Caution: Potential horn-tootin’ ahead, although we really can’t take credit for it.

Over the weekend I received an email from one of the Lead Fiskateers (thanks Angela) with the subject line “You have to see what these Fiskateers are now offering each other,” and a link to the Fiskateer message board. So I click the link and read the post:

It goes on to say that one of the Fiskateer’s fathers may be in need of a new kidney. And as you read a little further, you realize that another Fiskateer reached out and HAS OFFERED TO BE TESTED AS A POSSIBLE MATCH.

“Fiskateer Sister NEVER has anyone in my life offered such a gift that you have done by offering to have yourself tested as a possible match for my almost 74 year old father so that he could continue with his life here. I am so touched that words honestly cannot explain the givingness that just that little email has shown me about you. God bless you because you certainly just earned some big jewels in my opinion by thinking so much of a man who you will likely never meet especially since we live 3, 000 miles away. If there were more people like you here on this home we call Earth I can only imagine how much sweeter every day would be.”

A long time ago we realized with Fiskars that we couldn’t create a community centered around scissors and paper. We had to ignite a community that centered around people sharing their lives through their passion of crafting (we call it the “passion conversation”). One of the absolute joys of a thriving community is that it’s organic. Relationships are formed online and offline in ways that you (and we) could never have anticipated in a million years. In fact, as you read the comments, you run across this gem: “I wonder if Fiskars/Brains on Fire realize how this group has really impacted many of us!” Sure, we thought about the benefits for R&D ideas, impromptu events, putting out fires on customer service issues. But offering up kidneys to one another? Never.

Community is a powerful thing. A sense of belonging and connection deepens relationships, but it has to have an environment - online and off - to thrive and take on a life of its own. Sure, you can shepherd it along and keep it from falling victim to the dangers along the path, but ultimately you have to realize that you don’t have control - and you never did. You just became the conduit between people and their passion. If you do that, you’ll be amazed at what happens.

Note: This following post is from Shannon Kohn, who has been a part of the Brains on Fire movement (as a Kindred Spirit) for over 10 years. She formally joined us about three months ago and took on the role of Fiskateer Community Manager. We love the way way she bakes and cooks for us. And the way she looks at the world:

Orange. It might only be a “second-from-the-left” color in your world’s rainbow, but for me, it’s more.

Orange is the color that connects me with my client. It instantly summons the loudest, proudest voices in my client’s customers. It flies fast and frantic like an unfurled flag—high above the spectrum of mediocre colors (sorry, periwinkle) that are constantly battling for my visual attention. It has me, the anti-shopper, scouring after-Halloween sales in the hopes of grabbing some small quantity of cute, pumpkin-colored treasure. It’s a happy color…and it shines brighter than a mo fo up in this joint.

Two nights ago, my daughter wrote a cute little note to Twinkle, our “Elf” (the little critter who comes to life at night and wreaks havoc downstairs). One question she asked him was, “What is your favorite color?” Well, I’m no elf (although I’m as cute as one), but when I really step back and think about it, orange is my favorite color now. I see my world through orange-colored glasses (set inside uber-fashionable frames, of course). Did my sharp-edged client know that when I stepped back aboard the Fire train, I would be preaching the gospel of this secondary, color-wheel staple? I think the answer is “Yes.” It’s an easy thing to do when you feel empowered.

Truth be told, I’m a little late to the big, orange-lovin’ party. 6,700 other craftily creative folks beat me there (they saved me a beautifully-embellished seat, though). My tardiness does nothing to lessen my desire to spread my client’s gospel, though. So, if you meet me on the street, at the grocery, or in the carpool line…look out! I’ll have you seeing your world through orange-colored glasses in no time at all.

So, what’s your favorite color?

When was the last time you put on your superhero costume or cape? Come on, admit it. Back in that childhood vault in your mind you put on a store-bought - or even better - homemade costume and ran around the house acting out heroic deeds. Mine is pretty vivid and a little bit wacky! When I would visit my grandparents, I would put on a combination of a store-bought/homemade Batman outfit and tear out to the garden performing my Batman moves on corn stalks or any other vegetable that got in my way.

I recently received an email from Angela Daniels - a lead Fiskateer - that brought my superhero days back in a flash. Angela’s email to me was titled: “You know what other companies would kill for?”

Angela’s email was about a dynamic duo: Scrap-Girl and Croppin, two newbie Fiskateers (by “newbie,” I mean they joined in the last year). These ladies drove over an hour-and-a-half to attend a crop at a Native American Reservation. FYI - a “crop” is an event where crafters or scrapbookers get together and create, share ideas, bond, etc.

Quoting Angela, “I do encourage local Fiskateers to wear as much orange as they can at Fiskateer crops by giving away prizes for the ‘Orangest’ Fiskateers who attend, but for this particular crop I didn’t mention prizes. I just reminded everyone that orange was the theme. My theory is, people are just looking for permission to have fun and be a little silly sometimes. Outside of maybe Halloween, I don’t think there is a lot of permission being granted when you are a grown-up. These two women were THE hit of the party. Everyone wanted their photo with them and to ask them all about their costumes, etc. They were clearly having fun and it infused the whole crop with a different vibe.”

Bingo! People are just looking for permission to have fun and be a little silly sometimes.

Angela’s second point my come as a shock to some. Angela calls these ladies her “offline Fiskateers.”

“I call some of the Fiskateers ‘offline’ Fiskateers because they register to our website but, after that, they rarely or never post. Scrap-girl & Croppin’ don’t even have photos uploaded as avatars, but that obviously doesn’t make them any less enthusiastic as Fiskateers offline. They are the examples I refer to when I tell someone about the Fiskateer online community and they say ‘I’m not really into online communities.’ I tell these crafters that there are all different kinds of Fiskateers and some of them are offline Fiskateers. They just check the calendar and enjoy doing the surveys but most of their enthusiasm and involvement comes when they meet at events and local crops. It’s a very good example of the classic WOM cliché that most of the “conversation” is taking place offline.

Can you make your customer invincible? Probably not, but you can sure as hell give them permission to wake up that inner spirit to have fun.

Permission granted to be a fan!

*Caution: Potential horn-tootin’ ahead.

So after 3.5 years, are you tired of us talking about the Fiskateer movement? Don’t answer that. If you’ve read our ChageThis Manifesto, you know that movements have a beginning, but they have no end. Movements grow. They evolve. They suprise and delight everyone involved at every turn.

Case in point: This weekend, I get an email from one of the lead Fiskateers, who attached these photos:

Yes, those are Fiskateers. Super Fiskateers, no doubt: Scrapgirl and Croppin’. And you’ll also notice their iconic orange and green Fiskateer scissors in the custom-made holders.

Why did they feel compelled to dress up? Was there a contest? Something to win?

Nope. Not at all. They did it…just because.

This is the part where I remind you that we’re talking about a company that is known for making scissors. SCISSORS, PEOPLE. But Fiskars reframed the conversation so it’s not about them, it’s what people DO with the scissors. Fiskars became the conduit. The vessel. The enabler to connect people with their passions.

So, you’re asking yourself, can we get some of that? If you’re open to it, yes. Can you have superfans? You’d be surprised what people can get excited about. Especially when you don’t make it about you.

And once you do, you’ll constantly be amazed at how your customers will pick up the banner and not only become your evangelists, but your SuperFans. I guarantee that it’ll never stop amazing you how many times they swoop in and save the day.

So you’ve probably heard that the voting is open for SXSW Interactive 2010. And you’ve also probably heard that there are over 2,000 entries. That’s a lot. A whole lot. And a lot of reading as well.

Allow me to guide you in one direction, if I may.

Do you really want to hear a bunch of consultants talking at you? Do you really want to hear all the things about social media that you already know? Or, do you want to hear how a company - a Fortune 75 company - say, somebody like Best Buy, is integrating social media and REAL people to start an internal - soon to be external - movement for MI. What’s that? Best Buy’s store within a store and their entrance into the world of musical instruments.

That’s right. A case study that combines musicians, Best Buy and guitars, basses, drums and keyboards from brands that you are very familiar with. On stage we will have our own Geno Church, our partner at Best Buy corporate and an employee leader of the Mi11 movement. So you’ll hear it from the guys on the front lines. This isn’t theory, it’s not pontificating, it’s real hands-on “here are our challenges and here’s how we overcame them kind of stuff.”

If you haven’t heard much about Mi11 it’s because it’s launching this month. But by the time SXSW rolls around, we will have a lot more juicy stories to add to the ones we already have, including using cool new tools like BuddyPress as a platform.

So go. Vote. Everyday even. And if you feel so compelled, leave a comment.

You’ve heard about Rage Against the Haze. You know and love the Fiskateers case study. And what’s the next big thing for Brains on Fire? This is it. And we couldn’t be more excited.

Then come hang out in Austin. As a native-Texan, I can vouch for its coolness. Which is off the charts.

And, though we don’t say it often enough, many, many thanks.