Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Media, Media, Media

The opportunities keep expanding for nonprofits to communicate with markets. Even YouTube has a designated channel for nonprofits to tell the story. It touts video as “a powerful way to show your organization’s impact and needs…to the world’s largest online video community.”

Eligibility is limited to 501(C)(3) organizations in the U.S. that are not religious or political in nature and do not focus strictly on lobbying or policy change. YouTube also offers the option to fund raise through a Google “donate” button. Many nonprofits are suffering the affects of a giving base that is aging and this may offer an opportunity to develop a new and younger population interested in the work you do.

Jazzing up your PowerPoint is another way of grabbing attention of your audience, many of whom may be jaded by bullet points and boilerplate. Serious Magic offers a $99 add-in called Ovation that brings motion and semi-transparent moving text in the background. The bullet point moves into the foreground as you speak and retreats as you move on. A timer helps keep you on track and a teleprompter-like feature upgrades your performance.

For less serious audiences, VoxProxy puts animated talking characters into your PowerPoint (think Clippy the paper clip). You can even apply your own voice or program the characters to have a conversation with you. Price is $199. The Microsoft Press book, 'Beyond Bullet Points", by Cliff Atkinson, is a classroom in a book on enhancing presentations by the creative use of PowerPoint. Serious Magic includes several chapters in the box with Ovation. Free tips and downloads are available at Atkinson’s web site.

Myrna Meadows, NRS, International Falls

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