What is constituent empowerment?
	Posted by James Young at Jul 21, 2008 11:28 AM CDT Categories: Constituent Empowerment , Volunteerism

Because I spend so much work time immersed in this area, I tend to assume that other people I talk with know what constituent empowerment is and why it is important. But then I remember my 8^th grade science teacher who has a saying about the word “assume.” He said that when you assume, you make an ### out of U and ME. So, I’m going to stop assuming that everyone knows about constituent empowerment and why it is important, and I’m going to do it right now.

I always say that constituent empowerment is allowing your constituents to do your work for you. That’s the simplified version. The reality, of course, is that you can’t just hand over work. If that were the case, I would never have to take out the trash or fold the laundry (ahhh…a man can dream). No, in order to get others to do your work for you, you need to do a few things first.

• First, you need to have a group of people who are at least willing to consider the idea of doing your work for you. I think there are two parts to this. You need to explain why you need help and then you need to watch and listen to identify the people who are sympathetic to you plea.
• Second, you need to make it easy for these people to pick up your work and run with it. This means tools that are readily available and easily mastered. No one but the most committed person is going to spend a ton of time learning a whole new skill just to help you out.
• Third, you need to make it known that helpers will be recognized. Let’s face it, there is a very short list of people who are completely self-less and do good deeds without any expectation, even at a sub-conscious level, of recognition.
• Fourth, to be really successful at this, you need to make sure that people have some choice in what work they take on for you. Nobody, not even in the military, just loves being told what to do.

So, let’s assume you buy into this constituent empowerment fad, and you think you can handle the four criteria above. What is in it for you? Reach and Context.

Reach

Empowering others with your message and the tools to spread the message is the cornerstone on viral marketing. And how quickly can that spread occur? Well, let’s do some math.

Most people have a close circle of people that numbers 12. This extends out to about 40 well-known acquaintances. So, we’ll start with each person being able to reach about 40 people relatively easily.

If each of those 40 people reaches out to their 40 people with the message, roughly 1,600 people have now heard it.

If each of those 1600 people reaches out to their 40 people with the message, roughly 61,000 people have now heard it.

And then 2,370,000 and then 92,360,000.

You get the point.

Context

Have you ever seen one of those commercials where the uptight parent tries to talk to their kids about drugs by performing some very bad rap? As marketers, this is our worst nightmare, right? Trying to reach out to somebody without any clue as to how to deliver the message in a meaningful way is destined to fail.

By empowering your constituents, you have just recruited one of “them” to speak to “them.” You constituents know how to position the message in a way that is meaningful to their friends, because they are friends.

Some organizations will balk at the idea of putting the words into the mouths of constituents, for fear of losing control of the message. All I can say is, unless you know how to clone yourself, there is no better way to reach more people.

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