I hope you enjoyed my last blog post, 5 Ways to Pop on Pinterest, on how using Pinterest can benefit your nonprofit organization. In this post I’m going to give you some original ideas on how to use the Pinterest fails of your supporters to do good. I have to start by saying that Pinterest fails crack me up. I laugh so hard that I cry, mainly because I’ve been there. I love so many things that I see on Pinterest and when I’m finally bold enough to try one, I usually fail miserably. I think the only ideas that have actually worked out are some DIY cleaning ideas I’ve found to use around the house (you can do pretty much anything with vinegar and baking soda).
I think the sheer comedic value of Pinterest fails can bring awareness to your cause, add some personality to your organization and hopefully bring in some donations. Here are my 3 ways to use Pinterest fails at your nonprofit:
1. Holiday card fails. I’m sure many of your supporters have tried to take holiday cards with their kids, pets, etc and not had great luck. Wouldn’t it be cool to bring awareness and donations in by utilizing these hilarious cards? You could do a holiday card fail contest and charge a small entry fee or have viewers pay to vote for their favorite. Then, the winner gets a prize or has their picture on your website for the month. Make sure it ties back to your organization though. If you are an animal rescue group, then have a contest to highlight the best holiday card fail featuring a rescue animal.
2. Recipe fails. This one I relate to all too well. So what can you do with this? Well, if your organization promotes healthy lifestyles for adults or kids, use these to make a failed-but-still-healthy recipe e-catalog or cookbook. They’ll still be promoting the healthy diets that you want your constituents to see, but they’ll also be funny! They’ll be laughing with you, not at you, I promise!
3. Staff fails. Get your board and/or staff involved! Have them participate in an Pinterest challenge. Whoever makes the recipe/photo/crafty wreath best wins, but you all still share the fails too. You could include a link to your Pinterest contest in your holiday e-card, social media campaign or really anywhere. This would be fun for staff and a good, lighthearted way to show some personality and change pace from the same old emails that supporters are used to getting.
Pinterest should be part of any organization’s overall social media strategy to increase branding, but Pinterest Fails end up getting shared on Twitter, Facebook and more – so, if you’re looking to gain followers on Pinterest, use these other channels to help let supporters know you’re on Pinterest too. Maybe these ideas won’t bring in a ton of donations on their own, but they could begin a relationship with a new potential donor. It’s a good way to show that your organization has a sense of humor. And it’s definitely a great way to get noticed. When these do get you noticed, make sure there’s a link to a donation form or at very least your website!
Embrace those epic fails and increase awareness around your cause while getting a few laughs in!