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This is the final post in a four-part series. Part 1 of this series listed the five actions we recommend that you take to reduce the power use of your computer. Part 2 and Part 3 explained in more detail how you could easily complete four cost-saving actions. This post explains the fifth and final action in this campaign — how you can multiply the positive impact you have had on the environment by getting others involved.

Softchoice found that 93% of PCs are still running Windows XP, which did not default to having power management turned on.

In Can Windows 7 make PCs Green? Todd Bishop writes, "With hundreds of millions of PCs draining batteries and tapping into power outlets around the world, even a small tweak in Microsoft Windows can influence global energy consumption."

With numbers like these, it is imperative that we convince as many people as possible to reduce their IT power use.

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Earlier this year, we took a look at the US Air Force's social media policy. I still think that not only is a social media policy for employees increasingly becoming a legal necessity for your nonprofit, but it might also be the most important thing you can do for your marketing and PR.

Here's another one to check out. Timo Luege has just finished putting together a social media policy for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and he's posted the policy on his blog (via). Of course, the IFRC is a huge conglomeration of individual Red Cross and Red Crescent chapters around the world, spanning a multitude of social and political mores. How do you craft a policy that's applicable to every IFRC employee (or, for that matter, not downright objectionable)? "I realize that the parts about 'neutrality' and 'keeping your manager in the loop' might sound very restrictive to some people," Timo writes, "especially those from democratic countries." He goes on to explain that the IFRC code of conduct is actually more restrictive than the social media policy. Rather than squelching employees' freedom of expression, the policy actually empowers them to communicate thoughtfully on behalf of their employers. That empowerment means setting clear boundaries. From the policy:

The IFRC believes that sharing of information and experiences benefits the whole humanitarian community and ultimately the beneficiaries we serve. Feel free to share and discuss your experiences in e.g. vaccination campaigns, field communication, building of transitional shelters etc. If IFRC staff is perceived to be knowledgeable and helpful this will reflect positively on you and on the organization.

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Here's an idea from our friend Laura at Idealware: what if you measured any communications method by whether it would have more or less impact than spending the same amount of time calling donors on the phone?

…You could spend that time simply calling donors and constituents at random, to thank them, or to ask them a quick set of questions (how did they like the services they used? what do you do well? not so well?). If you've never done this, it can be pretty magical. Often people are amazed that you've called, happy to talk, and have useful insights. It gives you a great sense as to who your constituents actually are and what they care about. And not coincidentally, my experience is that it fosters great new connections. People want to volunteer, wanted to ask you something, and, not coincidentally, donate at considerably higher rates after. Nothing starts a conversation like, well, an actual conversation.

I love the way Laura articulates this. When we adopt social media strategies, we often tell ourselves that it's not just about donations, it's about starting a conversation. There are plenty good reasons why it's important to keep conversations going with supporters, but are Twitter and Facebook always the best way? If your goal is to have a conversation, then why not pick up the phone and have one?

This is not to say that there's no place for social media; rather, I think that the phone test can actually help you articulate the purpose of any communications tactic, be it a fundraising letter, a donor event, a print ad, or a Facebook page. If you can clearly identify who the target audience is for a particular effort and what action you want that audience to take, you can put together the right campaign for achieving that goal. It might be a letter, an email blast, or a social media campaign, and it might be a phone call.

The latest round of the America's Giving Challenge is on. This is a national competition to encourage people to use their personal and social networks to help win cash for their favorite nonprofit. The Giving Challenge is not focused on how much money you can raise, but on how successful you are at getting people to donate to your cause. The goal is to get as many unique daily donations as possible (minimum of $10), to your cause each day. The contest runs through November 6, 2009.

You may have heard about TechSoup's Digital Storytelling Online Event that's been going on all month. Well, tonight we're rolling out the red carpet for the finale where we'll be announcing the big winners! We received more than 100 submissions from nonprofits and libraries around the country (and world) who've shared their digital stories in video, photo, and GoldMail formats for the Digital Storytelling Challenge! These stories are being carefully reviewed by our esteemed panel of expert judges.

If you're in the Bay Area, join us at 7 p.m. Pacific at the TechSoup headquarters (525 Brannan Street, Third Floor) in San Francisco for the mixed reality awards screening party. If you're not in the Bay Area, you still join us by viewing the event in Second Life and follow the action on Twitter (hashtag: #tsdigs).

Whether you're a challenge participant or just interested in seeing the power of stories to help social benefit organizations convey their messages, don't miss this opportunity to mix and mingle with nonprofit colleagues, show your support, and see the winners! Our winners will be receiving some of these cool prizes. In the meantime, check out the challenge submissions below. See you on the red carpet!

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Global Voices Online is reporting how social media is playing a role in the latest parliamentary and council elections in Botswana. While they note that their use of social media tools is behind countries like Nigeria, Uganda, or South Africa, there are promising signs that individuals like journalists and students are using such tools to monitor and report on the ongoing elections. One blogger in particular, Patricia Maganu, notes that:

Here's a fantastic blog post at NTEN from Network for Good's Rebecca Higman and Katya Andresen (we've linked to Katya's excellent blog numerous times in the past). Rebecca and Katya try to pin down the seemingly erratic behavior of online donors and offer some lessons on how we can develop longer relationships with Internet supporters.

Imagine a scenario when a check arrives in the mail as a result of a direct mail campaign. That supporter may receive a hand-written thank-you note back via mail. Perhaps even a phone call. And, of course, the donor database is updated immediately!

What about an online donor? Is his or her name ever retrieved from the online report? Is he or she added to a direct mail list? What about the thank-you? Is it sent back via Facebook or email, or will there be a snail-mail letter on the way?

It seems there's a bit of a discrepancy.

They go on to suggest that for follow-up communications with an online donor, you should defer to the donor's medium of choice. "Would you add a direct mail donor to your email list and remove her from your direct mail list? Probably not. If a supporter donates online through a nonprofit website or social network like Facebook, that supporter should be thanked online through that same medium." I would add that not only should the thank-you note arrive in Facebook instead of snail mail, but it shouldn't sound like a snail mail letter either: it should have the personal tone of an online exchange.

What: Another in The Chronicle of Philanthropy's series of online discussions: How to Use Facebook Causes to Promote Your Nonprofit Group

When: Tuesday, October 13, at 12 noon, Eastern time

Where: http://philanthropy.com/live/2009/10/facebook/

How Much: Free

Description:

The Internet is a great tool for communicating and connecting. We now have a variety of ways to do so, but which one is best suited for your needs? Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn? Each serves its purpose and audience, but what if your needs aren't served with these tools? Create your own!

Ning is a powerful tool that allows you to not only create a dynamic, easy to update website, but its functionality allows your community to create accounts, share information, connect with you and other people in your community and work collaboratively.

Kami Griffiths will interview Manny Hernandez, author of Ning For Dummies who will give an overview of Ning and how it is being used by several organizations. Learn what it takes to get a Ning site set-up and the resources needed to keep it going.

Please join us on Thursday, October 15, 11 a.m. Pacific time. Space is limited so register today!

Here's a blog post I wish I'd have written. Mark at Queer Ideas takes on the concept of voice and tone in nonprofit communications. "I've come to the conclusion that the instructional approach that so many brand guidelines take to defining 'tone of voice' simply doesn't work when it comes to specifying how non-profits must use language," Mark says. "Most direction is either unnecessary or confusing."

He then goes on to examine some of the words we use in our in-house style guides or when talking about how to write fundraising and communications materials:

Positive: What's the point? I'm writing for a charity. I'm hardly going to be negative about what a donor can achieve with a gift. Neither am I going to present the challenge a charity faces as being insurmountable.

Honest: Cripes, lucky this was there otherwise I'd just lie about everything the charity does.

Respectful: And there I was just about to kick off with a long tirade of patronising and sarcastic abuse. Phew! That was a near miss.

On he goes, and the point is clear: words like "passionate," "caring," and "honest" are great sentiments, but they don't offer much practical guidance. They don't tell you how to craft your nonprofit's story, where to place the "ask" in a fundraising letter, or how long a piece of copy should be. Those are hard questions, and they need better answers than a simple feel-good word.

Mark suggests that the best thing you can do for your nonprofit's branding is to focus not on tone, but on empathy. Study what your audience reacts to; write for them. As we've discussed here before, nonprofit professionals are often very different people from donors. Sometimes the message we most enjoy writing isn't the one that resonates most with supporters. Jeff at Donor Power Blog takes it a step further: "If your belief, or theory, or intuition about fundraising is based on your own personal experience, you are wrong."