Domestic Psychology

ode to Social Media: non-profits

// June 9th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // blogging, media, parenting, social media

Non-profits quietly and thanklessly work to improve the lives of people and the world in which we live. Yet, most people don’t know that they exist. Non-profits need to dive head first into the social media pool. Use every possible opportunity to tell the world who your agency is, what you do and why you do it. Every time there is a story in the news that is connected to your cause, point that story out to people. Post updates to any legislation that is important to your cause. Give your cause a human face. Educate by broadcasting facts and stopping rumors. Be a cheerleader, a town crier and an unrepentant flag waver for your cause.

Be a human being instead of a robot. If someone replies to your posts, answer them. It’s great to link to other people’s writings. It’s good to post about other things in your life. If your writings are entirely about something other than your non-profit, you need to create a separate place for whatever that other thing is that is so important to you.

Don’t write only on your own site. Be vigilant in monitoring online for any mention of your agency or your cause. Listen to what people are saying and let them know you are interested in their input. Talk about events before and after they happen. Encourage others’ to share their stories, pictures and videos.

Non-profits need more money. Everyone knows this. Please don’t let your social media presence become pan handling. Avoid the temptation to ask for money except for one tiny window of time when you have a full-blown campaign to meet a financial goal. After a year of making your cause relevant to new supporters, 48 – 72 hours of intense fundraising will have a much bigger impact than endlessly pimping your PayPal account.

Don’t stop trying. The world needs you right now. Thank you for everything that you do.

third verse: anti-social

do not panic

// June 7th, 2009 // 5 Comments » // blogging

Things are still wonky, but it’s a work in progress. Aspies may now complain about the unfairness of changing things. Control freaks may now complain about my non-compliant code. Artists may now complain about the monochromatic color scheme which I don’t like either. Everyone else can offer constructive criticism.

Scholastic Parents

// June 4th, 2009 // No Comments » // blogging, books

I’m still blogging at Scholastic Parents’ blog. Drop by and say hello.

ode to Social Media – first verse

// May 31st, 2009 // No Comments » // blogging, media, people, social media

I won’t tell you exactly what Social Media is, because it is a unique experience for each user. I can tell you what it isn’t. Social Media is not an advertising campaign. If you think you can spam Twitter and bill a clueless client, you need to have your keyboard taken away. As a consumer, that kind of behavior has the opposite effect of what you are intending it to have. If you think you can get the same results with a Facebook fan page that you would get from a professional ad agency, you are going to learn very quickly that you get what you pay for. Social Media might be a key part of your advertising campaign, but please don’t let someone masquerading as an advertising professional convince you otherwise. Now, if you want Social Media to be your public relations focus, that’s a horse of a different color.

second verse: non-profits

we need disclaimers

// May 27th, 2009 // No Comments » // blogging, politics, TN

Since our state legislators’ reaction to news is to pass measures of support on the very least effectual issues, I propose all Tennessee bloggers, letter writers and columnists add some standard disclaimers at the bottom of their work. How about:

*The appropriate response to this information is not time and expense creating a measure of support. Please take actions that will actually improve the quality of life for people instead.

It just needs a symbol to use as a replacement for the entire sentence since our legislators just skim the news instead of researching it. For example, the only thing they needed to do in this particular case was to help a family gain citizenship. I think our legislators should have to pay for one of the teachers who fell under the budget axe this year to supervise the legislators’ behavior. If a teacher can keep middle school students focused on their work, they can certainly handle a bunch of elected officials who have been reduced to adolescent behavior. “Mr. Representative, You stop fidgeting and pay attention to the project that the rest of the group is discussing. Ms. Representative, don’t make me call your constituents.”

hiding out

// May 26th, 2009 // 3 Comments » // blogging, me, mental health, parenting, summer

I have no personal space. I thought about hiding in our bedroom closet until I realized that it is filled with everyone’s stuff but mine. It’s not fair to hide in someone else’s clothes. You would think the bathroom would be a safe place for privacy, but you’d be wrong. Even the newest 4-y-o picks the bathroom lock and stomps in to demand whatever it is he thinks he needs at that moment. My first reaction to Color Guard practice not disappearing from my carpool duties for the summer was disappointment. Then, I decided to claim the one hour practices as MY time. I might sit in Starbucks and listen to the vitamin salesman trying to sell his wares. I might turn on the ipod and do some people watching at the park. Maybe I’ll put the seat back in the car and sleep in the sticky, southern summer heat. Mostly, I will sit with my low-tech (not by choice) pen and paper writing posts or working on the project I am doing for the middle school PTO. I will only be dropping off and going home during the three weeks of all day, every day practices, but that’s okay. I’m still going to get more me time this summer than I have had since I became a parent. Anyone want to place bets on how long this lasts before the rest of the family declares mutiny on my selfishness?

Scholastic Parents

// May 25th, 2009 // No Comments » // blogging, me

I’m still hanging out with some very talented bloggers at Scholastic’s Parents’ Blog. Click over and talk about summer reading clubs, fireflies, teenagers and the end of the school year.

Blogger Bigboote

// May 18th, 2009 // 2 Comments » // blogging, health, me

When I was young, I had a huge callous at the top of my middle finger from writing so much. I am not exaggerating. It was so enormous that people constantly commented on it. “Wow! You must write a LOT.” I may have been self conscious about every other part of my appearance, but that finger callous was a source of pride. I don’t know when the callous shrunk down to just a rough patch of skin, but it’s been gone for long time now. After I spent most of the weekend sitting at the computer with no finished anything to show for my efforts, I started missing that finger callous. With the amount of time I spent tapping on keys, my fingertips should have little pads on their tips. Maybe the fingerprints should be rubbed smooth. Instead, I’ve earned a big giant behind for all the hours I sit at the computer. That’s just not right. I would much prefer a double-wide finger to a double-wide seat.

they’re not listening

// May 17th, 2009 // 2 Comments » // blogging, people

Me: “It would really be great if you had a social media person at your company.”
Customer Service Rep aka Dude: “Do you mean advertising?”
Me: “No. A social media person would monitor all the social networking sites for any mention of your company and help people find the right contact for their concern.”
Dude: “We have a 1-800 number.”
Me: “That’s good, but when someone says something bad about your company on a social network, it can quickly escalate into a PR nightmare that could have been prevented by something as simple as “How can we help” being said to the complainer.
Dude: “Umm, I think there’s an e-mail address on the corporate website.”
Me: “A social media person doesn’t just help with problems. They let people know what a company is doing right. They could create an interactive area on your corporate website.”
Dude: “Uh, okay. I’ll think about it.”
Me: “I’ll keep an eye out for your company’s blog.”
Dude: “Our what?”

m-m-my generation

// May 9th, 2009 // No Comments » // blogging, me, people

Let’s review the generations:
1901-1913: Interbellum Generation
1914-1929: G.I. Generation
1930-1941: Silent Generation
1942-1953: Baby Boom Generation
1954-1965: Generation Jones
1965-1979: Generation X
1975-1986: MTV Generation
1980-1994: Millennial Generation or “Generation Y”
1995-present: Generation Z

I do not deny that I am old. I have a teenager who likes to remind me how decrepit I am on a regular basis. However, I know when I was born and it falls under Generation X. If we’re going to change my age, please move it toward the MTV Generation and not toward Baby Boomers. Thanks.