Written by: Vickie Sullivan | September 14, 2023
The Business Case for Being an Advocate
You never know where inspiration will strike. This time it came from a Business Journals article about a Formula One racing community for “girls, gays, and theys.” With Two Girls 1 Formula, the organizers have created a community in a unique place. It’s a great example of an advocate model that has many applications.
Move past the B2C focus and that this is a “passion project.” The founders created a following that goes beyond liking a sport and into a supportive role. This type of advocacy can help you grow your thought leadership and build your brand.
How an Advocate Model Helps Your Business
• It creates strong emotional bonds: By creating a unique community within a male-dominated field, you create a welcoming place that others can go and feel understood. This sense of belonging is powerful. Communities with a strong emotional base want to be seen and are open to revenue streams that help them. Your influence becomes more valuable, and it creates other partnerships.
• Cause-based marketing is popular: Changing the mission statement to acknowledge the environment gives clarity, but it also creates a reason for people to join. This increased market awareness helped the organizers establish a disruptor role, driving demand for merchandizing lines.
Listen: Is Being an Advocate Right for You? Let’s Find Out
Using the advocate model calls for more than creating an online community. It’s a cause-based effort that acknowledges a marginalized group’s contribution or role in their environment. While others promote those groups’ ideas, maybe you can stand out by elevating people.
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