Some organizations have become so familiar with direct mail, telefund, & direct response advertising that they don’t think social marketing can be direct response because the metrics and methods seem so unfamiliar.

I’m here to tell you that’s wrong. When you set up your nonprofit’s Facebook Page, you probably have very few specific goals…maybe to get to 1,000 fans, or raise something (anything) from it within a year, or who knows, but your goals are definitely nonspecific, and the bar is set low. Why? Because, you don’t know what you can get out of the channel. The same goes for Twitter, YouTube, a website re-design, and any number of other social media marketing solutions,

Within new media, you have to drive brand marketing first.

You have to build as much of a relationship with with friends, followers, likers, and subscribers (FFLS) as is reasonably possible. You post a news article link to your Twitter account. Someone responds, and you give them a contextual reply. A liker posts something to your Facebook page, and you respond with a personal message…like it’s from a real person, not a lawyerbot.

Actions like this drive brand marketing efforts.

They build dedication to your organization, increase the word of mouth, and grow mind share among the public. But, don’t stop there.

At some point, you have to pull the trigger and ask your FFLS to take an action for you. “Please donate this holiday season.” “Take a moment to share this with your friends.” “Click here to add your name to the petition.” By posting these messages online, you’re not sending them directly to people, but you are asking for a direct response.

Engagement first. Direct action second.

The thing to know though is when you have sufficiently engaged your FFLS that you will not drive them away with a direct marketing effort. If you don’t know, check your Facebook & YouTube insights, see what your response rate is on Twitter, look at your comment count on your blog, and then make your call.

Until you know what goal you have to reach with your brand marketing efforts before you can try direct marketing, you’re probably at a bit of a loss as to what your goals are with your new media efforts.

Do you have goals for new media or brand marketing? How did you set them? And, if you’ve reached any of them, did you get there only to feel like maybe those weren’t the rights goals in the first place?

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Tags: branding, direct marketing, Social marketing, social media marketing solutions