Paul's Tech Talk

While most people take the holidays to relax with family, non-profits organizations see this season as a chance to capitalize on the abundance of generosity and good cheer. Charity fundraisers and events are popular this time of year, as even our favorite stars take the time to give back. Celebrities run successful charity events for causes they are passionate about, including Harrison Ford’s conservation initiative, Olivia WIlde’s fundraiser, “Artists for Peace and Justice” and Ashton Kutcher’s charity to end human trafficking, “Real Men Don’t Buy Girls.” The holiday season is an important time for these and other charities.

Last year and this year, a coalition of non-profits came together to promote “Giving Tuesday,” a spin-off of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The day is designed to kick off the holiday seasoning the right frame of mind. Launch the right fundraising campaign and your non-profit will take a stocking full of momentum into the new year.

Embrace technology to spread your cause this holiday season. Social media is the perfect way to connect with potential donors. If you’re out on the street seeking donations, a mobile credit card reader is a convenient tool to process credit card transactions. Above all, a clear message and purpose with draw the attention of willing donors.

Craft an Elevator Pitch

Non-profits don’t like to think about competing with each other, but during the holidays, they are. You’re competing for attention and awareness, and the only way to make your mark is with a strong, concise pitch. No one wants to get guilt-tripped into donating. Those who donate after hearing how little they care for a cause usually won’t be drawn to a life of activism. Rather, people want to partner with causes that they believe in. Instead of reciting how much your non-profit needs to raise, lead off with what you’re going to do with the money. Craft your campaign’s elevator pitch. Why are you raising money? Where will it go? And how can people donate? You’ll earn money from donor who relate to your cause and respect from those that aren’t able to donate.

Social Giving

Fundraising campaigns are as much about awareness as they are about money. Get a wave of support behind your cause and the money will follow. Luckily for today’s non-profits, a revolutionary marketing tool is at your disposal, and it’s free. Social media is the most efficient way to spread the world about your holiday fundraiser. The key is connecting with users through videos, photos or personal messages. Consider adding incentives to your social media fundraising campaign. Randomly selecting those who re-tweet a link to your donation page will generate some viral energy and awareness. The more creative you with your social media content, the better.

Accepting Donations

You’ve seen Salvation Army representatives ring bells outside of malls and department stores. It’s obviously an effective fundraising model, but it’s held back by it’s analog nature. As fewer shoppers carry cash, non-profits that are able to accept credit and debit cards have the upper hand. Mobile credit card readers turn your smartphone into credit card POS system, complete with electronic receipts and encrypted software. Intuit credit card readers, for example, attach to your smart phone and receive credit card swipes. You can accept credit cards anywhere will cell service, and Intuit charges as little as 1.75% per transaction. If your non-profit asks for donations on the street, a mobile credit card processor will undoubtedly boost your income.

Cedric Goodwin

Cedric loves all things sports and is the social media director for several local sports teams.

 

Photo by Yuichi Shiraishi / Flickr

 

On World Water Day, the United Nations released a very interesting, and possibly disturbing, factoid: “There are now more people with mobile phones (six billion for world population of seven billion) on earth than there are with access to clean toilets (4.5 billion).” Wow.

Things That Make You Go, Hmmm…

This statistic points out that developing countries still lack basic sanitation. But apparently do not lack phones. Or phone infrastructure. Again, wow. What is going on here? What’s next?

What’s Going on?

So how has the world come to a level where cell phones are so easily distributed, mobile phone service is so widely available, yet about 2 billion people do not have access to basic human civilization level of potties? How did we get here? And do we all fully understand the situation?

Sanitation issues extend beyond being unpleasant and uncomfortable. This isn’t like having to use a Port-o-John at a festival and being inconvenienced for the afternoon. Disease from poor sanitation reportedly kills over 4,000 kids per day. PER DAY.

But, Why?

• Greed: The profit margin for installing sewers, plumbing, and bathroom facilities is significantly less than the profit margin in the mobile phone world. Greed motivates people. Hence, lots of phones. And on the toilets for everyone, not so much.

• No Infrastructure: Many developing nations are only vaguely titled as such. In fact, it is development in specific that is lacking. Many countries simply have no infrastructure for sanitation. No pipes to bring clean water in. No sewers to take tainted water away. No treatment facilities to keep the cycle going.

• Broken Infrastructure: In many countries the infrastructure that is present is aging and broken, leaking pipes and the like. Particularly in nations where a colonizing force installed the infrastructure and then a people’s revolution took over, which had no clue on what the former rulers had going or how to keep it going.

• Government Sucks: Often in developing nations the government is so unstable or corrupt that serving the needs of the masses with sanitation services is either not on the agenda, or hasn’t been reached yet. Corruption often brings the developing part of a nation to the leaders of the nation first. Like we said, greed.

• Corporations Rock: Yeah, not usually our first thought. But, greed can also bring the good. Granted, choosing between mobile phones and sanitation is not possible, but if you’re not going to have one, you might as well have the other. And the spread of mobile devices also brings the spread of social networking which brings exposure to things like a lack of sanitation.

FTW

While these mind-blowing statistics appear disheartening at first read, the spread of mobile phones is a positive development for developing nations. Mobile phones bring connectivity on more than just a cellular grid, but also between people and causes and even more people to help with those causes. Maybe the concept of clean toilets just needs a really good KickStarter campaign.

 

Written by: Adam Prattler knows that 001flowerflower.com is a high quality website. When not  buying flowers, he likes to write content for marketing purposes online. He thinks he’s pretty good at it.

 

Photo by Rob Pearce / Flickr

If you’re in the market for a new laptop, we have some information about which brands are most popular in the United States right now. This is very helpful information because it can assist you in making sure you get the most for your hard earned money. Taking your time to make sure you get the best laptop for you personally makes a lot of sense for many different reasons.

Top 10 Laptop Brands in America

Here’s a look at the leading ten brands of laptops in the US right now. Going with any of these brands will help make sure you’re happy with your decision.

1. Apple – When it comes to the best quality and design, nothing beats an Apple laptop – especially the newer ones. Just be prepared to pay a pretty penny to get one of these.

2. Lenovo – This is probably the least well known laptop company, but they bring a lot to the table. Research them a little bit, and you’ll know what I mean.

3. Google – Yes, the Chromebook may not be as full featured as you want, but it’s a nice little laptop for surfing the web and checking email and social media accounts.

4. Samsung – Known for high quality mobile devices, going with a Samsung laptop can give you something that will run reliably and not look too bad either.

5. Alienware – For gamers, nothing beats an Alienware laptop – especially if you get one of the high-end models with all the bells and whistles. The more you spend, the longer the system will last.

6. Acer – While Acer may not be too well known when it comes to laptops, they actually have a lot of great laptops at very reasonable prices – even if they’re not flashy.

7. ASUS – You may not be familiar with this brand, but they actually offer a lot of value for the money. Check them out if you’re on a budget.

8. HP – When it comes to dependable and reliable laptops, HP is a brand name that is well known in the world of laptops. Be prepared to spend money on the name, though.

9. Toshiba – If you’re looking to save money, going with a Toshiba laptop will help you get a little more power for every dollar you spend.  

10. Sony – Lastly, you may want to look at what Sony has to offer when it comes to laptops – just be prepared to spend a little more money because of the brand name.

When choosing a laptop, it’s important to make sure you take your time and do the homework necessary to find something that fits you personally. A lot of different companies are making all sorts of laptops, tablets and other mobile devices these days.

 

While all this selection is good on one hand, it also means you have a lot of choices to narrow down to find something that works for you and your lifestyle. If you think we missed any top laptop brands, write a comment and let us know. Thanks for participating.

 

Written by: Sheila Kurdinger buys shapeware corsets online because that’s the easiest way to get it done. She once saw a great infographic about different clothing styles throughout the centuries.