Susanna Haas-Lyons: Leveraging Social Media for Civic Engagement

DESIGNING A POWERFUL ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY  

Susanna Haas Lyons

Public Engagement Specialist

@zannalyons

susannahaaslyons.com

Social Media for Nonprofits

Vancouver, BC

June 25, 2013

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 2

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WHAT IS ENGAGEMENT BY NONPROFITS? 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

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WHY ENGAGEMENT MATTERS

Improvement

transparency

accountability

collaboration

satisfaction

volunteers

ownership

resources

talent

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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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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%

Source: Charity Dynamics / NTEN (2012) Nonprofit Donor Engagement Benchmark Study

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WIIFM?

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)

FIND OUT WHAT YOUR PEOPLE VALUE

Ask them! Measure and analyze their interactions with

your organization Analyze demographic information in your

database Be available

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COMMITMENT

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ENGAGEMENT PYRAMID

Source: Groundwire

ENGAGEMENT FOR ALL COMMITMENT LEVELS

12Shallow Engagement and Wide Audience

Medium Time & Energy

Some Participants

Few

part

icip

ants

Deep P

art

icip

ati

on

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KNOW WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO DOAND WHY THEY WOULD DO IT.

Depth of Commitment

Characteristics of Target Audience

Engagement Opportunities

Low

Medium

High

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10 BEST PRACTICESFOR ENGAGING YOUR TARGET AUDIENCES ONLINE AND IN-PERSON

Adapted from Karen Uffelman (2012). 10 Rules of Engagement. Groundwire.

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#1

Engagement with

Meaningful Opportunities

Connect

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#2

Be curiousand specific

about your target audiences

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#3

Know what you want them to do.

Image source: businessbloghub.com

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#4

Image source: peacembeku

Know why they would do it.

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Have a plan for what’s next.

Image source: Ferguson Youth Initiative

#5

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#6

Image source: www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk

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#7

Organize your information

Image source: www.notjustnumbers.co.uk

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#8

Don’t forget about the middle of your pyramid

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#9

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OPPORTUNITIES TO FAIL AND MOVE ON

http://youtu.be/-Vo4M4u5Boc?t=19s

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#10

Members Donors = FriendsVolunteers

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THANK YOU!susanna@susannahaaslyons.com

604-345-0840