It’s Just PR: 5 Tips For Engaging In Social Media

I’ve been busy the last several days, doing my part to help spread the word about the American Red Cross response to the wildfires in southern California. It is my job, after all.

My piece in this has been helping with the creation of online disaster newsrooms, and in experimenting with the best ways we can use social media to reach out and be more responsive and relevant. We (in the non-profit sector) can be smarter in the ways we engage and inspire our supporters and donors – and it’s analogous to the same results in a for-profit setting.

One thing we all need to remember as we try new things and new tools is that no matter how noble your effort or righteous your cause, there will always be cynics who see what you do as “just PR.”

Show, don’t tell.

In the last couple of years especially, those of us tasked with telling the Red Cross story have seen a change in the way our message gets out. We used to rely very heavily on getting “face time” with local reporters and video crews. Get out there and “tell the story.” Make sure clients know how they can get assistance – make sure donors know where their gifts are being used – and make sure everyone makes that connection between the act of charity and the services being offered. That goes for disasters, health and safety training, military casework, and many other programs.

However, now that we are operating in a new media environment, the 24-hour news cycle has changed the landscape. Getting “on TV” to explain these things is not enough. The new model of “emotional storytelling” and filling that news hole has reduced us in the eyes of some journalists as merely a conduit to finding those “Amazing Survivor Stories” that are oh-so-promotable.

With any luck, social media gives us an additional outlet to show our relevance as an organization – a way to “show, not tell” the impact. With that in mind, I experimented with a series of slideshows at Slide.com. With very little fanfare and little promotion, we started posting the slideshows on the newsroom, and offered them up to others who wished to carry them.

A sour note.

The early comments seemed rather supportive, but it didn’t take long to find a cynic. He logged in as “cynic”, and wrote:

“especially with the text, seems like PR”

Well, I should hope that it does. I would hate to think that my job would be to post every single picture, even the ones out of focus or poorly framed. I shudder at the expectation that I should wait until there is “bad news” to balance the information I am sharing online.

The fact is that “PR” is still a four-letter word for many. They are tired of being spun or twisted or led. You can’t win them all – you can only do the best you can at making information available. Social media and social networks can extend your reach – just be ready to hear from some who don’t trust you.

Five Thoughts Before Jumping In

With that in mind, here are some tips for engaging in new networks:

1. Be transparent. You don’t have to post every bad picture, but you do need to be up front about who you are. In this instance, the Slide.com account is branded as “American Red Cross.” The url to reach the slides is http://redcross.slide.com.
2. Allow dissent. I didn’t edit or delete Cynic’s comment. I posted it as soon as I had the access to. If you build a reputation as someone who avoids criticism, you foster the notion you have something to hide.
3. Give-give-give before you take. One thing is conspicuously absent from those slideshows. You will not see a donation link, nor a call to give. A reading of the Terms of Use for the site does not specifically forbid solicitations or commercial use – but this isn’t a case of “can” but “should.” The goal here is to share information and cement for people the notion that we are in fact on scene and delivering services. Not to shake them down emotionally.
4. Don’t worry about winning them all. Some people will never support your cause, and will go fiercely out of their way to not do business with you. Social networking is a personal activity, but you can’t let that get to you. You can’t win everyone over, so just be yourself, be genuine, and tell your story.
5. Don’t start a community without being in one first. Online communities have their own flavors and personalities. Before getting active in one involving your business or group, try being a member of some that are unrelated. Get a feel for the sorts of activities that promote relationships, and the kinds that drive people away. Take “social media” for a test drive before committing yourself to it as a way to reach people. You’ll be smarter about it, and less likely to shoot yourself in the foot.