Best practices in using Linkedin, Twitter, and Facebook to promote youth businesses and support mentors. It is based on research interviews with seven member organizations of Youth Business International in seven different countries. A segment from my longer presentation at the YBI Global Forum 2010 in Mexico City.

1. YBI Best Practices for Social Network Engagement

2. The social media funnel

3. It’s about sharing information and developing a trusted network, not broadcasting

4. It’s about the larger conversation, insider views, not broadcasting

5. It’s about RELATIONSHIPS, not broadcasting http://www.animatedexplanations.com/Animation.aspx?animation=391(Twitter)

6. Develop engaging practices Real interaction, personal engagement Value-added content Regular programming Participation entry paths Creating a participation strategy in each channel Hhh Conversation starters Open-ended questions

7. Keep your specific goals in mind Entrepreneur recruitment and engagement

8. Recruiting and supporting mentors

9. General awareness marketing

10. Special events and campaigns

11. YBI network practices Notes from the field: Israel, Bolivia, Trinidad and Tobago, Scotland, United States, Canada, Argentina http://www.flickr.com/photos/dieqro/2193709382/sizes/m/in/photostream/

12. Using Linkedin: giving mentors space to thrive Comfortable online space for older mentors Expands mentor network Offers youth businesses wider access to expertise

14. Knowledge-sharing and support PSYBT (Scotland): 50-50 mix of businesses and mentors in the group, asking questions and offering advice PSYBT bonus result: mentors and businesses began writing each other’s recommendations

15. Connections across the network Open to all mentors in Latin America: Cross-country connections and knowledge-sharing

16. Deepening involvement Private Linkedin Group for YBI Forum Attendees: Offering real participation in shaping the agenda

17. Facebook: utilizing features to create engagement, attract loan inquiries Keren Shemesh (Israel): custom Welcome Tabs, email capture, photo contests, photo catalogue Youth Business Trinidad and Tobago: attract new entrepreneurs through events, cross-promote with Youth Council Canada Youth Business (CYBF): engagement, cross-promoting webinars and events

19. Israel: success using it to promote the businesses, attract new loan inquiries Custom welcome tab, email capture

20. Businesses add a representative photo The photo with the most number of “likes” in July won a prize Brings in new fans!

21. Unique offers only found on the Facebook Page!

22. Trinidad & Tobago Group: new loan inquiries, use for inviting to events, cross-posts with T&T Youth Council

23. T&T: Events bring many new members to the quarterly business club meetings, 10% new members to annual youth symposium

24. Bolivia: new loan inquiries, entrepreneur interest

25. USA: using Facebook to promote a new organization and attract initial interest

26. Canada: the online space talking about youth business, many private loan inquiries, #1 or 2 loan referral source

27. Twitter: awareness, recruitment, engagement Canada (CYBF) is using Twitter to connect with entrepreneurs very successfully. A lot of private questions and loan inquiries through Twitter. Pushes youth entrepreneurship in Canada, not the program.

29. “The person they can lean on when seeking information, become a personality behind the name”

30. Thinking about YBI as a networked nonprofit Image courtesy of Beth Kanter: http://beth.typepad.com/beths_blog/2009/12/win-a-book-help-us-pick-a-subtitle-for-our-book-the-networked-nonprofit.html

31. A networked nonprofit Co-promotes and cross-promotes Refers to and supports each other Breaks down walls between the organization and the stakeholder Shares and learns from each other, and the industry The entire network benefits from each others’ successes

32. The complete picture Define your goals Choose your platforms Create an engagement strategy on each platform Experiment, engage, move people to action Integrate into communication goals How can you network your nonprofit? http://www.flickr.com/photos/jbarahona/56382606/sizes/m/in/photostream/

33. Thank You! debra@communityorganizer20.com @askdebra Buzz: daskanase Slideshare.net/debask