to create a custom Facebook tab, it is essential that a responsible person inside the organization is listed as an administrator. After all, whoever is administering your page, has complete control over the content and features that are presented to visitors. Yet, it is your organization’s reputation and image that is on the line.

Adding a Custom Tab on Your Facebook Page

Add the Facebook Static FBML application (FBML) to your page. You can do this by clicking on the above link or by typing “FBML” in Facebook search box. Although FBML is Facebook’s mark-up language, you can use HTML as well.

When you click on “add to my page,” a dialog box will ask you to select the page you wish to add Static FBML to. If you are the administrator of more than one page, go ahead and select the page of your nonprofit. In my case, I am the administrator of “Social Media for Nonprofits” so I will click “Add to Page” to the right of that page name. Once you’ve selected “Add to Page,” close the dialog box and return to your page.

Back on your page, choose “Edit Page.”

You will find the FBML under “Applications.” Click on “Edit.”

Start customizing your tab. In the “Box Title” enter the name of the new tab. Content goes on the “FBML” box. Don’t worry if you don’t know FBML. As I mentioned before, FBML allows HTML. So go ahead use HTML complete with images, sign-up forms, etc. In this case, I am going to create a custom tab inviting new visitors to join my page.

Once you are done, click on “Save Changes.” It is that simple! Your custom page is ready. You can always edit or add more later. Now, it’s time to add it to your page (main tabs) and make it your landing page on Facebook.

Go back to your page and click on the plus sign (+), which should be the last tab in the row:

When you click the plus sign, a drop down menu shows a list of all the applications available to add to your tabs. One of the choices should be the “Box Title” you entered when editing the FBML box. Click on it and it will be added to your page. I entered “Welcome” as the “Box Title.” Once I click on it, the new tab “Welcome” will be added to my page.

Rearrange your tabs. Facebook will let you display six tabs at a time. Although you cannot move the “Wall” and “Info” tabs, you can rearrange the order of the other four tabs. For example, I chose to have the “Welcome” tab right after the “Info” tab.

Make your new custom tab your landing page for new visitors (existing fans will be routed to your “wall”). To make your new custom page the default landing page, go to “Wall Settings” (you get there by clicking “Edit Page”), click on “Edit.” For the “Default Landing Tab for Everyone Else” option, select the tab that you have just created.

That’s it! To test your new Facebook landing page, log out of Facebook and then check your profile using the Facebook URL of your organization.

You should land on your new custom tab.

If you liked this post please help spread the word by joining the “Social Media 4 Nonprofit” community on Facebook. Next post, I will be posting some great FBML templates you can use on your new custom Facebook pages.

Related posts:

1. Creating an Effective Facebook Profile

The tips below assume that you already know that  providing relevant content on regular basis on social media networking sites is key. Content can be in the form of news, links to interesting articles, photos, videos or other material. Regular updates build community, attract supporters and inspire engagement. In short, it keeps people coming back to your site. You can be as creative as you want as long as your content is relevant and updated regularly.

Now that we underscored the importance of quality content, let’s take a look at a few tips and best practices to build an effective Facebook page.

1. Create Custom Tabs

Custom tabs give your organization the opportunity to offer a unique experience to your page visitors. By grabbing visitors’ attention right from the start, there’s a greater likelihood you’ll succeed in converting them into fans. Customizing your profile becomes a powerful tool when you link users directly to specific tabs. Although creating custom tabs requires some skill and an investment of time, it’s well worth the effort.

Let’s take a look at how nonprofits use this feature. The One Campaign, for example, uses a custom tab to invite visitors to join its mailing list. Talk about a great strategy to quickly build your mailing list!

Source: http://www.facebook.com/ONE?v=wall

2. Don’t Let New Visitors Land on the Wall

Why on earth would I tell you not to let new visitors to land on the wall?  The main reason is that you have less control over the information visitors will encounter on your wall. Your wall features content provided by you as well as content provided by your followers. Although you provide engaging content, your followers might not. By avoiding the wall as a landing page, you can better manage the introduction your visitors will receive to your organization.

Your introduction should, of course, feature the best of your organization. Maybe a succinct “about us” paragraph, sprinkled with some pictures of the people you help and a list of your core programs. You can even have a call action to donate, sign a petition, or spread the word. The possibilities are endless. The point here is that you want new visitors to enter through a controlled environment. Once properly introduced to your organization, they can then proceed to navigate through less structured areas like your wall.

Take a look as this example. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) does a great job of providing a customized landing page (tab) for its visitors.

Source: http://www.facebook.com/aspca

Remember, one of the great features of Facebook is that it allows you to link users directly to specific tabs. But don’t go crazy creating tons of custom tabs. Facebook will only let you display six tabs at a time. All others get buried on the drop down menu located to the right of your tab panel.

3. Create a Unique Page Image

This is one of the most important components of a fan page. As I discussed on my previous post “Creating an Effective Twitter Profile,” your profile picture should be related or reflective of your nonprofit’s logo. This does not mean, however, that it has to be boring.

Facebook recommends that page pictures be 200px wide. Height, however, can be varied as needed. The height flexibility can be used to your advantage. Take a look how one organization uses the height of its profile image to its advantage.

Source: http://www.facebook.com/CharityHappenings

Your profile image is one of the first things users look at when visiting your page. A great picture can grab people’s attention right away, increasing their interest in your organization. So, make it good!

4. Claim Your Vanity URL

Facebook now makes it possible to create a customized link for your page (also known around the tech world as a “vanity URL”). Vanity URLs are now open to all organizations whose pages have at least 100 fans. Choosing your URL is on a first-come, first-serve basis so nab yours now before someone else does. Having your own vanity URL (e.g., http://www.facebook.com/hivlawproject) is a strategic component of any social media plan as they are easy to remember, easy to share and makes it easy for users to find you on Facebook.

Tip: Try to secure your organization’s name on as many social sites as you can.

5. Optimize Your Website’s Share Preview

The “Share” feature is a must-use feature because of its viral potential. Through this feature, you essentially include special code on your website that allows supporters and fans to share your links (news, reports, petitions) with their networks instantaneously. Literally, through the “Share” button, any of your links have the potential to spread like wild fire on the web. All people have to do is click on “Share” and the information goes to their profile walls.

Let’s look first at a poorly optimized Share Preview example. This news article was taken from Oxfam International Blog (http://bit.ly/cWnzxP). The post features four pictures so when the user clicks the “Share This” button (a third-party application, not the same as the  Facebook “Share” button) and chooses Facebook, the user is presented with Facebook’s “Share Preview” button. What is the problem with this? Well, it is simply not optimized for viewers or search engines. First, below the heading (first red block), the web address that is shown is not the one of the organization (@Oxfam). Second, the user is presented with four pictures to choose from to accompany the news release. Not only does this create more work for the user, it also allows the user to select a weak or inappropriate visual for the article. And, of course, it allows the user to opt-out of posting a visual altogether. (How attractive will this text heavy update be for the next reader?) Third, the Description Meta Tag is not used so Facebook will pull the first few lines of the article as the description.

To avoid the problems above and effectively optimize Facebook’s Share feature on your page, there are a few key things you need to bear in mind. First, you should define a custom “Share Preview” image. See details on customizing how the shared item appears on Facebook. This will prevent the user from choosing an inconsistent image (you post a release of the emergency in Haiti, but the user selects a picture related to the Tsunami in Indonesia) or no image at all. Second, make sure you always include a well-written Description Meta Tag for your posts. Facebook will pull the Description Meta Tag from your site into the news feed. If you don’t include a Description Meta Tag, Facebook will grab the first few lines of your article by default — which may or may not hook readers. A good Description Meta Tag can make the difference in having people clicking through to read the link or ignoring it. To implement the Description Meta Tag, see Facebook Share documentation for details. Third, don’t use third parties buttons (e.g., “Share This,” “Add This”) to share your content . Use the  “Share” button provided by Facebook as it will automatically grab your website’s URL.

An optimized “Share Preview” (using Facebook’s “Share” button)  looks like this:

Tip: Do not make users think. Make it as easy as possible (one click) for them to share your content in an appropriate and attractive manner.

On my next post, I will continue exploring ways to create an engaging, fun and attractive Facebook page for your nonprofit. Until then, try to implement the tips on this post. Remember, Facebook provides you access to an audience of over 200 million people worldwide. Putting some time and effort into customizing your profile can give you an edge that allows you stand out from other organizations.

Related posts:

1. Creating an Effective Twitter Profile
2. How to Create a Custom Tab For Your Facebook Page
3. 10 Tips to Effective Search Engine Optimization for Nonprofits

All social networking sites (like Facebook, Twitter and Change.org) require that your nonprofit have its own profile within their site. Profiles are your piece of real estate in the social media world. Like a home, garden or park, this piece of real estate can be made more inviting to visitors if well tended. Therefore, you want to put some thought and energy in coming up with a profile that will increase your brand reputation, make people want to learn more about your nonprofit’s work, and recruit new supporters and advocates for your cause.

Below are essential tips, strategies and best-practices that you can use to create a Twitter profile that will stand out and spark people’s interest in your non-profit.

1. Username. This is, perhaps, one of the most important features in determining your success on Twitter. As a rule of thumb, your username should be the same as your nonprofit’s name (e.g., @acumenfund @AmericanCancer @RedCross). Choosing wacky names (such as nonprofit_2713) will not advance your cause nor your social media strategy. You will probably be considered, and treated, as a spambot. The point is that funky, weird names do not inspire confidence nor do they enhance your brand identity. You will have a really hard time getting followers.

2. Picture. Your picture is the icon, photo or avatar that is featured on your profile. I typically recommend that you use your nonprofit’s logo. From a branding perspective, your logo helps the user create a visual connection between your nonprofit and the work it does. Although some people advocate using a real photo so that users can see you as human, I advise against this. The problem with this approach is that your brand becomes associated with a particular person rather than its mission. In my opinion, your nonprofit should use a profile picture that reinforces your brand. Also, try to keep your profile pictures consistent across all social networks. This will help people find you and recognize you online as well as offline.

Let’s take a look at how major nonprofits make use of their pictures:

As you can see, you can be as creative as you want with your photo. Note that the Red Cross even uses a call-to-action (join us!) in their profile picture. In the case of LiveStrong, their bio pic is a yellow band featuring the organization’s name. The neat thing about @livestrong is that supporters can freely incorporate the yellow band in their profile pictures. What a great way to increase brand visibility, create buzz and be part of the social community. All this marketing by users for LiveStrong is free. Supporters are helping the organization increase their visibility, raise funds and engage new supporters simply by including the yellow band in their profiles

3. Background. Create a custom profile page. Your Twitter background is the strongest tool you have available to do this.  Give people “visual candy” to entice them to learn more about your cause. The background is where you can list your website, tell a bit about your work and provide links to your Facebook, YouTube or Change.org pages. In addition, if you want to feature the people Tweeting on your behalf, this is the place to do it!

As usual, when creating your profile background think of it in terms of marketing and branding. Use the colors and fonts of your organization. Below are a few good examples of backgrounds on Twitter (click on them to see their original size).

@HumaneSociety The Humane Society Twitter Background	@LiveStrong LiveStrong Twitter Background
@OneCampaign One Campaign Twitter Background	@OxfamAmerica Oxfam America Twitter Background

4. Biography. Be succinct. Aim for a one-sentence bio. Make it short and to the point. Your goal is to write a Twitter bio that gains you more followers and supporters. A key fact to remember is that the average attention span for web users is about 5 seconds. Therefore, you need to grab the user’s attention AND keep it.

Lets take a look at some examples of good bios:

@OxfamAmerica

@TechSoup

@NonProfitTimes

5. Web. Always use your website url (e.g., www.hivlawproject.org). Do not shorten your website address by using services like tinyurl.com or bit.ly. A key reason for using your website url is to create “inbound links” to your website. As we discussed in “10 Tips to Effective Search Engine Optimization for Nonprofits,” inbound links, especially from sites that rank higher on search engines, are an effective way to increase your nonprofit ranking on Google, Bling, Yahoo and other search engines. Inbound links are perceived as recommendations, so it is important that you use your nonprofit website address on the “Web” field on your Twitter profile.

Look at the above examples of good bios. All nonprofits feature their full web address in the “Web” field. There is no need to re-invent the wheel. If large organizations, with the budget to spend on social media consultants, are using their full web-address then it is safe to assume that our small and medium nonprofits should follow their best-practices.

6. Create a Twitter Landing Page as your “Web” URL. Here is an option that you may want to experiment with. Instead of using the front page of your website in the “Web” field, you can create a Twitter landing page somewhere on your website (perhaps under the “Media” or “Connect with Us” sections of your site). After all, big businesses create custom landing pages for different markets. You can create a page that explains to potential followers and constituents how your nonprofit uses Twitter and how to interact with you. On this Twitter landing page you can let people know more about your nonprofit (at least provide a link to your “About” page), what kind of topics your nonprofit tweets about and how often, and, if available, your “follow” policy (do you follow everyone back? do they need to fill out a request for you to follow them back, etc).

Related posts:

1. Creating an Effective Facebook Profile
2. Twitter Tips for Sucessful Nonprofit Fundraising
3. 10 Tips to Effective Search Engine Optimization for Nonprofits

Your nonprofit brand is much more strategically significant than you might realize. All your programs and services are required to deliver on the promise of the brand, on the expectations that a particular supporter or set of constituents has regarding your nonprofit, its reputation, and what they expect when they give money, donate their time or seek out services. A brand is a relationship between donors and a nonprofit, between supporters and a cause, and, like all relationships, it requires investment to get significant returns. Nonprofits, like for-profits, can harness the power and rewards that come from having a strong and unique brand.

Below are a few tips to help you create a strong brand for your nonprofit.

1. Unique. The brand must grab people’s attention. For example, social media allows your nonprofit to have a presence on many networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and Change.org. However, these networking sites will only let you customize your pages within certain parameters. Usually, they display their own logo along your profile and pages. Therefore, your brand needs to be unique. The user should be able to set apart your brand within a few seconds of visiting your pages.
2. Emotional connection. Your brand should trigger a positive emotional response. The world is full of distractions and linking your brand with an emotion helps etch a nonprofit into peoples’ minds. Branding should evoke in supporters thoughts and emotions associated with the work of your nonprofit. Supporters create positive expectations based on previous experiences with your organization. If your brand can trigger those positive emotions, supporters will be more likely to make a donation, volunteer their time and spread the word about your nonprofit. The more supporters associate your brand with a positive experience, the more the value of your brand (and organization) increases.
3. Consistency. Consistency is of the utmost importance when attempting to pair a certain look and feel with an organization. Using a consistent brand is an essential element for building a strong brand as it enables supporters to easily remember your nonprofit, its qualities and what they cherish about it. The Red Cross is a good example of brand management. The organization was born in 1881 and has consistently displayed the mark with the same emblem for over 130 years.
4. Select the right keywords and images. The selection of words and images to distinguish your nonprofit is one of the first steps in a branding strategy. The words and images chosen to represent your organization are often crucial to the success of your branding efforts.
5. Commitment to your brand. Include your logo and tag-line on all interaction that occurs on behalf of the organization. Every brochure, annual report, e-newsletter, wall post and photo should exude the nonprofit’s brand.
6. Keep it simple. Although a brand should be eye-catching, avoid clutter. The most recognizable brands use just one or two words in stylized text over a plain background; think Oxfam International, Save the Children and Autism Speaks.

A good nonprofit brand is, at a minimum,  unique, pleasing to the eye and ear, easy to remember and evocative of the work it does.  A strong brand identity benefits your nonprofit as it aligns supporters with your mission and can help deepen their commitment as donors, volunteers and advocates.

Related posts:

1. Making Social Media Work for Your Nonprofit
2. Twitter Tips for Sucessful Nonprofit Fundraising
3. List Your Nonprofit in the GuideStar Exchange

If you haven’t gotten out your year-end online appeal yet, don’t worry! You aren’t the only procrastinator – your online donors are just like you. At Network for Good, my nonprofit, we process donations for about 40,000 nonprofits annually, and every year, the biggest two donation days are December 30th and 31st. Generous procrastinators like to get their gifts in at the last minute for tax purposes. So it’s not too late to be successful. Here are the top four things you need to remember:

1. Strike now and then again at the last minute: The best piece of advice I can give you at this time of year is this: Send out an appeal soon – then send out a last-minute reminder appeal the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Surprisingly few nonprofits send out appeals then, so you get the double advantage of gaining visibility and reaching donors when they are most inclined to give.
2. Craft a great ask: Forge an emotional connection right away that tells the donor why they should personally care and what tangible difference they will make. Then put that appeal in the mouth of someone the prospective donor trusts.
3. Make sure your donate form is in perfect working order — easy to find, quick to use, and full of security assurances. You want it to feel simple and safe to give. Ask one of your more technically challenged friends to make a donation and see if they can do it. If they can’t, fix your form.
4. Receipt and thank quickly and graciously: Send out the receipt instantly and thank profusely. Remember: the number one irritation of donors is lack of gratitude or information on the impact of their gift. It’s the season to ask for money, but it’s also the season to give thanks.

Related posts:

1. Make the Case For Giving – 7 Tips to Help Your Nonprofits Increase Its Year End Appeal Response
2. Increasing Online Giving: 10 Tips to Optimize Your Donation Landing Pages
3. Twitter Tips for Sucessful Nonprofit Fundraising
4. Email Marketing for Nonprofits: 3 Essential Techniques
5. 10 Easy Tips to Optimize Your Donate Now Button

People, aided by social technologies, are coming together to support causes they care about. Nonprofits can reach thousands of people with a “tweet” instantly. Physical and language barriers are no longer an issue. You can post a quick “update” right from your desk, home or on the go. Similarly, people can get your updates on their computer, mobile phone or PDA. Tweets can now be sent and received in over five different languages. Twitter has become an important part of any nonprofit social media strategy.

But it takes more than posting multiple tweets a day to get the job done. It is not quite as simple as informing followers that you need some money.  Below are a 10 tips (best practices) which may help your nonprofit increase its fundraising success on Twitter.

1. Cultivate a community. Asking people for money can be daunting. For this reason, it’s important to build a community of people interested in your content and cause before asking for anything.
2. Make the message clear. State your purpose clearly and concisely. Highlight the “why” and “how” when making a call to action.
3. Create hype and excitement. Generating buzz and excitement around your cause is imperative. It’s important to stand out and set your nonprofit apart from the rest. Hashtags and unique avatar ribbons are simple features that can be incorporated to your initiative and to involve supporters. Be creative. Put an open call out to people to use their unique skills and talents. Get them involved. Get them excited.
4. Report regularly. Tell your network about your progress. Run donation totals on regular basis in order to maintain momentum and keep everyone excited about the cause.
5. Make your messages meaningful. Do not waste people’s time.  Don’t ask for donations on every tweet. The most basic of fundraising secret is that people give to people. Twitter is simply one more tool to help your nonprofit connect with its supporters. Remember, social media networking sites are about relationships.
6. Ask your network to “retweet” (RT) your messages. A study conducted by Dan Zarrella finds that “calls to action (“Please ReTweet”), while they might sound cheesy, work very well to get ReTweets.” This is viral marketing as its best!
7. Timing is essential. People are less likely to donate at particular times of the year such as right after Christmas, during the Super Bowl or national holidays.
8. Give praise to volunteers, supporters and donors. These are your most important nonprofit resources. People want to know that they are making a difference. Showing appreciation also encourage a continued effort on everyone’s part.
9. Back up words with action. Use Twitter to let followers know what your staff is doing to help. Create a sense of community around the change you seek. Connect with your network members to build trust and maintain credibility.
10. Tweet about your cause in general. After the campaign is over, update people on the current state of the cause in general. Let them know where and how their efforts have made a difference.  This keeps your nonprofit in peoples’ minds and primes them for the next round of fundraising.
11. Authenticity before marketing. Traditional marketing, development and communication strategies do not work on social networking sites. Web 2.0 is much more about having personality and building online community. Nowhere is this more true than on Twitter.

Twitter is a powerful and cost-effective social media tool for nonprofit organizations. It can help you boost donations and connect to your donors. Before Twitter, and other social media, there was no economical way for a fundraising appeal to spread like wildfire. Now it’s incredible how many people a nonprofit can reach with very few resources. Experiment with it and give your supporters the opportunity to get involved quickly and easily with your nonprofit and your cause.

Related posts:

1. Formulating a Sucessful Social Media Strategy for Your Nonprofit
2. Got Stories? 3 Secrets to Successful Fundraising
3. Creating an Effective Twitter Profile
4. Increasing Online Giving: 10 Tips to Optimize Your Donation Landing Pages
5. 10 Tips to Effective Search Engine Optimization for Nonprofits

Everyone is familiar with charities that present us with a story of a child in an underdeveloped country for whom only a few cents a day could bring food, shelter and clean water. Stark photographs are shown in order to add vividness to the story. This strategy emphasizes desperate circumstances and gives a glimmer of hope by showing that a different story — a better story — can be written, if only more volunteers and donors would join the cause. This is the combination typically used, but it may not be right for your nonprofit branding or fundraising efforts.

I tend to lean towards positive stories, those of success and transformation. They provide a sunnier side and are filled with hope and vision for the future. Positive stories lift people’s spirits and move them to wonder what they can do to help. An example of this comes from the world of guerrilla marketing, where the Dubai Autism Center created a shopping bag featuring an image of a happy child reaching up with her little hand towards the handle of the bag so that, when the bag is carried, it appears as though the girl is holding the shopper’s hand. This story telling strategy stands a good chance of attracting more donors because it ignites people’s curiosity and moves them from knowing about problems to addressing them.

New York Times columnist and author Kristof Nicholas says, “Good people engaging in good causes sometimes feel too pure and sanctified to sink to something as manipulative as marketing, but the result has been that women have been raped when it could have been avoided and children have died of pneumonia unnecessarily—because those stories haven’t resonated with the public. So for God’s sake, let’s learn how we can connect people to important causes and galvanize a robust public reaction.”

So, what does it take to tell your stories successfully? Kristoff offers the following insights:

• Look for heroes, not victims
  Search for positive, heartwarming accounts of triumph. Kristoff writes “we wanted to call attention to sex trafficking, acid attacks, maternal mortality, yet we knew a focus on such a litany of horrors would go unread. The solution we came up with was to find stories of women who had overcome adversity rather than succumbed to it. We explored sex trafficking through the story of a teenage Cambodian girl who was imprisoned in a Malaysian brothel—but who, after escaping, became a very successful businesswoman with the help of an aid group, American Assistance for Cambodia.”

• Focus on an individual, not a group
  Kristoff tells us of an experiment in which they asked people to donate to help hungry children in West Africa. “One group was asked to help a seven-year-old girl named Rokia, from Mali. A second was asked to donate to help millions of hungry children. A third was asked to help Rokia but was provided with statistical information that gave them a larger context for her hunger. Not surprisingly, people donated more than twice as much to help Rokia as to help millions of children. But it turned out that even providing background information on African hunger diminished empathy, so people were much less willing to help Rokia when she represented a broader problem.” Thus, you should try to build your story around one particular person. People want to help particular individuals, not causes. Give people a “face” they can relate to. As Mother Teresa said, “If I look at the mass, I will never act. If I look at the one, I will.”

• Make donors feel good
  The secret to successful fundraising is securing gifts that donors enjoy making. So stop sending those “guilt” letters. While raising money to accomplish your mission is part of the job, you should do everything possible to make sure your donors also come out feeling like winners. Make people feel lucky that they have an opportunity to help others. Donors want “an emotional ROI.” Tell them how they can help not how dire your circumstances are. Make it about them.

Stories are a powerful way to engage people in what you nonprofit does and help them understand the meaning of your work. Stories help people gain perspective on an organization’s work and impact. What is your story?

Related posts:

1. Twitter Tips for Sucessful Nonprofit Fundraising

Tip #1. Make Sure You Are Using the New Version of Google Docs
Last April, Google launched a new version of Google Docs. This new version is full of features that takes collaboration to the next level. To mention a few, Google Docs now offer:

• Real time collaboration: You can see updates from other collaborators as they edit documents.
• Chat with other collaborators: As you make your edits, you can chat with other document editors about the changes, from within the document.
• Ruler: Google documents have a ruler for setting margins, indentations, and tab stops.
• Comments: Easily insert notes alongside your regular document content. Comments live outside the margins of the editing space, but are linked to text in the document. This means you can leave notes for others without cluttering the document.

To try out these features and start creating documents using the new version of Google Docs, just follow these steps:

1. Click the Settings link in the top-right of your Docs list.
2. Click the Editing tab.
3. Select the option labeled “Create new text documents using the latest version of the document editor.”

Tip #2. Save Time on Formatting with Templates
Google Docs offers thousands of templates for you to use. Templates can be found in the drop-down menu of the “Create New” button. Spreadsheets, text documents, presentations and forms are further broken down by categories. In addition, Google Docs will keep track of which templates you’ve used in the past for easy reuse. The spreadsheet templates, pre-formatted with built-in formulas and charts, are reason enough to check out Google Docs.

Tip #3. Ditch the Thumb Drive. Store Files at Google Docs
You can upload, store and share any kind of file, including music, video, photos and zip files to Google Docs. Files can be as high as 250 MB and you can get up to 1GB of space for storing non-Google Docs files. A simple click to the “Upload” button and your files are safely stored. Once your files are uploaded, you can give others access by selecting a file and clicking the “Share” link. You can also share entire folders, creating a drop-box like meeting space for your colleagues to work on files together.

Tip #4. Get Your Documents Offline
One of the biggest concerns about keeping data in the “cloud” revolves around accessing your files offline. Don’t worry, Google has you covered with a free browser add-on for Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari. This add-on gives you access to your files offline, and syncs changes when you connect to the Internet again. You can download Google Gears at http://gears.google.com/

To see how getting your documents offline work, watch the video below.

Tip #5. See a Document’s Revision History
When multiple people are working on a document, thing can change fast. To see who changed what and to compare revisions, open a document and from the file menu choose “See Revision History.” You will get a list of all the changes a document has undergone.

Tip #6. Visualize Data with Interactive Gadgets
Visuals are an important component when presenting numbers. A nice pie chart can take you further than a boring spreadsheet with numbers. Fortunately, Google makes it easy for us to visualize data in interesting ways and without doing too much work. Google Docs Gadgets are interactive charts, maps and other data visualizations you can embed in a spreadsheet or publish on a web page. To access it, go to your Google spreadsheet’s “Insert” menu and choose “Gadget.”

Tip #7. Conduct Surveys with Forms.
Google’s forms are one of the most overlook features in Google Docs. Forms allows you to collect data from co-workers and website visitors. To access Google’s forms, click the “Create New” button and chose “Form” from the drop-down menu. Now, enter your questions, as well as type of answers each question should get. You can format answers for multiple choice, check boxes and other common survey criteria. Clicking the “Email Form” button will send your contacts a link to the form. You can also copy and paste the link to publish it yourself. When you recipients answer the form’s questions, a Google spreadsheet collects and charts the responses for you to see. For example, you can gather all your volunteers’ vital information (phone number, email address, skills, etc) with one simple form.

Google is, without a doubt, one of the most innovative companies of the century. Nonprofits can take advantage of Google’s state-of-the-art technology to increase productivity and save on IT costs. Increasing real-time collaboration across your organization is easy. With Google Docs your colleagues and staff have the ability to access their documents from home, mobile devices and work. They can share files and collaborate in real-time, keeping versions organized and available wherever and whenever they work.

Related posts:

1. Google Apps for Nonprofits
2. Google Grants for Nonprofits
3. Making Social Media Work for Your Nonprofit
4. Formulating a Sucessful Social Media Strategy for Your Nonprofit
5. Twitter Tips for Sucessful Nonprofit Fundraising

The key to creating successful, effective email marketing campaigns is tied to three critical (but little known) techniques:

1. Segmentation. Stop blasting emails to your entire contact list. Use segmentation to send ONLY relevant messages. As you might be aware, permission-based marketing is very important. It’s imperative to get permission before sending emails to your supporters. Even with permission, however, you’re still sending people emails they don’t want to receive. The solution: segmentation. Stop blasting emails to your entire contact list. No single email will be relevant to EVERYONE on your list. It does not matter how great your content is or how fantastic your fund-raising appeal is. The truth is that you will only reach a handful of interested people. All others will get irritated and either unsubscribe or completely ignore future emails.

Effective email marketing requires you to know as much as you can about your contacts. You need to know their interests, particularly as they relate to your programs and services, their donation history, the amount they donated, and whether they opened and clicked through the emails you have sent. The more details you know, the higher the chance you have to send targeted, relevant messages. This segmentation is what makes the difference between you and millions of other small nonprofits.

2. Consistency. Keep your email marketing consistent. I know most nonprofits are strapped for time and resources. However, this doesn’t mean you should neglect your contacts. They deserve consistent, relevant communication from you. Your contacts are more likely to donate, sign a petition and spread the word about your nonprofit if they trust you. But this trust can not be earned by sending them an email once in a while. Once in a while does not build relationships. Ironically, most nonprofits only send emails as part of a fund-raising event or campaign. A bad practice that views contacts only from the perspective of their pocketbook and risks turning off potential donors.

Devote the necessary time and resources making your email marketing consistent. If you promise to send a monthly newsletter, then you better send out a newsletter. Follow up with your contacts about upcoming events, program news and highlights, and even articles or news reports related to work your organization does. The point is that there’s no excuse for losing touch with your contacts. Consistently sending emails to your constituents on a segmented basis will help enhance your relationships and lead to a significant increase in donations, brand visibility and support.

3. Integrate your email campaign with other marketing channels. Show your contacts that they are more than just a name on a list. Send a postcard (along with an email) to remind people of an upcoming event. Send a letter and gift to new donors, followed by a phone call (or voice message) asking if they received it. Tie everything together and you’ll get a powerful, reinforced campaign.

At some point, of course, you’ll want to examine those smaller details, like the best words to use in a subject line or how to address your contacts. But for now, focus on implementing the three critical email marketing techniques and you will see a significant increase in response, donations and community engagement.

Related posts:

1. 10 Essential Social Media SlideShare Presentations for Nonprofits
2. What’s the Buzz All About? Nonprofits and Social Media
3. Google Apps for Nonprofits
4. Make the Case For Giving – 7 Tips to Help Your Nonprofits Increase Its Year End Appeal Response
5. Google Grants for Nonprofits

Today, “command and control” communications is slowly becoming outmoded. Social media is the new way to communicate with supporters. Why? Because it allows organizations to connect with potential donors, volunteers and constituents on a more personal level. Failure to realize the power of social media can cost your organization in the long run.

How does this shift in communications affect your nonprofit and how can social media strategies and tools help you raise money, recruit volunteers and increase brand visibility? These questions are explored in-depth on the video presentations below. Experts from around the country discuss the dynamic and expanding opportunities for nonprofits to capitalize on social media. What are you waiting for? Watch them now!

Gear Up for Giving: The Click Daly Show on Social Media for Nonprofits

Social Media Strategy for Nonprofits

Creative Fundraising Online

What the Heck is Social Media

Using Social Media for Good Causes

5 Facebook Tips for Nonprofits with Randi Zuckerberg

Transforming Your Cause Through Social Media

Nonprofit Defining Success Online

Using Video to Promote Your Cause

Guide to Online Video for Nonprofits – Marketing Your Campaign

Related posts:

1. 10 Essential Social Media SlideShare Presentations for Nonprofits
2. Using Social Media to Connect with Wired Wealthy Donors
3. Making Social Media Work for Your Nonprofit
4. Using Social Media to Mobilize Supporters and Resources (Part I)
5. Formulating a Sucessful Social Media Strategy for Your Nonprofit