The tone of your message is crucial. A study by Fredrickson found that participants experiencing positive emotions were more open to various desirable behaviors. Negative emotions (such as fear, sadness, anger, and despair) make us less likely to question our behavior or thought patterns and explore new options.
Provide positive messages with concrete action points
Want to connect with someone who's never volunteered? Entice them with positive, hopeful, and inspiring messages—with concrete action steps to get involved ( Stanford Social Innovation Journal ).
In concrete terms, this means you can add a link ( call to action ) to email data your vacancy or donation page at the end of a post. This way, you use social media as a way to let followers imagine how they too can contribute.
A good example of this is Music Moves , the latest project from the 10,000 HOURS Foundation as part of its community service program. They organize dozens of music events annually to connect people from diverse social backgrounds. For example, the Music Moves program initially used Facebook and Instagram to encourage university students to register for the social coaching training program. The second part of the communication plan focused on increasing registrations for the music events.
Top tip : Did you know you can also start a fundraiser directly through Facebook ? Check out Fundraisers !
Consider this before you start
Before your charity gets started with social media, it's important to understand the current possibilities (within your budget). Know how your brand can successfully engage with users. And know what kind of volunteer or donor you're trying to reach through social media.