Social Media for Search & Rescue Teams

1. www.questusstrategies.com | 720-638-0909 | Richard L. P. Solosky, MNM
Social Media for
SAR
How to Turn Your Mission Reports
Into a Fundraising Machine.
A presentation for…

2. IN ORDER TO PLAY IN THE DIRT
You Need… COIN!

3. Let me tell you a story
about a man named Jed,
a poor mountaineer,
barely kept his family
fed…
Nonprofit marketing, fundraising, and organizational development | www.questusstrategies.com
Richard L. P. Solosky, MNM
Strategy Architect
BIO

4. NOT A BUSINESS STRATEGY
Technically, a nonprofit is the same as a for-profit business,
both have to concern themselves with two things:
1) Income, 2) Expenses.
Focus Your Vision
Nonprofit is an IRS classification…
Photo credit: rsolosky.com

5. Government
Foundations
Earned Income
Bequests
Sponsorship
Individual Gifts
Make sure to… Diversify Your Income
Fundraising
Hip Tip …
Photo credit: rsolosky.com

6. Fundraising
DONORS WANT TO BE
INVESTORS
IN A WELL-MANAGED
ORGANIZATION THAT HAS AN
EXCITING PLAN FOR THE FUTURE

7. Show Me the Money!
Giving by
individuals
averages 72%
of the total.

8. Friend-Raising
Engage Your
Audience
Build
Relationships

9. Attract And Acquire Interested Individuals
Your Goal
Here’s How…

10. Don’t Say Dumb Things!
Instead… know, then reinforce your brand.

11. What is Brand?
A Brand is what
people think of
when they hear
your name.
A clear message helps build a strong brand
that resonates with donors.

12. What is Your Brand?

13. Talking Points
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All Volunteer
Nonprofit
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Cultivate Your Value Proposition
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14. Ok, but, who’s the target audience?
AHJ
Anybody that will give you, or influence someone to give you money.
And, Authority Having Jurisdiction

15. Marketing Communications
But really, how do you engage your
target audience?
If you don’t talk to anyone at the dance… You don’t get to dance!

16. Marketing Strategy
Your logo is not your brand and a
website does not give you a digital
presence. Just because you have a
Facebook page, does not mean you
have an engaged community and a
press release is not press coverage.
Tactics Do Not Lead to Strategy Strategy Leads to Tactics

17. No
Stories
Without
Numbers
What is your case for funding?
No
Numbers
Without
Stories
Improving Your Brand

18. Our communications paradigms
are shifting.
Source: Internet Trends, KPCB
The way we interrelate and communicate has changed forever.
1990’s 2010’s

19. In the early days of the Internet, you were virtually anonymous and you could easily
remain that way. Today everybody knows if you’re a dog. Everyone has a digital
signature and that brand and image of what you do and say follows you forever.
Source: Internet Trends, KPCB
Today, everyone can tell if you’re a dog.

20. Raise Awareness for your Mission
Increase Donations
Obtain New Volunteers & Motivate Supporters
Drive Traffic to Website
Pass Along Valuable Information
• Consistent Message
Why Social Media?

21. You Control The Message!
To protect your
brand, set
parameters for
social interaction.
Social media gives you the ability
to shape your message and
communicate with the media
before you hit the cameras.
Social Media is Your
PIO’s Best Friend

22. CONTENT IS KING
Content marketing creates & distributes relevant content to
drive action to the target audience.
Successful nonprofits understand how to leverage their online marketing assets.
Don’t Pitch…Teach & Entertain
Become the Authority in your Space

23. All Communication is Social.
Website
Twitter
Where does your audience live?
Pinterest
Facebook
LinkedIn
Blog Instagram
Carefully manage your digital brand.
Media +GoogleYou Tube

24. Social Media - Rules of Engagement – Simple…
Never, ever sell, & know that humor goes a
long way, just don’t be creepy.
Don’t stress the small stuff. Remember to follow back, and
there is no need to “thank” anyone for following you, ever.
Don’t feel like you have to reply to everyone.
Don’t send the same “congratulations” message to
multiple people in a row. Message bombing (multiple
rapid posts) are the easiest way to get your messages
ignored.
1
2
3
How would you talk to your grandmother?

25. “Irony is when someone writes… your an idiot.”
Use Grammar Correctly
Occasional spelling errors are acceptable; but, people might question your
intelligence if you continue posting mistake-riddled updates (or, posts in all-caps for
that matter).
“Learn to insult properly!” -writing.com
Carefully manage your digital brand.

26. PhotoCredit:www.greatnonprofits.org
Stories
Demonstrate
Impact
We are hardwired to positively respond to stories… Use them!

27. Image Creates Connection
90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual.
Images are processed 60,000 X faster in the brain than text.
40% of people will respond better to visual information than plain text.

28. Video Sparks Engagement
Producing and sharing entertaining and educational videos has never been easier.

29. Which #socialmedia is Best 4 U?
Make sure you know the rules of each channel!
It depends, research where your audience lives, then…

31. A set of
guidelines for
interaction is
critical to
protecting
your brand!
Content Guidelines
Who Can Post & How
Where to Post
Frequency of Posts
Mix of Information
Relevance to Audience
Make A Written Plan
Set Up A Schedule

32. Interact
Share Interests
Brand
Social Media - It’s A Conversation!
The Rule of Thirds

33. Promote
Collaborate

34. Kudos!

35. Place a high level of importance on your
website… Make sure it effectively tells your
story and represents you… exactly the way
you want to be known!
Hint: The best way to hit your target is by providing relevant content.
CREATE Audience Interest…
What you do, why it is important, and
emphasize impact.
Drive Traffic
Website

36. “ You raise money when you ask for it, preferably face to
face, from the smallest number of people in the shortest
period of time, at the least expense.”
Unknown Source
you have to ask!
Remember when it comes to fundraising…

37. www.questusstrategies.com
Successful nonprofits understand how to
leverage their online marketing assets.
You can too!
Where not otherwise credited, a special thanks goes out to MRA, Alpine
Rescue Team, & Howard Paul for graciously providing images for this
presentation.
To learn more about nonprofit marketing,
fundraising, and organizational development,
join me in the conversations. To receive updates
about my nonprofit blog, send an email to:
rsolosky@comcast.net
www.questusstrategies.com | 720-638-0909 | Richard L. P. Solosky, MNM
Photo credit: rsolosky.com