Unless you live under a rock, you know how much social networking has changed the way we interact and socialize with one another – both online and 
face-to-face. The same power of social media has also changed the nonprofit landscape. And just like any other business, it’s the implementation of bold digital strategies that every nonprofit organization needs.
Take, for example, the Be Bold, Be Bald! fundraiser campaign. Introduced by Small Army for a Cause in 2009, it was developed to raise awareness and funds for the fight against cancer. Social media has played a major role in its popularity and success. Be Bold, Be Bald! successfully utilizes viral and word-of-mouth marketing through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, and its own website to create buzz around the event – scheduled for Friday, October 21.
The campaign itself is bold – asking participants to spend a day in a cancer patient’s shoes by “going bald.” Okay, so there aren’t any razors required – they simply have to wear a bald cap. But slap on a bald cap for an entire day and from the stares on the subway and the double takes on your walk to work, you’ll realize just how bold the move really is.
With this bold mission; the social media campaign has got to be bold too. And it is. Cancer survivors and participants are asked to share their “bold moves” and stories. Sharpie markers are being sent in this year’s participant packages asking them to write who they are being bold for and posting it on the Flickr feed. Any 501c3 cancer organization can become a beneficiary of the funds raised by those who go bald – and are given online tools so they can spread the word. Also, fans and followers can use the Balderizer app to encourage participation and make absolutely anyone bald – friends, families, or that girl with the great hair that you’d love to see lock-less.
A bold social media strategy allows nonprofits like Be Bold, Be Bald! to easily and quickly connect with fans and followers allowing word to spread and get others involved. Such connections instantly build a personalized, targeted, online community that has allowed the Be Bold, Be Bald! campaign to reach people coast to coast, even recently stretching outside US borders. How else would a grassroots nonprofit organization be able to bring people from around the world together for a common goal?
If you’re a nonprofit organization looking to implement a bold social media strategy, look at campaigns like Be Bold, Be Bald! for inspiration. Simple ideas, when implemented effectively, can go a long way with essentially no price tag. Just be sure to think outside of the box and most importantly, be bold.
Take advantage of our Social Media Strategies Summit Nonprofit Track this upcoming September 20-22 where GSMI will help bring your nonprofit into the social media world. Nonprofit and early bird discounts available.
