My dad tweeted during the half-marathon in Nashville yesterday.

I'm starting to talk about social media more and more. Whether I'm presenting to nonprofits on what it is and how they can reach Generation Y with it, or I'm lecturing to future ministers about it, it's taking more and more of my time.

And all this is fine with me. Because I'm developing a reputation, and that reputation can get me on TV, which (hopefully) grows my personal brand as someone who can help people understand and use these tools to make the world a better place.

One thing I'm learning in all of this is that people have a particular outlook that has a direct effect on how willing they are to use these tools. And for me, people consider social media to either be an asset or a liability.

Want proof? Watch this video of my recent appearance at a call-in show here in Nashville. I see social media as an asset - something to be used or leveraged in order to create value. The other participant views it as a liability - something to be used sparingly and carefully, unless you want to have a mess on your hands.



Most nonprofits I speak with initially view social media as a liability. They're immediately concerned with privacy issues and control. But, those who are willing to give it a shot usually see it as a huge asset in their donor and volunteer acquisition and retention strategies.

The moral of the story? Be brave and give it a try. You might just be delighted with what happens next.

Yesterday, I performed on the stage of the Belcourt Theatre. This Nashville landmark has hosted the top musical acts, screened award-winning films and also served as a home for silent films and the Grand Ole Opry.

So, I have no idea why they let me come talk about social media on that same stage. But they did. And I did.

Here's a video from my talk. I flew through the whys of social media, particularly as it relates to nonprofit arts organizations. In these 15 minutes (that's all I had, so I speak very fast in this video), you'll hear:

• A little more about me
• About how I cheated on my art appreciation final in college (1:45)
• Who Generation Y is (3:15)
• How Gen Y acts (5:00)
• What the old consumer model is (7:00)
• What the new consumer model is (8:30)
• How arts organizations can have a new conversation (11:15)
• Some reminders before embarking on a social media campaign (12:45)

Enjoy, and pass it along to your pals who work in the arts:


Social Media for Arts Organizations from adam patrick jones on Vimeo.

I got an iPhone on Saturday. While that's reason enough to write an extended blog post in itself, that's not where we're headed.

One of the reasons I opted for the greatest invention ever was so that I could maximize Twitter – really use the service to grow my personal network and my business, CoolPeopleCare. Granted, you don't need an iPhone to do this, just like you don't need the iPhone to email friends, listen to music, find a nearby restaurant or hang a shelf, but for me, it would be a big help.

A little twistory
I signed up for Twitter once I started hearing about it, like a lot of people. But I didn't use it (remember, there's a difference between having and using when it comes to social media). Eventually, I synced my Facebook statuses and tweets with one another, updated both using BlogIt on Facebook, since I spent more time there.

As for CoolPeopleCare, for a while, we automated a summary of our daily articles with a shortened url, but we realized we weren't really adding much value (or seeing much of a benefit). So, we pulled back, went silent for a while, and began to strategize.

Ask the whole wide tworld
With my shiny iPhone in hand, I began to wonder how I'd manage the entire Twitterverse. I signed up for an unlimited texting plan, so I could read everything that way. Or I could check out some apps.

But which ones do what? I read some reviews and blog posts, but I quickly realized the best way to get the info I sought was to ask the experts - or - the twexperts.

So, early on Sunday, I sent out a tweet:

what's the best iPhone twitter app? Looking for a free one to install by sundown. Best suggestion gets an @coolpeoplecare t-shirt.

And the results came back. Quickly. Recommendations for free and paid aps. I gave the free ones a whirl and found some things I liked. And then, @kateo came through with:

@samdavidson Depends on your needs, but I think you maintain multiple IDs? I went through 3 apps before finding Tweetie. It makes that easy.

Granted, I asked for a free ap, but kateo provided a paid one. So why did she win the shirt?

Tell me what matters
Granted, kateo was at an advantage because she knew (or at least assumed) that I managed both my personal twitter account and CoolPeopleCare's. So, based on her assumption, she delivered what I needed.

She didn't just shout out an answer to the Twitterati, she easily explained the why behind the what of her recommendation. She offered something relevant. She said something meaningful.

So what can we learn from this?
You can consume and participate in Twitter in a variety of ways, whether you want to keep up with people, have a private conversation with hundreds of witnesses, or stir up some buzz. And, whether you're tweeting from your phone, your PC or anything else, the methods may vary. What's important is that you say something worthwhile.

Whether you're a writer, a nonprofit, a consultant, or a big business, strategy in social media matters, and it really matters on Twitter. There's lots of ROI, as Beth Kanter points out best, mainly because 'I' can be defined in many ways (like insight).

The bottom line is that you can do/say what you want. But you'll have more fun and make a bigger splash if you want to do/say something that matters to the rest of us.

Strategize that.

---
More posts about using Twitter:

• I Own a Hammer, But I am Not a Carpenter
• I Raised $448 in 3 Minutes
• How Tweet It Is: Nashville Shakes Gets It Right

I turned 28 yesterday (applause). I went to watch three movies at ate Mexican food (my favorite). Oh, and I raised $448 for 14 nonprofits.

On Monday, I sent out a simple Facebook status and Twitter message. I simply stated my desire for my friends and followers to donate $28 somewhere in honor of my birthday. (I borrowed the idea from Rosetta Thurman, who's changing the nonprofit world right before everyone's eyes.)

The response was more than I expected. From those I heard back from, I learned that:

• Anne gave to Child's Play
• Melvin gave to Room in the Inn
• Rebecca gave to St. Vincent de Paul
• David gave to Mission First
• Tambi have to Tennessee Partners in Mission
• Lu gave to her neighbor's adoption fund
• Joy gave to United Way of Metropolitan Nashville
• Leslie gave to four different places
• John gave to hockey programs
  
• Marilyn gave to Gilchrist Hospice Care
• Kathy gave to the USO
• Todd gave to a scholarship fund
• Katye gave to Living Water International
  

And these are just the ones I know about.

It took me about three minutes to post and tweet my message (and update it on my birthday). At an hourly clip, I brought in $8,960. Not bad for just aging a year.

And herein lies the secret of fundraising when it comes to nonprofits and online media: let other people do it for you.

Many nonprofits have employed the Friends Asking Friends model, whereby someone walks or runs for a cause and they solicit their friends and family to make donations to the benefiting organization on their behalf. While this can be a great tool to raise major dollars, many in the industry see it as a zero-sum game since you'll donate $25 to a friend and they'll simply reciprocate when it's your turn to walk or march. In other words, you could have donated your own $25 and skipped the asking part.

However, I think a new model is emerging. I might not even dare call it a 'model' since the ability to replicate it is questionable at best. But I know it when I see it.

It looks like Rosetta's blog post about her birthday today.

It looks like Beth Kanter’s post about how she raised money on her birthday via Facebook causes.

In other words, it looks like the unexpected.

At every nonprofit and social media workshop I lead, I make sure to tell people they need to embrace social media because today, when Google is the center of the Web, you have to be able to be found. If I can't get to you through Google (or Facebook or Twitter), then I can't get to you. And this means we can't meet. And that means I can't volunteer or write a check.

The game is changing. I don't work for a nonprofit. I know that world, but I'm not a director of development, imploring the masses to fork over cash. I'm just a passionate guy who made one simple ask with convenient tools.

And if your nonprofit can't work with that, you're missing out – perhaps to the tune of $8,960 an hour.

While at Blackbaud's Conference for Nonprofits this past week, I met CEO Mark Chardon. I thanked him for highlighting during his keynote address the need for the nonprofit sector to engage Generation Y.

We had an informal chat about Gen Y and his belief that it's important to communicate with them, but the financial returns on social networks are not yet proven.

I'll give him that. Sure, the Causes application raised $2.5 million in its first year on Facebook and MySpace. While admirable, this is only $0.21 since per user. And that figure is hardly coveted by large, national nonprofits that are used to getting six- and seven-figure checks at a time.

I still believe there is a fundraising link between nonprofits and Gen Y using social media, albeit one that has a much longer cultivation period. But, I'll put that aside for the time being because there's an even bigger reason to engage Gen Y right now if you're a nonprofit.

No, it's not about getting someone to run your marketing initiatives. It's about getting someone to run anything at all.

This Business Journal article points out that since the nonprofit sector is growing at 6% annually (how about a bailout for the nonprofit industry?), the need to find experienced managers will be a major challenge for nonprofits.

The article references a report by the Bridgespan Group, which has been out for a while (download the PDF here). The numbers are staggering. Nonprofits shouldn't worry about the size of the task, however. They need to figure out how exactly they're going to pull off advertising open positions, finding the right person for the job and using the next generation to change the world.

Thankfully, more and more colleges and universities are offering courses in nonprofit management. While this will result in less on-the-job training that needs to be done, it still doesn't make the difficult task of finding quality future leaders any easier.

Which is why nonprofits needs to capitalize on the potential of online communications and social media. A 20-something who is your fan on Facebook today (who can't so much as donate $5 right now) may well be your program manager in two years. And anyone in your Twitter legion could be directing communications for you full-time very soon.

Nonprofits who are best using social media will have a clear advantage when it comes to finding the next great nonprofit leaders.

On Monday, November 17, I'll be leading a breakout group as part of the marketing track at Blackbaud's 2008 Conference for Nonprofits in Charleston, South Carolina.

So, if you're at the conference and looking for an engaging and informative way to spend an hour and fifteen minutes beginning at 4 PM, come to my talk, The Fountain of Youth: Communicating with the Next Generation.

Or, if you're in Charleston and want to hang out afterward, that's cool, too.

I just got back from Young Leaders Council's occasional lunch and learn series where I chatted with some folks about the next generation and why it's important to involve them in the work of nonprofits.

The room was full of Gen Yers, Xers and even some Baby Boomers. And together, it was great to discuss and process through what Millennials are looking for in a nonprofit experience. After all, there's no way today's nonprofits will be able to save the world with our the deep involvement of Generation Y.

Indeed, the fact that we collaborated across generational lines to look at this generation in particular was very Gen Y of us. It highlights one of four key Gen Y traits, as I see them:

• Collaboration: Generation Y came of age when collaboration was king. They played sports on teams (Little League and youth soccer, anyone?), did science projects and went to the prom in groups, and shared all of that with parents and friends who wanted to listen. Teamwork is second nature to Gen Y. Therefore, nonprofits need to develop volunteer and donation opportunities that use collaboration as a key characteristic.
• Access: This generation has been accessible and had access to nearly anyone (parents, friends, teachers) since Day 1. The twenty-four hour news cycle was perfected during this generation. They got their first cell phones and email accounts at younger ages than previous generations. As such, they've been able to keep tabs on anyone and anything. Therefore, your organization needs to make sure its information is accessible easily and effectively. If I can't find when the event starts or where it is, I'm not interested in digging it up. If you want to be able to access me, I've got to be able to access you.
• Work/Life Balance: Even though the word 'balance' in the most literal sense might be a thing of the past, concerns related to the relationship between free time and paid time are not. Gen Y can and will work from anywhere and during nontraditional hours, if possible. Therefore, nonprofits need to understand how to get in front of Gen Y, especially when 9-to-5 ain't exactly 9-to-5 anymore. And, if there's a way that you can fit into their already busy and inconsistent lives, you'll be the better for it.
• Engagement: All this means that the definition of what it means to be engaged with an organization is changing. Gen Y meets and chats online. So much is done digitally, that the first connection they'll have with your nonprofit will actually be your nonprofit's Web site or email plea. Therefore, you've got to make it great and relevant if you want to continue the conversation with them.

It seems like a lot to think about, and by no means do you have to be a Gen Y expert by tomorrow morning. So, take the afternoon off, download the presentation and pontificate for a while. Then, call your team together first thing tomorrow and see how you can strategize to tap the exciting potential of Gen Y.

While most people are 'using' Twitter to update their 'friends' about the fact that they're stuck in traffic, at home watching TV, or that they really like strawberry ice cream, this weekend, I came across a nonprofit that is making Twitter work, and who I'd dare say, is using it well.

People have described Twitter and its benefits in many ways. I tell folks that it's either a micro-blog or a way to send a mass text message. Of course, which is which depends on how people are reading your tweets, but that's my short version.

The Nashville Shakespeare Festival puts on a performance in Nashville's Centennial Park each summer, bringing the Bard's plays to the masses for no charge. You get to sit outside and watch talented actors bring a story to life in the shadow of the Parthenon, while ambulances blare and birds caw in the background.

This year, executive director Nancy VanReece decided to set up an account for the organization on Twitter. And, whenever I hear that a nonprofit has jumped on Facebook or any other social media platform, I hold my breath because usually, many organizations don't understand how to properly use these tools. Then, they end up cursing them later, all because a profile and a fan page didn't have 20-somethings beating down their door to volunteer.

But Nancy knew she needed to have something worthwhile to say in order to get people to listen. She didn't need to use Twitter to just announce that there was a show that night, and hope that her 140 characters would get people to put down their remotes and drive to the park (if they were even following on their mobile devices, that is).

And, since I follow NashvilleShakes and since I wanted to go see this year's play, Coriolanus, I got to see – no, experience – how an organization can successfully use Twitter to increase its social presence.

As Nancy takes the stage 30 minutes prior to show time (there is music an hour before the performance, so the place gets full early) and makes her announcements about where you can get popcorn, where the bathrooms are, and how you can sign up to win two free Southwest tickets, she also mentions that the Fest is on Twitter and you can follow along. She goes on to share that if you do follow them and can answer the trivia question she tweets at intermission, you can win free stuff.

Since I followed NashvilleShakes, but not on my phone, I quickly changed that. And sure enough, ten minutes before intermission, I was alerted that the attendance for the evening was 485, and if I was the first to tell the house manager, I'd get a free shirt.

So, I made my way to do so, thinking I was the only person to get the info when I ran into Nancy and had a quick chat about how they're using Twitter and what their success has been. They've been getting a few new followers a night, right when she makes her pre-show announcements, and people have been very interested in the other information she shares via Twitter.

For example, each performance includes a cameo for the role of the Herald (it was John Seigenthaler when I was there). She tweets that info out about an hour or so before show time, since that can be a draw for certain folks. She does the attendance trivia question each night, which is how I learned that Saturday's performance had twice the attendees that my night did. And, she's getting a response when she tweets the trivia info out.

Which is why I didn't win the shirt. Someone beat me to it.

Here's what I learned from Nancy and what I recommend for nonprofits looking to use Twitter effectively:

• Have something to say. No one will listen (and therefore, no one will respond) if you're not communicating a worthwhile message.
• Be patient. Nancy’s 'only' adding a handful of folks a night. But, as more people (like me), share this story with others, that will continue to grow. Then, when it's time to announce next year's show, or to solicit volunteers, Nancy has hundreds (hopefully) of people she can tell.
• Commit to it. Nancy will keep using Twitter every night of the performance, no matter the attendance or the amount of people signing up. Even if only one person vies for the free shirt, she'll keep pushing the opportunity out there. For the Nashville Shakespeare Festival, it's not a fad; it's part of a communications strategy.

My friend Stephen was all by his lonesome with his daughter one weekend while mom was out of town.

And he twittered the whole thing. It's hilarious.

Go now.

Rebecca Thorman's blog post about how social media doesn't create a new generation of leaders remains embedded in my mind as prophetic beacon of how all of this online networking may not be getting us as far along as we'd like. Two magazines I've recently read prove she's right.

In last month's Wired Magazine, Tim Harford explains why new technological tools, which intend to eliminate the importance of geography when it comes to collaboration, actually do just the opposite. As wonderful as email and wall posting are, it doesn't decrease our need for human interaction. Harford writes:

Business is more innovative, and its processes more complex. That demands tacit knowledge, collaboration, and trust – all things that seem to follow best from person-to-person meetings.

In other words, if you're going to do work, you may need to meet people in person. As Harford correctly points out, business travel isn't dying out, and air travel is at record highs.

Likewise, two items of note jump out in this month's Fast Company (which is the best magazine you could be reading if you want to know anything about anything). We'll start at the end.

Rob Walker's back page column points out how online marketing may not live up to the hype. Even with Facebook's Beacon advertising and marketing program, a targeted market may be elusive. Sure, lots of folks are sharing information on their profile, but perhaps they're omitting what it is they really need, thus leaving advertisers in the lurch. And that's if you’re lucky; some folks might lie on their profile outright.

Secondly, an excerpt from Richard Florida's new book is a perfect compliment to Harford's article, in that he also highlights the importance of geography in today's global economy. He departs from Thomas Friedman's groundbreaking theory that the world is flat and instead suggests a spiky world, where peaks of innovation are cropping up in selected areas. Even if similar types of folks link themselves digitally by being 'friends,' Florida points out the importance of linking via geographical proximity:

Geographic concentration encourages innovation because ideas flow more freely, are honed more sharply, and can be put into practice more quickly when innovators, implementers and financial backers are in constant contact. Creative people cluster not simply because they like to be around one another or prefer cosmopolitan centers with lots of amenities (though both things tend to be true). They cluster because density brings such powerful productivity advantages, economies of scale, and knowledge spillovers.

So perhaps all of this technological innovation isn't taking us as far as we think it is. Maybe it's just a better way to play Scrabble.

As someone who runs a digital property, I'm constantly looking for what all this means for CoolPeopleCare and our mission to enable people to change the world. Yeah – we've got the Facebook fan page, we've got the MySpace profile, we Twitter and we blog. But why do we do all this, especially when we believe in the power of the offline community so much and that change happens best face to face?

Because we have to be where people are. And people now gather online. Even if the ultimate action we're soliciting is one of offline, real world, or analog behavior, the doorway into people's minds is a digital one.

So by all means use social media and use it well – but don't expect it to save the world in an instant. Countless individuals are finding that social networks could lead to social fragmenting. Rebecca's found that social networks don't create new leaders. Even if there is a digital doorway, the pathway to change has to still be traversed with two very real feet.