Outreach through Facebook : Counting the Ways

by Cie McCullough

with note of introduction by Valerie Coskrey, rff-blogmaster

In an RFF Yahoo Group email to Cie, David G. Anderson asked, "How can Facebook get people to support RFF not just 'like' it? DGA"

Now, Dave is the Founder of the RFF Yahoo Group, and the Trustee who spearheaded the incorporation of Reading for the Future, Inc., and is the prime mover in obtaining the organization's tax exempt status -- a work currently in progress and almost completed. So Cie, enthusiastic about the 200+ "Likes" for the Reading For the Future page on Facebook for which she is responsible, quickly answered, informing the group how Facebook can further the RFF mission. Can you count the ways? ~Valerie

Outreach through Facebook

Facebook is outreach. It's a commercial. People see the words "Reading For the Future" and want to know what it is. When I am on FB I look for articles that deal with Speculative Fiction in many ways. Writing, teaching, how it affects us, the history of it, where it is now. Banned Book Week just passed and I posted about banned books, especially Fahrenheit 451. I look for articles I would use in teaching, whether they are explicitly "teaching" articles or not. Maybe some pictures that could be used as writing prompts; maybe a website offering free audio books.

I then post the article, or whatever, to the RFF page. People who have liked the page will get them as 'News' or in their feed. If you are on Facebook, I encourage you to like those articles, or make a comment, start a discussion after a post. More comments means it is more likely that people will stop and look further. Whenever I post to the RFF page I hit "Share," which means it will go to my own page, but it will say 'via Reading For the Future'. Like a brand name, another commercial.

I would love to have people come on and write more about who we are and what we do. Specifics, not links to a webpage. Short, KISS, people know in a quick read. What are we doing NOW? or SOON? WHEN is the next Con? WHAT will we have there? HOW are we outreaching to schools? WHO gets our next book? Facebook has the ability to blog, maybe we can cross connect the two [the RFF blog Reflections].~Cie

Jargon

What is KISS?
In rff-Talking Reading for the Future (rff Yahoo! Group) jargon, KISS is "Keep it Simple" and is used to ask people to cut out the extraneous parts of their quotations of previous email messages in the replies.

What is Con?
To a sci fi fan, Con is a science fiction convention.

What is sci fi or scifi?
Science fiction.