Are You Using Your Power or Giving it Away?

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact

Far too many social impact orgs are giving their power away — and they don’t even know they’re doing it.

There’s a fundamental tension in the social impact space.

A tension between the generosity that powers this sector and the need for social impact brands to leverage their power so they can make a true impact.

But when this healthy tension strays out of balance — in either direction — the results can be disastrous.

Relying solely on the generosity of your supporters leads to the common “hat in hand” position that leaves many incredible organizations begging for money/resources and stuck in the scarcity mindset/starvation cycle.

Too much focus on power (this is rarer, but it does happen) means that bigger, more established organizations suck up resources and leave smaller (and sometimes more impactful) orgs begging for the scraps of available funding within an issue area.

And giving your power away can happen with the smallest of well-intentioned actions. From how you craft your donation appeals, to how you position yourself in your niche, to how you develop your team’s internal culture.

Today, Jonathan and Eric break down all the ways that social impact orgs are unknowingly giving their power away and how to strike a healthy balance between the generosity that powers your work and strength in your approach to reaching your mission.

Have you ever felt like you’ve given your power away, or felt powerless in your social impact work? Then this episode is a must listen.
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Episode Highlights

• [00:00] - Introduction and Topic Setup
• [01:15] - Exploring Power in Social Impact
• [02:24] - Personal Experiences with Power Dynamics
• [04:05] - The Power Crisis in Social Impact
• [06:04] - The Trap of Transactional Marketing
• [12:00] - Brand Building as a Power Tool
• [08:01] - Balancing Values with Financial Necessity
• [14:47] - The Importance of Credibility and Reputation

Quotes

• "Power really is the ability to influence behavior or change the course of events, and when used wisely, it can shape the future, especially in the social impact space." - Eric Ressler [01:15]
• "As an executive director and marketer, questions of power often arise in conversations with influential stakeholders, whose power could move the needle significantly for the organization I serve." - Jonathan Hicken [02:24]
• "One big way that social impact organizations are giving their power away is by practicing transactional marketing and fundraising, which might hit short-term goals but comes with long-term costs." - Eric Ressler [06:04]
• "Another side effect of too much transactional marketing is that it becomes about the organization rather than the impact you're seeking, which dilutes your power." - Jonathan Hicken [06:32]
• "Building a solid brand and marketing muscle can help your organization build credibility and authority, which opens up new opportunities, resources, and, ultimately, power." - Eric Ressler [15:10]

Resources:

• Article - Brand Building: An Authentic Approach to Growing a Fierce, Loyal, and Supportive Community

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1. Leveraging Power for Social Impact (00:00:00)

2. Building Power Through Branding and Marketing (00:05:37)

3. Empowering Language for Social Impact (00:15:46)