10 Lessons from the Barack Obama Tool Kit

I will be referring to the document below published by Eldeman. This PDF does a case study on Obama's media strategy. I believe that it outlines a comprehensive way of using social media and networks to build an organization.

Execution is all that matters

They are not the originator of these ideas -- but his team executed this strategy with great affect. And no matter your politics, this is an amazing case study to learn how be successful with your online strategy.

In this post (displayed below the document), I will note several factors and apply them to churches and nonprofit organizations.

Barack Obama Social Media Toolkit by Edelman

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Internet & Technolog Research 2008 social

Moving to a social pulpit

Obama is already converting the President’s bully pulpit into a social pulpit, delivering a message that is designed to be taken up and spread by others, with the tools and techniques learned during his campaign. Instead of relying on the traditional one-way, top-down approach to communications, the incoming administration is harnessing the power of public engagement to influence the conversation across various spheres of cross-influence (page 3).

This I believe has yet to occur in the church, but effectively this the side of history that we are now on -- that pulpits are social. The other issue the church needs to grapple with is a tension between theological truth and the truth according to the "social majority" (page 3).

1. Leading through tiers of engagement. One kind of membership in a church is not flexible enough.
2. Empowering super users. Find reliable people to give super access and super tools.
3. Providing source materials. Give "stock" content away.
4. Going where the people are. Stop asking people to visit your site.
5. Using tools people are familiar with. Use Facebook to message people instead of needing them to sign up for your Constant Contact newsletter.
6. Ensuring that people can find your content. If Google does not know about you, you are invisible.
7. Mobilizing supporters through mobile devices. This is the wild west, huge opportunities await those that figure mobile out first.
8. Harnessing analytics to constantly improve engagement activities. If you are not monitoring and measuring what you do online, you are wasting your time.
9. Building the online operation to scale. Stop building for your church only, build for the Kingdom.
10. Choosing the right team. Find the smartest people you know, network with them.

I would love to hear what you think of this document and if there is anything missing.

By Tim Bednar, founder Turtle Interactive
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