The "Ten"-tacles Of Squidoo

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Ranked #976 in Volunteering, #145,823 overall

10 Easy Steps For Reaching Out With Squidoo!

I found Squidoo in February 2007, and quickly learned to use its vast potential to promote my own projects and favorite charities online (and raise some money for them, too.)

Now that I am a full fledged Squid Activist and Squidoo Evangelist, I want to detail the ten steps I use to promote those worthy causes I discover almost daily.

Keep reading for more information. If you're a beginner or a seasoned volunteer veteran, I'm sure you'll find something useful here.

Tentacle #1: Get Involved 

If you're not sure what cause you'd like to represent, try volunteering with a few of them first!

We all have 3 assets to share with others:

Time
This is a biggy for most of us. How you spend your time says a lot about you.

Talent
Everyone has something they're good at, and that works out well when different people contribute to a common cause.

Treasure
It's more than money, it's your knowledge and resources. Anything you value means that much more when you share it with others.

Squidoo can't wait to help your organization!

Check out these lenses for more ideas on serving others! 

Inspiration comes from all over!

Tentacle #2: Find A Topic To Be Excited About 

In the course of your volunteer efforts, you'll find the cause you've been waiting for...

Read Books And Newspapers
A great way to gain detailed insight about a cause you'd like to champion.

Watch News
The best way to help others is to find a need and meet it in a timely, relevant way.

Listen To Radio
Many non-profits advertise on the radio, or you may hear about things from a news program that's more in-depth on the topic.

Surf The Internet
DUH! I'm assuming you've done that since you're reading this right now! This is my #1 way of finding new projects.

Volunteering & Non-Profits on Amazon 

How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas

Amazon Price: $13.60 (as of 12/17/2009) Buy Now

Make a Difference: America's Guide to Volunteering and Community Service

Amazon Price: $11.07 (as of 12/17/2009) Buy Now

The Busy Family's Guide to Volunteering: Doing Good Together

Amazon Price: $11.66 (as of 12/17/2009) Buy Now

Volunteering Around the Globe: Life Changing Travel Adventures (Capital Travel Series)

Amazon Price: $12.44 (as of 12/17/2009) Buy Now

Wildlife & Conservation Volunteering: The Complete Guide (Bradt Travel Guide)

Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 12/17/2009) Buy Now

Tentacle #3: Find Out More 

Contact the organization to figure out the best way to help them

The best ways to find mission and contact information are:

Writing Letters Or Emails
Your Local Library
Google/Internet


Parents:
If your child is thinking of working for a cause, make sure you check out the organization thoroughly: financial statements, reviews, news stories, and so on. Don't let a bad volunteer experience tarnish you child's compassion toward others.

Get Excited & Spread The Word On Squidoo!

Tentacle #4: Talk About It 

Your enthusiasm is contagious!

Talk to anyone who will stand still, just don't be annoying about it! Good places to start are:

Work/School
Neighborhood/Local Stores Or Offices You May Visit
Internet

Namely, the Big Squidoo! (Yes, there is some bias on my part!)

Make Your Lens Informative And Personal

Tell the story of how this topic relates to you personally. Spell out Who, What, Where, Why and How. Add RSS feeds for blogs, relevant breaking news stories and other updates to keep the lens fresh and interesting for the reader.

BadMsM speaking to future Super Heroes- August 2008

Learn some new skills to make your lenses look professional 

Some imagination and a little polish can make all the difference!

Tentacle #5: Organize 

Your personal schedule and finances may need some attention first!

Time
Make sure you are not neglecting your important responsibilities by getting carried away. Work, family , eating and sleeping are vital to help maintain your own personal balance. Otherwise, you'll burn out quick!

Donations
Make sure all monies and other material donations make it to their final destination as soon as possible. This will keep your sanity, and the organization will have more continuity.

Get the word out about your lenses by learning SEO and Backlinking 

This is worth learning, because it will raise your lens rank on all the search engines, especially Google.

Tentacle #6: Do It! 

NOW is the time for action!

Ok, now that you've created the buzz, leap forth and conquer your goals...RAH, RAH, RAH!

Update Your Lens Frequently

Add the latest pictures with a Flickr slideshow, as well as any correspondence or comments you may have received about your work or the lens itself. Fresh, updated lenses with good content rank much higher in Google searches.

Every lens is a work-in-progress!

Tentacle # 7: Document It 

Pictures and stories add a personal dimension to your efforts

Pictures
There are some emotions, situations and moments that defy words. When I was in Africa, I took over 3,000 pictures and videos. They have never failed to move others to better understanding.

Stories
Collect stories about those who work along side you, things that happen on the way, and those you serve. Follow up with people afterward, because those who have donated will want to know how things are going!

Charity Information Link List 

This will help get you thinking, but there's much more info out there. Keep looking!
Charity Work
Wondering about a charity career?

In deciding whether to embark on a charity career, perhaps the first question to ask yourself is, "What is my aim?"
President Bush Promotes Faith-Based Charity Work
President Bush used his weekly radio address Saturday to promote his administration's partnership with faith-based groups.
How Should Charities Use Social Networks?
Is it wrong to use social-networking tools such as Facebook and Twitter to help promote your nonprofit group?
Giving meets Web 2.0
Charities use online social networking to tap new audiences
How to Give Charity Donations Safely
Before you give donations to ANY charity, make sure you take all the necessary precautions to insure your money goes where you intended it to. This also helps to keep you safe from identity theft and fraud.

Tentacle #8: Spread The Word 

See #4 and MORE!

Now's the time to toot your horn and let people know why your organization is so great! Personal experiences sound so much better than ad copy...and your actions have put a whole new wave of excitement into motion.

Promote Your Lens With SEO And Backlinks- DON'T Spam!

Use relevant meta tags on your lenses and don't forget to post your links on all the various blogs and forums.

However, common sense and courtesy, not spamming, will draw a lot of positive attention to your lenses, and perhaps further backlinks and bookmarks by enthusiastic 3rd parties.

Tentacle #9: Give Thanks 

You're nothing without your own support system

You've done some incredible work, but you had help, right? Raise the roof with your gratitude through thank you notes, public speaking engagements or newsletters, and a prayer or two (works for me!).
You'll be sharing your triumphs, and you'll have a support base for your next project.

Remember to show kindness to those you may meet along the way, like sales people, airline or restaurant staff and so on. They are helping you achieve your goals, too.

BadMsM's RSS Feed 

Keep up to date with BadMsM on Beauty's Blog: What's Going On At Beauty Culture Magazine.

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Tentacle #10: REPEAT! 

Once you've got the Squidoo Bug...

It's just a matter of time before you discover other worthy causes you'll want to support. That's the beauty of Squidoo, you can make it as big as you can imagine!

Best wishes as you go out to save the world!

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This Lens Constructed By A Bonafide Giant Squid! Look For The Giant Squid Badge of Honor- Your Assurance Of Quality On Squidoo

Click here to start building your own lenses on Squidoo!

This Lens Supports The Squidoo Charity Fund 

100% of proceeds are donated to Squidoo's favorite charities !

by badmsm









Bette Miles-Holleman is a retail merchandiser, customer service analyst, model and stylist with over 25 years experience in the fashion i...

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