To get the most from new media, you and your fund-raising staff must blend time-honored capabilities with ones that are gaining importance. For example, you still need to write well, and brevity and clarity are more critical than ever. But to succeed in the online world, you also need:
- Video production skills. The simple fact is that more information is being communicated through video. Younger staffers may have already learned the needed skills in high school, in college, or just because they’re interested.
Professional-quality videos won’t be necessary for every use, but the abundance of inexpensive and increasingly sophisticated production tools will enhance what you create.
- A firm grasp of data — not just about the money you raise but also about how constituents are interacting with you, what channels they’re using, and where they might be going next. That means you’ll need systems to collect and make sense of these data. You might even share dashboards with some constituents to provide up-to-the-minute updates around fund-raising. Data will also help you decide when to continue investing in established channels and when to switch to new ones.
- A willingness to communicate more openly. Because social media require transparency, the days of controlling the message about your campaign or your school are long gone. Your constituents will expect you to be open with them as needs and challenges emerge. Your interactions need to be more like conversations than formal updates or statements from on high.
- A combination of good listening skills, flexibility, and agility. All three are important for responding appropriately and promptly to what your constituents are saying and doing in the online channels through which you engage with them.