Although your organization may have a thousand members or more, from the perspective of any one member it’s much smaller. And that’s a good thing.

To each member, your organization is comprised of a small cluster of friends, who share an experience. While there may be some intermingling across clusters, for the most part, your organization is that cluster.

Because of this phenomenon, ask yourself: “What does the organization provide to make the life of that cluster better? Are you the network that connects them, the story-teller that reminds them of great times, the coach that inspires them toward worthy goals together?

If you can enhance the life of the cluster of friends, you strengthen your group.

Alumni/member updates, the staple of every group newsletter and website, often contain seeds of stories that your members want (and need) to hear…narratives that advance the purpose of your group, and strengthen relationships.

Example: A midwestern sorority alumnae group that Affinity Connection serves recently received an update from a woman who briefly mentioned an award she had won, and a reunion of “sisters” she had attended. One of our Affinity Connection writers, intrigued, contacted the woman who returned the call, but said she only had a minute because she was quite busy. Twenty minutes later, our writer apologized for the length of the call only to hear that the woman had plenty of time.

Result: A brief “update” turned into a 600-word story that highlighted the networking value of her connection with the group, and even praised the group’s newsletter as a priceless tool for reconnecting long-lost relatives. Her vivid description of the reunion packed emotional power: “We sat and had dinner with wine before the snow started to come, and some had to leave. The rest sat in front of the fire and talked for hours, until we were exhausted and had to go home.”

Affinity Connection staff then incorporated this story into a fundraising letter.

Lesson: Listen, and let the lives of your members’ tell the story of your organization.