As mentioned in the previous lesson, there is an important number of project management platforms and tools available. In this chapter, we will focus on some of them, available in Summer 2023, given that this is an environment always changing, with new actors and tools. We will start by proposing project management tools, before focusing on communication platforms and conclude with public relation activities that include physical ones.
Project management
Basecamp:
Basecamp is an all-in-one project management and collaboration tool designed to enhance team organization and communication. It offers a centralized platform for managing tasks, sharing files, and facilitating team discussions, facilitating seamless collaboration across projects. Its user-friendly interface and intuitive features simplify project workflows and promote efficient teamwork. Basecamp is suitable for teams of any size, empowering users to track progress, delegate tasks, and ensure everyone is aligned and informed. It allows team work, asynchronous exchanges, sharing of folder, includes a messageboard. They can be useful for the daily management of the community gardens as well as the planification of internal and external events.
Monday
Monday is a versatile project management and team collaboration tool that empowers organizations to streamline their workflows and increase productivity. With its customizable boards, users can visually organize tasks, track progress, and assign responsibilities. Monday offers a centralized platform for communication, file sharing, and integration with other tools, promoting seamless collaboration. Its user-friendly interface and extensive automation features simplify project management and help teams stay on top of their work.
Slack
Slack is a popular team communication and collaboration platform designed to streamline workplace communication. It gained a public interest thanks to the development of home office during the Covid-19 pandemic as there is a free version. Users can create channels for team discussions, share files, and integrate with various tools and services. Slack offers real-time messaging, allowing teams to stay connected and informed. Its extensive search and archiving capabilities make it easy to find past conversations and resources. There is a limited free version and another one with a paid plan. In both cases, the message tool, the sharing of documents, are very intuitive and easy to use.
Trello
Trello is a project management tool that utilizes a visual board system to help users organize and collaborate on tasks. Users can create boards, lists, and cards to represent projects, tasks, and subtasks. Trello allows for easy customization with labels, due dates, attachments, and comments, making it suitable for both personal and team use. Its user-friendly interface and drag-and-drop functionality make task management intuitive and efficient. With features like notifications and integrations with other productivity tools, Trello is a powerful solution for streamlining project workflows.
Online communication platforms
a. Facebook: A widely used social networking platform offering personal connections, groups, and business pages. Suitable for personal and business use, with extensive audience reach. 58 % of the users are between 25 and 54 years old.
b. LinkedIn: The leading professional networking platform, ideal for career-oriented individuals and businesses seeking industry connections, recruitment, and content sharing. Millennials make up 60 % of LinkedIn’s users. In addition, about 20 % of users are between 18 and 24, and almost 18 % are between 35 and 54. Only 2 % are 55 and older.
c. Instagram: A visually-focused platform suitable for sharing images and videos. Popular among individuals, influencers, and businesses in the fashion, beauty, and lifestyle industries. As of January 2023, almost 31 % of global Instagram audiences were aged between 18 and 24 years, and 30.3 % of users were aged between 25 and 34 years. Overall, 15.7 % of users belonged to the 35 to 44 year age group.
d. Twitter: A microblogging platform known for its real-time information sharing, news updates, and discussions. Suitable for individuals and businesses seeking to engage in public conversations. Here is the global age distribution for Twitter users. We can note that 10 % of Twitter Users are Responsible for 92 % of Tweets.
- 13-17 year olds: 6.6 % of users
- 18-24 year olds: 17.1 % of users
- 25-34 year olds: 38.5 % of users
- 35-49 year olds: 20.7 % of users
- 50+ year olds: 17.1 % of users
e. TikTok: A short-form video platform popular among younger audiences, offering creative content creation and discovery. Recent research analyzing the age demographics of TikTok users reveals that a significant proportion, amounting to around 71 % or approximately three out of every four adult users, falls within the age range of 18 to 34. If you want to attract young people, join online trend, maybe kick-off challenges, this platform is made for you.
f. Hootsuite: Hootsuite is a popular social media management platform that allows users to schedule and manage their social media content across various platforms. With Hootsuite, users can streamline their social media activities by scheduling posts, engaging with their audience, and monitoring social media analytics. It offers features such as content calendar, post scheduling, social media listening, and analytics reporting. Hootsuite is widely used by businesses and individuals to enhance their social media presence and efficiently manage multiple social media accounts in one centralized platform.
g. Buffer: Buffer is a widely-used social media management tool that helps users schedule and publish content across multiple social media platforms. With Buffer, users can easily plan and organize their social media posts, allowing them to maintain a consistent presence. It offers features such as post scheduling, analytics tracking, and team collaboration. Buffer also provides browser extensions and mobile apps for convenient content sharing. Overall, Buffer is a valuable tool for individuals and businesses looking to streamline their social media management processes.
Local activities
If online activities are now the most common to reach new audiences, we cannot forget that there are other forms of networking, such as the participation to events or projects with other organisations to extend the networks, while a number of people are still relying on physical networking, reading printed newspapers and flyers. They are activities and practices that could be used by the community gardens if they want to support and promote their educational activities within the neigborhood and local communitiy. Here are some examples :
- Article and press release : when you prepare an avent, a training, send a press release. It is much more efficient in small towns than in capital cities, but if you are lucky, it might interest a journalist. You reach your target audience best, if the newspaper is a local or regional newspaper or if it is specialized. The advantage of local or regional newspapers is that you can easily identify the journalists en charge of the topic of your event.
- Flyers and posters : try to reach new audience by printing flyers and posters. No need to print 10 000 flyers as it is more likely that if you distribute them in a mall, for example, that half of them will be thrown within an hour (huge carbon print with little results). The most important is to target the right people, your community centre, schools, the local bakery, etc. i.e. places where you will find people that could be really interested in your event.
- Participation to forums and social events : don’t hesitate to promote your activities in any forum, colloquium, linked to gardening, education and environmental issues, sustainable development, or non-profit in general. These events are usually an opportunity to meet new people and one of these people might be the key person to develop an activity, to reach a new audience, or even a future volunteer that will be well-commited in your garden activities.
- Newsletters : another good practice could be to edit regular newsletters. They have to be short and efficient (no need to write a 6 pages newsletters except if it is really necessary) and present the main activities of your community garden. It could be interesting to use it also to promote the work of your volunteers : they will feel acknowledged and will really appreciate this recognition.
- Participation to local projects and events : try to work with other local organizations in your neighborhood to be identified as a stakeholder involved in education to environment, in community gardens, etc. Every year, there is for example the European Sustainable Development Week (https://esdw.eu/): Take this opportunity to organize an event with other local organisations.
Sources and links
Basecamp : Visited on 21/07/2023
Monday : Visited on 21/07/2023
Slack : Visited on 21/07/2023
Trello : Visited on 21/07/2023
Facebook : Visited on 21/07/2023
Instagram : Visited on 21/07/2023
Twitter : Visited on 21/07/2023
Hootsuite : Visited on 21/07/2023
Buffer : Visited on 21/07/2023
meltwater.com/…/statistiques-facebook : Visited on 21/07/2023
41 Essential LinkedIn Statistics You Need to Know in 2023 : Visited on 21/07/2023
Instagram: distribution of global audiences 2023, by age group : Visited on 21/07/2023
TikTok Age Demographics : Visited on 21/07/2023