By Jackie Camacho-Ruiz
The previous blog talked about how to craft the foundation of your mission, finding the “why,” solidifying your vision, and being consistent in your messaging and commitment. It described my efforts in establishing the Fig Factor Foundation and how I built an evangelistic group of supporters for Today’s Inspired Latina.
Now we continue with the rest of the story of how to build a community. After you have a solid foundation in place, what do you do next in your quest to build a community?
Assemble Your Team
How do you know if someone’s interested…REALLY interested..in your message? I say watch for the sparkle in their eyes! Usually, it’s our unconscious way of saying we’re ready for the challenge. It’s also an indication there is an underlying passion for the cause, or the “why” of the project. It’s not always there. For example, once I was asked to serve on the board of an animal advocacy group and realized I just could not accept because my passion was with young Latinas, not animals. But when you have the right person for the job, you’ll see the sparkle in their eyes as they accept the mission. Most likely, they will work tirelessly alongside you towards their goal because the mission aligns with their underlying passion. Then it becomes a labor of love.
Work the Project
Working on the project is where the magic happens! It’s connecting our dreams with actions. If we dream but do not take action, nothing will happen. Conversely, if we create connections out in the community but do not take action, we lose opportunity because we do not see the big picture of what could be. There are natural motivators for us to take action like setting goals and deadlines. The most important thing is to keep moving forward. What should you do if the team gets stuck or becomes divisive? Return to your “why.” Usually the path becomes clearer as we all return to the point of agreement, the “why.”
Spread the Word
Before you start your mission, as you are engaged with it, and after you complete it (if ever), marketing should be a part of your efforts. Before you can build a community you must reach out to it. That’s where marketing comes in. Marketing reaches out to make a powerful connection with the community by spreading the right message using the right marketing vehicles. The same concepts apply to building a beautiful brand. As a marketing professional, these skills of mine come in handy as I continue to build my community. A special mission, like so many things in life, must be marketed well with a solid plan in order to successfully build the community needed to sustain it.
Funding the Need
In the perfect world, all good causes would have full funding but that is never the case. To fund your mission, look for people whose passion aligns with your mission and those who have reached a life of success and now seek a life of significance by paying their good fortune forward. Creative approaches can help in fundraising too. People are looking for something disruptive to help them connect and give them a greater “why,” or reason to write that check. Consider the recent ALS “ice bucket challenge” or the “Red Nose Day” to end child poverty. Over and over again, I’ve seen the dramatic effect of being disruptive in marketing; it’s no accident!
Throughout your efforts to build a community, you will encounter the naysayers. the people who warn you that your ideas won’t work. Know that if you have the right team, marketing, workflow and funding, anything is possible. All it takes is consistency, authenticity and commitment to the mission. Then you will be able to build a community that will not only support you, but take you places you never expected to go!