IF

A poem about Trustees- thought I'd share although it is a little late for Trustees' Week

'If' a poem about Trustees by Alex Swallow
(but thanks very much Kipling)

If you can keep your head when all about you,
Have read the briefings five times to your one,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
And feel that your duty has been done;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
And plan ahead so your intentions don't surprise,
If you let your brain be constantly creating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream- and not make dreams your master,
If you have patience for the long-term game,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster,
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear a new agenda topic,
When your stomach rumbles and you've a train to catch,
If the finance sheets are making you myopic,
But you're determined that they've met their match;

If you can keep your mind fixated,
On those the charity's there to serve,
If you're working harder than anticipated,
And you approach the lot with vim and verve;
If you keep fellow members smiling,
When your own is wearing thin,
And hang in there when the pressure's piling,
And take your setbacks on the chin;

If every time one's added to your number,
You're bothered to make them feel at ease,
If you can drag others from their slumber,
To see the options you must surely seize;
If you can fill the unforgiving meeting,
With two hours worth of good work done,
Yours is the Earth, and everything that's in it,
And- which is more- you'll be a Trustee, my son!
(or daughter!)

Volunteer, Why?

All sorts of people volunteer for many different reasons, but one thing that unites them all is that they find it challenging, rewarding and varied.

Volunteering can add a great deal to your life and the lives of those for whom you volunteer. It offers you a chance to become involved in a project or with an organisation you really care about as well as an opportunity to meet new and like-minded people. It also gives you the chance to try out something different to your 'everyday' job, which may lead on to new career options.

Community groups and organisations benefit from the input of volunteers by gaining a new and valued perspective on their work as well as the precious resource of time. Even a small commitment can have a lasting effect on an organisation and the people it represents.

Here are some of the reasons why people chose to volunteer:

• Make a positive difference
• Gain skills
• Make new friends
• Have fun
• Keep busy
• Use existing skills
• Gain work experience
• Give something back
• Sample a career
• Do something different from paid job

Volunteering opportunities come in many different guises, from long-term regular commitments to one-off individual or group projects. Above all, it’s a chance to make a real difference. If you would like to volunteer or even explore what it could mean for you please get in touch with me.

Networking how to get beyond “Hello, what do you do?”

It is easy to go along to a networking event and gravitate to the people you already know. It feels safe and if you’re unsure of how to develop a conversation it is a lot less intimidating. It is also NOT the reason you are there. You are there to make new contacts and develop your network.

When it comes to making a connection in networking events, don't try to say something strikingly intelligent. Your words may be forgotten, but how you make people feel will be remembered.

I don’t know how many networking events I’ve attended, hundreds, and I’ve met some fascinating people. However, there are times when I feel disinclined to make the effort with more small talk. When I feel like this, I remind myself that the person I'm meeting has the potential to be my next big client or a newfound friend. If those thoughts don't shift my attitude, I just remind myself that the person I'm talking with deserves my respect and that dose it.

The real key to great conversations is to relax. Let the conversation flow naturally. That's easiest to do when you're fully engaged and genuinely interested in the conversation  and the person with whom you are talking.

Here are a few useful Questions that can help get the conversation flowing:

"What’s your connection to the event?" This question can uncover mutual contacts and usually leads to a more robust answer than if you asked the typical  "Have you been to this event before?"

"How did you come to be in your line of work?" For some, the path to where they are today can be quite an interesting story. Having a chance to revisit their story to success can leave helpful clues along the way as to who they are and what makes them tick.


"What separates you and your firm from the competition?" This is a great ego boost and gives an opportunity to develop the conversation along the line of "What is your biggest challenge in business?"

A question that draws out their personallity and can lead to more intersting conversatiosn is "What do you enjoy most about your profession?"

Don’t make it all shop talk as this can turn into an interigration or come over as a prelude to a sell.

"What’s keeping you busy when you’re not at events like this or at work?" This question gives the encouragement necessary for the person to share their passions and outside interests. It is an excellent way to add some enthusiasm into a conversation that has hit a lull, especially if they would prefer to be doing anything else than networking.

"Are you working with any charities?" This question makes it easy to launch into a deeper connection. If they’re not involved with a chairty, they often share reasons why not and this is usually revealing. If they are doing something of value they will be more than happy to share it with you.

Effective networking involves listening, not telling. So, ask people about their business instead of telling them about yours. Remember you are not there to sell but to establish enough common ground for there to be another conversation. Above all enjoy it!

The Dead Horse Theory

I was sent this from an Irish cousin and I enjoyed it so much I thought I'd share it with you.

 

 

The tribal wisdom of the Plains Indians, passed on from generation to generation, says that

"When you discover that you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount."

 

 

However, in Government more advanced strategies are often employed, such as:

1. Getting a stronger whip.

2. Changing riders.

3. Appointing a committee to study the horse.

4. Arranging to visit other countries to see how other cultures ride dead horses.

5. Lowering the standards so that dead horses can be included.

6. Reclassifying the dead horse as living-impaired.

7. Hiring outside contractors to ride the dead horse.

8. Harnessing several dead horses together to increase speed.

9. Providing additional funding and/or training to increase the dead horse's performance.

10. Employing consultants to do a productivity study to see if lighter riders would improve the dead horse's performance.

11. Declaring that as the dead horse does not have to be fed, it is less costly, carries lower overhead and therefore contributes substantially more to the bottom line of the economy than do some other horses.

12. Rewriting the expected performance requirements for all horses.

And fnally, if all else fails...

13. Promoting the dead horse to a supervisory position.

Succession Planning

Another one of my Knols. This one is on preparing to recruit a new Chief Executive, a process I went through last year. It should be an opportunity for the charity to reflect and define itself. It can be a rewarding or frustrating process and like so many things in life it is all about the planning.

Initial considerations
Agreement on broad strategic objectives
Every new CEO will have ideas of their own as to where they would like to take the charity. Nevertheless it is important for trustees to consider and agree the general direction in which they want their charity to go. Having a three to five-year plan will help define this.

Agreement on the charity’s ethos, values and philosophy
What makes the charity special and what are the fundamental values with which the new CEO must be in agreement? Do staff and trustees agree on what the charity’s ethos, values and philosophy are? How will the trustees test whether long-listed candidates’ personal values and philosophy are compatible with those of the charity?

Identify future risks and challenges
It is also worthwhile spending time considering the major challenges and risks that the charity is facing currently and those which the charity is likely to face in the future. You will then have a much better picture of the sort of person you need to lead the charity into the next decade and will be able to probe, by the questions you ask short-listed candidates, how each candidate will deal with these challenges if they are appointed. Once the above issues have been considered, it is time to turn to some of the practical aspects of recruitment.

In-house or recruitment consultants?
Will you carry out the recruitment process in-house or will you engage some other form of external assistance such as a recruitment consultant or an independent assessor? Will the hunt for the new CEO be by advertisement only or by search as well? If you use recruitment consultants, how will you decide which one will best fulfil your needs?

All trustees or search committee?
Who will drive the process? Will it be all the trustees or will the trustees appoint a search committee? If the latter, who will chair the search committee and who will be on it? Will all the trustees be involved at some stage and, if so, at what stage?

Finally take time out
All these questions and many more will need to be considered by the trustees. Finding time during a routine trustee meeting to consider the broad strategic objectives, the charity’s ethos, values and philosophy and to give due consideration to the myriad of other related questions is nigh impossible if you want to give the issues sufficient and careful consideration. It is therefore strongly recommended that the trustees have an additional meeting or take a half-day out to discuss issues solely relating to the recruitment of the next CEO.

Questions for recruitment consultants
It is important to give time in advance to plan the questions that you wish to ask the recruitment consultants that you may be considering using. Listed below are a few questions that you may wish to ask.

• What recruitment process do you recommend when recruiting by advertisement alone, by search alone and by using a combination of advertising and search?
• How do you marry together candidates that come through search and candidates who respond to advertisements?
• What options do you offer and what are your fees for each option?
• What costs are not included in your fees and can you give us a rough idea of what these are likely to amount to?
• What is the ideal time scale for chief executive recruitment?
• If you are appointed by us, who will lead the process and who will work most closely with us/our search committee?
• Who else will be involved and what proportion of the work will be done by the lead person?
• In the last year how many charity chief executive appointments have you handled? How many were in the same sub-sector as us?
• Who is on your client list and who are you unable to approach as part of the search process?
• Can we speak to the chairs of at least two search committees that you have worked with recently?
• What steps do you take to test the integrity of each long-listed candidate’s CV?
• How do you ascertain that achievements claimed by candidates are genuine and not highly exaggerated?
• What in your view is the most thorough way of taking up references? Do you take up references or do we? 
• Do you take up references from people who are not named as referees but who know the candidate well?
• When the final candidate is selected, do you assist in negotiating the remuneration package?
• What happens if our first choice candidate refuses the offer and we do not feel that any of the other final candidates are suitable?
• What do you do to ensure confidentiality?
• Do you have a diversity policy and a conflict of interest policy? May we have copies?

The search committee’s remit
Having discussed and agreed the charity’s values, ethos, philosophy, broad strategic priorities, key future risks etc., the board needs to agree the remit of the search committee and the parameters within which the search committee must work. Listed below are some of the tasks that may be included in the search committee’s remit.

• Keeping the board and especially the chair of trustees, if he/she is not on the search committee, informed of progress;
• Selecting, engaging, briefing, liaising and supervising the recruitment consultants, if they are being used, and agreeing the level of their services and their fee;
• Deciding the outline remuneration package and main terms and conditions of the new chief executive’s contract;
• Producing the person specification, job description and candidate information pack with the help of others such as the current chief executive or the recruitment consultant;
• Agreeing, in consultation with the board, the outline timetable for the process and the detailed project plan with the recruitment consultant if one is being used, and ensuring that this timetable is complied with; 
• Deciding on the level of involvement of the search committee in long-listing and short-listing;
• Deciding on the process to reduce the long-list to the short-list [e.g. by interview only or a more detailed process, carried out by recruitment consultant or search committee] 
• Deciding on the level of involvement of the current chief executive, the senior management team and other stakeholders;
• Deciding whether or not to use an independent external adviser;
• Agreeing the method for making the final selection from the short-list, including at which stages the whole board will be involved, and carrying through this process;
• Deciding the timing of taking up references. Taking up references of short-listed candidates or the final candidate in writing and by telephone or face-to-face. Carrying out all relevant checks including CRB (if necessary) and medical checks on the chosen candidate;
• Informing the unsuccessful short-listed candidates and providing them with feedback. (This is sometimes delegated to the recruitment consultant);
• Thanking referees and those who nominated candidates during the search process;
• Negotiating the remuneration package and main terms and conditions of employment with the successful candidate (This is often done through the recruitment consultant);
• Planning the timetable for announcing the new appointment both internally and externally;
• Organising, in partnership with the chair of trustees, induction, support, arrangements for the review of performance towards the end of the probationary period and arrangements for the on-going appraisal of the chief executive;
• Outline planning of events to mark the achievements of the out-going chief executive and expressing the charity’s appreciation of his/her contribution.

The remit of the search committee should be sufficiently specific to ensure that the search committee takes the process in the right direction and sufficiently flexible to allow the search committee some creativity and extemporisation.

Sound governance and public trust

There is a lot of talk about public trust in the charity sector. A few years ago I wrote the following Knol ( a unit of knowledge ) which sets out my understanding of good governance. It has had 1,424 views and comments but as Google is prioritising its product efforts Knol is being discontinued. I’ve transferred this to my blog for safe keeping and hopefully your comments. Dose anyone fancy contributing to an updated version?

In my view sound governance is key to public trust. There are also some practical examples for Trustee recruitment.

Why a code of governance?
Governance is high on the agenda in all sectors – public, private and voluntary. As voluntary and community organisation working for public benefit, we are increasingly expected to demonstrate how well we are governed. Good governance is a vital part of how voluntary and community organisations operate and are held accountable.

Other sectors have already developed Codes in recent years. Housing associations have a detailed Code prepared by the National Housing Federation. Co-operatives UK have the Corporate Governance Code of Best Practise. In the public sector, there is the new Good Governance Standard for Public Services. The private sector has its 2004 Combined Code on Corporate Governance, which builds on the work of the Cadbury, Greenbury and Higgs Inquiries over the last decade or so. Action in our sector is overdue.

This Code arises from directly expressed needs in the voluntary sector. These came from organisations which needed guidance to clarify the main principles of governance and to help them in decision-making, accountability and the work of their boards. In response to these demands, a group of voluntary sector infrastructure associations, with the Charity Commission, came together and decided to work towards developing the Code. Vitally, the Code has thus been developed by and for voluntary and community organisations.

What is ‘governance’?
One writer on governance in our sector has helpfully defined governance as being: “the systems and processes concerned with ensuring the overall direction, effectiveness, supervision and accountability of an organisation.”
In our sector, trustees take ultimate responsibility for the governance of their organisations. However, governance is not a role for trustees alone. More, it is the way trustees work with chief executives and staff, volunteers, service users, members and other stakeholders to ensure their organisation is effectively and properly run and meets the needs for which the organisation was set up.

The key principles of good governance
The key principles set out below have been used in the drawing up of this Code, and provide the main headings for its sections. They are set out here not as a part of the Code, but to set the context, and to help with interpretation.

Underlying each of these is the additional principle of equality – that of ensuring equity, diversity and equality of treatment for all sections of the community. We see this as fundamental to the work of all voluntary and community sector organisations; rather than creating a separate ‘Equality’ section, the principle has been used to inform all sections of the Code.

• Board leadership. Every organisation should be led and controlled by an effective Board of trustees which collectively ensures delivery of its objects, sets its strategic direction and upholds its values 
• The Board in control. The trustees as a Board should collectively be responsible and accountable for ensuring and monitoring that the organisation is performing well, is solvent, and complies with all its obligations 
• The high performance Board. The Board should have clear responsibilities and functions, and should compose and organise itself to discharge them effectively 
• Board review and renewal. The Board should periodically review its own and the organisation’s effectiveness, and take any necessary steps to ensure that both continue to work well 
• Board delegation. The Board should set out the functions of sub-committees, officers, the chief executive, other staff and agents in clear delegated authorities, and should monitor their performance 
• Board and trustee integrity. The Board and individual trustees should act according to high ethical standards, and ensure that conflicts of interest are properly dealt with. 
• The open Board. The Board should be open, responsive and accountable to its users, beneficiaries, members, partners and others with an interest in its work.

These principles can also be expressed in terms of personal attributes:

The Nolan principles
Selflessness: Holders of public office should take decisions solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other benefits for themselves, their family or their friends.
Integrity: Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might influence them in the performance of their official duties.
Objectivity: In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit.
Accountability: Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.
Openness: Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands.
Honesty: Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.
Leadership: Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.

Board Leadership
Every organisation should be led and controlled by an effective Board of trustees which collectively ensures delivery of its objects, sets its strategic direction and upholds its values. Trustees have and must accept ultimate responsibility for directing the affairs of their organisation, ensuring it is solvent, well-run, and delivering the outcomes for which it has been set up.

Strategic direction
Trustees should focus on the strategic direction of their organisation, and avoid becoming involved in day to day operational decisions and matters. Where trustees do need to become involved in operational matters, they should separate their strategic and operational roles.

The Board in control
The trustees as a Board should collectively be responsible and accountable for ensuring and monitoring that the organisation is performing well, is solvent, and complies with all its obligations.

• Compliance The Board must ensure that the organisation complies with its own governing document, relevant laws, and the requirements of any regulatory bodies.
• Internal controls The Board should maintain and regularly review the organisation’s system of internal controls, performance reporting, policies and procedures.
• Prudence The Board must act prudently to protect the assets and property of the organisation, and ensure that they are used to deliver the organisation’s objectives.
• Managing Risk The Board must regularly review the risks to which the organisation is subject, and take action to mitigate risks identified.
• Equality and diversity The Board should ensure that it upholds and applies the principles of equality and diversity, and that the organisation is fair and open to all sections of the community in all of its activities.

The high performance Board

• The Board should have clear responsibilities and functions, and should compose and organise itself to discharge them effectively.
• Trustee duties and responsibilities Trustees should understand their duties and responsibilities and should have a statement defining them.
• The effective Board The Board should organise its work to ensure that it makes the most effective use of the time, skills and knowledge of trustees.
• Information and advice Trustees should ensure that they receive the advice and information they need in order to make good decisions.
• Skills and experience The trustees should have the diverse range of skills, experience and knowledge needed to run the organisation effectively.
• Development and support Trustees should ensure that they receive the necessary induction, training and ongoing support needed to discharge their duties.
• The Chief Executive The Board should make proper arrangements for the supervision, support, appraisal and remuneration of its CEO.

Board review and renewal

• The Board should periodically review its own and the organisation’s effectiveness, and take any necessary steps to ensure that both continue to work well.
• Performance appraisal The Board should regularly review and assess its own performance, that of individual trustees, and of sub-committees, standing groups and other bodies.
• Renewal and Recruitment The Board should have a strategy for its own renewal. Recruitment of new trustees should be open, and focused on creating a diverse and effective Board.
• Review The Board should periodically carry out strategic reviews of all aspects of the organisation’s work, and use the results to inform positive change and innovation.

Board delegation

• The Board should set out the functions of sub-committees, officers, the CEO, other staff and agents in clear delegated authorities, and should monitor their performance.
• Clarity of roles The Board should define the roles and responsibilities of the chair and other honorary officers, in writing.
• Effective delegation The Board should ensure that staff, volunteers and agents have sufficient delegated authority to discharge their duties. All delegated authorities must have clear limits relating to budgetary and other matters.
• Terms of reference The Board should set clear terms of reference for subcommittees, standing groups, advisory panels, etc.
• Monitoring All delegated authorities must be subject to regular monitoring by the Board.

Board and trustee integrity

• The Board and individual trustees should act according to high ethical standards, and ensure that conflicts of interest are properly dealt with.
• No personal benefit Trustees must not benefit from their position beyond what is allowed by the law and is in the interests of the organisation.
• Dealing with conflicts of interest Trustees should identify and promptly declare any actual or potential conflicts of interest affecting them.
• Probity There should be clear guidelines for receipt of gifts or hospitality by trustees.

Board openness

• The Board should be open, responsive and accountable to its users, beneficiaries, members, partners and others with an interest in its work.
• Communication and consultation Each organisation should identify those with a legitimate interest in its work (stakeholders), and ensure that there is a strategy for regular and effective communication with them about the organisation’s achievements and work.
• Openness and accountability The Board should be open and accountable to stakeholders about its own work, and the governance of the organisation.
• Stakeholder involvement The Board should encourage and enable the engagement of key stakeholders, such as users and beneficiaries, in the organisation’s planning and decision-making.

Evaluation of effectiveness of the board of trustees
The Board’s effectiveness can be monitored by examining whether we have:

• achieved our aims & objectives for the preceding year
• met or exceeded the needs of our beneficiaries
• used our resources, both financial & physical, to their greatest effect
• worked within our policy framework.

The individual and collective expertise of Trustees along with their emotional commitment, contribution and regular attendance at Board meetings recognised and acknowledged.

Board effectiveness should be reviewed at the AGM, and would focus on:

• organisational achievement based on the above criteria
• Board interactivity, support and fit with achieving organisational outcomes.

To support this focus, the Board would seek feedback from the Senior Management Team on overall performance (feed back via the Chief Executive).

Board tenure
The Charities tenure policy should support the Charity’s commitment to grow, and develop sustainable services at the centre of our cause, with the desire to allow ample time for trustees to:

• become familiar with the day-to-day operational work of the Charity for which the staff team are responsible
• contribute to the governance of the Charity for which the Board is responsible
• sustain a consistent approach to the strategic focus of the Charity
• arrange for cohesive succession planning for new trustees to join the Board, along with the allocation of the key roles of Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary.

The intention is to achieve a successful board mix that can:

• be refreshed to support the changing needs of the organisation
• ensure balance is maintained by creating a culture of trustees moving on as a positive strategy that underpins the advantages of a rolling board and sustains continuity
• encourages new people to join bringing fresh skills and thinking
• and acknowledges individual past contribution to the Charity’s success.

Board tenure policy

• The charity invites individuals with appropriate experience to join the Board of Trustees and to confirm their commitment to serve the Charity as a trustee for a period of two terms of three years.
• Designated trustees will be appointed to the role of Chair for a period of two years.
• Designated trustees will be appointed to the role of Vice Chair for a minimum period of one year, and then succeed to the role of Chair when appropriate.
• Designated trustees will be appointed to the role of Secretary for as long as possible during the remainder of their term.

The best minute of your business life or getting a brilliant networking sixty seconds

Many networking groups give their members and visitors just sixty seconds to put themselves across. So how do you make the most of this VERY short time to do what's also known as the elevator pitch on the basis that if you met your best prospect in a lift how would you get your message over in the time it would take to get to the 6th floor?


Some points to consider from my experience of good and bad pitches;

• Be passionate and enthusiastic about your business
• Smile
• Make good eye contact with everyone in the room, although don’t just rotate your head from side to side
• Humour can work well, if you can build it in naturall
• Be clear about your USP
• Use props
• The word "help" is very powerful - "I would like your help to find new clients..."
• The word "imagine" is very powerful - "Imagine you are facing a new business challenge..."
• Remember your VITAL call to action - "This week I am looking for.."
• Plan your elevator pitch rather than making it up on the spot
• Vary your pitches each time you deliver
• Facts tell, stories sell

Some years ago I attended a one day networking conference and got some inspiration for structuring my 60 seconds in the form of two suggested templates which might be helpful to you:

Hello my name is...
I help people...
And this is really good for them because...
I did this with (success story)...
Which went really well because...
So this week I would like to speak to ... and I want you to say...to them

OR

My name is...
I work with...
Who have a problem with...
Because what I do is...
Which helps them...
For example (success story)...
The person I would like to speak to is ...as I want you to say...to them

When we stand up and deliver our elevator pitch we sometimes forget that communication is a two way process. In fact it is a flawed process since one study concluded that:

• we hear half of what is said
• we listen to half of what we hear
• we understand half of that
• we believe half of that
• and remember only half of that!

...hence the reason why you need to explain yourself clearly when you rely heavily on word of mouth recommendation. Think of your networking time as a relay race with your 60 seconds being the baton that passes from you to a group member and from that member to their contacts. The better your pitch the easier it will be for others to spread the word on your behalf.

Leadership and communication

Communication, like charity, must begin at home.

All communication should flow uninterrupted around an organisation, like blood through the body. If the flow is blocked, damage soon occurs. CEOs today must lead through more personal and direct communication to harness both internal and external support and turn their vision into reality.

I think it is necessary to radically rethink how the CEO educates and enthuses their organisation with their vision. The CEO must remember that leaders empower their followers, that every one of their employees is their ambassador. They must also be aware that their reputation can make or break the reputation of their organisation and that there is usually a gap between perceptions and reality!

For me these quotes sum it all up;

“It is hard to look up to a leader who just keeps his ear to the ground”

“Leaders have a vision of a better future, they feel strongly about the need to go there”

“There go my people. I must find out where they are going, so that I can lead them there”

This all revolves around the basic belief that companies must put their people, not their customers, first. Leadership is doing the right things and management is doing things right!
Leadership is about impact and impact can only be achieved by communicating effectively and by moulding a positive image. In my view good communication is about;

• Shaping and influencing opinion
• Sharing information and views
• Inspiring and re-assuring
• Being honest and transparent
• Building trust and co-operation
• Listening, listening and listening…

Please add to, improve or comment on this list.

A NEW New Years Resolution

As the 9th January is meant to be the day most people in the UK break their New Years resolution I thought that the 10th was a good day to suggest a fresh resolution. “Develop a sound social media strategy”.

Slowly but surely I am starting to understand how important it is for me to get involved with social media marketing. If you are like me and want to manage your online presence all by yourself, and you’re feeling overwhelmed, maybe this blog can help you stick to your shinny new resolution.

Start with the – “Why?”

Many people get into social media for the wrong reason and participate in the networks they joined too much or too little. Now’s a great time to really give some thought to why you are involved in the social networks you are involved in. Having clarity in the “Why?” is the first step in getting yourself organised and on track. Here’s a few ideas to help you answer the question.

• Are you involved with social media to boost your ego? Do you collect followers, connections, and Likes solely so you can tell your friends about the numbers you’ve amassed?
• Do you really want to engage with the people you’ve connected with, or do you just want to promote yourself or your product all the time?
• Did you join a particular social network just because “Everyone I know is on …?”
• Are you prepared to put in the time necessary to accomplish your social media marketing goals consistently throughout 2012?

The answers to these questions are important and will help you form your social media marketing strategy for 2012. Businesses and business people, wanting to succeed in the world as it is today, must WANT to connect. You must WANT to connect with you current clients, customers and prospects if you want to be a successful social marketer. These are the people who will help your business grow. Now, when I say “connect,” I mean really engaging in conversations with people instead of pummeling them with promotions for your product or service. I mean adding value to people’s lives on a regular basis with your posts ( like this one?! ). I mean working hard to build lasting online relationships with your connections so they trust and respect you.

If you don’t consistently provide your connections with valuable content you and your business will be forgotten. If you over do it and post too much people will get irritated and stop following you. The key to a successful social media strategy is the same key to a happy and healthy life: Balance.

Whether you are a small business or a BIG company your commitment to social networking should be consistent, compelling and engaging. The social community is a fickle one. They will follow someone who is consistent, compelling and engaging, but once you slip up, they’re gone, never to return.

Developing a social networking schedule you can handle, must also keep you accountable. Again, the goal is consistency. Build your schedule and stick with it for an entire month. At the end of the month, stop and evaluate your efforts to determine if you are still on goal. Do you need to tweak the schedule? Do you need to get involved in more social networks or less?

Here’s my New Years resolution social media marketing schedule. You can use my schedule to generate ideas that will help you create your own schedule to meet your needs and the needs of your social communities, accomplish your goals, and fit your particular business and work style.

I will…

Two times a day

• Check my Twitter feed. Reply when required and check the keywords I am looking for. Join a conversation or two.
• Check my LinkedIn profile and visit some of the Groups I am in. I will engage with my LinkedIn network in some way twice a day, every day.
• Check my Facebook Page and post something of value or respond to comments.
• Check my Google Alerts for information on your competitors and mentions of your own brand. Actually I have not really got to grips with Google Alerts so this is more a must learn how to resolution!

Once A Week

• Work on Twitter and Facebook Lists to be better organised so I am able to send targeted marketing messages when appropriate.
• Really spend some time in LinkedIn Answers and discussions in the Groups I belong to.
• Schedule tweets and status updates for the next week so I am consistently providing myr connections with “valuable” information.
• Spend some time building relationships with other influencers.
• Keep up to date on new products and social tools that may increase my efficiency and reach.

During the Week

Monday
Schedule tweets and status updates to provide meaningful content in addition to the content I scheduled in my once a week session.

Mondays and Wednesdays
Get involved in an industry specific conversation on Twitter.

Tuesdays
Respond to blog comments on my blog and leave a comment or two on another blog. Remember what I said about building trust and credibility!

Fridays
Check on the things I’ve been listening to. This would also be a good day to take a look at my analytics and analyse my website and blog traffic for the week.

I’m sure that your schedule is likely to be very different from this one. Consider your time commitments. Make the schedule something you will really do every week, stick to your NEW New Years resolution. Tweak the schedule along the way but remember that consistency is key.

Please share some of your own ideas in the comments.

The good news for 2012

Following on nicely from my last blog. I have been lucky enough to meet a number of interesting and stimulating people in course of my work. Some of whom have become my friend. Once such friend is John Hollands. He runs a small marketing company in Littlehampton, RWP. He always has sound advice and creative ideas. I'd like to share this e-mail he sent me. I think you will agree it made for a good read on a Sunday morning.

I hope you all had a great Christmas and managed to use the break to get some rest and recreation. I was ill for a couple of days (like quite a few people by the sounds of it) and this gave me some time to do a little reading. The first thing that struck me was how negative the news is, not only did it seem to be quite a violent period of time over Christmas but how down everyone was on the economy.

Here’s the funny thing. Our clients and almost all of the business owners I know are quietly confident and upbeat about business in 2012. So how can they be down on the economy yet up about their own prospects. Who knows? – I thought I would do some digging. Can it all be negative?

Headline 1 - Double dip and depression on the horizon. Well, if you define a depression as a prolonged period in which output lies below its previous peak, then the USA, UK and many other European countries are already in one. Doesn’t seem too bad does it? It's just a label.

Headline 2 - Unemployment hits new high. True - 14th December 2011 UK unemployment increases to 2.64m but there are two points to mention.
a) That’s 8.3% of the population. So 92.2% of the UK population is still in work, still has money to spend and in fact more disposable income due to the record low interest rates (despite the inflation rate and rising costs).
b) The rate of increase in the jobless total is very much slowing down.

Headline 3 - The break up of the eurozone will cause the collapse of Europe, a deep depression across the continent, British businesses will suffer and jobs would be lost. The eurozone is Britain’s largest trading partner. etc etc - Nick Clegg suggests "millions of livelihoods at risk".

I had a look at this and here are the facts.

• The eurozone countries account for 43% of our imports and 47% of our exports. Our exports account for 27% of GDP. So roughly only 13% of our economy is dependent on exporting stuff to the eurozone. 
• Maybe luckily; Britain doesn't make many things that people buy in the shops these days. What we do do is weapons, pharmaceuticals and oil and petroleum products followed by business and legal services, financial services, design and consultancy. (Plus Scotch whiskey and Japanese cars) So realistically some of these sectors would continue to do OK even if a deep depression leads to a 5%-10% drop in GDP. - Not quite a collapse is it?

A collapse of the euro could mean that currencies will need to be re-established and the only place with that kind of expertise is the city. Lawyers will be redrafting contracts and filing writs, consultants will be working overtime. American, Japanese and Korean firms may relocate here to escape an unstable eurozone and of course British firms could snap up assets across Europe at bargain prices. The more I think about it the brighter this outcome could be.

So enough about the economy. Where then do we stand from a marketing point of view? We have been advising our clients to

1. Keep their current customers as close as possible. Try a simple phone call. 
2. Add more value. Don't discount - give that little bit extra, people are spending but they are looking for good value. 
3. Look at what is working and do more of that. 
4. Find what is not working very well and stop it.

Good luck for 2012. If you need some advice send me an email. If you like my email send me an email.

( If you want to take him up on his offer his website is http://www.rwpgroup.com/  I have not included his e-mail address in case of spams)

Fundraising in hard times

As bad as this economic downturn has been for us all, chairites who survive will have learned lessons that will prove invaluable later, whether times are good or times are bad. Here are some tips I have collected over the past few years.

I’d be interested in hearing your experiences.

Which ones have you tried?

Can you add to the list?

1. Don't become or sound desperate.Instead, emphasise to your donors that every year, good or bad, your needs continue. Don't talk about grand plans for expansion, but do talk about solid plans for today. Don't lose your enthusiasm and optimism about your cause. Donors will notice and pull back if they think that you, the fundraiser, have doubts.
2. Prove that you are responsible. Let your donors know that you are doing your part by being financially responsible. Cut costs where you can, make sure you have good controls in place, and that you are examining marginal programs. Keep your money safe and avoid risky investments. Don’t do an Iceland!
3. Don't give up on your corporate and cause-marketing activities. Gifts may decrease, but keep your corporate contacts strong. It is very hard to get back on the corporate charitable list if you are dropped. Avoid this by staying visible, and keep cultivating your contacts within the company. Likewise, don't give up on cause-related marketing. Companies are finding that these activities pay off for them with consumer loyalty. Remember too that just because a company's stock price has been depressed doesn't mean that it is not a strong company. Look at the balance sheet to identify companies that are in a good position, and that will likely come back strong from the economic meltdown.
4. Diversify your funding sources by identifying all types of financial support. Avoid depending on one or two major donors or trusts. Most charitable giving is made up of small donations. If you are not doing direct mail to a large base of supporters, start working toward doing so. Use the Internet to reach more people. The cost is low so that donations can be smaller. Those add up quickly. Explore payment options with low transaction costs and online donation sites.
5. Put your fundraising programs under the microscope. Determine which fundraising programs work best and are the most efficient in terms of resources. Then cut the least efficient ones and shift those resources to the ones that are doing the most good. Maybe that big special event eats up precious time and resources for very little return. Or the promotion you started last year just doesn't seem worth the time and effort. But, don't let the money and volunteer time you use in those efforts just dissipate. Put them to use by expanding the annual campaign or making more major donor calls or doing another planned giving seminar.
6. Don't pull the plug on major campaigns, but do slow down. If you were starting a capital campaign when the economic crisis hit, don't stop. But do slow down. Recognise that getting those lead gifts in the size you want will take longer and be dependent on how the economy is doing. If you ask for a multi-year gift, and the donor resists, fall back to asking for part of that gift now, and plan to go back later for the rest. Donors are understandably shy about making long-term commitments in this economic environment.
7. Keep up your marketing and PR. Building buzz about your good work will help you with your donors. The more they know and see your name about, the more likely they are to contribute to your cause. Got PR professionals on your board or committees? Seek their advice before you launch anything big. Let them organize a PR/Marketing Committee that might bring in other professionals to help. See if their firms can do pro bono work or work at a discount. This kind of help is really priceless.