What’s in your toolbox?

This article was written for the Pacific Northwest Conference’s publication, Channels. To view this on their website, click here.

Let’s not kid ourselves. There is way too much information out there. It’s easy to get lost, inundated, bogged down so you feel like you don’t even know how to start sifting through the barrage of information we encounter daily, let alone decide how to mange it all.  Many of you have moved past the question of whether or not you’ll start tweeting, create a facebook page or start an e-newsletter. You’ve done that or are in the process. And just as you were figuring your way around blogs, facebook pages and podcasts, you’re learning there are even more communication tools at your disposal! How do you keep it all straight? You represent congregations and faith communities big and small. What tools can help you work smarter and more effectively?

I heard your plea. Or groan?

photo by flickr user, "cwt_ucla"

Here’s a sampling of basic tools you can use to keep up to speed with the changing (and sticking) technology. From eNewsletters to conference calls; blogging to file sharing; live streaming to media editing; project management to task management–you’ve got a smattering here of tools you’ll need to keep in your digital toolkit.

Use what you need, come back to the ones you don’t quite know much about. Find a friend and start exploring! Click on stuff. Don’t worry, you won’t break anything. Promise.

eNews + eCommunication :: Green is in. It’s time to start thinking about paperless communication solutions. This doesn’t mean completely doing away with paper newsletters. You are merely offering another opportunity for your community to receive timely communication about the great things happening in your congregation and faith community.

Constant Contact [constantcontact.com]
Constant Contact has been around the block. They’re a favorite email and event marketing solution for non profits and industry. If you subscribe to any of the Pacific Northwest Conference newsletters, you’ve received a product of Constant Contact. If you can prove your 501(c)(3) status as a nonprofit, you can take advantage of their discounted pricing starting at $15/month.

MailChimp [mailchimp.com]

MailChip is a newer service, but I like it already. They’re hip, easy to use, and have a “Forever Free Plan” that allows you to store up to 2,000 email addresses and send out 12,000 emails a month. Not too shabby!