If Walt Disney had earned billions of dollars but closed his company upon his death what would have been the legacy and the impact? What if he had died broke but with amusement parks in place and a company ready to expand and become the center of entertainment for generations to come? Is the goal of your cause to reach a number or to leave a belief in place that continues to serve beyond our lifetime?
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Anyone who competes as an athlete or a participates as a fan knows the power of a surge. An individual or team increases the pace sufficiently enough to put competitors under pressure or create space. What is remarkable is watching those who are able to contain the surge and match it with their own. These athletes and teams have clarity about their abilities and remain within themselves. Those who reach their limit may begin to imitate the form of the leader in a desperate attempt to stay in contact. Often they abandon the technique that they have mastered and lean on that which is being modeled in real-time.
Does your enterprise practice changing its pace? Do you consider trial efforts on the side where you can practice moving faster or slower? How do you intend to react if the social sector in your community suddenly increases its pace? What if a similar cause doubles its program, triples the individuals served, or runs a wildly successful capital campaign securing funds far beyond conventional wisdom? Will you imitate what has worked for the leading enterprise or do you have confidence in the team you have in place to surge?
Are you the same person if you get a heart transplant? What if you were to receive a belief transplant? Would you be the same person? A nonprofit organization can change the individuals who work for it and members who serve on its board and remain the same, correct? How about if the purpose of the enterprise changes?
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Do your patrons rave about the service they receive when they contact your cause? Do they talk about how easy it is to get the information they are seeking? Or are they asked to key in their membership account and then asked for it repeatedly throughout the process?
Are you a call center or a cause? Do you share a belief with your members or only a desire to be bigger, faster, and more powerful?
If you want to reward your most loyal fans, make it simple. The equation should be transparent. If you do X then you get Y. Personally, I am not a big fan of transactional reward programs but I understand they can generate a form of loyalty that is marginal. However, this tenious bond is easily broken when getting Y is next to impossible. I provide the following airline frequent flyer award chart from United Airlines (most other airlines do the same). It may take an iPhone application just to decipher to the information or at least magnify the text. I did X many times but using Y may take more effort.
How easy is it for your fans to access their rewards?
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Everyone and every cause has a problem. If you ask enough questions you can get most individuals to reveal what keeps them up at night. Problems are easy to discuss because anyone with a sense of empathy can nod their head in agreement or sympathy. We have all been there and some are there today. These challenges can actually serve as a tailwind or headwind. Keen observers will note that skilled storytellers present a selected problem to an audience that is uniquely positioned to address the solution. Rarely do we see a CEO talking to investors about janitorial scheduling problems. Nor do we hope to see a member of a cause’s advancement team asking for a donation from a individual who dialed the wrong number. An enterprise’s problems can be an powerful narrative if they are shared them with the right audience. If we are just complaining do not expect transformative results besides a few bobbing heads. If you are seeking assistance then frame the challenge.
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In this season of presidential election there are many individuals who speak about what is wrong with the country, state, county, or town. Their message is scripted to hit the key talking points and at the end they ask for the audience’s vote as a way to change the future. Politicians constantly remind voters of the problem, outlining a plan to fix the issue, and share a vision for the future when the obstacle no longer exists. Regardless of our reaction to this formula, this seems to be template for communicating that many individuals have come to expect.
What is keeping you awake at night? Who might not only listen but be able to solve your problem before it becomes a nightmare?
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Your enterprise does not need everyone. You need and desire those who are deeply passionate about your cause. Those who want front row seats, to purchase the limited edition, and offer themselves as advocates. The ones who want the tattoo. Consider Harley-Davidson. Loyal owners belong to HOG (Harley Owners Group) one of the most exclusive privileges. If everyone owned a hog the magic would be gone. Having one of the most distinctive looking and sounding bikes on the road is the signature of a movement who only wants a few exclusive members.
Who do you need?
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Nonprofit Tech 2.0‘s recently updated blog posts are one of the best Google+ resources I have uncovered. Discover step-by-step directions on how to establish a page for your brand, use important Google+ tools, and confirm best practices.
Enjoy!
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Attending a Middle School Open House the other day a teacher of humanities was sharing research tips he provided to his students. One piece of advice was to add .edu or .gov to the end of a Google search. The Google results are sorted with a preference for primary sources that are generated through universities and government archives for example. The addition of these internet domains removes much of the paid for placement results that often fill the first couple pages. The difference in the quality of information is transformative. Nonprofit social media guru Beth Kanter addressed the move to create a .NGO designation in an blog post at the end of last year. How would that change the way the social sector interacts? How might it impact your cause? What search results might be available that have not been easily run before? Are you ready?
What-if-concepts 
