Invisible Children, Nonprofits and Straight Up Jealousy
For those who don’t know this may come as a shock: non-profits are competitive. They don’t compete for money like businesses do…oh wait, they do, they’re called donations.
But instead of competing for the best product, they compete on two levels:
1. Who does the best work
2. Who tells their story in the best way
Those who tell their story the best are continually barated by those who do good work, but aren’t as good at telling their story. They sit in offices and nit pick and say, “hey, we’re doing the same work they are doing (or in their minds, better) why don’t we get the attention they do?” So the only defense is to take the “moral” high ground and go after the mission.
Businesses at least compete in the open. Non-profits compete with something I call “NPR concern.” You know, that tone someone takes on NPR when they are really steaming mad but want to sound respectable. They use the words “I’m concerned.”
Invisible Children’s campaign is the best viral social media campaign in for-profit or non profit history. Period. And it’s just getting started. So remember, any of the opinions that you hear from the mouth of a non-profit are going to be tainted with a twinge of jealousy or “NPR concern” over their mission.
I don’t know if Invisible Children has picked the best goal for a viral campaign or not. But as the founder of Volunteer Card (www.volunteercard.com) we have done business with Invisible Children for 3 years. I’ve met the team. They are genuine, passionate, and brilliant. They are doing what they believe in their hearts is their life calling and mission. And they are accomplishing it better than anyone I’ve seen. Well done, friends.
Let’s us all be challenged to hone our life mission to the point that we give our very best to it, just as Invisible Children has done.











