Hey, get your mind out of the gutter. I’m talking about quantity vs. quality. And I’m talking about it in reference to creating sustainable, long-term movements for companies and organizations.

I’m exploring this because it’s a question that we get a lot. People want to know if the movements we help build are scalable. And it’s a fair question. The answer is that yes, they are scalable – but it takes time. Because we fundamentally believe in quality over quantity.

I think it’s hard for a lot of companies to NOT think in numbers. The numbers game comes from the old school advertising model (as in, “How many impressions can we get with our radio/tv/print/outdoor/etc?”) and we speak with companies quite frequently who want tens of thousands of members in a few month’s time, because they think the numbers will help them justify the cost.

But here’s my question: Would you rather have 25,000 people who want to get some free stuff and could really care less about you sign up to become part of your movement; or 2,500 people that are passionate, raving, loud and proud fans?

I hope the answer is obvious.

We co-built a movement that was recognized by the Word of Mouth Marketing Association as a best practice with 92 people (and is now an EFFIE Award finalist (final judging today!)). We co-built another one that has gotten a lot of attention with 4. That’s right, FOUR people. It’s since grown 1,000x that number, but it started with just a handful of passionate, dedicated people. It’s about planting the seeds and providing tools. It’s about rolling up your sleeves and getting involved in people’s lives. And I truly believe that’s the other thing so many companies have a problem with. As Geno says, it’s not a number. It’s not a customer. It’s a human freakin’ being. With a life and family and loves and hates and struggles and passions and feelings. There is a LOT of heavy lifting that goes on during the first stages of these engagements. Rolling up your sleeves and getting your hands dirty kind of stuff. Throwing social communities up from your ivory tower isn’t ever going to cut it. Ever.

The root of this whole “word of mouth” thing is engagement. So engage. No, I mean really engage. The numbers will come. I promise you that you WILL, in fact, get your tens and hundreds of thousands, but only if you build a movement that is authentic to you and grows out of the very DNA of your identity. Then those that are passionate about you will come out of the woodwork. But if you’re looking for 100,000 people in the first few weeks, then you’re better off running an ad. Sure, it can get to that number. But I guarantee you that we can do more – spread more love from your company, engage on a deeper level and give people the online and offline tools that they need – with a small, dedicated group than you can with mega-numbers and low interest levels. Ultimately it’s that small, loyal group that is going to grow your sales for you and positively impact your entire company in ways that you can’t even imagine, from product development to marketing to the very culture of your company. We can prove that. To get 100,000 on board right off the bat will spike your sales, sure. But that’s it. Because they’re gone as soon as the next shiny object comes along.

I know you’ve heard these quotes before, but it seems appropriate to repeat them in closing:

“It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people’s minds.” -Samuel Adams

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” –Margaret Mead

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