What’s God doing on Facebook?

Guest post by Maggie Sonnek

I was raised Catholic. Growing up, it was expected that on Sunday morning, we were dressed and ready to go to 9 a.m. Mass. Did that always happen? No. But bless my parents for trying. The donut bribes usually worked.

As I began high school, my feelings towards “Church” didn’t change much. I still needed to be dragged out of bed and bribed to go to Church. It wasn’t until college that my faith became more important to me—and then, I chose to attend Mass.

Thinking back, I wonder why it was that I had such a hard time getting motivated to get up and go to Church. Why would I rather hang out with friends, go to volleyball practice…even go to school? I think I know the answer. I had a distinct connection with other areas of my life that I lacked with Church. So, what if there had been a tool for me? A tool that could connect me to my Church, my youth group, in a way, God. Would that have made a difference?

Facebook, although started just to connect some college friends to one another, has grown into something much larger. Something that, yes, even Churches are using.

I know this first-hand, as communications director at Mary, Mother of the Church in Burnsville, Minn. When I first started this position nearly two years ago, the thought of launching our own Church Facebook page seemed like a joke. Why does a Church need a Facebook page? But, the more I learned about the benefits of Facebook, the more it seemed like it actually…gasp…might be a good fit for us.

So, after research and discussions with the Church staff as well as the Parish Pastoral Council (kind of like our Board of Directors), in March, Mary Mother joined the masses on Faceboook. No pun intended.

It took me awhile to come up with the answers for the questions that I, too, would have asked. “Why does a Church need to be on Facebook?” I think I finally (after five months) have a good answer. It all stems back to those donut bribes. Well, sort of. It’s all about connection. If we, as a growing Church, want to connect with people—especially teenagers and young adults—we need to be present where they are. And, for many, that’s on Facebook. But, surprisingly, I’ve had many parishioners in their 70s and 80s approach me with a comment about our Facebook page. They, too, are looking to make a connection.

Throughout the last few months, my Communications Commission and I have brainstormed ways to make our page more interactive and community-friendly. We didn’t want this to be “some lofty Catholic guide.” Instead, we wanted it to be real. Real posts, real pictures, real videos…of real people. So, we’ll post questions about great restaurants in the Burnsville area (I’m definitely going to try Mediterranean Cruise Cafe…mmm, Greek food), videos of our very own Polka Mass, and pictures of real events happening at Mary Mother. Earlier this summer, we launched a Medallion Hunt with clues that were only posted on Facebook. I did receive some criticism for this decision, but the energy and attention surrounding the hunt far outweighed any negative feedback. On the afternoon I posted the final clue, there were people lined up outside my office and around the Church, ready to find the Medallion and claim the cash prize.

We continue learning about the benefits of Facebook regarding Mary Mother. But one thing we know for sure:

Making that connection to real people and a real community is what people want.

Maggie Sonnek works as the communications director at Mary, Mother of the Church in Burnsville, Minn. To learn more about Mary, Mother of the Church, please visit www.mmotc.org.

Play nice in the sandbox

Guest post by Diana Lillicrap

Collaboration is a requirement for nearly every communications project today. Perhaps it’s a reflection of the economy, with many individuals working as independents. Or perhaps it’s just a necessity of our ever-expanding field, both online and off.

Whatever the cause, the list of experts, specialists and digital gurus on most projects can be quite extensive—brand strategists, Web producers, designers, copywriters, project managers, developers, media buyers… oh, and don’t forget the client team.

Working with a variety of experts can be challenging, to say the least, especially if those experts represent multiple companies or internal departments. So how do you play nice and still accomplish results?

Here are five ways to make the most of collaboration and the important reasons why you should.

1. Check your ego at the door. Remember it’s all about the project at hand, not you. Take confidence in knowing that you’ve been invited to the table because of your knowledge and skill set that others already respect. Tooting your own horn too much is just a turn off to the rest of the team.

2. Clarify roles and set expectations at the start of a project. Things will go much smoother if everyone knows who’s responsible for what. Create a clear project schedule and get confirmation and buy-in upfront. It’s amazing what gets done when others are counting on you and what gets put aside when you assume someone else will do the job. Don’t leave the details to the devil, or the whole project will go to hell.

3. Don’t point fingers if things get bumpy. Remember it’s a team effort—you all win or you all fail. It’s not only possible, it’s entirely likely that something at some point will get off track. But it’s not the problem that others will remember when the project is done, it’s how you respond and fix the issue that will define your leadership and expertise.

4. Acknowledge your shared skill sets. It’s okay (even good) to be alike in some ways. Shared expertise means you have advocates on the team who know the importance of your role. And most projects have more than enough work to go around. So don’t be territorial. Instead, look for ways to build off each other’s ideas and create a better end result than any one individual could have accomplished alone.

5. Take advantage of working with other pros. Learning, adapting, and growing is what every good expert does best. Glean knowledge, new ideas, and improved ways of working from the experts around you. And since it’s part of your job, it’s like getting an education and getting paid at the same time. Now that’s a good deal.

Diana Lillicrap is co-owner of 5 by 5 Design. Read more of her ramblings here or send her a note with your comments and ideas.

Online. Offline. Align.

Guest post by Elen Bahr

When did we find so much to say? Why do we communicate differently online than offline?

Picture this:

You’re at home, enjoying a cup of coffee. It’s so delicious you run up and down your street yelling, “Hey, at-sign neighbors! This is the best cup of coffee I’ve ever had! Hashtag, caffeine makes me happy!”

If you wouldn’t say it offline, why say it online? Because it’s easy? Technology gives us speed and convenience – but not judgment. Whether communicating as an individual or representative of an organization, online communications need to match the way we interact as people. You, as a communicator, need to know your individual style and be true to it in both locations.

As I see it, there are three types of communicators:

The randomizer

You never know what’s coming from the randomizer. Communications may be about business, their kids, or using the restroom. You may hear from the randomizer multiple times a day, then not for a month. The randomizer is not grounded in anything.

Think about the quintessential randomizer – Charlie Sheen. Whether answering interview questions or filling the Twitter stream, Mr. Sheen is about as random as can be. It’s unclear whether he’s a calculated and intentional randomizer or an accidental randomizer, never pre-thinking what he’ll say next. Both types of randomizers leave the audience asking “What the…?”

The firehose

Communications from the firehose come fast and furious.

Helloooo, Opraaaaaah.

Oprah Winfrey, like any good firehose, shares some original information but, most often, forwards other people’s thoughts and ideas. Offline, the Oprah magazine is one big collection of things Oprah likes and endorses. Online communications are similar except that in this, the final season of her television show, her social posts mimic Bette Midler’s character in Beaches: “But enough about me, let’s talk about you…what do you think about me?”

The firehose may have good information to share. Unfortunately, volume overshadows value.

The thought-leader

Thought-leader communications are meaningful and relevant. The thought-leader shares information grounded in a point of view. When sharing information written by someone else, the thought-leader gives the audience context for its relevance and practical application.

Enter post-Microsoft Bill Gates who is holding his own as the voice of philanthropy and addressing tough world issues. He doesn’t talk much but when he does, we listen. He’s a popular lecturer, TED Talks speaker and Tweeter. His Twitter profile shows just 277 tweets garnered him over two million followers.

So how do you translate online who are you offline? Following basic marketing communication guidelines will help you begin to figure it out.

Start with the big picture. Instead of asking “Should I tweet,” or “Should I blog,” ask:

1. “What do I want to accomplish?” If you don’t know, stay right here until you figure it out. Don’t advance to the next question.

2. “Who will help me do that?” The folks who want to hear what you have to say. Be sure to balance what they want to hear with what you want to say. (If you’re not sure what they want to hear, ask them. They are nice people).

3. “Where do I find them?” Figure out if you’re speaking to a Facebook crowd, Tweeters or those who prefer an e-newsletter. Make it easy for them to find you (and provide engaging, thoughtful conversation) and they’ll be poised to listen.

The next time you are drinking coffee and have the urge to tell your neighbors how good it is, remember the randomizer, firehose and thought-leader – then align.

Thanks, at-sign reader. Hashtag, the end.

Elen Bahr is a digital marketing consultant, children’s book author, proud Saint Paul-ite and scooter rider. Read more about Elen online or get in touch by email.

Y: We work!

Guest post by Shannon Neeser

Generation Y (Millennials): We believe in change. My generation is expected to change jobs more often than any generation before us. We’re young; we’re educated; we’re eager; we’re looking for jobs, and you’d be wise to hire us. Here’s a short list of what you need to know to attract and keep us.

1. Challenge us: We have spent a lot of time and money on education; we love to learn and put what we’ve learned to use. Millennials are confident in their ability to grow and adapt in a fast paced environment, and we expect to be constantly updating and rewriting our job descriptions to include new responsibilities. Employers can expect more and more from us, and we’ll appreciate them for it.

2. Involve us: We work best in an environment where we are taken seriously as collaborators. Involve us in the decision-making. Millennials have been educated with active learning methods, participating in class discussion and collaborating on group projects. Shared decision making yields more thoughtful, holistic, better workplace solutions. Fostering this relationship will make us feel connected and hold our interest in our roles.

3. Make it meaningful: We believe that the future will be better than the now. We watched the eagle come back from near extinction and flourish; we recycle; we buy hybrid cars. We want to be a part of the brighter future, and we are motivated to work hard for an organization that is affecting positive change.

4. Provide feedback: We want to know what worked and why, what didn’t, and how to improve. If something needs improvement, we want to know about it, and we’ll appreciate that feedback, change our approach to accommodate it. This practice creates a constructive environment for us to constantly evolve into better employees.

5. Be transparent: We expect to be communicated with honestly and frequently. For this, employers will be rewarded with frequent honest communication from us.

6. Give us work-life balance: We will work very hard for you, but at the end of the day, or in the middle of it, we want to relax and enjoy life. A creative and flexible work schedule is important. We can work from anywhere that has a wireless connection and some places that don’t. We can check email on the bus; we can be productive from home. Allowing for this balance will give you dependable employees who work effectively in a less structured environment.

We are not just looking for jobs to pay the bills. We want careers, careers we are actively involved in advancing. Sure, things like money and health insurance are important to us, but what brings us job satisfaction, buys our loyalty, is finding a workplace that challenges and engages us.

Shannon Neeser is a Millennial who was born into farm life in rural Wisconsin. Raised on hard work, kittens, cows and books, Shannon’s strong sense of curiosity and adventure leads her to try most anything once. With a major in English liberal arts and a minor in film and creative writing, Shannon aspires to make a move professionally and become a strategic communicator. Connect with her by email.