As account managers we are responsible for guiding our clients, helping them understand their goals, and find out who they are trying to reach. When trying to communicate the goals, deliverables and other pieces of information to our internal team, I soon found out I had no idea how important one little word would be – “Why?” Over the years I started not only asking myself that question, but asking it of my clients and more-and-more to my team…

• Why are we talking to this demographic?
• Why do you think you need a brochure?
• Why are you rebranding?
• Why should your customers choose you over your competitors?
• Why are you on Twitter and not LinkedIn?
• And the list goes on…

Here at 3fold the importance of proper planning and fact-finding is at the core of what we do. We often find out our clients may not always ask themselves this important question enough. And that is just fine.

Ask any account manager on our team, I’ve told every one of them, if a client is asking you for a product (“I need a brochure” or “we want to do a newsletter” or “we need a press release”) or other deliverable, you must first ask them why they think they need it.

Perhaps they are asking for a brochure to fulfill their need to share information. But, what if that isn’t the best tool to reach the right audience. Instead maybe a website overhaul may work better, or a simple reminder card may be more effective. This may not always be the case. Sometimes our clients are right on with their requests, but part of our job is to ensure that what we deliver will not only solve the problem at hand but be the most effective and efficient.

To make a long story short, three little letters rule our process here at 3fold. If you can’t answer the question “why?” with precision, it’s time to go back to the drawing board to find the answer. Admittedly, it’s my favorite part of this job.

Pepsi, “Forever Young” — 2009

“Vintage meets contemporary” — Elise Crispen, Account Coordinator

Budweiser, “Respect” — 2002

“Important to remember” — Andi Justice, Account Manager

Old Spice, “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” — 2010

“On a Horse” — Alicia Allen, Social Media Coordinator

E*Trade, “Girlfriend” — 2010

“No she didn’t!” — Curtis Ebo, Account Coordinator

Levis, “Flyweight” — 1997

“It’s not CGI!” – Steve Alfano, Creative Director

Bud Light, “Fergus, Bud Light!” — 2004:

“Winning Paws Down” — Phyllis Marker, Office Manager

Volkswagen, “The Force” — 2011

“Use the Force!” – Scott Moak, Director, Nonprofit Services

EDS, “Herding Cats” — 2000

“Good luck, buddy!” — Amanda Chaffee, Graphic Designer

Miller Lite “Evil Beaver” — 1998

“Holy Chompers Batman!” – Brian Blank, PR & Social Media Manager

Monster.com “When I Grow Up” — 1999

“Start 3foldcomm now!” — Gordon Fowler, Founder and CEO

Volkswagen “New Beetle” — 2011

“Oh heck yes!” — Allison Yee-Garcia, Director of Account Services

Career Builder “Board Meeting” — 2006

“Sales are Up” — Ross Villegas, Nonprofit Division Coordinator

Apple “1984″ — 1984

“Who needs humble?” — Angela Criser, Director of Digital Strategy

Doritos “Dog Gets Revenge”– 2010

“Feel the Bark!” — Kim Tucker, Vice President, Nonprofit Services

Pets.com “Deliveries” — 2000

“Pets. Dot. Bust.” — Clay Nutting, Account Executive

Blackbaud’s 2011 Peer-to-Peer Event Fundraising survey reveals the top five reasons that motivated an individual to fund raise for an organization:

• 69% felt a personal or emotional connection
• 50% responded to a request by friend or family
• 37% were drawn to the physical challenge
• 35% wanted to benefit the local community
• 32% wanted to be part of a company or group team

3fold has formed a team for the 2012 Fight for the Air Climb presented by the American Lung Association.  Can’t you just see it, “The 3fold Sherpas – Born to Climb!”  And we fit right in to this matrix:

• Some of us have lost family or friends to lung cancer and other breathing related illnesses.
• We were invited by our good friend, Kimberly Weich Reusché, VP for Programs at the American Lung Assoc of California.
• Even a couple of us (not me) are excited about the physical challenge of climbing 34 floors of stairs for this good cause (go ahead, call it a vertical road race – still sounds painful).
• 3fold is all about our community.
• And others will join with us because we 3folders have such a good time together!

Whatever your cause, and whatever your event’s theme, success can depend on how well you engage the community.  We want to feel a part of something in order to support it; and if you’re a fundraiser, it’s your job to help us feel a part of your mission.

Meanwhile, want to join the 3fold Sherpas – Born to Climb team?  We’d love to have you help us raise $10,000 and have some fun on 24 March.  To sign up or donate to our team, go to http://bit.ly/A3thza.

I soon realized though, the dog-eat-dog environment I was expected to reluctantly assimilate into is actually a lifestyle choice and not the only way to make a successful living. Don’t get me wrong, as a former NCAA Division I athlete, competitive spirit runs through my veins and “better, faster, stronger” is always the mantra, but an intense corporate culture is not a universal standard. It is possible to feed off the energy of your co-workers, to support and be supported, and to foster the healthy optimism essential to happiness and productivity. Phew! Huge relief!

Aristotle had it right when he said “the more you know, the more you know you don’t know” and this became apparent rather quickly. There is a confidence and momentum that comes from mastering college — academically, socially and athletically — and this energy and drive you feel as a college student ready to graduate and take the world by storm, can be hard to uphold in the next stage of professional life.

Our imaginations and passions to succeed have been cultivated for years by inspiring professors, other ambitious students and supportive parents who themselves make climbing the corporate ladder look easy (if this doesn’t sound like you in your college years, it’s okay, it’s a millennial thing).

But the reality is the workforce, or “real world,” is a different breed of motivation, knowledge and experience. You realize you’ve barely scratched the surface of what it means to be well-informed and ultimately your academic experience and accomplishments are overshadowed by the portfolios and brain-trusts of your professional co-workers. The reality of being a rookie in the workforce is a very humbling experience.

But, amongst feeling new and inferior, don’t let yourself fade into the background. Use this opportunity to remember as a young professional, we are far from unnecessary or useless in the work place. We are self-expressive and very well-connected (most likely due to growing alongside our social media culture). We believe there must be a solution to every challenge and with some direction we will self-start and use our resources to find the answer. We are eager to learn and not afraid to ask questions when we don’t understand. We are technologically savvy and justifiably skeptical. We bring a fresh perspective, a clean slate and an enthusiastic attitude — we get after it. We may not know it all, but we catch on quickly. Besides, we live in a digital world where nearly every answer can be found at a touch, swipe or click.

Each young professional’s experience varies, but the thing we can all agree upon is the future of professionalism currently lies in the hands of myself and millions of others like me. Keep an eye out for our growing presence and influence because, ready or not, we are here.

Recently, we were working with the Center for Community Health and Well-Being helping to create a powerful and impactful PowerPoint presentation to serve as a backdrop to their “fund-a-need” at a local crab feed. By applying a few simple rules, we helped them turn the slide show into a compelling way to connect to people’s hearts, and guess what — they answered with their wallets, committing to more than twice the expected goal from the evening.

“We raised the second highest amount in the history of the event!” said Wendy Petko, the executive director of the Center for Community Health and Well-Being. “I had a woman come up to me and say that her husband was crying during the slide show. It shows you just how powerful this tool can be.”

Regardless of your presentation platform and whether it is a business pitch or nonprofit presentation, edit and use restraint for a powerful and memorable (for the right reasons) presentation.

Here are 10 easy steps to energize your next presentation to maximum effectiveness:

1. Pick (and stick to) one goal for the presentation.
2. Prepare an outline of the support points you will need to communicate to the audience to reach that goal.
3. Don’t make it longer than necessary; if it can be said in 10 minutes keep it there.
4. With text, less is more. Use headlines and bullets with a maximum of six bullets per slide. Keep your fonts simple, don’t use too many different styles and no smaller than 24 point font.
5. When speaking, practice and prepare! Don’t read off your slides.
6. Use appropriate photos or graphics to stir emotions.
7. Keep transitions simple and hyperlinks to a minimum.
8. Open and close with a goal message and a clear next step (call to action).
9. Use the Q&A after the show to clarify your points.
10. Put charts, footnotes and citations into the handout version distributed during the Q&A after slideshow.

Next time you have a PowerPoint presentation to give, take a few moments to put these tips to use to turn a mediocre PowerPoint into a powerful tool that captivates your audience – we are sure they will appreciate it!

@mkinyon (Michael Kinyon) – After successfully slowing down #SOPA, Twitter has turned its attention to more important topics, like #ReplaceBandNamesWithPenguin.

@JohnnyInfamous (Johnny Infamous) – Star Wars is based on the lesser known Shakespeare work “Thy Force Be Stronge” #factswithoutwikipedia

@strangedave (Dave Cake) – Pluto is no longer a planet due to copyright claims from the Disney corporation #factswithoutWikipedia

@rage_abc (rage) – Marilyn Manson did not play Paul from The Wonder Years. He was, however, a member of the Mickey Mouse Club #factswithoutWikipedia

@WootLive (Woot Workshop) – There is no such thing as gluten. #factswithoutwikipedia

@dvnix (&e-ru) – Sarah Palin successfully defended South Carolina from marauding Northerners in 1857. #FactsWithoutWikipedia

@dogwelder (Luke Gattuso) – Dogs are actually tiny horses. #FactsWithoutWikipedia

@TheJakeShort (Jake Short) – Bacon is good for you. #FactsWithoutWikipedia

@ReillyRick (Rick Reilly) – 97% of the earth’s surface is covered by Beefaroni. #factswithoutwikipedia

@pete_sinclair (Pete Sinclair) – Pasta lovers can now plant a spaghetti tree in order to reduce their carbonara footprint. #FactsWithoutWikipedia

@slarkpope (brian braiker) – Scott Bakula is the founding father of quantum physics #FactsWithoutWikipedia

As usual, we are always looking for your input. What were your favorite SOPA and PIPA moments from Twitter the last few days?

The new partnerships mean you can go beyond the simple “Like” and venture out, expanding your social vocabulary to include “read,” “listen,” “cook,” and “watch.” Along with the new Facebook timeline feature, these new apps are part of changes announced at the f8 developer conference in the fall we have seen being trickled out over the last few months.

This is a great opportunity for the approved apps to extend their reach. As users make “branded” updates, the applications get more reach through that user’s social graph. The downside is too much sharing can take away that personal touch that drew us into Facebook and into information overload.

On the positive side, AllThingsD’s Liz Gannes had a chance to talk to many of the app partners and has a great rundown of the unique implementations, including Fab.com offering you payment for sharing your information. Definitely worth reading her post for a good overview of the possibilities these apps present.

Coupled with how the applications can creatively use this feature, finding that right balance on how much information that person wants to share with their social graph will be the essential to how successful the open graph will be in the long run. Just like other posts, Facebook allows you to delete any updates directly from the timeline and you can adjust your settings in the activity log on just how much information is shared.

Overall, this is an interesting move from Facebook and we should see some fun and creative applications come out and it’s just a matter of time before we see more applications introduced. Have you had a chance to play around with these new apps? What is your favorite? Have any applications on your wish list?

As we remembered Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with a national holiday this past Monday, looking back on his impressive work with the American Civil Rights movement, his inspirational “I Have a Dream” speech comes to mind. Delivered 48 years ago on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., Dr. King’s speech still resonates today. As an essential part of the Civil Rights movement, King was an inspiration to many at that time and we need to do our part to ensure his message lives on each day.

In memory of Dr. King, we had a fun time compiling some interesting facts about him as well as his famous speech:

• Delivered on August 28, 1963, “I Have a Dream” is a 17-minute speech by Martin Luther King, Jr., in which he called for racial equality and an end to discrimination.
• The speech, from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, was a defining moment of the American Civil Rights Movement.
• Believe it or not, the “I Have a Dream” speech was originally titled “Normalcy, Never Again” and the first drafts never included the phrase “I have a dream.”
• Near the end of the speech, famous African American gospel singer Mahalia Jackson shouted to Dr. King from the crowd, “Tell them about the dream, Martin.” Dr. King stopped delivering his prepared speech and started preaching, punctuating his points with “I have a dream.”
• Beyond the biblical scripture, the speech contains references to Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation, and even Shakespeare.
• Dr. King was so busy organizing the march even 12 hours before he was scheduled to stand in front of the masses at the Lincoln Memorial, he didn’t even know what he was going to talk about, much less have anything written.
• January 20, 1986, was the first national celebration of King’s birthday as a holiday.
• Despite “I Have a Dream” considered the top speech of all time by American Rhetoric Martin Luther King Jr. received a “C” in his public speaking class.
• He won the Nobel Peace Prize on December 10, 1964, as the youngest and second black recipient of the award.
• Graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta in 1948.
• Was born Michael Luther King Jr., but after his father changed his first name to Martin when he became a minister. The younger Michael changed his name to Martin as well, initially against his father’s wishes.
• Is the only U.S. citizen to have a national holiday dedicated to him.
• Time Magazine’s “Man of the Year” (1963)
• Was an original Trekkie as a fan of the original Star Trek TV series and even encouraged Nichelle Nichols (Lieutenant Uhura) to remain on the show.
• He stated that he would not live to be 40. He died aged 39.
• Among his personal, non-violent reform heroes was Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948).
• During his funeral, his casket was pulled by a mule-driven cart down Atlanta’s main street.
• No meat for him! Dr. King was a vegetarian.
• In 1988 on his 60th birthday, the U.S. government unveiled a statue memorial to commemorate the progress of civil rights.

[Facts vis CafeMom and MLK Online]

Digital Retail Tours
Based on your shopping habits or preferences your phone can guide you from store to store and product to product, on a journey to discover and explore items that are based off your budget and taste. (Clay Nutting)

Ready-and-Waiting App
Program your order into an app, once you enter a zone close to the retail environment, your order will be ready and paid for, all you have to do is pick it up! (Clay Nutting)

Enhanced Brand Experiences with QR
QR codes have been a buzz word for the last year or two, but brands are finally figuring them out. Forget snapping them and being sent to a website, the next phase of QR will involve snapping a QR at a museum and hearing the artist talk about the work you are looking at, or snapping one on a street sign for reporting potholes, accidents or even crimes to the local authorities. (Angela Criser)

Textbook Gamification
Learning has never been so fun! You achieve an epic win for completing a difficult chapter, points for improving your test scores from month-to-month, and recognition for top scores – pitting you against the brightest minds in the class, state, country or even the world! It is a virtual competition against yourself and fellow students with incentives provided by some of the top educational foundations. (Clay Nutting)

Facebook Teen Tracker
Facebook will release an enhanced timeline feature for parents interested in better monitoring their growing kids’ activities. A special feature will notify parents when their children mention activities that cost money, automatically calculate the value of that activity and provide a running total at the top of each parents profile.  Parents will then have a better understanding of whether their kids really need money for more books in college, or whether “book fees” are just supplementing a pizza party or “gotta-have-that-new-top-at-Abercrombie” run. Warning – May be thwarted with “Damn It, My Mom Is On Facebook” app unless advanced controls are activated — for an additional fee of course! (Gordon Fowler)

The Year of Pinterest
Social bookmarking upstart Pinterest will get bigger and better as a social bookmarking tool in 2012. Besides being fun and refreshing, it’s a great space for inspiration and bookmarking the things you love. (Alicia Allen)

Social TV
This one is starting to become a reality, from social networks like GetGlue to the just-announced MySpaceTV to custom TV show apps – TV is getting social. Only problem is, these apps still won’t solve tape delaying shows and events. (Brian Blank)

Mining the Mobile Stream
While paid apps, freemium services and social advertising can generate revenue through mobile devices, it will be the companies that create interesting ways to mine the endless data stream mobile device users generate that will create the real value (and hopefully revenue). Scary Big Brother issues aside, the basic bits of data (location, travel, age, gender, etc.) our phones provide could be useful in other areas beyond augmented reality and location based services. (Brian Blank)

What are your thoughts? Do you see any of these coming through in the next year? Even better yet, what are your predictions?

Lucky Bags, also known as “Lucky Packs” or “Happy Packs,” are essentially grab bags on steroids. Customers come to the store to pick out a nondescript tote full of mystery merchandise, priced with a significant discount compared to the retail worth of the goods inside. Despite not knowing the exact contents, customers are drawn to the bags because they know they will receive quality products from a brand they know and love – there are no white elephants among the bags – for a fantastic deal.

This year, Apple’s packs drew the most fervor, with fans lining up overnight for a chance to grab one of their ¥33,000 ($435) deals. It seems like a lot of money to spend on a bag of the unknown, until you find out what some people received inside. One lucky customer ended up with an 11” MacBook Air (MSRP $999), with a few additional accessories. Another walked out with a baseline iPad 2 (MSRP $499), with headphones, a case and a data card reader. The company also included an exclusive Apple T-shirt and collectible pins in all bags.

Japanese street fashion designers, such as Angelic Pretty and H. Naoto, have seen so much success with their lucky bags that they’ve extended the practice beyond New Years. These brands mark other cultural holidays (and slow sales seasons) during the summer and fall with lucky bag sales that net their customers hundreds of dollars in savings. A shopper can receive pieces of an entire coordinated outfit (including handbags and accessories) for as little as $200, when the retail price of all the items would normally exceed $500.

With the borderline insanity we often see on Black Friday sales, we know American consumers love a crazy deal as much as anyone. If brands in the United States are looking to reinvigorate their consumers during sales season doldrums, taking a page from the Japanese playbook could be a great strategy. With lucky bags, brands engage and energize their audience, clear excess inventory, and jump start revenues during slow periods. And I don’t know about you, but I think a discounted set of workout gear from Nike or a collection of Sephora’s latest products would make pretty sweet lucky bag!

Take a deep breath. Facebook timeline has officially rolled out to all users… and it’s actually quite intriguing. You read that correctly, a Facebook change that is fun, interesting and pretty easy to adapt to. As for businesses, you’ll still have to wait a bit, but we anticipate the new timeline replacing the fan page down the road.

Here are three main points on what to expect as you’re transitioning to your new personal timeline:

1. Think of your new timeline as a scrapbook. It’s simply a collage of photos and post updates since you first signed on to Facebook. It’s now an easy way to flip through time, and you can even create photos and stories that can be categorized from when you were born. I also love the map feature, pinning the different places you’ve moved, traveled, and checked-in to. It’s basically like having your entire life organized into a fancy timeline.
2. A seven day preview. Once you switch over to the timeline, you’ll have seven days to adjust your timeline making it just the way you like. This includes changing basic information, featuring stories, hiding stories, building your map and tweaking privacy settings. And of course creating a “face” for your scrapbook – the cover photo.
3. Privacy, privacy, privacy. All of the main privacy settings from your old profile will transfer to your timeline. For example, if your privacy is set to only you seeing tagged photos of yourself, or someone cannot check you in to a place, the same will be in effect on your new timeline. You have the ability to change the privacy settings for your entire page; as well, you’ll have the ability to change privacy settings for each story: whether it’s hiding the story from your timeline altogether, making it public, or featuring it (which will make it into a bigger box on your wall). It’s best to browse through old stories and make sure privacy settings are set to your liking.

Keep in mind, functionality of Facebook will be similar: the homepage will be the same, you’ll still be able to post an update from your timeline and comment on your friends’ timelines. This new change is simply a new way to organize your digital life. So jump in, utilize the seven day preview, check to make sure all of your privacy settings are set, and have fun taking a trip down memory

“Thank you notes before playing with your gifts,”

According to Penelope Burk’s Donor-Centered Fundraising, only 40% of donors say they always receive a thank you letter after they make a donation… which means that the other 60% either receive a thank you sometimes, or shockingly, not at all.

So what does this statistic mean for nonprofits? A typical nonprofit will lose 50% of its annual donors between the first and second donation and up to 30% year on year thereafter. Yikes! The lesson here: Not saying thank you to your donors, members, stakeholders, board members and even your staff is hurting you financially!

With your year-end annual appeals wrapping up, here are a few tips to ensure you give everyone on your list a personal and meaningful thank you this annual appeal season.

Take Inventory

Pull together all the past notes, letters, phone scripts or any other materials created for the purpose of saying thank you. Make sure they are all consistent in messaging, information is up to date (especially statistics about your organization) and there are no spelling errors before sending out.

Be Timely

It should be a priority to say thank you within 48 hours after receipt. If you send out all your thank you letters at the end of the month, shoot an email or call after hours to leave a message of gratitude right away. I like to set aside the last 30 minutes of my work day to send thank you notes or make thank you calls.

Make It Personal and Meaningful

The goal is to tell your donors “You matter to us and your gift makes a difference.” You’re not going to make me feel that way if your letter starts off with “Dear Friend…” Don’t do that, ever! Know my name. Know how much I gave. Tell me what kind of impact my contribution made in your organization.

Go Retro

For the younger generations who love email and social media it’s easy to hide behind your computer. Don’t ever underestimate the power of a phone call or handwritten note card. They have become a lost art like sewing or cooking for us busy professionals but people appreciate them, remember them, and feel like you went above and beyond.

Didn’t Get Any Money? Send A Thank You Anyway

It’s called cultivation and don’t be short sighted. They didn’t give this year but there is always next year. Didn’t get the big grant you applied for? Better send a thank you note — trust me, the nomination committees will be more likely to remember you next year.

There are lots of times I forgot to say thank you, especially to my co-workers and my husband (my top donors of time, idea sharing and support). I just have to remember to make it a habit and priority throughout the day. So thanks Mom, for making me write those thank you cards when all I really wanted to do was play with my new toys. I appreciate it now.

The holiday season is no stranger to reminiscing down the nostalgia trail. A personal connection to history is certainly enough to bring in purchasers (especially those that lived during that period in time) and that can bring in a whole range of emotions. From simple sights, sounds and smells to longing for a Red Ryder BB gun, the holidays have a hold on our attention using nostalgia as a big hook.

“For many, holidays bring back memories of simpler times along with the sense of the security of childhood or the carefree feelings of being young, with fewer of the worries and stress that accompany responsibilities. Most often, holidays remind us of people who have played important roles in our lives and the activities we shared with them,” notes nostalgia expert Krystine Batcho, PhD, in an American Psychological Association article.

“During difficult times, attention to our past can strengthen us by reminding us of how we survived challenges, loss, injury, failure or misfortune in the past. When we are sad or discouraged, it can be uplifting to remember that we are still the person who had been happy, strong and productive at times in our past,” she adds.

These current economic conditions make people look back at times we perceive as “simpler” and less stressful, making nostalgia a powerful marketing tool. Even new generations are getting on the nostalgia train as the millennial generation is now just old enough to get nostalgic clicking back to the 90s.

Kate Loveland, a PhD candidate at Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business, uncovered a bond between a sense of nostalgia and a social need to belong. When we start establishing our lives away from our family, people have more pressure to belong to a group — triggering the social self.  We find comfort through products that take us back to a simpler, more comfortable time.

Marketing goes beyond a flashy headline and strategic pricing. It seems the slice of history hits a certain tone in peoples buying behaviors. Whether they were there or not, the romance lingers enough for people to invest. The sports market has embraced this philosophy seeing successful interest in “throwback” uniform looks from decades past to the point they are even rolling out “retro” looks for franchises less than a decade old.

“From the very beginning, I could sense that there were these great moments in history, especially in sports history, that really resonate with people emotionally,” said Ryan Vesler, founder of nostalgic clothing manufacturer Homage, in a recent article in Business News Daily. “They remember where they were watching the game or whom they were with. I think those moments are special to people.”

Like an old pick-up truck on the superhighway, the retro trend may soon be in our rear-view as something new and shiny will take its place. That is until we feel the need for something nostalgic to calm our souls. In the meantime, click here for a classic sci-fi wind-up toy…Klaatu Barada Nikto!

To save you some time, here is a closer look at some of these changes and what they could mean for your business:

Facebook Timeline

Timeline is here. Initially rolling out for personal pages, it’s safe to assume that branded pages will be right around the corner. As a business, the present Facebook brand page doesn’t provide many opportunities to differentiate your page from others, but that will not be the case with Timeline, the brand benefits of Timeline’s unique features will be huge.

With a large “cover” image spanning the top of your profile, brands will be able to tell a more visually impactful story. Of course conversations are still key, and with a few slick features Timeline will highlight your efforts more prominently than ever. It will be important for your business to know what stories you want to tell and to use this new real estate effectively to draw your audience in for more.

Facebook’s Acquisition of Location-Based Service Gowalla

Location-based services allow businesses to push information to a potential consumer when they are in or near their business. While Facebook abandoned their Facebook Places application this past year, the news about the company’s acquisition of Gowalla indicates a recommitment to the Facebook geo-location experience. Expect Facebook to take location-based services to a new level, not only hoping to rival Foursquare but integrate more features making Facebook even more mobile friendly. Also, with the continuing proliferation of smartphones mixed with retailers’ desire to drive traffic in a tough economy, geo-location will be even bigger in 2012 with Facebook poised to make an impact.

Twitter Brand Pages

Like Google+ and Facebook, Twitter has launched its own version of brand pages to help businesses create and present a stronger brand presence on their platform. The Twitter brand page will include a large customizable banner, which can include bio information, graphics and links. Business will also be able to freeze any tweet at the top of the timeline providing the opportunity to present strategic messaging on your page. At the moment, Twitter brand pages are only currently available to a few select partners. However, we anticipate a full rollout sometime in 2012. How will your businesses take advantage of this new look to enhance your brand presence?

Regardless of the changes, one thing remains constant — social media is never static. If your business is not taking advantage of the opportunities social media presents, you risk falling behind. We are in a competitive market, getting in front of a large targeted audience in a strategic way helps get your business positioned for success. Think ahead with your plan, then dedicate the time and resources upfront to keep yourself ahead of the competition.

Clay Nutting heads up 3fold’s Social Media Management services, www.3foldSocial.com. His team helps clients develop custom, strategic social media plans designed to work for their industries and their target audiences.

If you want to help homeless families and individuals, donate money and warm clothes to Francis House Center of Sacramento.  Rev. Faith Whitmore and her team provide critical triage and support to people facing the really hard issues of homelessness and unemployment.  Donate online at www.francishousecenter.org or drop off donations to them at 1422 C Street, Sacramento.  The hug you receive will be heart-felt, and you’ll leave feeling better about yourself, guaranteed.

If you want to support the arts, give money to La Raza Galeria Posada.  Executive Director Marie Acosta, along with talented staff and an active board of directors are determined to preserve, promote and present the very best of indigenous peoples’ art.  You don’t want to miss their annual Day of the Dead celebration; and check out the Sacramento Bee’s online coverage of their Second Saturday Las Posaditas celebration.  Donate money online at www.larazagaleriaposada.org.  And drop in to their Midtown site at 1022 22^nd Street to check out the artists’ works they have for sale.

If you support women’s programs, especially job readiness, donate to Women’s Empowerment.  Lisa Culp leads a tremendous team of staff and volunteers, and one visit to their headquarters will prove to you their impact.  The walls are covered – literally covered – with photos and bios of their graduates.  It’s an amazing place.  Check them out online at www.womens-empowerment.org and consider donating cash as well as your time.  They thrive on the contributions of volunteers and can be found at 1400 North C Street.

If you worry about people being hungry, then double-down on your grocery shopping and make a food donation to River City Food Bank.  Better yet, volunteer to bag groceries for families in need, and feel blessed that our community has Eileen Thomas and her team.  Donate money online to them at www.rivercityfoodbank.org or stop by their center at 1319 27^th Street in Sacramento.

If it is youth mentoring that connects with your priorities, the very best program in our region is the Child Advocates of Placer County.  Donate online at www.casaplacer.org or if you live in Placer County, call Don Kleinfelder at 530-887-1006 to find out when you can be trained as a volunteer advocate and mentor.  The time is nothing compared to the impact you’ll have in the life of a young person who needs your help.

If you worry about gay, lesbian, and questioning youth and their safety and support, donate to the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center.  Shara Perkins-Murphy and her team manage the largest and oldest LGBT community center in our region, and they need us to support their work.  Donate online at www.saccenter.org, or mail your check to 1927 L Street, Sacramento.

Many of us have been touched by cancer, and if childhood cancer concerns you, support the Keaton Raphael Memorial Foundation.  Donate online at www.childcancer.org and call Robyn Raphael at 916-784-6786 to hear about the real difference they’re making in the lives of families facing a devastating diagnosis and treatment plan.  I couldn’t imagine going through such a thing alone, and Robyn makes sure families don’t.

So let’s recap. The 12 things you can do this holiday season are:

1. Send a donation to Francis House Center.
2. Call Rev Faith at 916-443-2646 and find out what they need, then donate the stuff.
3. Send a donation to Women’s Empowerment.
4. Call Lisa Culp at 916-669-2307 and find out how you can volunteer at Women’s Empowerment.
5. Donate money or groceries to River City Food Bank.
6. Call Eileen Thomas at 916-446-2627 to find out how you can work a shift at River City Food Bank.
7. Send a donation to La Raza Galeria Posada.
8. Shop at the La Raza gallery for interesting, one of a kind art gifts.
9. Donate money to Child Advocates of Placer County.
10. Sign up to become a volunteer youth mentor, if not in Placer County, then where you live.
11. Donate to the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center so people coming out have support.
12. Donate to Keaton Raphael Memorial to ensure that families diagnosed with childhood cancer are supported.

All the info you need to make a difference is in this blog post.  Let us know what you decide to do, whether part of this list or something else, to contribute to the Season of Giving.  And thanks for showing up for those who show up every day to make things better for others.

And, with success, there comes a need for some change. Not only are we experiencing growth as an agency in size, but our scope is maturing and becoming more defined. You may have noticed this in some changes to our website. Over the past year we decided to focus on and highlight the three core areas of our business — marketing services, nonprofit consulting and social media management. Each represents a piece of our mission and promise to our clients — connecting bold brands to their customers and community to make a big impact.

We continue to work as a team collaborating on projects and providing top-shelf client service across the board. All have a primary focus tapping into the key areas:

Our 3fold marketing services team provides our award-winning integrated marketing – branding, advertising and copywriting; strategic public relations, social media and communications; website design and digital presence to connect our clients with their next customer.

Our 3fold nonprofit consulting experts partner with nonprofit organizations to increase their capacity to perform on their mission, strategically position them to attract new funding, build their influence, and strengthen their overall impact.

Our 3fold social media management provides social media strategy and management services. Built to fit a variety of budgets, 3fold Social helps businesses and organizations assess, build strategy and manage their social media presence to meet their business goals.

As our company continues to grow and transition I am thankful for our team, our client family and our many 3fold friends and supporters. We’re focused on continuing to do bold things from our Midtown nerve center – and as a result, I’m expecting exciting things for 2012!

We are not ones to toot our own horns at all but we do have to say a great team and incredible clients made this all possible. The news was our late Thanksgiving treat and our early Christmas gift and a great way to wrap up an exciting 2011.

Why is the award such a big deal to us? The Metro Chamber does a great job of recognizing individuals and businesses for excellence not only in business leadership but the commitment to our community.

There are plenty of deserving businesses in the area, so to be selected is an incredible honor and speaks volumes about what we have accomplished this last year and sets our sights higher for 2012.

A big 3fold “thank you” goes out to the Sacramento Metro Chamber for the award, congratulations to the other winners and most of all, a big thank you to our clients – without you all, this wouldn’t be possible.

Stay tuned for bigger and better things next year Sacramento!

While stabilizing my feet in the culture and vibe here at 3fold, it became easier for me to recognize a theme emerging from many of our clients. Having spent 100% of my time working for a nonprofit over the past 15 years, I now have the chance to work alongside nonprofits in an entirely different way and see things – and themes – in an entirely new way. The theme that continues to rear its beautiful head over and over…is innovation.

I find myself completely enchanted when I see the nonprofit leaders in our community doing great things, taking incredible chances and undertaking innovative endeavors. More and more nonprofits are recognizing that providing nonprofit services the same old way just isn’t getting it done. Too much competition. Not enough collaboration. Too few dollars. And no ROI. Yes, I just said that!

Don’t get me wrong, I totally get it. Nonprofits need to be do-gooders — the world relies on them to do the work that no one else wants to do or can do. Heck…there is a reason you get a tax break for doing nonprofit work – IT’S FREAKING HARD!!! But amidst the difficulties of nonprofit work, there is a business to run, a board that needs to be answered to and innovation that needs to happen at every turn (if you care to read a fascinating debate over the topic, click here for a piece done by the Wall Street Journal).

As we see more and more nonprofits locally and nationwide following the path away from operating like a traditional charity and towards a more business-like model…I feel proud and encouraged. As our clients at 3fold continue to raise the bar and push the envelope, I feel so fortunate to be working alongside them as they innovate to make our community a better place to be.

Starting Monday, December 5 through Saturday, December 10, a bin will be traveling to different businesses and organizations throughout Downtown and Midtown Sacramento collecting nonperishable food and wrapping paper donations for Stanford Settlement.

Where will the bin be traveling?

• Monday, 12/5: Jiffy Lube Downtown; 3000 Capitol Avenue
• Tuesday, 12/6: Bows and Arrows; 1815 19th street
• Wednesday, 12/7: B Street Theatre; 2711 B Street
• Thursday, 12/8: Esquire IMAX Theatre; 1211 K Street
• Friday, 12/9: Café Bernardo Midtown; 2726 Capitol Avenue
• Saturday, 12/10 (Second Saturday!): The Urban Hive; 1931 H Street

How you can help?

Find the bin and donate wrapping paper or nonperishable food. Spread the word! Tell your friends about the traveling bin using your social networks. You can track conversation about the bin on Twitter using the hashtag #TravelingBin

Who you’ll be helping?

Stanford Settlement’s Operation Cratchit project. Operation Cratchit has provided assistance to families during the holidays for over 40 years. Over 700 households will be served this year, receiving food, grocery store gift certificates for perishable food items, wrapping paper and gifts for children.

Thanks to the hosting businesses and organizations for helping us collect donations, and to everyone for spreading the word and donating!

Charity: Water (www.charitywater.org) — Bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations … AND 100% of public donations directly fund water projects (including the credit card fees from your donation). Why are they innovative? They use the digital space in a clever and unique way to very clearly outline, promote and report the progress on their goals (in numbers we can all understand, plus you can check Google maps to see where every completed water project is located).

-Gordon Fowler, President & CEO

826 Valencia (www.826valencia.org) — They help kids become better writers while helping over-burdened public schools and teachers provide the one-on-one attention that budgets no longer allow. But why are they innovative? They also run a pirate supply store which pays the lease, and how cool is that? At first, 826 Valencia started as just the address for a San Francisco publication to house its offices. However, looking at the education need in their own community, they decided they should add a free tutoring program for local kids. Running a publication in the morning, then when school ended, offering up staff as tutors. Because the building was zoned for retail, though, they needed to sell something to stay in their location. They created the Pirate Store, which turned out to be the perfect connection for 826 to the very community they wanted to help, as curious neighbors and visitors stopped in to see the unique store, and more often than not became new clients, donors and volunteers. Far from being part-time now, they have a volunteer roster of more than 1,700 local creative professionals and serve more than 6,000 students in San Francisco alone…and they have even opened seven more chapters across the country.

-Angela Criser, Director of Digital Strategy

Francis House Center (www.francishousecenter.org) — They serve as a triage center for newly homeless individuals and families, providing great emergency assistance, referrals, and case management. Why are they innovative? Francis House Center is the only organization in Sacramento that helps homeless people obtain State-issued identification, which is critical to enrolling in programs, obtaining health benefits, getting a job.

- Kim Tucker, VP Nonprofit Division

Project 7 (www.project7.com) — Simply put, You buy, they give. They are a cause-related company that makes everyday consumer goods like bio-bottled water, gum, mints and coffee. However, they aren’t asking you to buy more stuff, just change the products that you already buy in order to help others. Why are they innovative? Project 7 uses hardcore cause marketing (like retail space at the cash wrap in Walmart) following a hard-nosed, straightforward brand …”Buy this and do that.” Brilliant.

- Steve Alfano, Creative Director

These Numbers Have Faces (www.thesenumbers.org) — TNHF educates and empowers South African youth to ignite community transformation. Why are they innovative? They’re a pretty well-rounded and great organization. They are active on Twitter – and I especially love the quotes and statistics they push out. They also utilize pretty much every major social network and even have an iPhone app — it’s impressive to say the least for a nonprofit to truly understand technologies connection to new audiences.

- Alicia Allen, Social Media Coordinator

Cottage Housing, Inc. (www.cottagehousing.org) — A solution-focused, participant-driven and strength-based organization where homeless people help themselves — and each other — through their transition from the streets to self-sustainability. Why are they innovative? Cottage Housing, Inc. is not the patient type.  They were not interested in sitting around waiting for the economy to improve so they could find their formerly-homeless graduates jobs.  Instead, they started creating jobs by starting businesses.  Take Finishing Touch. This is a mobile detailing business that employs a formerly homeless workforce who graduated from Cottage Housing’s program.  Job skills, employment readiness, a living wage, a self-esteem boost…and a shiny, clean car. And that is just one of many.

- Scott Moak, Director of Nonprofit Services

TED (www.ted.com) — TED is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, and Design. Since then, its scope has become ever broader. Why is it innovative? They believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and, ultimately, the world. The TED website offers free knowledge and inspiration from the world’s most inspired thinkers, and also a community of curious souls to engage with those ideas and each other.

- Clay Nutting, Account Manager Social Media Services

Doctors without Borders (www.doctorswithoutborders.org) — Doctors Without Borders began in 1971 as Medecins Sans Frontieres by a group of French doctors and Journalists in the wake of the war and accompanying famine in Biafra and Nigeria. Why are they innovative? In light of them being an organization that has been around for more than 30 years, they continue to grow and change, now utilizing social media such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Tumblr to spread the information regarding their great body of work.  Their webpage is designed to show everything from current events affecting the world to ways to donate, from how to work with them to annual reports spanning the last decade.  They currently have 435,738 followers on Facebook and 155,208 followers on Twitter!

- Curtis Ebo, Operations Coordinator, Nonprofit Services

Center for Land Based Learning (www.landbasedlearning.org) — They teach California’s urban youth about the importance of agriculture and watershed conservation. CLBL exposes these kids to farms and ranches — a world they typical do not interface with. Why are they innovative? They work with youth to help them develop leadership skills and learn how sustainable agriculture practices contribute to a healthier ecosystem and create connections to agricultural, environmental, and food system careers. They also use channels like Facebook and YouTube to share these hands-on experiences, hoping to connect those not able to participate first hand with their mission. Besides, who wouldn’t love this video of kids rapping in a field about what they learn.

- Andi Justice, Account Manager

Special Olympics (www.sonc.org) — Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Programs give athletes continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in the sharing of gifts, skill, and friendship with their families, other athletes and the community. Why they are innovative? Beyond their incredible use of social networks to spread the message, they have partnered with pop culture media, including the TV show Glee and the Not Acceptable R-word PSA. In their social networks, the positive messages, incredible images and dynamic stories always bring a smile to my face.

- Brian Blank, PR and Social Media Manager

Kind Campaign (www.kindcampaign.com) — An internationally recognized movement, documentary and school program based upon the belief in KINDness that brings awareness and healing to the negative and lasting effects of girl-against-girl “crime.” Why are they innovative? They use a very “real” documentary to reach out to victims (and perpetrators) of adolescent girl-against-girl violence and then provide an immediate outlet for girls to gain support and empower themselves with their tagline “We’ve all been a victim. Unfortunately, we’re also the cause. Help us change.” They also have support from stars such as Lady Gaga.

- Elise Crispen, Account Assistant

Girls on the Run (www.gotrsac.org) –  The nonprofit is geared to girls from the 3rd to 8th grade and they teach them the value of eating right, having a healthy body image and ultimately showing them the joy of running.  Why are they innovative? With so many obese boys and girls in our country, it is great to see a program like Girls on the Run.  At the end of each session, each of the girls ends up running in a local 5K race.  Also, depending on the financial need of the school district the program is instituted in, the organization outfits the girls with new running shoes from New Balance.

- Ross Villegas, Account Manager