Spreading Your Ideas
All nonprofits have a need to spread their ideas, their message.
And most have attempted by now to accomplish that objective via online viral communications and campaigns.
In this recent post, Seth Godin suggests twenty reasons why someone might spread your idea. I’ve picked out several that seem especially pertinent to spreading the word for nonprofits.
I might spread your idea …
… because it makes me feel generous.
… because I feel smart alerting others to what I discovered.
… because I care about the outcome and want you to succeed.
… because I’m lonely and sharing an idea solves that problem, at least for a while (Ed: I read this in the sense of: we all want to belong, be part of something bigger, connect with like minds).
… because I’m angry and I want to enlist others in my outrage.
… because both my friend and I will benefit if I share the idea.
… because you asked me to, and it’s hard to say no to you.
… because I can use the idea to introduce people to one another, and making a match is both fun in the short run and community-building.
… because if everyone knew this idea, I’d be happier.
… because I care about someone and this idea will make them happier or healthier.
Do your viral messaging attempts tap into these motivators?
Tom
One response to “Spreading Your Ideas”
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This is a fantastic list to test our most recent viral campaign. We pulled together a list of our most loyal volunteers (those who volunteered 100 hours or more) and asked them to email their family and friends, requesting a contribution of any size to our 20th Anniversary appeal on the volunteer’s behalf. This is our first attempt at a viral campaign and my hope is that our volunteers will feel a few of Seth’s listed motivations enough to act!