Shift & Reset: Strategies for Addressing Serious Issues in a Connected Society Hardcover - 2011 - 1st Edition

From the rear cover

In 2010, more than 6 million contributors, many first-time donors and younger supporters, used their mobile phones to make $5 and $10 donations to Haiti relief charities. Surprisingly, the most compelling fundraising efforts were organized by individuals and newer, smaller groups, while larger institutions struggled under the weight of their own organizational structure. Developed especially for the nonprofit/social change/philanthropy/cause community, Shift & Reset shows you how to take advantage of rapidly changing technologies and the new communication ecosystem to create real, meaningful change in our connected society.

Addressing our most critical challenges, author Brian Reich--recognized for his expertise in cutting-edge media and technology--re-envisions how we support causes and addresses the serious issues facing our connected society. Reich stresses the need to reshape policies, build capacity, develop talent, improve marketing and promotion--including storytelling, media relations, outreach and engagement, and advertising--and revisit our methods for fundraising, partnerships, and collaboration. Shift & Reset also lays out the bleak consequences of what happens when you don't rethink how you operate.

Featuring interviews with more than twenty-five experts, authors, and organizational leaders whose experiences and insights provide powerful evidence to support Reich's important calls to action, Shift & Reset also examines the many ways you can capitalize on social media to accomplish your nonprofit's mission as well as some recent success stories and failures, including:

• Leading digital strategy and communications firm Blue State Digital developed a hugely popular online engagement hub for Obama's presidential bid where supporters donated, set up volunteer groups, posted blog entries, watched videos, and more

• Debating whether to use Facebook and blogs to build enthusiasm for Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Olympic games, the organizers made the fatal decision not to use social media for fear of negative feedback from the community

• Although Old Spice struck viral gold with their online video campaign, countless copycats failed because viral videos didn't influence their unique audiences

• Greenpeace hired an aggressive NGO to develop hard-hitting ad campaigns and Twitter feeds targeting Unilever, Nestlé, and Burger King for buying palm oil from a company that destroys rainforests

• Shaquille O'Neal leveraged the power of Twitter to attract sponsors and influence 3.5 million NBA fans to support the charities of his choice

Ready to achieve the impossible? Shift & Reset shows you how to overcome the huge barriers facing the cause/philanthropy community by strategically leveraging the unlimited potential of technology and social media in the digital age.

From the jacket flap

In 2010, more than 6 million contributors, many first-time donors and younger supporters, used their mobile phones to make $5 and $10 donations to Haiti relief charities. Surprisingly, the most compelling fundraising efforts were organized by individuals and newer, smaller groups, while larger institutions struggled under the weight of their own organizational structure. Developed especially for the nonprofit/social change/philanthropy/cause community, Shift & Reset shows you how to take advantage of rapidly changing technologies and the new communication ecosystem to create real, meaningful change in our connected society.

Addressing our most critical challenges, author Brian Reich--recognized for his expertise in cutting-edge media and technology--re-envisions how we support causes and addresses the serious issues facing our connected society. Reich stresses the need to reshape policies, build capacity, develop talent, improve marketing and promotion--including storytelling, media relations, outreach and engagement, and advertising--and revisit our methods for fundraising, partnerships, and collaboration. Shift & Reset also lays out the bleak consequences of what happens when you don't rethink how you operate.

Featuring interviews with more than twenty-five experts, authors, and organizational leaders whose experiences and insights provide powerful evidence to support Reich's important calls to action, Shift & Reset also examines the many ways you can capitalize on social media to accomplish your nonprofit's mission as well as some recent success stories and failures, including:

• Leading digital strategy and communications firm Blue State Digital developed a hugely popular online engagement hub for Obama's presidential bid where supporters donated, set up volunteer groups, posted blog entries, watched videos, and more

• Debating whether to use Facebook and blogs to build enthusiasm for Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Olympic games, the organizers made the fatal decision not to use social media for fear of negative feedback from the community

• Although Old Spice struck viral gold with their online video campaign, countless copycats failed because viral videos didn't influence their unique audiences

• Greenpeace hired an aggressive NGO to develop hard-hitting ad campaigns and Twitter feeds targeting Unilever, Nestlé, and Burger King for buying palm oil from a company that destroys rainforests

• Shaquille O'Neal leveraged the power of Twitter to attract sponsors and influence 3.5 million NBA fans to support the charities of his choice

Ready to achieve the impossible? Shift & Reset shows you how to overcome the huge barriers facing the cause/philanthropy community by strategically leveraging the unlimited potential of technology and social media in the digital age.