The emergence of the "connection economy" over the last several years has destroyed some business segments (Number of VHS tapes rented at Blockbuster Videos in the last 12 months? ZERO), restructured others (Number of CDs purchased versus music files downloaded?), and created entirely new ones (Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, Instagram and Snapchat). This trend has not only sent non-profits and charities scrambling back to the strategic plan table, it has also altered the landscape of funder and donor expectations, outcome measures, and service delivery.
Like it or not, the Brain Injury Association of Maryland, along with all other non-profit organizations in the United States is now a media company.
And if you really think about it, we really have been all along.
For the last 31 years, BIAM has provided information and education about the statewide brain injury resources, healthcare providers, treatment options, programs, initiatives, and policies for and about the brain injury community. Primarily through phone calls and mailings, and later through email and websites, BIAM has been the premier clearinghouse of information for Maryland's brain injury community.
But look at the tools we have at our disposal now. We can create video segments about brain injury prevention, entertaining short films about people living with brain injury, even commercials about our events and initiatives, all in high definition at low cost that can be broadcast to every human being on the planet with access to a computer and broadband internet.
How is that NOT a T.V. station?
We can create Public Service Announcements for Brain Injury Awareness Month, record and post Podcasts with interviews of individuals leading the charge against brain injuries and their aftermath, even create and broadcast live programming from anywhere we can get enough "bars" for our data plan to work. And It all goes out over the internet to as far as the data can reach.
How is that not a radio station?
We can interview anyone with an email account, write blogs as short or as long as we want about anything, post our opinions and editorials on Facebook or Amazon, create movie reviews on Rotten Tomatoes or Fandango, restaurant reviews on Yelp and delicious, even create and design specialty websites about art and entertainment on tumblr or Blogger. We even have the equivalent of special daily editions, "Extra, Extra, Read All About It!" in our Twitter feeds.
How is that not a newspaper or magazine?
As Seth Godin has said, just like the spatula is not the cake and the brush is not the painting, these new social media platforms are not BIAM. They are wondrous tools for us to do our same old mission in a new, and hopefully, better way.
Our primary task remains making a connection with another human being searching for answers, searching for help, searching for hope and providing them all three with compassion, accuracy, and authenticity. That's what we've been about for over three decades, and new tools will not change that core.
We will take advantage of all the new tools we have at our disposable. Now rather than waiting for a phone call or sending out a bulk mailing, we will endeavor to reach people where they are and, more importantly, where they are looking. More smartphones were sold last year than computers. Our new "responsive" website and app, and our new emphasis on providing quality contact through Facebook and Twitter, will reflect that new initiative.
We look forward to receiving your feedback and promise to continue innovating and adopting new ways of bringing information to those who needed it quickly, accurately, and lovingly.
Like it or not, the Brain Injury Association of Maryland, along with all other non-profit organizations in the United States is now a media company.
And if you really think about it, we really have been all along.
For the last 31 years, BIAM has provided information and education about the statewide brain injury resources, healthcare providers, treatment options, programs, initiatives, and policies for and about the brain injury community. Primarily through phone calls and mailings, and later through email and websites, BIAM has been the premier clearinghouse of information for Maryland's brain injury community.
But look at the tools we have at our disposal now. We can create video segments about brain injury prevention, entertaining short films about people living with brain injury, even commercials about our events and initiatives, all in high definition at low cost that can be broadcast to every human being on the planet with access to a computer and broadband internet.
How is that NOT a T.V. station?
We can create Public Service Announcements for Brain Injury Awareness Month, record and post Podcasts with interviews of individuals leading the charge against brain injuries and their aftermath, even create and broadcast live programming from anywhere we can get enough "bars" for our data plan to work. And It all goes out over the internet to as far as the data can reach.
How is that not a radio station?
We can interview anyone with an email account, write blogs as short or as long as we want about anything, post our opinions and editorials on Facebook or Amazon, create movie reviews on Rotten Tomatoes or Fandango, restaurant reviews on Yelp and delicious, even create and design specialty websites about art and entertainment on tumblr or Blogger. We even have the equivalent of special daily editions, "Extra, Extra, Read All About It!" in our Twitter feeds.
How is that not a newspaper or magazine?
As Seth Godin has said, just like the spatula is not the cake and the brush is not the painting, these new social media platforms are not BIAM. They are wondrous tools for us to do our same old mission in a new, and hopefully, better way.
Our primary task remains making a connection with another human being searching for answers, searching for help, searching for hope and providing them all three with compassion, accuracy, and authenticity. That's what we've been about for over three decades, and new tools will not change that core.
We will take advantage of all the new tools we have at our disposable. Now rather than waiting for a phone call or sending out a bulk mailing, we will endeavor to reach people where they are and, more importantly, where they are looking. More smartphones were sold last year than computers. Our new "responsive" website and app, and our new emphasis on providing quality contact through Facebook and Twitter, will reflect that new initiative.
We look forward to receiving your feedback and promise to continue innovating and adopting new ways of bringing information to those who needed it quickly, accurately, and lovingly.
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