Why should donors invest in your school?
People give because of the connection they feel to you, the school, and the mission. How well do you know your donors? How connected are you to them? Are you helping them expand their network and accomplish their goals? The more information you have the better chance you have to increase the size of a donation and expand your donor base.
The current School Growth Tuesday Webinar Series features Innovative Fundraising Secrets. Today's webinar will demonstrate why your fundraising strategy must include LinkedIn both as a research tool and as a way to facilitate relationships among the people in your school and community. This strategy is motivated by the goal of getting into their world, outside of the school, to become genuinely interested in current and prospective donors.
LinkedIn Basics
Though it's the older, more mature social media platform, too many school leaders are not tapping into LinkedIn’s potential. If you think it’s just another social media waste-of-time, you should take a closer look. Over 225 million people have joined LinkedIn’s ranks, and the most successful fundraisers have learned how to leverage it to exponentially build profitable relationships. Click Here for a quick introductory video.
So what is LinkedIn.com?
LinkedIn is designed for professional networking. Imagine that pile of business cards in/on your desk converted into an online database. That's LinkedIn. The idea is to link yourself to people you know personally and professionally, then rapidly expand your network from there. While it’s not socially acceptable to friend someone you don’t know on Facebook, LinkedIn encourages an environment of joining other people's networks for professional benefit. So after you create a well-written profile from your resume, upload a professional picture (no-selfies), and start connecting.
Conversations and Groups
Getting the best out of LinkedIn requires staying current but doesn't mean having to be obsessive about it. Even ten minutes a day on LinkedIn will help you engage with your donors. You can update your status, post an article you think is insightful, and join specific groups so that you can add to the conversation. LinkedIn has numerous groups organized around topics or affinity. Find at least twenty that are pertinent to you and your school.
Where are parents and donors active? Join those groups to read what's important to them. You never know what connections may be cultivated as a result of your participation. Consider starting a group of your own regarding your specific community and invite others from your network to join.
Check out the resources below for more info:
http://imonlinkedinnowwhat.
http://blog.dashburst.com/
http://www.
8 Great LinkedIn Groups for Educators - http://www.emergingedtech.com/
Extra Tip: Flipboard app is a great way to read LinkedIn updates from your network along with other news.
