Nonprofit uses new media to win old-school publicity

How a nonprofit used email and Twitter to inspire their supporters and win a full-page ad in USA Today.

The folks at To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA) recently won a full-page ad in USA Today by using email and social media together in one simple, combined effort. By using Twitter to further their cause, the nonprofit — which helps people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide — found a way to inspire their supporters and score great publicity.

“What would we say to 4 million people?” began their April 15 campaign, referencing USA Today’s enviable readership numbers. The email then reminded everyone how important grassroots communication has been in the history of the organization, which Jamie Tworkowski founded back in 2006.

In the email campaign, Tworkowski asked readers to tweet a specific phrase to enter USA Today’s Twitter campaign for charity. The phrase? “Let’s bring hope and help to America. Please RT: #AmericaWants @TWLOHA to get a full-page ad in USA Today.”

One week later, TWLOHA sent a follow-up email campaign to share the good news — they won the contest.

“Right now, we simply want to say, ‘Thank You.’ Your support is indescribable. We have a voice because of yours. We are all in this together, this conversation about pain and hope,” Tworkowski wrote to his supporters. Continuing the spirit of collaboration, the campaign encourages readers to use Twitter to share their ideas for what message should be included in the ad.

It’s great to see nonprofits tap into the power of social networking as a way to extend their reach and find new people who also care about their mission. (By the way, Emma’s new social sharing feature makes it easier than ever to pair up your email campaigns with social networks — you can try it out now in Emma Preview, if you want to see how it all works.)

Key takeaway: Look to your email subscribers to help you spread the gospel of your organization using social media mediums like Twitter.