Tweet, Tweet: A Crash Course in Twitter for Nonprofits

Direct mail: Highly targeted, like e-mail. Tried and true. Highly consumable.

"If somebody gets something in their mailbox, it's not like they're going to make copies of it and send it to all their neighbors," Haydon said. But nonprofits have been using direct mail for years, and vendors know exactly how to create success for nonprofits.

"It's a proven method, for sure. Twitter is in the very early stages of even proving anything. There have been tremendous success stories on Twitter, but I think a lot of people for the most part are really trying to get their head wrapped around what is the real business value," he added.

"Once you close your laptop, your iPhone or whatever, you don't see it; you're done. Direct mail, you can put it next to the bathroom, read it, have it on your couch, have it on your coffee table or have it at your bedside," Haydon added. "People kind of hang on to it a little bit more."

Twitter campaign-management basics
For organizations planning on spending time on Twitter, Haydon recommended staying aware of these points:

*Messaging vs. connecting: Twitter is a different animal. It isn't about creating a message that will then be pushed to potential supporters and consumed by them. As with most social media, it's more about a two-way conversation and being heard. Think of it as a community instead of a "target market." The word "messaging" assumes everybody is vanilla, Haydon added, and they're not.

*Giving vs. taking: Don't keep score. What works on Twitter is a philosophy of giving where your organization supports and educates other people.

"If you're on Twitter and all you're doing is seeing what people can do for you and having an entitlement attitude, that will get you nowhere for sure. And that's common in most social media," Haydon said.