Talisman Philanthropy

Promiscuous (Social) Networking @ #MCON2012

July 18, 2012 at 9:30 am Barbara Talisman, CFRE Leave a comment

The Millennial Impact 2012 virtual conference takes place tomorrow. It is a virtual conference to help leaders engage the Millennial generation. There is still time to register (for real) and attend virtually! The Twitter feed will be off the charts as #MCON2012 has already started some great conversations. And a number of us #AFPeeps will also be sharing what we learn. This online conference is a great collaboration between Achieve, Case Foundation, Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), The Chronicle of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN).

The purpose of this post is share my thoughts on promiscuous networking. MCON2012 has set up a GREAT website allowing registered attendees to share profile information, connect to Twitter, chat in the virtual lobby or networking lounge and chat rooms – all before the conference starts.  There are some attendees I have known for many years (making us so NOT Millennial) and others I am delighted to meet. So I am following as many people as I can – reading what they are sharing and very much looking forward to their insights into the next generation of fundraisers, fundraising, communicators and more. Thus I am a promiscuous networker – so glad to admit the problem. 🙂

If we as fundraisers – veterans and not – only talk to those we know we will have the same conversations over and over again. We must and need to share decades of best practices and new ideas. To move our work in fundraising, marketing and communications as well as donors forward, we need to effectively try the new and blend with the ‘old’. Case Foundation Be Fearless sez we need to learn from trying and failing and be will to do both! Hear hear! I am looking at MCON2012 as an place to learn about those who try, failed and succeeded!

As Giving USA 2012 showed – there was “virtually” no change in giving between 2010 and 2011.  I believe conferences (in person or virtual) are tremendous and imperative opportunities for “us” collectively to share share share, try try try, learn, learn, learn and start all over again.

Look forward to seeing you at MCON2012, on Twitter #MCON2012 or in person soon!

Entry filed under: A Better You, Fundraising, Nonprofit fundraising, nonprofit social media, Social Media. Tags: #mcon2012, Achieve, AFP, Association of Fundraising Professionals, Case Foundation, Fundraising with Millennials, Next Generation of donors, social networking, The Millennial Impact 2012.