Here’s a creative way for non-profits and charitable organizations to use Twitter to generate contributions. Stan Schroeder from Mashable describes the new Twitter-based service, Twollars.
Twollars are a Twitter (Twitter reviews)-based currency, but (not entirely unlike the US dollar) they have no “hard” value behind them. If you want to donate Twollars to a charity, you tweet something like “10 Twollars @camfed to educate girls in Africa,” and thus you have “donated” 10 Twollars to Camfed.
However, you haven’t given a cent yet; someone has to actually buy Twollars (at a rate of 10 Twollars = 1 US dollar) for the charity to receive funds. So, what you’re doing is raising awareness; you’re basically saying “I think this charity is doing a good thing; I think someone should donate money to them.”
Every Twitter user starts out with 50 Twollars – they can give them to whom they like, but can’t cash them in unless they are a non-profit.
How to use Twollars?
- You could buy Twollars from a charity and give them away on your website or blog, thereby increasing awareness of the non-profit organization AND your business.
- Use Twollars as rewards for your frequent buyer program
- Reward readers or commenters of your blog with Twollars
How would you use Twollars to increase awareness, not only for your favorite cause, but also for your business?
(Note: If you’re a charity, register for Twollars here.)
(P.S. This “money” sort of reminds me of the concept of whuffie, an idea first introduced by Cory Doctorow in his first sci-fi novel, “Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom.” (download this novel for free or buy it here!) Whuffie is a unit of trade where your reputation is your currency, and is lost or gained due to favorable or unfavorable actions. Twollars, as whuffie, are terms that will probably join the English language as “grok” has.)
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