I would say that most people have a pretty clear understand of what Skype is and how it can be used. What most people do not know is how much it can do for a campaign. So I have put together 5 number of ways in which Skype can save a campaign money.
- With the SkypeIn feature you can setup your own phone number (for$60/year) that will ring through Skype to your phone. That is it - your setup. They have cheaper 3-month packages that are only $18!
- Now that people can call you, you need to be able to call them and SkypeOut is all that you need. You buy blocks of credit for $10 and you are all set. Best part is that calling anywhere in the United States is free!
- For most campaigns it is almost impossible to get be everywhere at once. With Skype you can easily contact a volunteer worker on the other side of the city, state, or country and have a Face-To-Face Video conference. If you have the need to meet with multiple staff members, volunteers, or donors then you can hold a conference with up to 50 people (depending on Bandwidth).
- File Sharing is another way to save time and money. Instead of sending files over email and risking them being blocked Skype offers the availability to share files between users.
- Skype has the feature to allow people to call you from your website. No more waiting for feedback on an issue or a call for volunteers. You can get instant feedback. With over 370 Million skype users you are sure to get the response you are looking for.
Skype has changed the way I do business. I use it for making everyday normal calls from my desk or when I am traveling I never depend on my cell phone reception. Just today I spoke with David on the phone and he seemed surprised when i told him I was calling him from Skype.
I would like to know if you are using Skype at all? If so, what ways have you found it best for use in a campaign? If you would like to discuss this more - feel free to call me on Skype. My handle is jvreeland.
