Nonprofit Communicators Get An ‘Attaboy’ From McKinsey

A Pat On The Back, Photo by Jmehre

Many nonprofit communicators feel their efforts never get any respect or recognition. They often believe their marketing and communications initiatives never measure up to the work done by their counterparts in corporate communications or public relations firms. It’s the front-page newspaper story, the magazine cover or the Super Bowl exposure that captures the attention of executive directors and governing boards.

Those two groups often become too focused on the numbers of media impressions. It places unnecessary and ill-conceived pressure on communications and marketing professionals. They often place unrealistic expectations on communicators whose time can be better spent on other initiatives.

A story in the February McKinsey Quarterly affirmed this belief. It praised nonprofit communicators for successes in social media.

It was a huge “attaboy.”

The power of storytelling: What nonprofits can teach the private sector about social media shows how nonprofits are doing a better job than their for-profit counterparts in harnessing the power of social media. The article contains an excerpt from The Dragonfly Effect, by Jennifer Aaker and Andy Smith, and includes an interview with the authors. (It also includes an audio file for downloading or streaming.)

One area that Andy Smith emphasizes in the article is for organizations to keep focusing on goals. In the end, if you didn’t raise enough money to meet your operating budget, failed to provide services or programs for your members or clients, or stumbled in recruiting and engaging enough volunteers to fulfill your mission, it really doesn’t matter how many people follow you on Twitter or Facebook.

Many nonprofit communicators underestimate the value of the stories they have to tell. People who work in education, ministry or social services are so busy and consumed with their missions that they fail to make sure their best stories are told. This is where executive directors and board members can help in marketing or communications. It’s so simple for an executive director or a board member to start or use their Twitter or Facebook account to share short success stories.

Nonprofit communications efforts can be small, slow and steady and win the race.

My counterparts in corporate communications and public relations often told me they would love to be telling a story of human compassion or triumph instead of, well, pet food, soft drinks or beer.

MIT Research Scientist: Web 2.0′s ROI Is Organizational Progress

Organizations that use traditional ways to measure ROI (return on investment) of Web 2.0 tools aren’t satisfied with the results, says Andrew McAfee, principal research scientist at the Center for Digital Business at the MIT Sloan School of Management. However, McAffee says in a video interview with the McKinsey & Company Quarterly e-mail newsletter that organizations are able to measure progress made with blogs, wikis and other tools. McAffee’s new book, “Enterprise 2.0: New Collaborative Tools for your Organization’s Toughest Challenges,” will be published by Harvard Business Press in December.

Here are some highlights from the interview:

• The quality of work increases when people are able to utilize their strengths as they collaborate by using blogs and wikis.
• There are two ways organizations can implement Web 2.0. One is a bottom-up approach where organizations get out of the way. The other approach is more of a top-down signal that the new technology is in line with what the organization is trying to accomplish.
• Blogs from the Chief Executive Officer can’t be press releases and comments must be allowed.
• Research shows that organizations using Web 2.0 do not put themselves at higher risk for technology problems than other organizations.
• People who are used to being gatekeepers of information should be frightened because they won’t be able to control information from the top or from outside your organization.
• Web 2.0 can increase interactions and teamwork, but there is no substitute for face time.
• Web 2.0 is helping organizations produce more and better results.

This information is valuable for nonprofit communications professionals as they continue to develop or execute Web 2.0 and social media strategies. McAffee’s research shows that organizations that adopt and embrace social media and new technology will help their organizations in a holistic way, which eventually shows up in the bottom line.