Wow, thanks so much for caring!!! :hug: :hug: :hug: :grouphug:
KoB, we don't have an advertising budget, so it's authentic grassroots marketing at its finest that we're dealing with at this stage of the game. :) I will check into it though and you'll see below that I am trying to work with DU. :hug:
Okay, for those interested, here's the scoop and general game plan for now. I'm literally sharing drafts of notes I'm working on about the next stage of launch, once I hear from DU and several other places. I invite you inside my brain...enter with extreme caution... ;)
1. I've contacted the admins here and hope to work out some sort of special "dispensation" to make Wishadoo-related posts, including when there are fundraisers or wishlist posts for DUers involved. Specific to DU, I really would like to:
- introduce Wishadoo and explain what it does – it's essentially "a Craigslist of Compassion" – a free service where people connect directly about their needs and offerings, no middlemen -- with a mission to create compassionate, cooperative communities.
- invite people to contact me to be Wishadoo Community Advocates, a group of people leading the way when they see someone in need to help find resources for that person or simply to let them know they're not alone and move toward a fundraiser when need be. Unfortunately, for now it would be a voluntary role but we hope to eventually, when we generate revenue via advertising, to pay people to work with Wishadoo. Having discovered 211.org, that makes this advocate role much easier (I'm scheduled to speak with them this week about a partnership or affiliation with Wishadoo; it's a United Way Initiative). Understandably, by the time people get to the point of asking for help, they often feel beaten down and don't know where to turn. Wishadoo Advocates could call the wishlister's local 211 on their behalf to see if help already exists for what is needed (Rocky found he got a much better response having a community behind him when he followed up with dentists, for example).
-- invite people to create groups for their states, to lead the way in connecting more locally with this Wishadoo-centric focus, be ambassadors.
-- invite those with specific expertise to be part of the Community and perhaps blog, lead groups, etc. about their field of expertise.
-- I also want to start groups such as a group to brainstorm about jobs and ways to create them (The Urgency of Now!!!), as well as groups for the other issues we're facing (poverty, homelessness, healthcare crisis), and how to do something now, beyond legislative actions. Wishadoo is SO not political. It's regular people doing things beyond legislative and voting-oriented actions. (For whatever reason, the social entrepreneur/small business group doesn't get much action at DU; my posts are the most recent there).
A private group to simply gather and commiserate and share about their current struggles and plight. Be a support group for one another. A place where people can know they're not alone, and there's the commonality of already being part of the DU community (but DU itself is just not a venue for such a listening forum/gathering).
2. I shall launch a Facebook campaign to get as many people as possible to join both our Facebook page and the wishadoo.com site. It's the gathering of souls that is so important at this stage. A full-on focus of simply gathering people to join this Revolution of Compassion.
3. I really do want to contact places to work with the Wishadoo! Community (like the free medical clinics that have been going on around the country that Keith Olbermann spearheaded; I'd love to see a dental and vision clinic as well). Maybe via Wishadoo we can get a petition going about this -- that would gather people to Wishadoo and spread the word in the process via the petition.
4. Here is an example of the mailing I'm working on in which we're asking people to spread the word (just as Howler and KoB are kindly brainstorming!):
THE REVOLUTION BEGINS WITH YOU! (this really is just a draft, sharing with my ASAH peeps)
There is a Revolution of Compassion under way. It's YOUR Revolution, it's OUR Revolution. Wishadoo is where it begins!
We need your help to gather others who want to be part of this Revolution. Before we can start changing the world, we need to gather. Please email and spread the word however you can to invite others to 1) Join our Facebook page and 2) sign up at Wishadoo.com. (FYI: We'll get an official newsletter going after this first push; or, I could do that first if it people would rather forward something like that, versus a personal email to friends, family acquaintances).
For now, that's all we're asking of you: Please gather and join the Revolution of Compassion and spread the word!!!
Here's how to spread the word:
* Email people to invite them to Wishadoo
* Share with your Facebook and other online networks
* Post about wishadoo.com on your local Craigslist and any online forums to which you belong (Yahoo Groups, freecycle, anything!)
* If you belong to a workplace, school or any kind of group who would like to be part of this Revolution of Compassion, create a group at Wishadoo, get your coworkers or group members to join you there and "represent" within Wishadoo!, showing you care about your local community and will make use of Wishadoo's tools to reach out and connect.
* Download and print basic fliers to post at your local library, fire stations, grocery stores, etc., etc. (I'm working on it; simple black and white, nothing to eat up lots of ink.)
* Copy and paste Wishadoo! banners to insert on your blog/website w/hyperlink back to www.wishadoo.com. (
http://wishadoo.com/wp-share-wishadoo)
:hi:
On edit: I'm waiting to get enough members and interactions with the various features, and a working out of any "kinks," before doing press releases and full-on launch maneuvers. ;)
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