Resistance to Social Media

It's been three weeks since Becky blogged about NTEN's We Are Media, a wiki where people share ideas, insights, and resources about how nonprofits can (and can't) use social media technologies. In those three weeks, We Are Media has become an exciting hub for discussion, debate, and resources.

Each week, We Are Media tackles a broad topic, breaking it down into smaller key questions and letting discussions develop naturally. Last week's topic was Dealing with Resistance. Key questions include "What are the signs of organizational resistance to social media?" and "What are your best tips for being an effective and responsible social media evangelist in a nonprofit organization?"

I think that these questions encapsulate the challenges many nonprofits face when approaching social media strategies. Some people are distrustful of (or worse, simply bored by) new media technologies, and others are too excited about them to listen to criticism. The responsible social media evangelist is someone who can devise a plan that integrates into an organization's resources, needs, and goals, and explain accurately and honestly how the plan will serve the organization's mission.

Erin gives some great advice for talking about social media in real-world terms:

Some boards and EDs only understand numbers; they want to see something that is effective and has some kind of return on investment. So - educate yourself on the numbers. Look at case studies, and talk to other nonprofits who are using social media effectively to find out how it worked for them. When you can show examples and facts with numbers attached, it ups your game quite a bit. Also, remember that social marketing is not about having a good MySpace page (argh). Get away from saying things like "we should be on MySpace" to start a conversation, and instead approach it strategically, with something like, "Social media is a powerful tool, and if we think strategically about it, we can leverage that tool to build relationships with people who will give more money and take more action on our behalf."

Emily at Doing Good Things Well jokes about nonprofits being like Michael Scott, driving their expensive cars into a lake and blaming technology. I'd suggest that it's even worse to be like Ryan, always advocating for new technologies but refusing to incorporate them into the organization's goals and needs.

This week's We Are Media topic is The Art of Storytelling. Come join the conversation.