How Subcultures Build Movements & Influence Through Storytelling

They are the ones who will spread your message . They will advocate for your cause . They will sustain your organization over the long term . So focus on nurturing those relationships , telling the right stories and really building an experience that makes them feel like they're part of something special .

I am your host , dana Snyder , and life has been crazy busy recently , coming off the launch of my book , the Monthly Giving Mastermind a framework to build , grow and sustain subscriptions for Good .

In the book I share my framework for building a monthly giving program plus 15 case studies from all different size nonprofits on how they've built and scaled their monthly giving programs . I've been traveling all over the place and it's so nice to just sit down and record an episode for you here , kind of reflecting on everything I've been going through lately .

If you're interested in getting the book , you can head to positiveequationcom slash book to get your copy and I have a free book discussion guide there available . And then this same week that the book came out the beginning of September , was the same week I hosted the first annual monthly giving summit . I talked about it a lot on the podcast .

We had more than 2000 registrants from 47 countries . It was incredible . It was so much fun . There was so much community , so much joy , the ripple effects and everything I've heard , and the social posts have been awesome .

So , if you missed it , if you weren't able to join , no worries , you can still get access to all of the replays of the amazing keynotes and breakout sessions by going to monthlygivingsummitcom , and we will have some exciting news coming about the 2025 Summit for you as well .

So , as I've been traveling , as I've been looking through footage from the summit , I kind of had this idea of an episode I wanted to record to talk about really the power of movements and how they intersect with one of the most important parts of nonprofit growth and , of course , that being your monthly giving program . So that is what this show is all about .

Right Is , my concept is and the title is taking missions and turning them into movements .

So what I wanted you to do today is to explore how three of the most famous movements in history were built , really the role of marketing , storytelling and subcultures in creating influence , and how really leaning into subcultures rather than mass marketing can be really powerful and create sustainable impact for your nonprofit .

And we will bring it full circle to really look at a relevant movement and how it became a global sensation by leveraging some of these principles . So let's go ahead and kick it off with one of the most powerful movements in history , the civil rights movement .

Now , when I think about this movement and we often think about national marches and Dr Martin Luther King Jr's iconic speeches . But the civil rights movement didn't grow by appealing to everyone all at once . It started within smaller , deeply connected communities .

On what Dr Marcus Collins he is the author of For the Culture , he's been on the podcast , he was also our opening keynote of the Monthly Giving Summit and he really talks about subcultures . So the power of the movement was really in its ability to unite subcultures of people around a shared identity and experience .

Now , within the civil rights movement , rosa Parks , for example , became a symbol , not just because of her action , but because her story resonated within a subculture that was already primed to fight for equality . So the early adopters of the movement were the Black community and their allies , who are deeply embedded in churches , neighborhood groups and social clubs .

So Dr King's speeches were super powerful , but the real magic was how these speeches were shared and amplified within these subcultures , the church congregations , the local organizations and word of mouth . So the trust within these communities made the message spread faster and more effectively .

So for you , nonprofit , especially for those looking to build strong monthly giving programs , it's essential to think about who are your core supporters . What subcultures can you uniquely tap into ? Who are the people that resonate the most with your cause and are likely to become your quote-unquote Rosa Parks and your Dr Kings to help you tell your story ?

So , rather than mass marketing to everyone , how can you nurture your most devoted supporters and empower them to , in turn , amplify your message ? So next , let's look at another movement . Let's look at the women's suffrage movement . Again , this wasn't just a mass movement .

It was a subculture of women and allies who were fiercely devoted to one singular goal securing the right to vote . So leaders like Susan B Anthony , elizabeth Cady Stanton knew they had to build loyalty within a core group of supporters before they could make this a national issue .

So they use newspapers , pamphlets and speeches to spread their message , but not in the way that you might think right . Again , instead of broadcasting their message to everyone , they focus on creating content specifically for their subculture , those who are already sympathetic to the cause .

So they built local chapters and they distributed materials that really resonated with these core groups , encouraging them to then spread the word within their own communities , and I think one of the most interesting tactics they used was really it was branding .

At the time , maybe it wasn't thought about as branding , but think about all the photos we see of this movement . It was the white dresses worn during protests . They created this unmistakable visual identity that helped them build unity and loyalty within their movement .

Now again , imagine doing this within your own monthly giving program , rather than creating these mass appeals . How do you lean into the subculture of your most loyal donors ? What specific content will make them feel seen and heard ? How can you give them a sense of ownership in your cause ?

So they're not just donors , they're not just people who give , but they're passionate advocates who spread your message organically for you . So let's talk about a more modern movement . Now let's talk about the modern environmental movement . This is a perfect example again of how subcultures can really fuel growth .

So leaders like Greta Thunberg didn't just start by trying to convince everyone to care about climate change . She really focused on mobilizing a subculture of young eco-conscious advocates who shared her values . So her early adopters became her most passionate supporters , spreading her message through social media , school strikes and grassroots activism .

So when we think about the environmental movement today , it is definitely not a one-size-fits-all approach , right ? It's filled with different subcultures . There's the zero-waste enthusiasts , there's the conservationists , there's the renewable energy advocates . They're all working towards kind of a similar goal , but with their own unique spin .

Again , this is where I keep going back to in this episode , where Dr Marcus Collins' advice on the power of subculture really shines .

If you can tap into your unique subculture again , we're not appealing to everyone at once you are connecting deeply with a smaller group of people who are more likely to engage , advocate , and are connecting deeply with a smaller group of people who are more likely to engage , advocate and support your missions long-term , and in the case of monthly giving , these

subcultures can become your most loyal supporters . So this group your monthly donors is , in essence , a subculture . They're the people who are the most passionate about your cause and they want to feel

like they're part of something bigger . So how can you tap into this subculture and give them content , stories and experiences that make them feel valued and connected ? And before we wrap up , I also want to dive into one of the most influential moments of the last decade the Me Too movement .

It is such a powerful example of how a movement can grow by tapping into the storytelling of a subculture rather than trying to appeal again to everyone all at once . So , originally right , it was launched back in 2006 by Ms Burke , the activist , to support survivors of sexual violence . But hashtag Me Too didn't explode onto the global stage until 2017 .

Remember when actress Alyssa Milano's tweet really sparked the viral wave of people sharing their stories ? So it didn't start with a massive marketing campaign . It started in the subcultures of people who had experienced horrific sexual harassment and assault .

The phrase Me Too resonated so deeply within this community of people who had shared a common experience but , until then , felt isolated or powerless to speak out . So , rather than trying to appeal to everyone at once , me Too found its strength within the shared experience of survivors .

Their stories connected them and the hashtag became this rallying cry that spread like wildfire , not through traditional mass marketing , but really through deeply personal stories that resonated with individuals first and then went global . So again , let's break this down where the magic happened . It wasn't about sharing statistics or facts .

It was about the personal stories , and storytelling has always been at the heart of these powerful movements we talked about , and , of course , me Too is no exception . The stories from individuals , especially those in marginalized subcultures , created this wave of solidarity .

So , again , the context of you and your organization and when you're building a monthly giving program what stories can you share to really connect deeply with your audience ? How can you tap into , think about your core supporters , emotion and values , just like Me Too did ?

And what makes monthly giving so powerful is it allows donors to feel like they're continually part of the solution . So sharing constant , meaningful stories that reinforce the impact of their contribution is huge to strengthen their loyalty and again turn them into advocates for your cause .

So another example imagine that you're running a nonprofit that supports survivors of domestic violence .

Rather than mass marketing your monthly giving program to the public at large and hoping you find a select few focus on a smaller subculture , people who have a direct connection to your cause former clients , family members , survivors , social workers and craft messaging that specifically talks to them , maybe by sharing survivor stories or highlighting the long-term impact of

monthly donations on those you serve , that you're creating a space where people feel heard . You serve that you're creating a space where people feel heard , valued and part of a community , just like the Me Too movement did , and once that small subculture hears these stories , it becomes this greater echo , right and again .

This all brings me back to Dr Marcus Collins' insight subculture versus mass marketing , which is crucial , especially when we're talking about building influence . During his keynote , his opening keynote , during the monthly giving summit , he was talking about that . In today's world , people are not motivated by broad , generalized messages .

They we are looking for connection and belonging . And where do they find that Ding ding ding ? In longing . And where do they find that Ding ding ding ? In subcultures . He says quote we don't just buy things because we like the product . We buy them because they help us say something about ourselves .

Subcultures help people express their identity and that's where true influence is born . So think about hashtag me too . It gave people a way to express something deeply personal and resonated because it spoke to a specific community before it exploded onto the global stage . So again , your monthly giving program isn't for everyone , right .

It's for those people , that subculture , who feel so deeply and care most about your cause and want to feel connected to something bigger and who want to make a lasting impact . So when you can focus your marketing and your messaging and your stories on this subculture , your message becomes more personal , more relevant and more powerful .

So , to wrap this all up , what I want you to take away is going into this season of giving . Creating a movement isn't built by appealing to the masses . Movements are built by deeply connecting with the people who care the most about your cause , the most about your cause .

So lean into the subcultures , figure out where they are , share compelling stories and naturally creating this sense of belonging for your supporters . Your monthly donors are your movement . They are the ones who will spread your message . They will advocate for your cause . They will sustain your organization over the long term .

So focus on nurturing those relationships , telling the right stories and really building an experience that makes them feel like they're part of something special . If you are someone who is ready to build your nonprofit's monthly giving movement if maybe you don't have a program yet , if you don't have a recurring giving program yet , I'd love to work with you .

Applications are open for the next round of my monthly giving mastermind . If you're looking to build or refresh your recurring giving program . We work with a max of five organizations at a time , so it's very small . We will start in January . We help build it from scratch or refresh it .

You can visit positiveequationcom slash mastermind to find all the information there to apply and we'll be confirming spots in this by November . So if you're interested , you can head there to apply . And then also , for the first time , I am launching a monthly giving leaders mastermind with an in-person retreat .

This is for 10 nonprofit leaders who are running monthly giving programs , established monthly giving programs with 10,000 or more recurring donors . We will be in community together to scale and work on retention , starting in January for six months . So if you're interested , send me a DM on LinkedIn or you can email info at positive equationcom .

If that is you , if you are a leader working with an established program of 10,000 or more recurring donors and you want to be in a community of like-minded individuals also aspiring to reach the next level , reach out to me If you're interested . Love to work with you on that . If you have found value in today's episode , please drop a review .

I love reading all of them . Share it with your peers and make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss any future episodes of Missions to Movements and let's continue building movements together .