Social Media Push-Pull

Last night I edited a communications strategy for my sister who works for a large philanthropic foundation. She is trying to use social media tools to better connect with donors, non-profits, and other foundations. She wants to raise awareness of her organization and the projects on which they are currently working.

I made a connection just a few moments ago to a nytimes article I am reading about public policy think tanks.... I have not even finished it, so profound was my urge to write this post. It describes two different models of think-tank: those that are started to challenge the orthodox structure of their party and the strategy (Heritage and Democratic Leadership Council) and those that were started to publish research and reports to support the party leadership (Center for American Progress). The former two changed the direction of their parties strategy, while the latter is called a "high tech message machine" for the current party leadership.

So the question is thus posed... Are internet tools best used to push an organization's work out to the world? Or are they best used to incorporate outside ideas to change the direction of the firm? I think that organizations are hoping for the former, but if they are unwilling to incorporate the latter, they will be sacrificing a major gain from internet marketing.

I am going to recommend that she try to use these tools not just to push, but also to incorporate disparate ideas into the organizational strategy. Use online tools to have people nominate their favorite new non-profit, profile their brilliant friend, and share ideas to improve the foundation world. Gathering contributions will empower people to participate and improve the organization. A communications strategy is no longer, "what are we telling them, " but is now, "What are they telling us!"