The Smartblog on Social Media had some great advice on social media.  Read the whole post, but the five key points (in my words) are: 

  1. Listen first: In today’s constant information stream, you need real-time insight into what people are saying about you.
  2. Have rules: Make sure you know who is allowed to do what at your organization with a clear set of social media guidelines.
  3. Commit:  Show up and participate regularly or don’t bother doing it at all.
  4. Have great content: Or else nothing will get shared and spread.
  5. Cross-promote: Make sure your social media presences are all over your outreach.

Last, I’ll add a piece of advice: Remember that social media is a great place to build relationships, but it’s not your primary place to raise money.  Further proof of that came in a recent issue of Chronicle of Philanthropy, which notes: “Fewer than 3 percent of the 11,196 nonprofit groups that responded to the Nonprofit Social Network Benchmark survey said that they raised more than $10,000 on Facebook in 2010.”

Go in prepared, and go in with the right expectations.