Anal Glaucoma (slang): A condition in which you just can't see your ass going in to work today.
Lately, I've been feeling a bit unmotivated. What motivates me? "Cool" stuff.
That's right, if I'm not actively working on a challenging project or one that I consider "cool", I lose motivation and get bored...which got me wondering what is, in fact, "cool". Well, at least from a tech perspective.
Where I'm getting my most recent fix: thinking about mini-networks.
Ning is a platform that represents elements of what some of my employer's clients are trying to do - build a mini-network for a specific cause.
A close friend of mine recently wrote that social networking doesn't negate the fact that online fundraising is still all about the relationship. But, is that what social networking has come to? Another dollar stream? What happened to the mission?
You gotta spend money to make money. This may be true, but in my job, I have started to notice how many people have forgotten about the bottom line in NPO work - further the mission in everything you do.
So, IMHO, people need to realize that although social networking may not immediately be the next goal mine, it will do a few things:
-Social networks will raise awareness. I hear every day of organizations who desire "to engage the next generation." Guess what? Gen Xers waste a lot of time on the Internet, but they also waste a lot of time talking....about things they see online. Engaging them in their comfort zone will spread the word in many ways.
-Social networks are best run out of a combination of marketing/development/programming. This is not likely the place in which you're going to find your next major donor. But it IS where you will find activists, volunteers, people who want to grow up and go on mission trips. Eventually, yes, it may lead to dollars, as these passionate people move on to positions that allow them to be generous to the organizations that engaged them early.
-Social networks can help get the right people at the right time. For one, any gigantic site like Facebook or MySpace linking to you is a good thing for your Google rating (more eyes may = more dollars). But - give a cry for help when a piece of legislation is threatening your funding, and you will be surprised who comes to your rescue. Some users of MySpace call this "whoring" - which is not a bad thing.
So, it really is all about the relationship. You just have to realize that not all relationships are consummated in dollars. :-)
