Plugged In

Last year with the pending 2008 Crossroads Conference, Greenlights decided to test the waters of social media. With that I created a Facebook account. What did I experience? Where my activity on LinkedIn, my only other social media platform, was very occasional, Facebook was a wildfire of friends, colleagues, causes, invitations, progress reports, trivia, vacation photos, mantras, and two-sentence catch-me-ups. Mind you, most of this was what I was receiving, while I did very strategic postings of professional news. Personally, I’m a lot more conversational.

The experience has had me thinking more than once about the blurring of my personal and professional sides using social media and whether that is a good thing or not. Thankfully there are some built in tools that help me limit what I see and who I converse with. Still it makes me think about every word I post and the reasons for it. Ultimately, the most powerful tool is me. I decide when, if, what, where, and why.

The pros?

• Instant connectivity to everyone;
• Clarity. You learn very quickly to be clear;
• It’s a great platform for conveying an important message instantly.

At this year’s Crossroads Conference, Jennifer Hill Robenalt of Hoopla Media & Communications and Nettie Hartsock of The Hartsock Agency will present “Power in Numbers: Using Web 2.0 Tools to Connect with Constituents.” Together they will talk with us about the how’s and why’s of social media for nonprofit organizations and even share some insider etiquette. Don’t miss it if your organization is considering taking the plunge and wants to find a powerful tool for connecting with clients, volunteers, and donors. It’s a great way to take your relationship to a whole new level.

For more information about the sessions being offered at the Crossroads Conference, click here.

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