A recent study, titled The Next Generation of American Giving, cites that the majority of fundraising targets older, more mature donors, but this segment of the population is quickly shrinking. Nonprofits are going to be forced to attract a new generation of donors. Generation Y, or the Millenniums, is a growing segment of the population with more than 71 million people compared to the 41 million Generation Xers before them.

The study also reports that matures give, on average, $1,066 per year to 6.3 charities, while baby boomers give $901 per year to 5.2 charities. Generation X gives $796 on average to 4.2 charities, and Generation Y gives $341 to 3.6 charities.

So the question is, how do we persuade Generation Y to give more? Consider the following recommendations to help attract young donors:

1)      Host events that appeal to younger audiences. Each year, Allied Arts hosts their “ARTini” fundraiser, an event inspired by dedicated young professionals in the Oklahoma City metro area. This year, the event raised more than $20,000 to support arts programs in central Oklahoma.

2)      Reserve a seat for them at the table. Set aside designated seats on committees and boards for young professionals. Get them excited about your cause. Vilakazi, a foundation focused on improving the lives of South African children by helping provide more access to education, health and athletics, is an organization motivated and started by young individuals. Their entire board is made up of individuals under the age of 35. Last month, Vilakazi hosted an event, Wine for Wickets, with affordable tickets starting at $25 to draw a younger crowd.

3)      Encourage small giving. It’s important to promote consistent giving. Every little bit counts, even if it’s just $10 a month. The United Way of Central Oklahoma encourages contributions as small as $5 a month, which is less intimidating for a young professional who is trying to establish a sound financial base. It’s also important to highlight volunteer opportunities for those who can’t afford to give just yet. Chances are, they will start to contribute when they can.

4)      Communicate with them on their own terms. Social media is a great way to reach different generation segments. Frequently update your Facebook and Twitter. Keep your supporters engaged, and provide them with a platform to respond and interact with your organization.

5)      Offer different ways to donate. In an always-connected world, it’s important for nonprofits to offer different methods by which to give, such as text messages, online, automatic withdrawal, etc. The recent Haiti earthquake provoked a wave of text contributions. The American Red Cross launched a viral campaign to collect contributions, totaling more than $8 million only weeks following the disaster.

By applying these simple strategies, nonprofits can attract younger patrons who will help sustain their organization before it’s time for the next generation to step in.

1. Update resume, and research job hunting tips for your industry.
2. Update profiles in LinkedIn, and make sure there is no inappropriate content on Twitter or Facebook.
3. Search for jobs in your industry (in our industry, places like PRSA in Oklahoma City or Tulsa).
4. Write terrific cover letter that is customized for the position.
5. Wait for an interview.
6. Practice answering the tough questions.
7. Interview for the position.
8. Follow up with a handwritten thank you note.

From the perspective of someone who interviews candidates frequently, there is a major item on the checklist that is often overlooked: preparing questions that you, the candidate, should ask the employer during an interview.  

If you accept a position with a company, and you know you will be spending the majority of your time every day at that company, don’t you want to make sure it is a good fit for you? Most people are so concerned with getting the job, they don’t stop to ask questions that will ultimately determine their future happiness.

Why are you looking for a new job in the first place? If it is because you are unhappy at your current job, you need to assess why that is the case. Do you feel like there isn’t opportunity for advancement, is your supervisor a micromanager, do you have to travel more than you would like? If so, shouldn’t you be interviewing your potential employer to make sure they fit your needs?

When people neglect to ask me questions during an interview, I assume it is because they are just looking for a job so they can pay the bills, and that they are not interested in finding out if our firm would be the perfect fit for them.  

I recommend that candidates research everything they can on a company prior to interviewing them (you should not ask a question that is easily answered by reading their website) and come with a list of specific questions.

Here is a list of general questions that could be used in most cases:

• What is your management style (or management style of the would-be supervisor)?
• Will this position allow for me to take initiative or will most of my projects be assigned to me?
• How would you describe the culture of the company or culture of the department?
• What qualities do you believe are the most important for a person in this position to have?
• Would I be involved in the budgeting process (if applicable)?
• Do you encourage teamwork and will the person filling this position work more with teams or on their own?

Demonstrating an interest (outside of the paycheck) in the job you are interviewing for will show the employer that you have initiative and that you are genuinely invested in ensuring this is a position you would like to hold for the long-term.

Make a good first impression. Exude confidence, be friendly, offer a firm handshake and smile. Relax and let the conversation flow.  Practice the art of “small talk.” It pays to just chat and take the time to get to know the other person better. Ask them about their business, where they are from, etc. Expressing a genuine interest in another person and their life helps makes them feel comfortable in a new environment. How else are you going to connect with that person? And isn’t that what networking is all about? Hint: people like doing business with people they like.

It’s not all about you and your business. You need to be genuine and interested in what others have to say. Ask questions, listen to their responses and find ways you can help them out. Then, deliver. When they need your service, they’ll remember your favor. The absolute worst “networkers” – and I use that term loosely – are those who seem hungry for your card and then make a dash for the door. While they may become a topic of conversation for others at the event, it’s highly unlikely they’re going to walk away with any new business.

Be prepared.  The last thing you want to do is get stumped on a simple question about your business. Many rely on a “30 second commercial” to explain their business and what they do. It should be concise and convey the key points you want to get across. This is a great technique to use, but be careful it doesn’t sound robotic or rehearsed. 

Keep in contact. Follow up, but do so respectfully. Make sure they know you’re there, but respect their space, and be careful not to come off as being pushy.

Always be on. Any place is a potential place for networking. You never know where you’ll meet a great contact. Who knows? Maybe you’ll make the perfect connection when in the line at the grocery store or coffee shop. Take it from the social butterfly, I’ve met people in the most random places, and some of them are now great friends. These encounters always make the best stories. 

Break out of your comfort zone. Expand your network. If you’re always going to the same places, such as the same organizational meetings, this is your circle. Try attending something different and expand your circle. There’s always a new group of people, you just have to find them. It’s likely that this is an untapped group that your competitors aren’t connected with either. This is a phenomenal way to not only gain new contacts, but also new perspectives. People are habitual; sometimes you need to consciously make a change. 

Utilize social media. We are in the age of online friendships. Why not take advantage of it, and play the game?

Keeping these tips in mind, you’ll be sure to make great connections!

Here are a few lessons I’ve learned along the way

Establish a routine- As humans, we thrive on routine. Think of the fussy toddler who missed his usual daytime nap. Adults are no different – except that we may not roll around, kicking and screaming, on the floor as much.

In an April 1 interview with National Public Radio, Tina Brown said, “When my magazine Talk folded, it was very hard for me to get readjusted to not flying out the door in the morning and having my little routine: stopping at that coffee shop on the corner, picking up the paper. You think of them as chores, but actually when you’re not doing them you feel somewhat at a loss.”

For me, the biggest loss that you have to regain as soon as you start working from home is a routine.

Get out of your PJs- I believe in that saying, “The clothes make the man” – or woman, in this case. No matter how glorious it sounds to lead conference calls in your pajamas, I’ve found that I have more confidence when I make an effort to get dressed for the day. That confidence will be reflected in the work you produce and your conversations with clients.

Change your mind- When you work from home, your location and clothing may not change much, but your mind has to get into work mode, even when loads of laundry await you. Learn how to stay focused and make work a priority. Schedule your office hours, and stick to ‘em! It is especially helpful if you can establish regular meetings for projects. I know a freelancer who schedules every call – another good tactic.

Network, network, network- When you aren’t surrounded by a group of coworkers and traveling to  many meetings outside of your house, it becomes more important than ever to network. Take advantage of professional organizations and the resources they offer. I discovered the Freelance Alliance  here in Dallas.

Call on agencies- I am proud to still call myself a “Saxumite,” as I have continued working with the Saxum PR team on a variety of projects throughout the past year. If you’ve worked at an agency before, you understand that workflow can drastically increase or decrease from month-to-month. Position yourself to be a go-to resource when extra help is needed. And don’t wait for agencies to call you. Be the first to pick up the phone and check in.

You might call at just the right time.

I have managed Saxum’s internship program for the past three years and take great pride in seeing it grow and succeed. Since its inception in 2005, we have had nearly 40 interns go through our program. Of our current staff of 22, four were once interns. We treat our internship like an extended job interview. Interns have three to four months to show us exactly why they should be hired. At the end of their internship, if we are looking for an entry-level candidate, nine times out of 10 we will look to our intern candidate pool for applicants. It’s a win-win for the intern and for us.

So what does all this mean?

For the intern, I offer this advice:

1. From day one, make yourself indispensable. Show your employer the value you bring to the table so when the time comes, they have no choice but to make you a full-time employment offer.
2. Seek out opportunities. Your co-workers are busy and may not always have the time to hand off a task that you may be interested in learning. Be proactive and ask if you can observe or participate in a project that sounds appealing to you.
3. Practice proper business etiquette. Dress for the position you want, not the position you have. If that means wearing a suit in the middle of summer, so be it. I did.

For the employer, I offer this advice:

1. Pay your interns. I realize some organizations, such as nonprofits, may not have the budget to pay interns. But for those who do, pay them. Even if it’s not hourly, you can offer a stipend at the end of the internship. They are providing your organization with a service and should be compensated for their work. Plus, you will more than likely get better results from an intern who is paid, since they are more motivated to produce results.
2. Give them practical work. Don’t just have your interns make coffee, answer phones, file and run errands. While some of these administrative tasks must be done, it shouldn’t be the majority of what they do. If you need an admin or office manager, hire one. It’s not fair to an intern wanting experience to be stuck doing work they didn’t sign up for. After all, an internship is about on-the-job training.
3. Provide feedback. We give our interns two reviews during their internship – One midway through their internship and one at the end. We take this opportunity to solicit feedback from other team members about the interns’ performance and share with them opportunities for growth and areas in which they excel. They can’t improve if they don’t know what they are doing wrong.

If you are interested in an internship or career with Saxum, please visit our Careers page on our website.

Let’s start with a few seemingly obvious job interview tips, like making sure you don’t have leftovers stuck in your smile. It’s important that you dress to impress. I suggest wearing a suit; heels for women, ties for men. Women should avoid heavy make up, limit items of jewelry and avoid open-toed shoes and bare legs (wear hosiery if you choose to wear a skirt). Men should be clean-shaven and sport a tame head of hair.

When preparing for an interview, organize a comprehensive, professional-looking portfolio of relevant work, if applicable to the position. Be sure to take plenty professional hard copy resumes and references, even if you have already provided electronic copies.

Mentally preparing for the interview is essential, too. Know their business – future employers love when you can tell them what you know about their company. Know answers to tough questions like, “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” and “Why are you a fit for our company?” You may also want to have a few questions of your own in your back pocket to give you a sense of the working environment, such as “What do you like best about your job?”

During the interview, try not to think of the immense pressure of finding a paycheck, but have fun with the interview, ask questions and show your confidence and your willingness to continue learning. Also remember to give original answers. For instance, instead of saying “I’m a people person,” you could say you thrive in a collaborative environment.

Social media provides great networking opportunities for savvy job seekers. There are many career experts on social media offering tips and posting job openings. On Twitter, public relations jobs are regularly posted by various users, including @PRjobs, @GetPubRelatJobs and @PRWork, to name a few. If you don’t already have one, be sure to create a LinkedIn profile with your previous work experience, resume and references. You can also create a Google profile, which will show up in search results for your name.

And potential employers will search for you online. The New York Times reports that in a recent survey, 45 percent of employers questioned are using social networks to screen job candidates. That’s more than double the number using social network screening last year. If you are applying for jobs, Google yourself and make sure the results don’t surprise you. Your social media profiles should be clean, professional and could include links to your online resume or portfolio. A good rule of thumb is don’t post any messages you wouldn’t want your grandmother to read.

Be creative, persistent and flexible.Before joining Saxum, I was working in New Jersey and looking for an opportunity to move home to Oklahoma. Through Twitter, I saw Renzi Stone was just across the Hudson in Manhattan and asked to meet with him on the off chance he had time available. He quickly answered, and an hour later we were walking toward Grand Central Station discussing my qualifications on the way to his next meeting. My creativity, determination and willingness to walk and talk must have impressed him!

And lastly, always send individual thank you notes to each person you meet, including any specific details from your talk to help keep you top-of-mind throughout their hiring process.

Happy job hunting!

He asked me what I like most about public relations. I quickly answered, “Working with nonprofits.” He looked at me, puzzled, and said, “Why? There’s no money in nonprofits!” My interest in helping nonprofits with public relations has nothing to do with monetary reward, but with the reward of helping a cause larger than myself.

Many nonprofits do operate on a limited marketing budget, so working in the industry often requires inexpensive, creative solutions to meet objectives. Here are some recommendations on inexpensive ways to market your nonprofit without blowing your budget.

1. Establish a social media presence. Social media channels like Facebook, Twitter and You Tube are free to join and can increase your nonprofit’s visibility in the community. These sites can also improve your search engine optimization.
2. Develop corporate and community partnerships that make sense. The Made in Oklahoma Coalition (client), a group of Oklahoma food manufacturers who work to promote local Oklahoma products, has established a successful partnership with local food banks. A portion of proceeds from the sale of MIO paper towels and cookbooks benefit the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma and the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma Food 4 Kids program. 
3. Use social media as a tool for fundraising. Following the devastating earthquake in Haiti, online fundraising efforts by @RedCross became one of the top 10 trending topics on Twitter and raised millions of dollars. Social media can provide an immediate call to action for your supporters to contribute to your cause.
4. Join nonprofit coalition groups that can help advocate for you in the legislature and community. The Oklahoma Women’s Coalition is a great example of an education and advocacy coalition with a growing membership of organizations, including local chapters of the YWCA and the League of Women Voters. 
5. Engage your elected officials. Invite them to your events and incorporate them into major announcements. They can become your biggest advocate and add credibility to your initiatives.
6. Build solid relationships with local media and trade publications. Follow them on Twitter, invite them to your special events and arrange for media tours of your facilities. Respond quickly to their requests, and you will build trust. Be a resource for them, even when it doesn’t result in media coverage.
7. Develop social media campaigns around your advocacy projects. Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity (client) uses Twitter and Facebook to share photos, update followers about opportunities, promote partnerships and the Renovation Station stores.
8. Go green. Make simple and sustainable changes in the way you conduct business. Refrain from printing annual reports and newsletters and distribute them online or in digital form. Turn off computers and power strips at the end of the day. Green practices will cut costs and can make your nonprofit more interesting to media.
9. Publicize your events on free online calendar listings. Use free social media news release tools like PitchEngine and Scribd to spread the word online. 
10. Start a blog. Update a Wordpress blog daily to keep your volunteers, board members and donors informed and position yourself as an expert. Link to your blog and other social media sites from your main Web site to drive traffic.

If applied, these easy and affordable measures can help market nonprofits in a cost-effective, successful manner.

The Financial Brand, an interesting Web site that offers information about just that – financial brands – offers an extensive 80-page report about how financial institutions can “harness the power of Twitter.” Granted, you may not have the time to review such an extensive report, but it’s interesting to know that the research is out there. Highlights include:

• Promote new products and offers
• Share personal finance tips
• Express their brand and reveal their personalities
• Build community outreach programs
• Provide information about community events and activities
• Increase exposure for their charitable and philanthropic efforts

Thankfully, the very helpful Mashable Web site offers five ways that banks can use social media to return real value for their institutions, with the top five being:

• Community building
• Product research
• Customer service
• Marketing and promotion
• Transparency

Financial institutions (and all other organizations using social media to connect with customers) need to remember that the number one reason to participate in social media is to build relationships.

Organizations who want to ultimately gain customers need to listen and engage at the point of need. For example, if you use Twitter to SPAM followers with your message or service (even if they are likely to use your services), they will most likely ignore and possibly resent your brand or organization.

Preferably, an organization should listen, engage and be involved in its follower’s posts only to suggest specific products or services if someone specifically asks for the information. For example, if there is a discussion about who has free checking, it would be appropriate to provide specific information. The goal is to be helpful and share without expectations.

The organization should establish that its investment in the community is for the long term, not just when there’s a transaction on the line. When the organization is engaged in the daily conversation and an opportunity arises to which the organization has expertise or interest, there is now the occasion and the invitation to connect.

With so many books, search engines and other resources available for solving writing riddles, it’s helpful to find a few tried-and-true options to keep in your back pocket.

Here are a few of the best resources (print and online) that I’ve found for improving writing skills:

AP Stylebook- An oldie, but a goodie. I don’t mean to be sacrilegious, but this book was my bible in college. Determined to be the best editor in my class, I tagged popular entries in my book with post-its, circled, highlighted and otherwise mauled my once-pristine copy. I used to read it for fun. That’s how nerdy I was/am. Since then, I’ve graduated to an online subscription, which allows for quick searches for stylebook entries.

Working with Words- Originally a college textbook for a news editing class, this is one I decided I had to keep, and I’m glad I did. Also tagged with post-its, my favorite sections include usage, which explains such popular mishaps as the difference between they’re, their and there and an entire section that tells you if a word is one word, two words or hyphenated. That section is my personal favorite for quizzing my office mates, which I’m sure they love.

Grammar Girl- Another online resource I frequently cite is Grammar Girl. She is one of many characters on the Web site, Quick and Dirty Tips, and she provides easy-to-understand tips for better writing. Not only does she provide really useful grammar tips, but the other Web site characters give advice on how to find the best deals, what to do when your dog doesn’t listen and how to keep your child from sucking his thumb. This site can teach you everything you need to know in life. Seriously. Sign up for her e-mails to get a daily dose of advice, become a fan on Facebook and follow her on Twitter @grammargirl.

The Oatmeal- While not a regular grammar resource, this site produced possibly the funniest comic I’ve read in a long time- “10 Words You Need to Stop Misspelling.” Just enjoy that one.

There have never been more ways to connect and find answers than there are now, which is great news for grammar gurus and novices alike. For more AP Style and grammar tips, you can follow me on Twitter @lisajanssen.

We launched the Saxum Speak Up campaign in October 2008 with a memo to our clients about how to communicate more effectively during the recession.

The tips:

1. Build customer and client relationships

Our team has focused on advising clients to become irreplaceable to their clients and customers by getting creative about relationships. The key has been an investment in time.

To date, Saxum has lost revenue from only a handful of clients and not one client laid us off because of the recession. Some have actually increased their budget. Our team approach and partner philosophy has made us a valued part of our client’s teams. We have weathered (and continue to weather) the storm together.

2. Educate your employees about what this means for your industry

In March, I made the decision to conduct a two day off-site strategic planning session with our entire firm (20+ people). We spent time talking about what worked, what doesn’t work and how to service our clients better. I have also given monthly financial updates. To date, our revenues are up double digits while we have reduced our reimbursed client expenses. We were selected for the Metro 50 award (for OKC’s fastest growing companies) for the third straight year.

Our industry has not fared as well, but we believe the upturn will create an incredible opportunity for public relations professionals. We believe organizations will keep advertising dollars low and increase Web 2.0 investment.

3. Invest in media relationships

The media has covered the economy like nothing it has covered before. Every client has had a strategy implemented to share thought leadership on this topic. Saxum has continued to seek new relationships which have paid dividends.

We also conducted our Saxum Social Media Summit this August to build social media relationships. Clients and nonclients were invited to attend a half-day training session with our partner from Connect Social Media, Jim Quillen. We answered two questions: What is social media? How do I use it?

93 percent responded to a survey and said the content was either helpful or very helpful.

4. Establish your company’s benefit to the community.

After reading what seemed like the 20th nonprofit solicitation letter in March, we came up with the idea of giving away $50,000 of our services to a United Way or Allied Arts partner in Oklahoma City who demonstrated a need. Born was the Saxum Step Up campaign. Step Up is an on-going community building campaign with our selected partner, The Oklahoma City Museum of Art. We were named the Journal Record’s Beacon Award (company making a difference) winner this July for our commitment to helping the museum. In addition, we made our largest financial contribution to date to the State, OKC, Tulsa and Austin chambers of commerce. Chambers are the front door to business for Oklahoma and Texas.

We’ve encouraged other clients to give of their time and money to help others in need. There are too many examples of clients who have taken this advice to list here.

5. Keep advertising

Besides real estate, advertising may have taken the biggest hit during the past year. The old financial model may not work anymore, but advertising will always help consumers and businesses make decisions. It may just be through new financial models, like uVizz.

6. Be transparent. Gain trust

In this Web 2.0 world where you can participate in discussions about your brand, being transparent has proved to be the only model to gain trust. Ask Bernie Madoff. Ask John Edwards. Ask Anna Naukam, the now jailed former director of OKC CASA. Ask Danny Rennels, former OSSAA director accused of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from the organization. You have to be transparent.

7. Smile

This tip sounded simple, but is not. Smiling represents optimism. By projecting a positive “can do” attitude, I’ve found that challenging situations were made easier. Plus, it takes more muscles to frown.

How have the seven tips helped you?

View the Speak Up Video.