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LinkedIn for Churches; The Lists for Action!
Monday, March 5th, 2012LinkedIn for Churches; the Lists for Action Now!
Tips and Tricks: how to use Social Media for Nonprofits:
By: Thomas R. Reich
LinkedIn for churches is a vital link to donors and volunteers in today’s digital society. We will assume you have set up your basic profile, and most important that you uploaded a professional looking head shot,not a logo, this is a must on LinkedIn. We will assume that your profile is filled out and completed 100%! This is the basis for getting value from LinkedIn for Churches.
Let’s take a look at your profile updates, some interesting things happen when you input a status update:
1) You can update your status any time you like on LinkedIn for Churches
2) Your latest status update gets displayed right at the top of your page, right under your Professional looking photo and your name.
3) That is valuable real-estate; anyone visiting your LinkedIn page will see this update first thing.
4) It is a great place for announcements regarding your nonprofit or activities you have upcoming.
5) You can include a live link to either a YouTube video or a PDF file.
6) “Here are the 5 biggest reasons to Volunteer” linked to a video of a nice presentation of why they should volunteer for your organization.
7) “Here is a 14 page PDF report with the 25 most effective ways to help others in 2012” with a link
8) Take advantage of that short status update line use links to point to more in-depth information when using LinkedIn for Churches.
9) Once a week your followers get “Updates from people you know” in an email, so use this status update once a week, and get maximum exposure from LinkedIn for Churches
You have access to start a page, much like a Facebook page, this is a mini web site and is the place for logos and company/Foundation information. We suggest you put recommendations here sponsored partners, any contests or drives you have going and possibly your Twitter and Facebook links.
You also have access to LinkedIn for nonprofits advanced search service. Let’s say you want to know the name of the CFO of every company involved in the construction industry, so you could approach them for a donation to your habitat for humanity drive. You set up the parameters and it not only gives you a complete list, but it updates you every week on new additions.
One of the best ways to network and gain prospects on LinkedIn for nonprofits is through the group network. Click on groups and you will see hundreds of groups you can join locally or nationally that are full of people with the same goals and similar interests. You may find a national 
support group of nonprofits doing exactly what you do in your area, can you imagine the ideas you might be exposed to!
The main way to gain credibility and network most effectively is to actually start a group, and actively solicit members to your cause. Yes if your organization is big enough to have 40 volunteers you can have a group named after your Church and gain new members right out of LinkedIn for Churches, listed and advertised within their own system for free! How many companies in this day and age offer you a value like that, totally FREE? The group comes with internal communications, auto notifications, and group email, all free!
Now when you start to invite people to join your LinkedIn for Churches network do your homework:
1) Do you know them personally, if you do label as a friend
2) If you know of them or work with them in the same industry, label then college.
3) Personalize your request to have them in your LinkedIn for Churches network, DO NOT send the standard message.
4) Make the massage relevant and personalized to the person you are requesting the connection with, why should they be in your network?
5) Be honest, sincere and above all…
6) Do not try to sell or solicit anything in this request!
What you should do consistently to nurture your LinkedIn for Churches network:
1) Post a status update weekly
2) Check and answer any questions sent you at least once a day
3) Invite interesting people to connect, a few a day not all at once
4) Join groups that fit your mission and interests
5) Found and nurture a group, relevant to your mission and goals
6) Answer any group questions promptly, have monthly events
7) Share articles or interesting blog postings (like this one) with your group or network of friends on a regular basis to hold interest
Your mantra on LinkedIn for Churches should be NOT BE: “Buy my stuff” it will get you a bad rep in no time.
Instead try “Let me suggest something” or “Have you tried this” then call me and we can discuss further. The soft sell on LinkedIn for Churches works best.
APPROACH, TRANSPARINCY and ETHICS
Build relationships- Add value
- Share Information
- Keep it Relevant
- Promote Others
- Connect People to Opportunity
- Always say Thank You for any connect or group join
A Final List of things to do to be Successful in LinkedIn for Churches
- Clearly define your target audience
- Participate where they do, join the groups they are in
- Be a consistent person
- Cultivate your network carefully
- Be visible and add value to the discussion
- Demonstrate credibility
- Plan, Execute and succeed with LinkedIn for Churches
“IF you try to sell to everyone, you are selling to no one”
At CharityNetUSA we have been helping nonprofits, just like you for almost a decade, over 12,000 clients have come to call us home. Join us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook and we can help start you network. Join us on LinkedIn, (which is Efrain Rodriguez, remember no logo’s on LinkedIn) We are always available to talk about ideas or assist in planning any number of Nonprofit for Churches needs, form bookkeeping and marketing to Social Networking and SEO help.
We have a great FREE Webinar this Wednesday, March 7, 2012 titled “Successful Grant Development”, With special guest Host Melanie Swift. Space is still available so CLICK HERE to sign up now
If you would like more information on the full range of services offered to set up and service a Charity, Nonprofit or Foundation please contact CharityNetUSA by visiting CharityNetUSA or by calling, toll FREE 1.877.857.9002. Please follow us on Twitter and Like us on Face Book to receive free daily tips and tricks as well as notification of our FREE Award Winning Webinar series!
Family Life Ministries – Growing Your Church
Friday, February 17th, 2012Family Life Ministries – Growing Your Church
Family Life Ministries By Thomas R. Reich
In today’s fast paced world, we tend to want everything now. Developing Family Life Ministries at your church may be a priority, but proper planning is a necessity! Using the following formula, a Church can strengthen its membership, and serve its community as well. With proper preparation, you can enjoy success and prosper with Family Life Ministries added to your services.
When developing Family Life Ministries, churches should follow a comprehensive process that will not only ensure there’s a need for the program but that the church has the human and capital resources to effectively and efficiently carry out the program. The following five-step process can be used to develop Family Life Ministries at your church.
- Assess the Family Life Ministries needs of your members and surrounding community.
- Survey your congregation on the types of Family Life Ministries they would like to conduct.
Family Life Ministries should benefit your Community
- Survey the community about the types of programs that they need.
- Educational, Health, Financial Literacy, etc.
- Match the congregation’s needs and interests with the community’s needs.
- For example: Did the majority of the congregation want to start a financial literacy program? Did your community survey indicate that many people are unaware of financial management practices?
Select the need that you are most able to meet given the resources that are available for Family Life Ministries.
- 2. Develop the Goals and Objectives
- What would you like to accomplish through your Family Life Ministries?
- 3. Organize the Program Plans
- Describe step by step how your Family Life Ministries will work.
- How will you market the program?
- Where will the program be held?
- How often will the program be provided?
- What are the times of operation?
- What materials will you need for the program?
- How much will everything cost?
- How many volunteers will you need per week?
- Who will be responsible for facilitating your Family Life Ministries?
- 4. Implement the Program
- Implement the steps outlined during the Family Life Ministries planning process.
Helping families is Family Life Ministries
- Call the Congregation to Action!
- Get the congregation involved by advertising the Family Life Ministries during announcements and on the church’s bulletin board.
- Provide sign-up sheets for volunteers
- Develop a Twitter account for the Family Life Ministries
- Interact with the community via your Church website blog and your Facebook page.
- Alert the local media.
- Provide a press release to the local newspaper, radio station, and online sources to create awareness of your Family Life Ministries and in the process get positive exposure for your Church!
- Provide “top-notch” service.
- Remember that the Family Life Ministries participants are also possible Church members. Build a strong positive relationship with each person that you encounter.
- Keep the congregation excited about the Family Life Ministries by recognizing exemplary volunteers and achievements on an ongoing basis look for acts of grace to reward.
- Provide updates about the Family Life Ministries during the announcements portion of your worship service.
- Provide constant updates about your Family Life Ministries activities on your Twitter, website blog and Facebook.
- Put pictures of program volunteers at work on the church’s bulletin board, Facebook and in a special section of your website.
- Reward dedicated volunteers with a special recognition ceremony.
- Periodically, do a spotlight report in your Website blog on one special volunteer, or area business that has helped the Family Life Ministries.
- 5. Evaluate the Program
- Survey the congregation and community.
- Is the congregation satisfied with the Family Life Ministries?
Family Life Ministries should help the community
- Are the Family Life Ministries participants satisfied with the program?
- Did the Family Life Ministries achieve its goals and objectives?
- Has the Family Life Ministries met the needs of the community?
- If the answer to any of these questions is no, revise the program depending on the results of your surveys and program data, if you feel the survey has merit. Remember, in many cases it the good you do that improves a community. You know when you are doing good, it may not poll well, but the good is still being felt. You are your best judge of a Family Life Ministries success.
- If you went over the projected budget, increase the budget or downsize your program.
- Did the hours of operation conflict with church member’s schedules?
- Were the materials created for the Family Life Ministries effective?
- Is the congregation satisfied with the Family Life Ministries?
We know that following this five-step process will assist your Church or Nonprofit Organization with developing an outreach program that is truly a
Announcements of Family Life Ministries events add interest!
help-mate to the community. A Family Life Ministries program can respond to the community’s needs while also serving as a growth agent for the church. Furthermore, an excellently implemented program is much more attractive to donors and volunteers than one with little planning at all. Keep these steps in mind while planning your Family Life Ministries program and success is sure to come!
We at ChurchNetUSA and CharityNetUSA have helped over 12,000 organizations achieve success, and have assisted many Church groups establish successful Family Life Ministries. Our noted Nonprofit Consultant Howard Walker will be conducting a FREE webinar this coming Wednesday February 22, 2012 that you can’t afford to miss. Howard Walker has been there, in the trenches and can give you much insight in the important concerns in setting up Family Life Ministries the right way.
Do not miss this FREE opportunity to hear Howard Walker live, and be inspired to greatness! Click here to sign up for this one time live webinar event provided free from our friends at ChurchNetUSA and CharityNetUSA.
If you would like more information on the full range of services offered to set up and service a charity, foundation or Church please contact CharityNetUSA and ChurchNetUSA or by calling, toll FREE 1.877.857.9002. Please follow us on Twitter and Like us on Face Book to receive free daily tips and tricks as well as notification of our FREE Award Winning Webinar series!
Social Media Boosts Church Fundraising
Monday, February 6th, 2012Social Media Boosts Church Fundraising:
Basic Rules of Engagement
By Thomas R. Reich and Chris Romero
This is the year to imporve you skills with social media to boost church fundraising
Social media boosts
What Type of Outreach Program fit your Organization?
Tuesday, April 14th, 2009Just as all churches are not the same, outreach programs also vary. Some outreach programs take place on the church?s premises while others are in conjunction with another community agency. When thinking about the type of outreach program that your church will take part in, there are a few things that you should keep in mind.
Size of your church. The physical size of your church as well as the number of members, are important factors in determining what type of program to implement. Smaller churches may want to work with outside agencies to provide outreach services if their facility or available bodies do not allow for hosting a project of their own. Instead of starting their own program, smaller churches may want to help the local American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, or Boys and Girls Club. Larger churches, on the other hand, might have the staff, size and resources to host an outreach program on its premises. Larger churches may be able to host a reading program, afterschool program, or senior day activities.
Time commitment. Starting an outreach program requires additional time of your outreach committee and congregation. When considering an outreach program think about the time that it requires. Does your congregation have time to devote four hours per week to an activity or should it occur once per month? Only take-on what your congregation can handle.
Expertise. If your church decides to host an outreach program (i.e. implement your own program), make sure that someone in the congregation has experience in the program area. If you?re considering an afterschool program, for example, do you have any teachers in the congregation? While the community will be grateful for the extra services, you should only provide services that can be administered appropriately.
Cost.
Strategic Planning for Churches
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009Churches, like all organizations, must map-out how they plan to grow and/or sustain themselves over a period of time.
Why Outreach?
Tuesday, March 17th, 2009Churches throughout the country are on the fence about starting their own outreach ministry. While the Church has historically responded to the needs of the downtrodden, some feel that stepping outside of the walls of the church and seeking those who are “lost”, is a step over the line that differentiates churches from social service agencies. However, crossing that line may be the move that propels your church to higher levels.
Of the nearly 160 million unchurched people living in America, 80 million would be willing to attend worship services if they were invited or felt welcome. During today?s tough economic times and wave of hope, many of these unchurched people are seeking to restore their faith. But where shall they turn? Some of them have never attended a church service; others are so disconnected from their religious ties that they are hesitant to return. Afraid of being judged and ostracized, many may simply give up and return to their worldly ways. Those in the Word know that this is a costly decision.
What?s the solution? Reach out and bring those lost “sheep” back to the herd. Providing an outreach ministry to the community builds relationships between your congregation and the community. It allows your congregation to shine as lights and lead those who are hungry, drug-afflicted, and hurting out of darkness. Outreach serves as the missing link between those who are churched and those who are not. It creates a welcoming dialogue that fosters trust and understanding between the community and the church. Most importantly, it attracts new members to the congregation and strengthens your existing congregation. Outreach programs engage existing members by providing them with a means to apply what they have learned in worship services. It allows them to give back to the community, while also strengthening their spiritual purpose.
Creating an outreach ministry will, of course, bring new expenses to the church. Starting a homeless meal program, for example, means purchasing kitchen equipment, food, etc. Your congregation, like many others, may be operating with a budget with little room for “extras”. However, creating this outreach program will open the doors to outside funding. There are many foundations that will fund your outreach project. Your congregation can achieve your outreach goals without sacrificing other church projects.
Overall, the decision to create an outreach ministry is one that should be considered carefully, it takes time, money, and hard work. However, implementing an outreach ministry offers benefits and services that reach far beyond that of conventional growth methods.