# I think I finally get it but do you?

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/07/16/i-think-i-finally-get-it-do-you/
- Published: 2009-07-16T09:38:34+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

It was the Iranian protests that did it. Protesters’ success at using Twitter to
get their message out across the world finally made me realise the huge potential
of this new media malarkey. It was definitely a Wow moment.

 

And for a luddite at heart this has all been a bit of a revelation. I have been 
playing at “getting with it” for over a year now. I have itunes AND Spotify. I got
this blog gig though would confess to being a not very regular blogger. And have
now got more Facebook friends than I know what to do with.

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Actually that’s not true. I know exactly what to do. They have formed the nucleus
of my social networking supporter base for the coalition I work for these days, 
for Scotland’s Disabled Children. In a week we recruited over 100 fans and the vast
majority were friends I cajoled (or more likely scared) into doing so. But they 
are now posting to their Friends to join, who in turn encourage their Friends to
join and so it will snowball.

 

Ultimately it and Twitter (and other media) will be a great way of mobilising supporters
for campaigning activities. And the best bit of all is that it cost absolutely nothing
to do.

 

Which makes me wonder why more small charities and voluntary organisations are not
using new media tools to create a supporter and donor base. There is plenty free
advice out there on how to involve and engage your supporters at all levels – try
either of these for starters: http://www.thegoodagency.co.uk and http://www.johngrainassociates.
com. And [Howard Lake](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/blogs/howardlake) is doing 
lots of excellent events on social networking and fundraising – at reasonable cost
too.

 

It is about taking the core principles of involvement and engagement and simply 
deploying them in a new way, on a new platform. One that is actually pretty easy
to use and extremely cheap to develop.

 

And if I can get it – so can you!

 

You could start by becoming a fan of for Scotland’s Disabled Children (fSDC) on 
Facebook…. http://www.facebook.com/forScotlandsDisabledChildren