Inside ASI-AP

Some reading material for your holiday weekend (at least, for folks who celebrate July 4 as a holiday): - I've seen a lot of discussion about groups and crowds lately. Ben Martin has an interesting post on self-forming groups (and... Lisa Junker

A monthly roundup of our favorite nonprofit tech resources. Read more posts on our blog.

1. Campaign Monitor's "Guide to CSS Support in E-mail Clients". Brilliant! If NTEN Connect looks bad on your screen, we'd like to blame the engineers who coded your e-mail client, please.
2. The Mobile Marketing Association has a code of conduct, which helps prevent mobile junk messages. Is it too late to hit the reset button on e-mail?
3. What exactly would one charge with a solar power bra?
4. A much cooler use of solar cells is Australia's solar updraft tower, capable of powering 200,000 homes, emission free. Oh, and Portugal's building a wave farm.
5. NTEN's book club. Read a book, discuss it with other nptechies, "meet" the author.
6. Cubans can now buy cell phones. Trips to the mall to find custom Che Guevara skins can't be far behind.
7. mGive: Affordable text-to-give campaigns for nonprofits. That's it. No joke.
8. e.Politics "Online Politics 101" is a great read! Sample: "Let’s change the world! But how? Robot/kung fu army? Too expensive. Zombies? Too messy. Online politics? A wise choice."
9. Wired thinks Google's Android platform will free the wireless web. Maybe it will make robot armies more affordable, too.
10. We've plugged them before, but the Center for Biological Diversity's RareEarthtones project still rocks harder than Dave Grohl after 5 Red Bulls. Recently added ringtones: alligator, bald eagle, and baby emperor penguin.
11. Another reason to visit Japan: the C-shirt. See a shirt you like, scan its code with your mobile, remix it Creative Commons style, have it shipped to your door.

Nobody wore a hat today, so Karl drew the winner's name out of the plastic shell that covers our stack o' DVD-Rs. Drumroll please. The NTEN Blog comment raffle winner is... Avi Kaplan.

Avi's name was drawn at random, after commenting:

"One of the most exciting things about media today is that we engage with information in new ways all the time. New means of learning and contributing to the way we and others understand things around us are constantly emerging."

Avi will receive a copy of Media Rules!: Mastering Today's Technology to Connect with and Keep Your Audience by Brian Reich and Dan Soloman

Find out more about purchasing the book through NTEN, with access to an online Meet the Author session with Brian Reich. You can also join the developing discussion in the online Affinity Group - Book Club.

> Learn More and Join the NTEN Book Club Today!

Flickr Photo: Daniel F PigattoI do my best to keep up with everything you're up to. I read your blog, follow your tweets. So I think I have a sense of what you're dealing with in your jobs (and your kids -- you blog/tweet about your kids a lot). On any given day, if someone asked me what nptech topic you were most concerned with, I would have to say that social media, or Web 2.0, is in the top three.

You are either obsessed with figuring out what it all means, or obsessed with how to explain it to your boss and staff.

If you are obsessed with explaining it all, we need your help. We've started a new project to help aggregate the many amazing social media resources out there and develop a social media training curriculum that anyone in the sector can use. The best part is, we're making it happen in true Web 2.0 style. This is content truly created by and for our sector.

The amazing Beth Kanter is working on this project with us, and we've started work on the very first module for the curriculum: Why Should Nonprofits Embrace Social Media?

How did you pitch a blog, flickr, or twitter to your boss? Is there a metaphor you use to describe social media? Share your experiences with us on the wiki. Everything you share contributes to a richer curriculum we can all use in the future.

It's summertime, for real now: I've been having breakfast with Wimbledon, the mosquitoes are biting, and I can't walk down the street in the evening without smelling someone cooking out on a grill.

Here at NTEN, another tell-tale sign of summer is our Summer Membership Offer:

Become a member of NTEN this summer, and get member benefits from now until the end of 2009!

> Learn more and join us

That means all the connecting, learning, and saving that comes with membership lasts an extra 6 months.

If you're new to NTEN or have been meaning to return as a member, check out the benefits of membership and then take advantage of this summer opportunity.

Thanks for being part of this community!

Flickr Photo: Timmy ToucanI admit it: I use the terms CIO and CTO almost interchangeably. To me, the CIO/CTO split was like the distinction between Executive Director and President -- a matter of taste.

Turns out, I'm totally wrong. According to TechRepublic, there's a big difference betweeen the CIO and the CTO, and it has to do with who you serve. The CIO serves an organization's internal audience, or its staff. The CTO focuses on an organization's external audience, or clients, stakeholders, donors, etc. Check out the full breakdown.

So, what happens if you're the only techie at your organization? Are you the CT&IO?

One of the biggest challenges in beginning a new job as a manager is getting to know your new team. Sometimes your management style is very different from what they're used to--and sometimes their work styles are very different than... Lisa Junker

Over at the Principled Innovation blog (as well as a post on the Beyond Certification blog), there's a great discussion going on about what makes a conference "insanely cool." Based on the comments so far, "insanely cool" is being defined... Lisa Junker

Corinne Ramey, MobileActive.org

The numbers speak for themselves: There are currently 236 million cell phone users in the U.S. – an astounding 76% penetration. In December of last year alone, 18.7 billion text messages were sent — up 92% from 9.7 billion in December 2005. Estimates are topping 195 billion text messages sent in 2007. That is 600 million text messages a day. Nonprofits and advocacy organizations around the world are increasingly turning to mobile phones for advocating for issues and engaging constituents, for providing services, and even for fundraising.

Advocacy and Engagement

Mobiles are increasingly considered as part of advocacy and engagement strategies - or should be. For example, a study of text message mobilization efforts in the U.S. elections in November 2006 found that mobiles were an effective tool for get-out-the-vote campaigns. The study, conducted by researchers from Princeton and Michigan Universities, together with the US Student Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) New Voter Project and Working Assets, found that text message reminders to new voters increased an individual’s likelihood of voting by 4.2%. This is an increase similar to "quality phone call" reminders but, at only $1.56 per vote, at a fraction of the cost. In a follow-up survey, 59% of respondents found the messages helpful.

Human Rights Campaign, a nonprofit working for GLBT equality, has used mobile phones in its advocacy work in several ways. In December 2007, HRC launched a mobile version of its Corporate Equality Index, an SMS buyers guide that brings instant information about businesses' support of gay and lesbian equality straight to mobile phones. The HRC guide, Buying for Equality, isn't new -- the organization has been releasing the guide since 2002 -- but this is the first year that HRC has made the guide mobile-friendly. To use the service, text "SHOP" and the name of a business to short code 30644. The service then responds with a text message with the business' corporate equality rating.

The mobile buyers guide is part of HRC's larger mobile strategy, which the organization began working on this past August. Currently, there are about 20,000 members in the HRC "Mobile Action Network." The organization sends out action alerts and has plans for other features -- such as polls and ratings for members of Congress -- that it may implement in the future. Text messages sent to the list have included a request to call Congressmembers regarding the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and a New Year's greeting sent at 12:01 on January 1.

Providing Nonprofit Services

Mobile phones have been widely used for service delivery and information, as well. In California, mobile phones are helping police officers communicate with victims of domestic violence. When an officer goes to the home of a domestic violence victim who does not speak English, the officer and the victim pass a mobile phone back and forth, using the translation provided by a call-in service called Language Line. "A victim of domestic violence who didn't speak English as a primary language was meeting barrier after barrier in trying to get help," Jill Tregor, a Senior Policy Analyst with the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women, told MobileActive. The officers use phones donated by AT&T to call Language Line, a commercial service which provides translation in 170 languages. In San Francisco, where more than 30% of the population are immigrants and more than 100 languages are spoken, the mobile phone translation service has proved to be a useful and potentially life-saving tool.

Mobile phone helplines also contribute to the safety of people internationally. In the Philippines, a program called SOS SMS uses text messages to connect Philippine migrants who are working overseas with resources and immediate assistance in emergencies. Philippine workers have faced all kinds of challenges working overseas, including verbal and physical abuse, rape, employers refusing to pay their workers, racial discrimination, kidnapping, and sex slavery. The workers need only to send a text message to the SOS SMS short code with the letters "SOS" and their name to activate a network of NGOs, government agencies, and migrant advocates that can collaborate to save lives.

A program in Mexico, called the Zumbido project, assisted people with HIV/AIDS through the support of a social network, brought together by text message. In the three-month pilot study, 40 HIV-positive Mexicans were given mobile phones and divided into four groups of 10 each. They were connected through a network, so that each text message that a person sent was received by every member of their 10 person group. Project coordinator Anna Kydd told MobileActive that HIV/AIDS patients face a variety of challenges in Mexico, including isolation, stigma, discrimination, and having to deal with emotional issues like telling their families that they have HIV. "Although medical treatment is free in Mexico, a lot of people still face lots of day-to-day challenges," she said. The participants said that they generally lacked the counseling and information, both medical and emotional, to deal with their illness. "It became obvious that the mobile phone had huge potential and value to create these networks," said Kydd.

Fundraising and Donations

Needless to say, fundraisers and nonprofits are salivating at the potential of reaching all of these people where they are, at the moment they are moved by a cause, and when they are able to GIVE – with their thumbs.

In America, the most visible and widely publicized campaigns have been those for disaster relief, notably the Asian Tsunami and fundraisers for Katrina victims and those of the California Wildfires. Mobile customers of participating mobile carriers could send a text message to the short code "2HELP" (24357) containing the keyword "Help" to make a tax deductible donation to the American Red Cross' relief efforts. As part of these special campaigns, the mobile carriers waived their usually high fees for so-called premium SMS.

In January, a mobile fundraising campaign sponsored by the United Way and National Football league ran ads during Superbowl Sunday asking users to donate via SMS to a campaign fighting childhood obesity. When mobile phone users texted the keyword "FIT" to shortcode "United" or "864833," a $5 charge was automatically subtracted from their cell phone bill. A minimum of $4.50 of each $5.00 donation went to support the United Way's programs. This is a much higher percentage of the contribution than for the usual text donation where up to 50% is eaten by the carrier, leaving little to the actual charity. Results were mixed -- only $10,000 was raised -- but it was the first foray into a new form of giving, facilitated with intermediaries like the Mobile Giving Foundation. The MGF is acting as a mobile donation gateway and has done a great deal of work to reduce the fee to now 10% directly to MGF. The MGF approves eligible nonprofit campaigns and acts as an intermediary between the nonprofit and the carriers. MGF rolled out in April and so far approved just a few mobile donation campaigns with many in the pipeline.

Internationally, there have been a variety of creative fundraising campaigns. Meir Panim, a network of soup kitchens in Israel, recently ran “SMS for Lunch”, a promotional interactive campaign. On their website a boy was seen, facing an empty plate. The site invited you to donate through SMS. The moment the system received the SMS, the banner changed: the plate filled and the boy smiled. The amount of the donation -- each SMS -- covers the cost of one meal for a child, according to the site. In Australia, a special exhibit called “The Human Zoo” - an experiment which places humans in animal zoo enclosures – allowed visitors to vote by text messaging for their favorite human beings with the proceeds of the premium SMS going towards the construction of a new enclosure (with animals, presumably).

Conclusions

With 3.5 billion mobile phones around the world, and more than three quarters of all Americans owning mobile phones, it truly is time for nonprofits to take advantage of this unique way to reach people. Although there have certainly been mobile campaigns that are more successful than others, with careful planning -- see "The DOs and DON'Ts of Mobile Advocacy" in this newsletter and the many resources on MobileActive.org -- nonprofits can use mobiles to connect with their constituency and run innovative and successful campaigns.

Katrin Verclas, CalderStrategies.com and MobileActive.org

There is increasing evidence that mobile social marketing works in increasing awareness and moving people to actions. It is also becoming an effective way to engage users and constituents. Throughout our experience with mobile campaigns, we've run into some great campaigns and some failures, as well. Here are the top ten things that nonprofits should and shouldn't do when running a mobile campaign.

The DOs of Mobile Advocacy

1. Mobile messaging should be about interaction, not just pitch -- a hard notion to learn for advocacy organizations used to pushing email messages by the millions. Mobiles offer a unique opportunity for interacting with a constituent. Advocacy organizations need to think about mobile marketing as a conversation, a way to talk two-ways with constituents.

2. Trust is key, as the mobile medium is so very personal. Gain permission and offer relevant and timely content that is valuable to the recipient. Note how to opt out regularly and never ever spam.

3. Pull people to mobile interaction through other media -- ads, billboards, the web -- and offer, in turn, mobile interaction with those media. Think of mobile as an acquisition tool.

4. Be careful about targeting your demographics and make your ask accordingly; asking an older constituency to upload mobile photos is not going to be very successful.

5. Be relevant. Offer timely news and functional updates that are of interest to your audience -- and be clever. Just by way of an idea: The American Lung Association could offer air quality updates via SMS for where I live. If engaged in a campaign where I sign a mobile petition, let me know how it’s going -– how many signatures have been gathered, for example. Remind me of events I have signed up for, or activities that are part of an organization’s campaign. Give me information I want and need just-in-time.

6. Be action-oriented. Ask me to forward a note, ask me to make a call, ask me to express myself in a some way in a poll, in a 160 character message, poem, or statement. Ask me to do something.

7. Ask me how I want to engage and give me choices. If we are interacting via SMS, do not ask me for my email address first. Give me an option to get SMS reminders when I sign up for an event with you. Tell me how to disengage. Let me opt in to a mobile alert via the web, via a 1-800 number, and via a short code/SMS. Move me to the next level when using mobile as an acquisition strategy. Think about that ladder of engagement carefully.

8. Mobile marketing works best when it's pull, not push, and there is an opportunity for people to express themselves -- to 'talk' back, to suggest, to respond.

9. Be creative. In addition to text messaging and SMS campaigns, there are lot of other ways in which an advocacy organization can use mobile campaign tactics.

10. Most importantly: Be whole-media. Integrate your mobile marketing and messaging into your entire media and messaging campaign. Know what mobile is good for and what it's not.

The DON'Ts of Mobile Advocacy

1. Don’t ask me to sign up with my mobile number and then never contact me with a text message until months later. Opt me in right away with an immediate SMS reply and then start talking to me and move me into a conversation with you.

2. Don’t bombard me with messages. Too many messages are obnoxious and a sure way for me to immediately opt out of any further communications.

3. Don’t be quiet about how to opt out. I need to know that texting STOP, END, or OUT all get me out of further communications from you.

4. Don't give me ambiguous information (160 characters is not a lot!) in a text message or information impossible to understand because it’s in texting gibberish. Test your messages to be sure that a recipient understands them and they are crystal clear.

5. Don't let me guess what I have to DO, what you are asking me to act upon. Always ask me to do something your message: forward, call, text back, sign, you name it. Text messages are highly actionable. If you don’t ask, I won’t do anything.

6. Don't give me any irrelevant information. That would be the event alert AFTER the event has already happened.

7. Don't text me at 4 am in the morning.

8. Don't use mobile as a stand-alone medium. When I go to your website, I should see a reference to the mobile portion of the campaign -- a short code to text into, text messages from supporters, campaign results including those generated by mobile, a widget to sign up, whatever makes sense in the context of your campaign.

9. Don't expect huge returns, at least initially. ROI will take time to materialize. Do measure the returns, though!

10. Don’t be dour. Use humor, be personable, engage me and make me smile. I will like you better.

Michael Sabat, Mobile Commons

As you probably already know, the answer is to use all of these communication channels. You may have heard the term Marketing Mix. This term means something different today than it did in the days of old media, but there are still some valuable lessons to be learned by analyzing your marketing mix.

The way I learned it, a Marketing Mix describes the various messages that a company disseminates through selected marketing channels. Traditionally, the communications were pushed (one way communication) through channels like television, radio, newspapers, and maybe direct mail. The options in the 80s and 90s were vastly different from the tools available to an organization in 2008. So how should an organization evaluate their marketing mix today?

Even with 2-way, permission based marketing, your company needs to understand how to send different messages to different people through different channels. It would never have made sense to run a TV commercial over the radio trying to reach a newspaper reader, just as it doesn't make sense trying to get an instant response from business people by messaging through your company's MySpace page. Getting the marketing mix correct means that you send the right message, through the right channel, reaching the right people to accomplish your goal.

Let's focus on how mobile should fit in your mix with regard to the messages, people and the goals involved.

Goal: Instant Information on the Go

Mobile communication is perfect for people who need access to information outside of the home or away from their laptop. An obvious example is when people are making purchase decisions at a store or restaurant.

One of the most successful mobile campaigns built on the Mobile Commons platform is the Fish Phone. The Blue Ocean Institute launched a mobile application that allows users to text in the name of a fish and receive information about the health and environmental impact of eating that particular fish. In the same message they suggest healthier and more eco-friendly alternatives.

For many non-profits, influencing and educating the public is the number one goal. It’s apparent in the example above how Blue Ocean Institute can make a tangible difference in the purchase decisions of people that use the service. This is happening several thousand times every month.

Goal: Reaching Marginalized Populations

It is easy to assume that everyone has a computer and broadband access, but even in 2008 this isn't the case. Fortunately, 82.4% of Americans subscribe to a cellular phone service (CTIA Wireless Association, Nov. 2007) compared to 57% of US households that have broadband Internet connections (Bandwidth Report, Websiteoptimization.com, 2008). Text messaging is, in many cases, more common among populations under served by Internet access. Hispanics and African Americans, for example, both utilize text messaging at a rate 3-5x greater than the general population (m:metrics, 2007). Text messaging may be the best and only way to reach certain segments of the population.

Goal: Interaction at Live Events

Nonprofits are great at hosting live events. Facebook and email can help with the organization before the event, but once people are on-site, mobile is clearly the best way to help the attendees communicate: chanting is sooo early 2000s.

Among other things, mobile allows people to broadcast their opinions. A great example is the It's Our Healthcare campaign where people texted their healthcare message to Gov. Schwarzenegger. Of course, people didn't reach the Governor on his phone. Even better, the text messages were displayed on a jumbotron parked outside of the California Capitol where a hearing on healthcare was taking place. Everyone who attended the rally could have his or her voice heard and seen. Not only was this a hit at the rally (with thousands of people texting in), but the organization received tremendous attention from the press because of their innovative strategy.

Goal: Immediate Direct Response

It is the dream of every advocacy group to have supporters calling their congressman's office before a big vote. Mobile applications make this easy and straightforward. An organization can send a text message to its supporters with an embedded phone number. When the user replies "call" they are connected over the phone to a recorded message of talking points that the organization creates. The user listens to the talking points and then is automatically forwarded to a destination number, such as the congressman's office or a political radio show. Mobile technology is integral in moving an organizations base into action.

The Future

It's also important to mention the new developments arriving in Mobile technology. CRM integration, text donations, and the widgitization of content make a mobile strategy a must have in your marketing mix. In many instances, mobile is the only way to reach the right people, with the right message at the right time.

As you are cooking up the recipe that will spread your organization’s message don't overlook the one device that you take in the car, to the grocery store, and to the rally: your mobile phone.

Questions, suggestions, and reactions can be emailed to Michael Sabat at Mobile Commons, Michael@mcommons.com.

Corinne Ramey, MobileActive.org

Curious how your state ranks on reproductive choice? NARAL Pro-Choice America makes it easy to find out. By texting the word "grade" and the abbreviation of your state to a short code, you get an almost-instantaneous text response with your state's grade and opportunities for more information.

"One of the reasons we decided to invest in mobile technology is we want to diversify how we're communicating with people," said Kristin Koch, Deputy Director of Communications at NARAL. NARAL recently began a mobile program -- they're calling it Txt4Choice -- and has been exploring how to use mobile in ways that compliment and integrate into their already developed communications strategy.

NARAL has used its mobile network in several different ways, said Koch and Communications Director Ted Miller. In addition to the text message infoline, which provides information both about the grades of different states and Obama's and McCain's positions on reproductive rights, NARAL has built a mobile list of about 1200 people, and regularly sends out text messages with breaking news or requests to contact a member of Congress to lobby for legislation. Koch said that NARAL has tried to contact the mobile list only when appropriate. "We're trying to use it sparingly, and to use it for late-breaking news," she said. "We use mobile especially on something that may not warrant an email message, when we only have a few hours to get involved, or when an email might be too slow.

For example, one text message sent to the NARAL list read, "NARAL: Tell your senators to oppose extreme anti-choice judicial nominee Richard Honaker. Reply CALL or dial 202-684-8507. Replystop2optout." Another message asks that subscribers try out NARAL's infoline. "NARAL: Get facts about McCain's extreme record at your fingertips! Reply 'Issue + Birth Control, SexEd, Clinics OR Abortion' today! ReplyStop2OptOut."

Miller said that one of the challenges that NARAL has faced is crafting messages that fit into the 160 character limit of an SMS. "You have to take information and find out how it boils down into a screen the size of a cell phone," he said. "We deal with complex issues, so we've become creative and innovative in ways that we didn't before." Some messages allow users to call in to listen to a recorded message with more information.

One of the factors that has lead to Txt2Choice's success is its integration with the rest of NARAL's existing communications strategy. "We let people decide how they want us to communicate with them," said Miller. "People need to be able to decide how they receive information." Announcements about the texting program are often included in emails, newsletters and on social networking pages, and NARAL has printed business card-sized ads with information about how to opt-in and out of the text program. "The topics we're talking about are totally near the rest of our online program," said Koch. NARAL uses Mobile Commons as its vendor.

NARAL's mobile program has faced some challenges. In September of 2007, Verizon refused to provision NARAL with a short code to send text messages on the Verizon network, despite the fact that users specifically opt-in to receive NARAL text messages. Verizon told NARAL that the carrier “does not accept issue-oriented (abortion, war, etc.) programs — only basic, general politician-related campaigns (Mitt Romney, Hillary Clinton, etc.).” However, Verizon reversed its decision one day later, after general uproar from the media and advocacy groups. Koch said that the conflict actually helped NARAL, bringing more attention to their mobile list. "After our short code was rejected we saw a jump in subscribers," said Koch. "People were pretty outraged, and I think it was a good reminder of why we have to fight for some of this."

Another challenge has been getting constituents to see mobile as an interactive medium, unlike email. "Not a lot of people interact with advocacy yet, so they don't know what that means," Koch said. She said that one of the challenges to recruiting a mobile list is that people don't know what to expect with mobile, both in terms of content and how and when they'll be contacted. "They know what they're going to get emails about, but they don't have a picture of mobile communication in their head," she said. Koch would also like to see mobile vendors improve the data that they receive from mobile campaigns.

Koch and Miller said that they definitely see mobile being an important component of NARAL's communications strategy in the future. They plan on expanding their infoline and including more state-specific information. They also intend to integrate mobile into their election advocacy work. Koch also sees possibilities for doing a text-to-screen campaign -- when people send an SMS to a short code their text message would show up on a jumbotron or large screen.

"We want to keep thinking of more creative ways to interact with people that mobile gives us that other technologies don't," said Koch. Miller said that he sees mobile phones becoming increasingly prevalent in advocacy in the future. "It seems that the cell phone is going to be the new computer, so we want to be ahead of that curve."

Katrin Verclas and Corinne Ramey, MobileActive.org (with Michael Stein)

Mobile phones are more prevalent in the U.S. than ever before. Today, over 86% of the US population ages 13 and up owns a mobile phone. Although Americans say that the mobile phone is the device that they hate the most -- it even beats the alarm clock and the television! -- the cell phone is here to stay. In the past decade, mobile users have grown from about 34 million to more than 203 million, and growth is expected to continue to increase exponentially.

Mobiles are becoming increasingly intertwined in Americans' daily lives. A 2005 survey by BBDO marketing found that 75% of Americans have their mobile phones on and within reach during waking hours, and 59% wouldn't lend their mobile to a friend for a day. Fifteen percent of survey respondents even said they've answered their mobile phone during sex.

Given these kinds of statistics, advertisers quickly realized the potential for mobile marketing, especially because mobile marketing campaigns have been found to have a higher audience response rate than other kinds of media. According to IDC, a research firm, SMS campaigns with common shorts codes -- a string of five or six numbers that is basically an SMS phone number -- get response rates of up to 10%. This is much higher than other types of media -- email campaigns get a 3-5% response rate, and direct mail is less than .1%.

If mobiles have been this successful in commercial marketing campaigns, the mobile landscape truly is primed for NGOs. Nonprofits can tap into the power of mobiles and learn from many of the mobile marketing techniques that are already being used in the commercial sector.

Here is an overview of mobiles as a communications vehicle for advocacy. For examples, see the "Case Studies from Advocacy, Service Delivery, and Fundraising".

SMS and MMS

Text messaging, or SMS, is perhaps the most common means of mobile advertising. According to an August 2007 survey, 69% of consumers between the ages of 13-69 use text messaging and 44% use it daily. An SMS can have text of up to 160 characters and can be transmitted instantaneously. Much mobile advertising is done by encouraging users to send a common short code to the company in order to receive content or information. The codes are called "common" because they work across all major carriers.

Some phones can also be used for MMS, or multimedia messaging. MMS also allows the incorporation of sounds, video, and other multimedia content.

Nonprofits have used SMS in all kinds of ways, from keeping in touch with constituents to having supporters sign petitions. SMS infolines allow users to text-in questions and receive immediate responses. For example, SexInfo in San Francisco provides teens with information about sexual health. "if u hve sex, u can get an STD + not know it. Chlamydia, gonorrhea=no symptoms most of the time Dropin get chcked FREE," reads a text message from the infoline, which is funded by ISIS and the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

Mobile Web

Internet usage on mobiles has also become increasingly popular in the U.S. According to a report by the Kelsey group, 44.7% of U.S. mobile phone users want to upgrade to "better" Internet access when buying a new phone. Currently, only 26% of mobile subscribers have mobile web access. Revenues from mobile search in the U.S. are also expected to rise, the Kelsey group states. Over the next five years, mobile revenues are expected to increase from $33.2 million in 2007 to $1.4 billion in 2012.

Mobile web advertising includes advertisements seen when a phone user is browsing the web, and includes the banner ads and search functions. Mobile search advertising is particularly powerful because the call-to-action can be immediate. For example, if a user searches for "pizza," one of the paid search results could include location-specific results and coupons. Mobile Video Ads are short ads -- between 10 and 30 seconds -- that are placed before, during, or after video content that is designed to be viewed on mobile phones. Although nonprofits have not taken advantage of mobile web, this is becoming increasingly popular for for-profit advertising.

Downloadable content

Downloadable applications and other content can include everything from games and ringtones to applications. Many applications are available for download on a mobile phone -- everything from Google Maps to social networking software to software that allows the user to make mobile payments. The disadvantage of this technique is that the software must actually be downloaded onto the phone, which can incur extra charges to the user. The user must also know how to download content on to their phone, making this technique less universally accessible than SMS.

Ringtones have become one of the most popular types of downloadable content, and have the added advantage of reminding the user of the organization each time they hear their phone ring. For example, the New York Philharmonic sells ringtones of live recordings by the orchestra, the Obama campaigns offers free ringtones on BarackObama.com, and the Center for Biological Diversity offers endangered species ringtones.

Text to Screen

Text to screen can function as a unique way for advocacy groups to use interactive media to build a database of mobile phone numbers for future use, show the opinions and demands of a constituency/the public to decision makers in a highly visible manner, and generate media and public attention. Individuals interact with the screen by sending an SMS to a short code. The SMS is then displayed on a so-called jumbotron, as well as on a web screen. This allows people to see the message both locally -- on the screen -- and all over the world -- on the web.

In October of 2007, California activist coalition It's OUR Healthcare! (IOH) ran a text-to-screen advocacy campaign that allowed people to text in messages about health care to a screen set up in front of the California Statehouse in Sacramento. The campaign was designed in response to a health care proposal by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The screen, about 9x12 feet large, was set up within viewing distance of the building. The IOH campaign also used a webcam to film the screen, publishing it as a live feed on their website. IOH encouraged people to "text message the governor" an SMS with their thoughts or personal experiences regarding California health care.

How do you do it?

There are several mobile vendors in the U.S. that can help NGOs set up a mobile campaign. Vendors usually charge setup and monthly fees to consult with the organization to craft the campaign strategy, set up the platform to fit the specific needs of the organization, and manage the outbound and inbound mobile messaging campaigns. Most vendors provide nonprofits with a web setup that shows metrics such as response rates, times, and allows the nonprofit to tailor their mobile strategy. There are tools available that can help to create a do-it-yourself mobile campaign, but this is much more complicated -- although cheaper -- than working with a vendor.

When running a mobile campaign, it's important to realize that the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) has strict rules on mobile advertising in order to prevent spam. Unlike emails, which can be sent to anyone, people must opt-in to a mobile list and choose to receive messages. The Mobile Marketing Code of Conduct, enforced by the MMA, dictates that individuals specifically opt-in to a mobile campaign. Acceptable methods of opting in include voice consent, website registration, an SMS or MMS opt-in process, or other means. All SMS sent must also contain an option to opt-out of a campaign as well. The MMA requires that the opt-out process be accessible from every message and an explanation of the opt-out process be included frequently.

However, despite the regulations, mobile is quickly emerging as a worthwhile channel for nonprofits and a powerful and personal way to reach constituents at any time of day.

Jeff Slobotski, United eWay

The first major U.S. fundraising effort via SMS/text messaging garnered over $10,000 from a 10 second commercial spot. While text message fundraising is now common outside the U.S., and has made brief appearances during natural disasters inside the states, this initiative was the first to offer this new avenue of contribution for donors to give to everyday causes.

Success Through Partnership

The project would not have happened without United Way of America’s strong partnership with the NFL. The 35 year partnership is the most visible and longest running sports/charity collaboration in history. This partnership has been a shining example of the tangible good that can be leveraged when two household icons are harnessed into a powerful vehicle for real change in communities. The mobile fundraising project was an expansion of that partnership, leveraging United eWay (the United Way system’s online philanthropic services provider consisting of a full suite of technology solutions) and United eWay’s partners Mobile Accord (a leader in full service, end-to-end mobile solutions) and the Mobile Giving Foundation. These organizations, plus the cooperation of every major wireless carrier, made this initiative possible.

By launching the Text-to-Give promotion during the 2008 Super Bowl, this partnership was first to market in America using the new technology. The work of all partners raised over $10,000 with a 10-second Super Bowl ad featuring Tom Brady. The ad, which was unveiled during the Super Bowl, encourages people to make a $5 contribution to help kids get fit by texting the word “FIT” to shortcode “864833” (“UNITED”). In terms of actual engagement, more than 6,000 individuals were inspired by the call to action and responded to the ad. In dealing with text contributions, rules require a double-opt-in to confirm a donation and those that completed the full process numbered over 2,000.

Since it’s debut in the Super Bowl, the ad has since gone on to be viewed over 22,000 times on YouTube. And the story was covered by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, Wireless Week, and others. In various online postings, United eWay & United Way of America was praised for thinking outside the box and embracing a new generation of potential donors. For example:

• There are millions of 20 and 30 somethings that care about many important causes and are willing to give if you can connect with them. Giving this large segment of potential donors a quick and easy way to give small donations is brilliant! Those who choose to ignore this technology will be grouped with the same people that said online giving would never work. Kudos to UW!

   

• This is the future. An immediate call to action without talking to an operator or mailing a check. Congrats to the UW for being a leader in non profit orgs in the US.

   

• This is great! It’s probably the closest thing we can get to that Pollyanna dream of fundraising: “if a million people gave five bucks…”

   

In looking back, there were many things we learned from the project. A brief but highly visible test of this new fundraising avenue produced success in a market with great potential. Preparing donors through education for the double opt-in step and offering a companion website for those unable to text are important. Encouraging wireless carriers to continue to offer low fees for charitable gifts is key to success. Value was also derived from driving additional interaction with the United Way brand.

[UPDATE: Tell us why you think Media Rules! in a comment, below. We'll give away a free copy of the book to a randomly selected commenter after Tuesday, July 1st!]

Media Rules! Okay, I have to say that I was skeptical about reading this book: I didn't think the media rules, especially not with an exclamation point.

My mind was changed quickly -- by the end of the first page. In the foreword, Andrew Nachison, iFOCOS, introduces We Media as a simple expression with a complex meaning, depending on your definition of we. We Media, he believes, is everybody.

I agree with him that it is hard to come to terms with the idea, but when you take a minute, the realization hits you. We Media, he goes on to explain, is here, everywhere, and it's everyone. That means you and me. We all consume, create, and distribute information.

I never thought of myself as part of the media, but as I sit here and blog, I am. At one time, we had to go through the media to deliver information, but now we are the media. The implication he describes is huge: how businesses function and ultimately, how the world functions for better or worse in the future. Media Rules! will provide a road map through which you can navigate the path your organization will take.

Brian Reich and Dan Soloman, authors of Media Rules!: Mastering Today's Technology to Connect with and Keep Your Audience, open the book by explaining that it is a framework and guide for leaders on creating more meaningful impact through managing and marketing the technology that surrounds us. It is a continuing discussion about the future, filtered by three broad concepts:

• Everything is fragmented and blurred.
• Small can be big.
• We are all connected.

Join the NTEN Book Club to read more about these ideas. Brian and Dan suggest you read Media Rules! if you are interested in any of the following:

• Learning how to compete.
• Understanding how to position yourself.
• Leading a successful transition.
• Tapping into new markets.

The book is a starting point for conversation they hope to have with you. We hope to facilitate that conversation here on our blog and in a Meet the Author online session on July 22 with Brian Reich. We encourage you to ask yourself the questions they pose in the introduction to make this reading as meaningful as possible to your work.

> Join the NTEN Book Club and Online Chat!

 

Flickr Photo: kirstenvIf there are any "Laws of Blogging," then posting consistently is one of them. One of the keys to retaining and even increasing your readership is to post regularly. My own personal experience with the NTEN blog is that more IS better. The more we post, the more traffic we have, period. I'm sure there's going to be some point when this will no longer hold true, but for now, that's our reality.

Which means, of course, that I am now trapped. I've worked really hard over the last few months to become a (near) daily blogger. In fact, you're reading this while I'm on vacation because I made sure to have a few posts in the bank before I left. But being a daily blogger is a commitment rivaled only by kids and marriage. (OK, that's an exaggeration, but it is a lot of work.)

So I thought I would share some of my challenges, as well as a few of the things that help me out along the way. Mostly, though, I want you to write this post. Share with us. What are the strategies that you use to make your blogging work? What are the difficulties you encounter?

Here are my challenges:

1. Time. I know, this is everyone's problem. But I wasn't hired to blog. I'm trying to squeeze it in among the budgets, HR handbooks, programs, and all the other fun goodness I deal with each day.

How I cope: I get in the office first each day. From about 7:45 to 8:30, I am generally alone. I use that time to do my blogging because there are relatively few interruptions and I get it done more quickly. I also love to blog when I am stuck in airports. I can't focus on "real" work there, anyway.

2. Subject matter. You can't fake it. You have to care about the thing you're blogging, and have a value-add. Sometimes, I spend more time each day combing through my RSS feeds trying to find something that sparks my imagination than anything else.

How I cope: If I don't see anything I'm super excited about, I just don't blog. Also, NetVibes has helped me organize my RSS feeds, so it's much easier for me to sort through all that information and quickly spot things that might be up my alley. I also keep a Post-it with blog ideas. That way, I have a few topics in reserve.

3. Writing. Most of the time, I think I write well enough to be understood, but writing is certainly not my strong suit. I tend write things exactly as I would say them out loud. That makes the tone good for blogging, but it makes the understanding part hit or miss.

How I cope: Well, practice sure does help. But also, our Communications Manager, Brett, reads all my posts and makes sure they can be understood by humans. Editors can be very helpful.

4. The Conversation. Once I finally get a post up, I find that only half the work is done. If it's a good post, it's going to get comments. A big part of getting others to read your blog is commenting on theirs, so I try to spend some time each day responding to comments on our site, as well as commenting on other blogs. It's hard to remember to do this, though. As in life, I find that talking AT someone is easy. Talking with them is hard.

How I cope: I set a goal for myself: 5 blog comments a week, or 1 a day. I skip it if I can't find a post where my comments would add to the conversation. But I try. This is probably the part I am worst at.

So there are some of my thoughts about blogging. Now it's your turn! What are your challenges, and how are you coping?

There's a lot of discussion at association events (and on association blogs) about social media and its impact on membership organizations. If you've been wondering how those discussions are being reflected in actual practice, there are two studies going on... Lisa Junker

A few links for your Tuesday afternoon reading: - The Association Marketing Springboard blog has been on fire lately--if you don't subscribe, you should! My favorite quote this week: "But in a realm where member evangelism is our highest goal,... Lisa Junker

Flickr photo: solangelemOne of the great things I've noticed since I started participating in this community of "techies for good" is that not only CAN we support and learn from each other by sharing ideas and resources, but that so many of us actually DO share.

This struck me after a panel discussion I attended last week in Portland (Maine). It brought together representatives from the online campaign strategy teams of five local candidates who had gone head-to-head in the recent primary season. These were competing campaigns who sat on a panel together and shared experiences and specific details about their tactics, tools, and even -- gasp -- list sizes!

It all started with Karin Roland, Web Manager for MoveOn.org, who asked the simple question of herself and anyone who would listen:

Why don't we try to learn something from campaign successes and failures, and try to translate even failed campaigns into something to help future advocacy efforts?

Good call, Karin. And thanks to Engage Maine, under the leadership of Ben Dudley, who sponsored the event: "Fresh from the Field: Online Organizing in Maine's 2008 CD1 Primary."

Here is a summary of what struck me as important lessons learned from these campaigns:

> To approach the online communications component of a campaign as one part of broader relationship-building efforts.

Most of the panelists noted that they used email to engage those who already supported the candidate (or cause), not necessarily as a tool to gain new support.

Marc Mallon, who worked on Mark Lawrence's campaign, used the word "empowerment," to describe how their online communications worked with their supporters; both Matt Martin (Adam Cote) and Barbara Burt (Chellie Pingree) used "engage," and Jack Woods (Ethan Strimling) said they used online communications to "keep people in the loop."

Peter Asen (Michael Brennan) made the point that those who ended up donating or taking action in response to an email or through an online form weren't just anonymous people who happened to make a donation out of the ether. These were people who had multiple interactions with the campaign (phone, events, door-knocking). Asen felt that email worked as a good "reminder" to go ahead and make that donation they'd been meaning to make.

> Pay attention to how your messages and other campaign components are performing, using tools such as Google Analytics, so that you can learn and adjust as you go.

Especially in the limited-time format of a political campaign, it's important to be flexible and adjust tactics quickly, as needed.

Do some types of communications work better than others? Is your audience engaging in your social networking group? Do messages from one person get better open rates than messages from another?

We talk a lot about testing and tracking, but it's important to know how to translate those statistics into positive actions by your communications team -- now -- to make a difference.

> Don't over-estimate the effectiveness of social networking (especially for short campaigns).

Several of the panelists noted that they used Facebook and MySpace, and had some online communities identified with their campaigns, but that these weren't effective for generating actions or donations -- or votes.

But they all pointed out that these tools and forms of media shouldn't be overlooked, either. It's a matter of setting goals, understanding your audience, and allocating time, resources, and expectations accordingly.

One of the most successful online communications components that Jack Woods' campaign organized, however, was live-blogging with the candidate. They set up a time for their candidate to be online to discuss the issues relevant for the day. Woods noted that they gained new donors as a direct result of those online sessions.

At the end of the discussion, Karin (who did an excellent job moderating) asked a general question meant to provide the panelists with the opportunity to offer some parting tips to the audience:

"In the end, are there any technology tips or tools that you particularly and personally like that you can share?"

And, though the answers given probably weren't what Karin was after, I thought they were great: Everyone agreed that both coffee and a network of people who can help you are essential and most appreciated.

Flickr Photo: provos @monkeyI read a lot of reports, at least one a week. I don't blog them all because I can't keep up. But every once in a while, a gem will cross my inbox, like Colin Delany's newly updated Online Politics 101.

If you run any kind of campaign -- education, political, or otherwise -- I highly recommend you read Colin's piece. There's nothing revolutionary in the report; it's just good common sense, but that's its strength.

For those of you approaching your first campaign, this is a great way to get grounded before you begin. There's lots of great advice to get you started, without bogging you down in any particular area. In other words, you'll get just enough ideas out of this to be dangerous -- in a good way!

For those of you who have been around this particular block a few times, it's a great way to get back to basics and remind yourself of the key principles that matter.

And, because it's peppered with hilarity throughout, you'll even enjoy yourself. A small sampling of the fantastic writing that awaits you: "...please write like a human being rather than one of our friends and future masters, the robots."

Colin, you and I must share the same fear of all things robot. Have we seen the Terminator movies too often?