Jun 10 2014
We talk a lot about rallying support here at Causeway. This is because we’ve seen over and over that the concept of “if you build it, they will come” isn’t true in regards to causes and crowdsourcing. Cause Owners have to market their cause, or “rally support” as we like to say. So here are 5 tips that we have seen be successful in rallying support to your cause:
1. Recruit Your Team
- Don’t try to do it on your own! every cause needs a solid group that will run together to see your cause completed. Whether you get a group of friends or people from a variety of backgrounds, you will need a support system. This will also widen your area of influence as team members can reach out to people you never could.
2. Hone Your Message
- Get your team together over coffee and talk about what your cause is, but more importantly why your cause exists. it is the “why” that will resonate with others. for instance causeway is a platform to help causes make a bigger impact in our community. Why we do what we do is what drives us though. Our “why” is that “we love chattanooga.” so gather your team, talk about what your cause is, but more importantly why your cause exists and the message you would like others to grasp as you rally support.
3. Enlist Your Personal Connections
- Get each member of your team to make a list of 10 people that you personally know and could contact. Share your lists and keep each other accountable by checking in to see how each person is doing in contacting their 10 leads. Personal connections are the strongest and with a cause that is close to your heart, people will be able to see your passion and want to jump on board. There is no better way to market than traditional word of mouth, so spread the word!
4. Create a Social Media Strategy
- There’s no doubt about the importance of social media strategy when it comes to crowdsourcing. Depending on your cause you might want to create specific pages or profiles for your cause or group, or you might want to just use your personal accounts to spread the word. Either way, you will need a strategy (and don’t forget to share your “why” message from #2). Photos tend to be very engaging and successful in social media. be sure to share, like, and tweet the various posts by other team members or the group. Another tip is to assign a point person for facebook, blogging, twitter, etc. to various members of the team depending on each person’s preference.
- Another great way to use social media is to share from your actual cause page by clicking the social sharing buttons on your cause page (pictured above).
5. Reach out
- In addition to your lists from #3, be sure to reach out beyond your personal connections. Contact other nonprofits or businesses about partnering with your cause. Get creative! Potential partnership or mentoring opportunities are everywhere so don’t be afraid to ask! We’ve seen businesses and nonprofits alike give to various causes or even provide a match on donations. This can also be a great way for a business or group to get some publicity too as you brag about their contribution or partnership in your marketing.
These definitely are not the only ways to rally support (as evident in another blog post) but this should get you started. Be creative and share any other tips you may have learned along the way. We would love to hear them. Now go out there and rally support!
Originally published at www.causeway.org on June 7, 2013.
