Paul Webster works on the Lasa Connecting Care project and with voluntary and community sector membership organisations. They often ask him about ways they can use technology to work smarter with their members and supporters, collaborate with each other and communicate better internally.
These are some of the tools Paul has used and would recommend organisations try out…
1. Mailchimp
This tool makes e-mail newsletters a much more straight forward task. You can upload contacts in bulk and create e-bulletins from pre-loaded templates or design your own template. Once the email has been sent I find the reporting feature really handy as I can see who has received it, opened it and the links clicked on most often. I also like the social media integration with Facebook and Twitter and how you can design an e-bulletin sign-up page to add to your website.
How to use Mailchimp to send out your email marketing…
2. Eventbrite
One of the most tedious parts of organising an event is the administration of bookings. I’ve used Eventbrite many times to manage the behind the scenes part so that I can concentrate on the real aims of the event. An Eventbrite booking page can be embedded in your website so attendees book themselves onto the event, select workshops or any other questions you ask and you get notified each time someone reserves a place. On the day of the event you can even print badges and sign-in sheets and then download attendee details for evaluation.
How to use onMailchimp to send out your email marketing…
3. Doodle
I needed to organise a meeting of volunteers who weren’t all easy to get hold of by phone and sending emails around to find a date was time consuming. On Doodle I selected a range of possible dates, created the poll and emailed the link to everyone to find out everyone’s availability – Simple!
How use Doodle to manage your community projects…
4. Yammer
I’ve been working with a network of membership organisations spread across a large rural county who were finding attending meetings and emailing documents for joint working an inefficient use of their time. A free Yammer network means they can keep in touch with the latest news from each organisation and countywide, form online interest groups and collaborate on funding bids.
How to use Yammer to communicate with your contacts…
5. Taskos
This is an Android app that links with my Google Calendar that I use to record short reminders of tasks that I need to do. You can use the keyboard or voice recorder to create tasks that are then synchronized and shown on your Google Calendar. When complete, tasks can be removed from the app or your calendar.
How to use Taskos to manage your to do list on your Android…
Here at Dv8 Sussex we offer Dv8 Productions at level 1 & 2. We also offer a level 3 apprenticeship in Social Media and Digital Marketing.
