If you’ve come this far, it’s likely that you’ve already sent emails out to your close contacts and asked them to vote for your cause. And if you have an email database, subscribers have probably already seen the message or will soon, right?

Those are both very good and effective tactics - in fact, they’ve been powerful enough to help boost a couple of our leaders into the Top Ten. But what about everyone else that you communicate with via email? Do they know about CommuniCause?

Why not try inserting a link into your email signature? Or even better yet, why not see that it is inserted for your entire team. Think about all of the people that you and your team members email daily. Not all of them are going to be on your mailing list. Whether they are vendors, supporters or just friends, there is a good likelihood that they would be interested in helping you out - and it can’t hurt to ask!

Advertising 101 teaches the importance of repetition. As each email goes out to your contact, they will passively be subjected to your message, and hopefully before long they will be visiting our site to vote. And think about your time commitment - how long will it take to tweak your email signature? It’s a gift that keeps on giving.

If you have any questions on tactics, or if you would like to share what has been successful for you, don’t hesitate to drop us a line.

Facebook: Facebook.com/Communicause
Twitter: @Communicause

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So you feel like you’re starting to get the gist of this whole Social Media thing. You’re on Twitter. You’re on Facebook. You’ve reached out to your old high school buddies and your droves of followers… but now what?

Well, keep that going strong (you’ll find that some will need to be reminded a few times, but they really want to help you out), but then take a step back. How did you get the word out before Social Media? What tools do you already have at your disposal?

Most organizations have access to some type of mailing list, either digital, or in some cases, print. You likely already have a plan in place for publication on a weekly, monthly, or possibly quarterly basis. Email and newsletters in general can be a strong tool for getting the message out. Subscribers expect communication on a set basis and are ready to peruse upon receipt.

So you have an audience, you have a medium (your newsletter) - now all you need is the message. If you’re reading this, then you probably already know quite a bit about CommuniCause. Start by writing content as you would explain it to a friend or associate. Be colloquial if it fits with the tone of your newsletter. Speak with your audience and give them a method to speak back. Do they know about your Twitter presence? You DO have a Twitter presence, don’t you?

Do you think that much of your audience might not know what Twitter is or how to use it? What could be more interesting for them than to learn more about this exciting new medium that they’ve probably heard chatter about on CNN or any of a number of daytime or late night talk shows? If you are sending via email, include links, such as to your Twitter profile, an explanation of Twitter in Plain English, or most importantly, a link to your “share page”.

What is so important about your share page? It is the best page for one of your potential CommuniCause supporters to see. It gives them a quick link to vote, the necessary code to cast a second vote via Twitter, and other ways to share the message with their networks. The goal is for you to plant a seed (well, go ahead and plant a whole bunch of seeds, actually) that will grow from a single supporter into a group of kind individuals that are willing to at least take a moment to vote and pass it on.

Back on the topic of your newsletter, write something interesting that you think will resonate with your audience. Then find our Media Kit, add an image, and fill in any gaps or necessary details with our included messaging.

We’re going to leave it up to you regarding timing and execution. Some that I have spoken to are waiting until July to have an ace up their sleeve, while others might want to get the word out early and often. I won’t play editor, that’s your call.

But if you need any help, if you have any questions, or if you’d just like to take a few minutes to chat about CommuniCause and using social media to get the word out for your organization, please don’t hesitate to drop a line. We are doing this for your benefit and enjoy watching you grow. Don’t be a stranger!

Facebook: facebook.com/communicause
Twitter: @CommuniCause

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