[12:09] <@karen_> Hi there. [12:11] Hi Karen! [12:11] How are you? [12:12] <@karen_> I'm good. How are you? [12:14] Fine thanks! I have been a little busy so I haven't checked the readings for week 3 :( [12:14] <@karen_> No problem. :) [12:14] <@karen_> Did you see the survey I put up? [12:14] <@karen_> http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GXZ87DF [12:15] but it's exactly what we are about to do, we are checking some other NGO sites to see what are they doing and how?! [12:15] also checking some of the ideas for desing and apps [12:15] <@karen_> I like SurveyMonkey a lot [12:15] I'll see it now [12:15] <@karen_> I tried a bunch of open source survey tools but none worked as well [12:16] really? what we use for our workshops is google docs [12:16] <@karen_> I like Google Docs too [12:17] <@karen_> But SurveyMonkey has a lot of choices of question formats that are good and it is free too [12:17] <@karen_> There is a pay version with extra features [12:17] we use the option of forms. Really? I didn't know! Does it also helps with some graphics for the results [12:18] <@karen_> It gives you graphs of the results [12:18] 'cause thats something I don't like from the Gdocs option [12:19] We have had a big problem with maknig people ansewr the surveys!!! [12:19] <@karen_> It's hard to get a response on surveys [12:19] <@karen_> For workshops, I have people do them right there in class [12:20] When we offer a workshop they get full so quickly but after the wrokshop -- from 40 people that attend you only get like 5 to answer [12:20] <@karen_> Do you do it as a "group activity" in the workshop? [12:20] That's a good way [12:21] <@karen_> If they don't have computers, I use paper [12:21] <@karen_> That might also be a good use for Facebook [12:22] We tryied that once also!! but people isn't comfortable with writing and sharing sometimes [12:22] <@karen_> I tried one of your open-ended questions on FB book this week and got a good response [12:22] we got a lot of Likes, but no response [12:22] <@karen_> I asked "What's your favorite Web 2.0 tool?" [12:22] <@karen_> That's funny about getting Likes but no reponse. I have that happen all the time. [12:22] <@karen_> Even if it's a question! [12:23] Yees!! those really work! I think that's one of the ways to build a community [12:23] <@karen_> I tried Twuffer this week, but it didn't work that well. [12:23] <@karen_> I ended up using TweetDeck instead... so far it's good [12:25] Why? hehehe Well it's useful for us as we have a #tipinfoactivista (infoactivist-tip) and we search for rights advocacy news or new tools to use and we share them, so I only program those. But we also tweet from other things. We are having here a problem. We used FB and TW last year to do so. [12:25] To build a community and it was working [12:26] <@karen_> I'm doing social media for a big conf in 2 weeks and want to program all the tweets ahead for that [12:26] I think we were doing it good! There were a lot of things to improve but it was good. And now the new director only wants us to do like mmm institutional communiication [12:27] <@karen_> Wow. Does your new director do FB or Twitter personally? [12:27] noooo, he doesn't like them [12:27] <@karen_> I have that problem with some school administrators. [12:28] he things they are like useless !!! [12:28] <@karen_> They don't understand the power of it. [12:28] <@karen_> Have you shown him examples of the community participation you've had? [12:28] <@karen_> Or maybe show what other organizations like yours are doing? [12:28] and he doesn't care that it has help us to contact with a lot of people and also we got in touch with a foundation using it! [12:29] <@karen_> I've gotten actual paying business from social media [12:29] I think that he just don't understand them [12:29] <@karen_> With some schools I work with, we just do it "under the radar".... without the head person's approval [12:29] yeees!!! cause there is where people is communicating all day! [12:30] And for example in that case. What were the objetives that social media helped you to accomplish?? [12:30] <@karen_> For schools, our main objectives are providing professional development (training) for teachers [12:30] <@karen_> And engaging students. They really love this stuff. [12:31] <@karen_> I learn more from my social media connections now than from things like journals or formal classes [12:32] <@karen_> Marny marketers now are more interested in Twitter and FB than in "traditional" marketing [12:32] yes! it's wonderful what you can do with this tools! [12:32] <@karen_> True! It's all about connection people [12:33] <@karen_> connecting.... [12:33] <@karen_> And now a lot of people don't read email or advertising they get in the mail [12:33] Yes!!! And you can see a lot of cool campaings! People that is innovating a loot! [12:34] <@karen_> True, people who are more innovative and early adopters are on social media [12:34] <@karen_> Are there other big organizations that your director respects that are using social media? [12:35] <@karen_> Sometimes people need to hear about it from someone other than their own staff. Sad but true. [12:35] ... [12:35] Thanks! that could help a loot! [12:36] We are about to change our site, and the director wants to do the design and put the information thinking in donator! [12:36] <@karen_> Do you do grant writing? [12:36] <@karen_> That's been a big marketing tool for me. [12:37] and well I don't know if it's right!!!! to do something just thinking in one of our like "mkt segments" [12:37] <@karen_> Maybe you need a site that has different sections -- one for donors, one for others ?? [12:37] grant writing? [12:37] <@karen_> Yes -- market segments? [12:37] ammm I forgot like the name ammm.. like publics [12:38] <@karen_> Grant writing to get funds from groups like the government or non-profits or World Bank or foundations [12:38] yees, I'm now in charge of that [12:39] <@karen_> (yes, market segments are different groups you are targeting, like donors, the public, consumers, etc. A lot of people organize different parts of their web site for different groups) [12:39] <@karen_> Even for connecting with different grant-making organizations, social media is useful [12:39] well that's what we are doing now [12:40] <@karen_> That makes sense [12:40] Yes! Right now I have like a big crisis in my head! [12:40] Cause we are like changing our strategy [12:41] So I don't know where to start!! [12:41] <@karen_> That is a challenge when new leaders come in! [12:41] <@karen_> Do you have a written plan for the business or for marketing? [12:42] yees!!! but mmm. . . I thing I need to add everything there and instead of that I have like 3 docs and in one have like mkt plan, in other the ideas for the site, in other the ideas for social media strategy [12:43] soo i gueess that's what is driving me crazy! [12:43] <@karen_> :) [12:43] <@karen_> Good use for Google Docs -- then everyone can work on it together [12:43] <@karen_> I sometimes have a hard time getting other people to use Google Docs this way [12:44] yes, but i really think I need to get them together cause im like not seeing them as something that has the same objectives [12:44] We all use Gdocs :) it's a great tool we are big fans [12:45] <@karen_> Starting with the same objectives (mission and vision) will help pull them together [12:45] <@karen_> Do you know what you are going to do for your final project for the class (week 6-9)? [12:46] I have something to ask to, last year our strategy on FB and TW was: using news about open software, creative commons, etc; also publishing news about our free workshop; also publishing our pictures from activities [12:47] so people participated!! and when we also put some news about environmental things; and information about other free projects or free workshop from other NGOs people respond [12:47] but now new director wants to use TW and FB only for publishing news about US. [12:47] just for that [12:47] <@karen_> I think that will drive away some people [12:48] <@karen_> Social media is all about sharing....not just pure marketing of yourself [12:48] sooo . . . i thing now the objective is a lloott different from building a community [12:48] yeeees!!!! I know!!!!!! [12:48] soooo I'm thinking about how to do that change! [12:48] <@karen_> Can you do both? [12:49] <@karen_> Maybe put some questions to your community of FB and Twitter -- "What kind of conent would you like to see here?" or maybe a survey [12:49] both? ammm he doesn't want us to support other NGO activities, only ours; he doesn't want me to keep writing notes from the news because we are not a news agency [12:50] <@karen_> Hmmm....that's difficult [12:50] <@karen_> Would he respond to "expert" consulting advice about this? There are some good articles from successful marketing people... [12:50] <@karen_> But sometimes people are set in their opinions [12:51] so I think that before our objectives were: communication what we are and support (CC, open software, free culture..); also Educating! about some topics!!; communicating our activities... [12:51] and now we'll only do institutional communication [12:51] obviously people will go away!! [12:52] yeees! that could help!! [12:52] <@karen_> I would also track the number of followers and the number of posts to show when the numbers go down! [12:52] <@karen_> But it would be better to avoid it all together. [12:52] I really thing the other way was more inteligent [12:53] <@karen_> I agree. [12:53] yes! [12:53] About my final project, I really need to put everything together at work [12:53] and everything I'm doing at the course [12:53] <@karen_> I think now that educating people is a big part of marketing [12:53] <@karen_> You need to market your own social media plan to your new director! [12:55] hahahaha yees!!! exactly. All the info from the course has beeen so helpful! so I think my final project will be that, like replanting the mision, vision statement and loking for the right web presence [12:55] <@karen_> That sounds good. [12:55] and social media plan [12:56] <@karen_> If everyone has a common goal, then you can measure the results of different things (like social media) against that goal [12:56] <@karen_> For my final project, I think I am going to do a marketing video for my open dictionary [12:56] <@karen_> I have one more question for you. [12:56] that's great! [12:57] sure [12:57] <@karen_> This morning I was talking to a few people about this course. [12:57] <@karen_> It seems like the timing is difficult. Some people want to spend more time on different areas. [12:57] <@karen_> So we were talking about doing a class that would not be organized by week. It would instead be organized by topic. [12:57] <@karen_> And everyone could spend as much time as they wanted on different topics. [12:57] <@karen_> Do you think that could work? [13:00] I think that it could be better. In that way you'll find easier to start on something and if you have time to go to the next topic [13:00] and start with that to [13:01] <@karen_> I think so too. [13:01] <@karen_> As long as people wouldn't quit before the end :) [13:02] <@karen_> Thanks for being on the chat today! [13:02] I don't thing so, I think we all have had some hard weeks [13:03] <@karen_> It's hard to have time for everything! [13:03] Thanks to you Karen!! you really have no idea how helpful this chat are to meee!! [13:03] <@karen_> I'm glad to hear it! [13:03] See you next chat! Have a nice weekend [13:03] <@karen_> I think we're mostly going to do them on Tuesdays for the rest of the class. [13:03] <@karen_> Have a nice weekend there too! [13:03] <@karen_> Bye. [13:03] Bye!