WHY people want to be part of the community; Motivations for being part of the community include creating something new for themselves and others, the opportunity to influence their environment and activities, the desire to be active and be part of something bigger than themselves.
RESEARCH INCLUDING: the cradles of urban and food culture in Europe, Telliskivi – Tallinn, Vesterbro – Copenhagen, the attractiveness of areas, why visit, what makes a neighbourhood attractive, Hubs, co-working spaces, ways to connect and bring people together in them, ways to provide a community with common things/activities/experiences, studies on community and its emergence in cities and urban events / urban cultures
TO DO IN BUILDING BRIDGES
2020 took us physically further apart than ever before. We learned to stay apart and went online instead of live. Whether we were online or live, the need and desire to meet is highlighted in our conversations with our customers; the desire to build team spirit, strengthen customer relationships and create new networks. Community has been on the lips of many, and was even before the pandemic, one of the biggest trends for the beginning of 2020. We believe that 2021 will definitely be the year this trend takes root, whether it’s live, hybrid or virtual events!
Ferdinand Tönnies, a sociologist and philosopher who studied people, described community in this way: “Community means a relationship between individuals and groups that is valued by the members of the community. It is characterised by commitment and solidarity.”
Events, campaigns and promotions are done for many reasons, but let’s face it; in the end it is often all about marketing or selling the activity/product/idea, either at the event itself or within it by the various actors. The aim may be to raise awareness x, to develop participants or, for example, to provide a place for networking. Long-term community building around the event, activity or even the implementation of a strategy in hand is worthwhile. At its best, a community will mobilise, develop and bring together a group of motivated, enthusiastic and idea-generating people with a range of knowledge and skills. The result is the much talked about “buzz” of the start-up world, from which you don’t want to be left out.
We strongly believe that effective and open communication is the first step to building community. At events, raisings and promotions, we encourage both our customers and guests to set goals and communicate them openly. Thinking and setting goals together leads towards a common goal, activates participants and gives them a reason to participate and interact with others. Event workshops, working in smaller groups, mentoring, hackathons and networking all foster a sense of community and thus a commitment to the goal and the community with which it is shared. If there is a lack of community around you, you will notice it clearly and the whole will be diluted. Similarly, those with a good community, and events, get more out of their events.
Building trust and commitment requires the same thing: time and commitment. Change does not happen overnight and events and campaigns should be thought of as a longer timeline, where an event is just part of a bigger picture, rather than a single happening.
COMMUNITY CREATES THE BASIS FOR SUCCESS.
Understanding the needs of the community around you will help you to better meet them. The sense of ‘we’ and cohesion is directly related to the outcome and contributes to building trust between actors. Trust generates enthusiasm, which fuels commitment and the pursuit of a common goal. A good atmosphere is reflected in mutual trust and support, a genuine desire to help, consideration for others, team spirit, openness and flexibility. Can you ask for more from good partners and teams? Good cooperation makes magic!
At Me To Do, we are happy to help build communities and support multi-directional interaction between our clients and their target groups. Whether it’s building a community around an event, raising team spirit or launching a new business, we think of solutions to meet individual needs. Challenge us!
