How Tim Chilcott started a small movement yesterday

My friend Tim Chilcott just moved to New York City and yesterday morning lost his iPhone on the subway. So he tweeted that he lost it, as iPhone users and friends, we all felt his pain. Later that afternoon he tweeted...


...within a few hours his friends on Twitter had donated the money for a new iPhone.

As silly as it sounds, yesterday Tim started a movement; not everyone can start a movement but here's how he did it.

1. Feeling Connected: Possible supporters must feel the victim's pain to be emotionally moved to contribute. Anyone with a cell phone knows, or can imagine how crappy it feels to lose one. Everyone that donated money to Tim's movement feels like they know him, so he's not some stranger asking for money.
2. Make It Easy: You must arm your supporters with the proper tools so they can help. Tim linked us to his paypal account.
3. Empower Supporters: To join your movement people must feel they can directly make a difference. Tim's goal of a new iPhone was seemingly reachable, he wasn't asking for a new car and he doesn't ask for help very often.
4. Show Progress: For your supporters to evangelize to their peers they must feel their contribution is helping the movement reach the goal. Tim tweeted how much money he needed left after each donation. You could track the progress. No one wants a movement they've helped to die before succeeding.
5. Say Thank You: Your supporters are buying on emotion and need to feel appreciated. Tim tweeted a thank you to everyone that supported him.

Tim's movement was successful both because the goal was met, but also because last night I went to bed feeling good that I helped. A successful movement will make the supporters feel great after helping the cause. If you create the right movement your supporters will give you something and feel good about themselves for contributing.