Guest Post by Frank Barry: 6 Characteristics of a Nonprofit Trust Agent

Note from Beth: A few weeks ago I published a post called "How To Be Human Through Your Computer" where I summarized a number of posts talking about. The idea comes from a new book by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith called Trust Agents.  Kivi's Nonprofit Marketing Blog has a summary of the four principles in the book that apply to nonprofits.  I focused on the Archimedes principle (also from the book) in my recent presentation at Mashable.  Frank Barry takes the idea of Trust Agents down to practice in the following guest post.

I’ve been reading Trust Agents by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith. What’s it about you ask? “Using the web to build influence, improve reputation, and earn trust”. It’s written with a focus on business relationships, but everything is applicable to the nonprofit space. Corporations and nonprofits will benefit. The core message is all about building trust on the social web and it’s filled with practical ideas and tactics that nonprofits should be thinking about based on where the internet is headed

So what’s a Trust Agent? The book takes 260 pages to define it. I’ll give you the short version.

“Digital natives using the web to be genuine and to humanize their business (or nonprofit)”

1) Passionate

Chris and Julien don’t directly talk about passion, but it’s threaded into everything you read. You see, without passion it’s impossible to be a Trust Agent. If you don’t have passion people will see right through you. If you don’t have passion in the nonprofit space people will be less likely to give, volunteer and serve. Remember, your passion rubs off on others and so does your lack of passion. Trust Agent’s are passionate about what they do.

          Example: ChildFund

2.) Educated

Education is at the core of what Chris and Julien are doing – they’re teaching people how to be Trust Agents. In the same way you need to be educated and able to educate others as a nonprofit Trust Agent. It’s important to know what your organization is all about, how it’s making an impact, where it’s work is being done and who it’s helping. It’s also important that you be able to help others understand these things through the social web. Each of these goes hand in hand with being a trusted source online. You’ve got to be able to help others know you.

          Example: The Humane Society

3.) ConnectedThree principals are used to help shape how you think of connection on the social web – Being “One of Us”, Gaining and using “Leverage” and becoming “Agent Zero”. I won’t go into to much detail because you should read the book to get all the dirt, but let me touch briefly on each as it relates to nonprofits.

• One of us refers to immersing your self in the social web. Having a hang out or regular place where others know who you are, interact with you and see you regularly is an important step in building your online reputation. As a nonprofit it’s important to have an active presence on the web. Make Facebook you home base. Blog regularly. Engage with people on Twitter. Do what ever makes sense for you, but don’t sit around and do nothing. It takes time to earn our trust and respect by become one of us so get on it.
  
  
• Leverage refers to using your success in one area to influence another. If you’re a successful nonprofit with a large brand or following use that to help build your online presence quickly. Leverage the relationships with people who are already online to help you become a trusted source more quickly. You can also think about this from the perspective of empowering your supporters to leverage their networks because of their passion for your case. Beth Kanter demonstrated this live at Gnomedex.
  
  
• Agent Zero refers to being at the center of a network. The one who brings others together. Who connects people…Who shares tirelessly…Who continuously helps. As a nonprofit online it should be your mission to become agent zero for your network. You have supporters who are online. Help them get to know each other and support each other. You have donors online. Thank them. Share good news with them. You have volunteers online. Help them see how their work is making an impact. Connect them with other ways to get involved. In short, be the one who’s building a network of people who can help you change the world!

          Example: Lance Armstrong Foundation

4.) Digital Native

Its part of the Trust Agents definition, but what does it really mean? Being a digital native means you’ve grown up with digital and online technologies. You we’re born using a computer, talking on a cell phone and browsing the Internet. You can text with your eyes closed and you wouldn’t know what to do without your iPhone. Nonprofits need people like this because the world is continuing to do more and more online. Having people on staff who have grown up in this type of world is much different than having people who have been adopted into the world through learning things as they’ve come along. For those who grew up in the digital world it’s second nature to interact on the web in a human way – reflexive almost. These types of individuals are the ones who will help you succeed on the social web.

          Example: National Wildlife Foundation

5.)  Caring

At the heart of a Trust Agent is a longing to keep things human focused and personal. A Trust Agent cares. It’s as simple as that. The nonprofit space is filled with people who care about something. Most wouldn’t be involved if it wasn’t for their desire to see things change out of the care they have for their cause. As a Trust Agent you have to figure out how to demonstrate your care in an online world where human interaction is void.

          Example: Athletes for a Cure

6.) Helpful

Trust agents are helpful people. They want to share information freely. They want to help others succeed. They want to be there when someone is in need. They want to help their network of people online feel connected and taken care of. If you’re a nonprofit organization that’s always around to help others, you’ll go a long way with on the social web.

          Example: American Red Cross

The book’s filled with ton’s more great insights and ideas. The six above aren’t even part of the core seven concepts Brogan and Smith discuss. You’ve got a lot to look forward to. Did I mention that it’s a NY Times bestseller?

There are quite a few great reviews written that you can check out to get an even better picture of what the book is all about. Here’s a few to get you started: Christopher S. Penn, Amber Naslund, Jason Falls, Kivi Leroux Miller & Jay Baer

Note from Beth:  If you've read this far, here's a surprise for you.  I'm giving away my second copy of Trust Agents.  Leave a comment telling me how you think your nonprofit displays the qualities of a Trust Agent.

 

Frank is a Managing Consultant at Blackbaud - Internet Solutions. He Blogs at http://www.netwitsthinktank.com, regularly speaks at nonprofit conferences and loves to see how technology helps nonprofits further their mission.

Comments

[Aimee Craig]

Hi Beth,

My organization, the Chalkboard Project, would love a copy of Trust Agents!

We work hard to remain an independent source for information about K-12 public schools in Oregon. We spent our first two years doing public opinion polling and best-practices research to come up with a research-based agenda that Oregonians would support. We spend a lot of time and resources trying to make information more accessible to the average Oregonian so that they can make informed decisions about their schools. We started the Open Books Project (www.openbooksproject.org)as a helpful source for community member who want to learn more about their school district including district spending, teacher and student data, and student achievement results.

Just this month we started twittering and facebooking and I would love to learn more about how to become a Trust Agent.

[Bethany Deines]

Hi...I'd love a copy of this book. The Children's Medical Center of Dayton, OH has made a concentrated effort to use social medial to post information about parenting tips, pediatric healthcare, child safety tips, and much more. We want to be our community's first source for trusted information. We utilize several Facebook pages, Twitter, 937moms.com (a local social network for mothers), and YouTube. Combine that with weekly community events for fundraisers, bike helmet fittings, car seat checks, and special events, Dayton Children's is actively serving the families in a 20 county area.

Our Twitter and Facebook pages grow daily. We were recently recognized as #35 out of 250 hospitals using Twitter and were #4 in number of posts. Our following has gained not just local recognition, but national recognition. In addition to being followed because of the information we have posted, we are now actively sought after as speakers and panelists for other non-profits on the value and use of social media. We are working hard to be trust agents on a number of topics...it's a high priority for our marketing and development staffs.

Thanks for the opportunity to get a copy of this book. I am sure it will be a great read.

Bethany Deines
Director of Annual Giving
The Children's Medical Center of Dayton
One Children's Plaza
Dayton, OH 45404-1815
www.facebook.com/daytonchildrens
www.twitter.com/daytonchildrens

[twitter.com/JeffAbram]

"Do what ever makes sense for you, but don’t sit around and do nothing. It takes time to earn our trust and respect by become one of us so get on it." Was just having a conversation today with a couple who work in the non-profit ministry we work with and are about our age about this issue. Not all social media tools are right for everyone all the time but being connected is more than just posting an entry or two on FB or Twitter.

It's about choosing something that works for you that will allow you to connect with others who might share a similar interst, hobby or other affinity. That's all networking and connecting are...finding those who you can relate to and with and genuinely caring enough about the other person to add something to the relationship (information, thoughts, ideas, etc) and considering their contribution as valuable as well.

I like these points and Frank's one sentence summary--common sense but worth repeating again and again--social media (no matter how you disguise or discuss it) is most helpful and beneficial when it replicates what we do in everyday living---connecting with others, helping out when we can, caring about others and offering something of value during our time together. That recipe works no matter the tax identification category ;).

[Marc van Bree]

When I started my new job 6 months ago at Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, I had to switch gears completely and go from using social media as a tool to connect to music loving patrons to using social media to disseminate child and family policy research. We’re getting ready to set up some tools to disseminate our research through social media. This list of attributes is definitely helpful for thinking about that switch.

Passionate
I get really excited when a researcher testifies before congress about an issue or when our research has guided legislation. I’m very excited to get to know the network of service organizations, advocacy groups and policy makers that deal with the issues and learn from them, share with them.

Educate
As said, I get really excited when thinking about the impact of our organization on the legislative process. Currently, I’m also looking at IssueLab, a nonprofit solely dedicated to dissemination of research. I can learn a lot from them and have shared conversations with them about social media and dissemination.

Connected
This might be the biggest challenge. I want to know where the conversation is taking place, but having some trouble locating it. But then again, perhaps we can create this space. We’ve been looking into the possibilities.

Digital Native
Yes, I definitely grew up with online technologies. I started making Web sites when I was in elementary school and grew up talking on forums and message boards.

Caring
This goes back to being passionate and looks ahead to being helpful:

Helpful
I think the most important function of online research dissemination is being helpful. We already provide free research publications, but social media can perhaps help us go beyond broadcasting, connecting with those who need the research. Almost being a child policy research concierge.

[Dining Room Furniture]

Great post..!! A smart topic for sharing.The topic is very impressive and clearly explained.Thanks......
Keep Posting.Looking forward to your posts.;)