Social media is a very powerful marketing tool, but the conversational nature of social networks can make it difficult for organizations to maintain control of their brand. If your organization has profiles on social networking sites, be prepared to receive both positive and negative feedback from consumers. While social networking sites can open your organization to criticism, they also serve as very effective vehicles for managing customer complaints and improving your brand’s reputation in the process.

If someone has posted negative comments about your organization on one of your social profiles, take proactive steps to address and defuse the situation. Have a social media response plan in place so that anyone managing your profile is empowered to respond promptly and appropriately. Read More...

Your volunteers are the lifeblood of your organization. Keep motivation high and show your appreciation with these great ideas.

1. Make volunteers feel included. As soon as volunteers join your organization, introduce them to other volunteers and staff so they get to know everyone. As they feel settled in the organization, ask their opinions or involve them in the decision-making process when possible, so they feel personally invested in the project. Read More...

Among one of the best features that StartMeeting offers is the ability to connect callers to a conference call through a U.S. toll number, a toll-free number, and/or HD (high definition) VoIP.

When using a free StartMeeting account, customers will dial a U.S. toll number. This is perfect for those connecting from a cell phone with nationwide minutes. Also, if callers are connecting from a landline with a long distance plan, they are covered as well. Read More...

As many of you may have seen, there has been an email going out announcing our sister company, called Start Meeting, LLC.  Just when you thought FreeConferenceCall could not get any better, it did!

StartMeeting.com is a full featured audio and web conferencing service.   You may register for a free or a premium account which includes screen sharing.   Customers have the option of selecting from a U.S. toll number, a U.S. toll-free number, or a high definition VoIP number integrated with the screen sharing option! Read More...

Fundraising events are a great way to bring in large donations and publicize your organization. However, throwing an event that is both fun and profitable is no easy task. Successful event planners understand that the bulk of the work, from strategizing to budgeting to marketing, occurs before the event.

Budgeting

Improper budgeting and goal setting can result in a fundraising event that only breaks even or, worse, costs more money than you raised. Your budget and financial goals should be detailed and realistic. Account for all estimated costs, including the cost of supplies that might be donated, such as food or equipment. Be conservative in your donation estimates, and consider padding your budget by 5-10% for unexpected and last-minute costs. Read More...

Conference calls are great when face-to-face meetings are not possible. But when you are working with people over the phone rather than in person, there are some unique challenges.

Here are 7 tips on conducting effective teleconference meetings: Read More...

Hello FreeConferenceCall Readers!

A few days ago we were glad to announce that FreeConferenceCall International was the winner of two Stevie awards. Now it is time to vote again for our chance to win the People's Choice Stevie Award for Favorite Company.  Please visit the following link to submit your vote, https://favoritecompanies.stevieawards.com/default.cfm. Read More...