My local newspaper has a regular Sunday financial section that includes tips on everything from investments and  technology to running a small business.  From time to time I like to adapt the information to apply to the AB Women’s Ministries organization. Since I lead the Public Relations Team, much of what I share is meant to inform and encourage my team.

AB Women have recently been dipping our toes into Facebook and Twitter in an attempt to remain relevant to younger women.

This morning the feature article on page one of the Finance & Technology section was “Unharnessing the Power of Social Media” and focused on the ways three local small businesses were successfully using Facebook and Twitter.

On another page, the “Ask SCORE” column (SCORE is a resource partner with the Small Business Association) was headlined, “Get Word-of-Mouth Network Moving”. The column itemized the techniques and benefits of word-of-mouth advertising.

To my mind, Twitter and Facebook are simply technologically enhanced word-of-mouth networks. Most, if not all, of the SCORE recommendations apply to them, as well.

The first item in SCORE’s list of ways to start to attract high-value, low-cost word-of-mouth referrals was to Recruit Cheerleaders.   In the AB Women’s Ministries movement every local, region/state and national officer should consider herself a cheerleader for AB Women. We should each be building our own team of friends, family members and colleagues who have learned about who we are and what we do, so that they can routinely talk up AB Women whenever any of our areas of ministry are discussed.

If the topic of human trafficking is mentioned, they should be aware of what the Break the Chains project has done and continues to do. Children in poverty, disaster relief, leadership training for women and girls, community action, etc. should all bring AB Women into the conversation.  The Violet Rudd Walks will be terrific starting points for this type of discussion.

The section headed Network, Network, Network emphasized the need to partner with other organizations whose work overlaps our own. This is part of the missional model for ministry.

As AB Women, we spend our time and energies doing work we believe in. We know that as women destined for God’s purpose our work is important. If we spread the word we can be even more effective.

So, all of you, “Give me an ‘A’!” “Give me a ‘B’!” “Give me a ‘W’!” and start shaking those pom poms for the glory of God.