Susanna Haas Lyons presented best practices for designing a powerful engagement strategy for nonprofits. She explained that engagement is the interaction between nonprofits and their audiences through actions like participation, conversations, relationships, fundraising and advocacy. Effective engagement strategies create a value exchange that appeals to what audiences care about and benefits the nonprofit's mission. Some key practices include understanding what audiences value, creating meaningful opportunities for different commitment levels, having a plan for sustaining engagement, and treating all engaged groups like friends. The presentation provided a framework to strategically engage audiences both online and in-person.

1. DESIGNING A POWERFUL
ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY
Susanna Haas Lyons
Public Engagement Specialist
@zannalyons
susannahaaslyons.com
Social Media for Nonprofits
Vancouver, BC
June 25, 2013

2. SUSANNA HAAS LYONS, M.A.
 Public Participation Specialist
 Civic Technologist
 10+ years with some of North America's largest and most
complex public participation projects
 Instructor of engagement skills for municipal and provincial
governments, organizations, businesses, unions, post-
secondary institutions in Canada and Australia
 Senior Network Associate, AmericaSpeaks
 Certified by the International Association for Public
Participation (IAP2)
 @zannalyons
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3. WHAT IS ENGAGEMENT BY NONPROFITS?
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 Engagement is the currency
of interactions between non-
profits and their target
audiences
 Engagement
= participation
= two-way
 Actions, interactions,
conversations that relate to
your organization’s work
 Relationships
 Traditional
 Social media
 In-person
 Fundraising
 Volunteering
 Advocacy
 Leadership

4. WHY ENGAGEMENT MATTERS
Influence Change
Money Growth
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Improvement
transparency
accountability
collaboration
satisfaction
volunteers
ownership
resources
talent

5. WHY PEOPLE ENGAGE WITH NONPROFITS
 Believe in the cause / organization’s mission
 Want to help make change happen
 Know other people who are connected to the
organization
 Want to connect with other people who care about
these issues
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6. SURVEY: WHY ARE YOU INVOLVED WITH YOUR
FAVORITE CHARITY?
Reasons Percentage
I believe in the charity’s cause 65%
I want to help make change happen 30%
I have friends or family who support this cause 20%
I know someone who has received services from this
organization in the past
19%
The charity asked for my help 18%
I want to set a good example 16%
I want to connect with others in my community and/or
those who share my values
15%
I have received services from this organization in the
past
12%
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Source: Charity Dynamics / NTEN (2012) Nonprofit Donor Engagement Benchmark Study

7. 7
WIIFM?

8. Engagement must create an effective
Value Exchange
The Goal: Creating engagement opportunities that
speak to what target audiences value, in a way that
strengthens the organization and what it values
Strategic and effective engagement pays
attention to both these elements
What Target
Audiences Value
What You Value
(vision, mission, mandate)

9. FIND OUT WHAT YOUR PEOPLE VALUE
 Ask them!
 Measure and analyze their interactions with your
organization
 Analyze demographic information in your database
 Be available

10. COMMITMENT
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11. ENGAGEMENT PYRAMID
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Source: Groundwire

12. ENGAGEMENT FOR ALL COMMITMENT LEVELS
12Shallow Engagement and Wide Audience
Medium Time &
Energy
Some Participants
Fewparticipants
DeepParticipation

13. KNOW WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO DO
AND WHY THEY WOULD DO IT.
Depth of
Commitment
Characteristics of
Target Audience
Engagement
Opportunities
Low
Medium
High
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14. 10 BEST PRACTICES
FOR ENGAGING YOUR TARGET
AUDIENCES ONLINE AND IN-PERSON
Adapted from Karen Uffelman(2012). 10 Rules of
Engagement. Groundwire.
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15. 15
#1
Engagement with
Meaningful
Opportunities
Connect

16. 16
#2
Be curious
and specific
about your target audiences

17. 17
#3
Know what you want them to do.
Image source: businessbloghub.com

18. 18
#4
Image source: peacembeku
Know why they would do it.

19. 19
Have a plan for what’s next.
Image source: Ferguson Youth Initiative
#5

20. 20
#6
Image source: www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk

21. 21
#7
Organize your information
Image source: www.notjustnumbers.co.uk

22. 22
#8
Don’t forget
about the
middle of your
pyramid

23. 23
#9
Reflect
StrengthenCelebrate

24. OPPORTUNITIES TO FAIL AND MOVE ON
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http://youtu.be/-Vo4M4u5Boc?t=19s

25. 25
#10
Members
Donors = Friends
Volunteers

26. 26
TOP 10 Practices for
engaging your target
audiences online
and in-person
1. Connect
engagement to
meaningful
opportunities
2. Be curious and
specific about your
audiences
3. Know what you
want them to do
4. Know why they
would do it
5. Have a plan for
what’s next
6. Use an
engagement
framework
7. Organize your
information
8. Don’t forget the
middle of the
pyramid
9. Reflect, celebrate,
strengthen
10. Members =
Friends

27. THANK YOU!
susanna@susannahaaslyons.com
604-345-0840
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