ServiceUniverse

Myth: “New media” is only for the young

There’s a common myth out there that “new media,” such as use of the Internet, mobile devices, blogs and social networking sites, is only for the young.  When my grandfather “friended” me on Facebook, I started to question the validity of this myth.

Fact:  After doing some research, (on the Internet I might add…) I recently stumbled upon these interesting facts* about Internet usage:

•  Among active Internet users, those over 50 years old actually logged the most
time on the Internet
•  Average time spent online increases with age
• While 18–24 year olds report 6.8 hours/week, the 50–64 year old age group
reports  8.1 hours/week

(*These statistics were taken from a proprietary study of over 2,000 U.S. households by L.E.K. Consulting, a  global strategy consulting firm. The full report can be found at: http://www.lek.com/userfiles/file/LEK_Hidden_Media_Opportunities.pdf)

Many churches, schools, nonprofits might be hesitant to adopt new technologies, especially internet-based tools, because they feel that their “older” members and audiences wouldn’t use them. 

These statistics tell us a different story. To me, they are a good reminder that no one is “too old” to use the Internet, and if we think that “older” folks are not online, we’re just plain wrong. In addition, these statistics tell us that the older generations are not only on the internet, but spend a great deal of time there. And more importantly, that if we’re not using the Internet and other ‘new media’ opportunities to reach targeted audiences, no matter what their age is, we’re missing the boat.

Start with the basics:  It’s easier than you might think

So, how do churches, schools, and other organizations get started?  Offering these online and social media tools has become easier than ever, and you don’t have to spend a fortune or be a tech genius to offer these services to your members and community. Here are some tips on helping you get started.

• Offer the same conveniences on your organization’s website that your audience is familiar with.  Most people are now accustomed to banking online, registering and paying for events online, making online donations, purchasing tickets and conducting other business online. This is where ServiceU can help you. Contact us and we can help you offer these useful tools.
• Ask for members of your organization to help: Just because you’re a leader of a church or organization doesn’t mean you have ALL the answers.  Most likely, your organization has members who would love to volunteer to help you set up your Facebook or Twitter page. Just ask!
• Google for help tools: From blogs to discussion boards to free downloads, there are a lot of free resources available on the Internet. Simply “google” your questions and get started. You may be surprised to find out that you’re not the only one with questions.
• Sign up for free webinars and whitepapers: Many software companies and PR agencies offer webinars and ‘whitepapers’ to help demystify these topics. They are filled with valuable and useful information. I like Hubspot, and we’ve used their tools frequently. Just know that when you submit your contact information, a sales rep is likely to contact you to purchase their tools.

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Dear Friends,
As many of you know, social networking has been the “buzz” for 2009. Just this year, I’ve reconnected with friends on Facebook and started following many news makers on Twitter. And, I’m not alone. Facebook estimates that it has more than 200 million active users-a number that continues to grow.

Given the exponential growth of social networking, ServiceU has added social networking features to our products to help you share your organization’s activities and involvements across these social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and others.  We want to give you the ability to quickly and easily share the events and causes that you care about with your social networking friends and followers. Read our step-by-step instructions on how administrative users can add these features to event listings, donations pages or ticketing pages.

In addition, you can now keep up with the latest ServiceU news, updates and more by connecting with us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.  We’re really excited about joining social media and getting to know you even better through these conversations.   We also hope that you will connect with other churches, schools and nonprofits so that we can share ideas, best practices and ways to simplify our service to others.

Is your organization participating in social media or utilizing online tools? One common misconception among churches, schools and other nonprofits is that “new media” and online tools are only for the young. In this article, we help you  understand the demographics of who is on the internet and offer you a few tips on how to get started.

Finally, with Thanksgiving upon us, I would like to take a moment to thank all of our clients for your continued patronage. I am truly grateful for your continued business and friendship. I hope you and your families have a blessed Thanksgiving season.

Sincerely,

Tim

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Many churches celebrate the Christmas season with musical productions or theatrical performances to help bring the Word of God to those who may not be familiar with it. However, many churches struggle with reaching the community beyond their congregation.  

Here’s a look at how to use some marketing and public relations techniques that will help you “get the word out” about your Christmas performance.

Top 10 tips that you can use to help “get the word out” about your Christmas performance: 

1. Send out a news release to your local media. A news release is a simple word document that gives the newspaper or TV/radio station the basic information they need about your event.
• A news release answers the “who, what, when, where, and how much” questions. You can also include a brief plot synopsis and a list of the participants and their roles.
• Write the release so that the performance sounds interesting, but go easy on the fluff.
• Be sure to include your email address and telephone number or a link to the website so the editor or reporter can follow up with you and get more information.

2. Ask to be a guest on the noon show of your local television station: Many stations invite guest to talk about community events during their lunchtime show. Consider having a news release available to follow up your request (see #1). But, don’t wait until the last minute.  These slots fill up very quickly, especially around the holidays.

3. Ask your local Christian radio station for publicity: Many Christian radio stations will list the holiday productions and performances in the area.
• Consider having a news release (see #1) available to follow up your request. Or, call and ask for an interview so you can share more about the performance with their audience. It never hurts to ask, but be prepared that the station may not be able to accommodate your request. 

4. List your performance in online community calendars: Look for all your area’s online community calendars and post your performance information. These free resources are often overlooked, but can “get the word” out quickly and easily.

5. Use graphics to get attention: Ask your congregation members if anyone has any graphic design or photography skills that they would be willing to donate to help promote your production.
• Photographers can take pictures from dress rehearsals for you to attach with your news release (see #1) or in other marketing materials.
• A graphic artist could produce a simple logo for your performance, or use photography to create a poster (see #6), design a simple advertisement for the local paper or format for the church’s website (see #10).

6. Put up posters in your local community: Local business often want to support the local events and productions.
• Produce a simple poster advertising the production and hang them at the local coffee shops, restaurants, doctor’s offices and businesses. Be sure to ask permission before you hang up the poster.
• Consider asking a local print shop to donate the printing in exchange for putting their logo on the poster.

7. Word of mouth: Nothing beats a good ole fashion personal invitation to a Christmas performance.  Encourage your congregation members to personally invite friends, relatives and co-workers.

8. Use social media: Be sure to include event information on your church’s Facebook page, and Twitter about the upcoming performance. Don’t stop with the basic information. Keep adding new photos of the rehearsals on Facebook or sharing comments from the performers on Twitter.

9. Don’t forget to get the word out within your church: Don’t assume that the entire congregation knows about the production.
• Be sure to announce the event in the worship service and include the performance information in the newsletter or e-newsletter.
• Consider hanging posters (see #6) within your church or hang them on a bulletin board.
• Send a dedicate e-blast out to your church members “advertising” the event.

10.  Post the event information on your website: Put a special “call out” section on your church’s home page. Link the ad to a dedicated web page about the performance. This is a great place to list out all the key information about the event, such as location, ticket costs and where to buy tickets. Direct people to this page by including the website address on all of your other marketing materials and news release.

Bonus: Sell your event tickets online on YOUR website. As you direct the community (and church members) to your website for performance details, why not sell your performance tickets directly from your website? TicketU makes it possible! TicketU makes it easy to sell tickets online through your website without the need for any special software or a server. We provide you with a customized ticket sales page that will match the look and feel of your website to make sure your patrons have the best online ticket experience possible. Visit the newly expanded TicketU page to learn more about how TicketU can help you boost your ticket sales.

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If you haven’t visited the ServiceU website recently, stop by and check it out! You’ll be in for a big surprise! We’ve recently redesigned the site from top to bottom. While our newly designed website is geared to help educate prospective clients about our products, there’s a lot of new information on the site that you, our valued clients and friends, will find interesting and beneficial.

Here’s a look at some of the new additions:

• Expanded product information: We’ve added much more detailed information about all of our products. If you are currently using only one of our products, take a look at the other product sections. From FAQs to pricing to a downloadable brochure, you’re sure to learn something new about our products.  Since all of the ServiceU products work together seamlessly, there might be an opportunity for ServiceU to help you in another area of your organization.

• Easier access to the blog: We’ve made it easy for you to find our blog by putting it front and center on the homepage!  In our blog, you’ll find the archived UNews stories, hints and tips on using the ServiceU products, the latest ServiceU news, and much more.  We want to encourage interaction and lively debate, so check out our articles and leave your response. Don’t forget to keep coming  back or subscribe to the RSS feed; we post new stories frequently.

• Enhanced Resources Section: In this section, we’ve complied tips, hints and best practices to help you reach your goal.  Do you have a pearl of wisdom that other organizations can benefit from? We’re always looking for great advice to share with our clients.  Just drop us a line at mfrazier@ServiceU.com, and we’ll work with you to get your helpful hints posted!

• Webinars and Training Schedule: While you will no longer find this on our home page, we’ve relocated it to our Support section.  Here you’ll find an overview of all the Support resources ServiceU offers.  And while you’re here, don’t forget to sign up for one of our webinars using our enhanced calendar and registration system!

• PCI Compliance: At ServiceU, the security of your data is our top priority.  We go the extra mile by offering you PCI Compliant products.  What is PCI Compliance and why is that important?  Visit this page and learn more.

• Get to know “Our Team”: At ServiceU, you’re always working with real people, (not automated robots) so why not learn more about the people you’re working with?  We know you’d like to put name and voice together with a face, so check back frequently.  We’re going to be posting mug shots soon!

• Client Success Stories: Our clients really do say it best!  In this section, we’ve compiled testimonials and quotes from our clients who want to share how ServiceU is making it easy for their organizations to serve others.  Take a look; you may find your organization featured or learn about an innovative way another organization is using ServiceU products.  Plus, we’re always looking for more stories to tell.  If you’d like to share how ServiceU’s products have benefited your organization, email our marketing department at mfrazier@ServiceU.com.

And much more! Be sure to visit us online at www.ServiceU.com.

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