How can you build relationships with potential supporters of your mental or emotional health cause?

One thing I found useful is to start with why. This is a powerful way to lead with purpose. This process doesn't happen by force, but through the inspiration people feel when they hear a message that creates a unified sense of belonging and a purpose. When thinking, acting, and communicating, focus on the three areas, to inspire people into action, Why, How, and What. Your why is your purpose for existing. When you invite people to join your cause, you're inviting them to belong to a community. Creating a sense of belonging is important. The next step is considering your how, the way in which your organization fulfills it's mission. The next step is what. The mind needs to rationalize decisions, making what essential to the process.

Your reputation as an honest, reliable, and proficient worker will earn you more acceptance and credibility. Your ability to communicate clearly and effectively will readily show others what you want to achieve. Knowing yourself and being able to defend what you stand for will add to that extra punch for furthering your cause.

One thing I found useful is to maintain transparency. Trust is hard to develop, easier to maintain, and difficult to get back once lost. Your supporters of your mission does so because they believe that the combined effort of your actions can change the world. Earn the trust of your supporters by making sure they know that you're in fact changing the world. Your impact should be evident on your website as well as your outreach material. Beneficiary stories, volunteer stories, financial reporting, donation tracking all work together to create a transparent culture around your nonprofit that supporters grow to trust over the long term.

Authenticity is defined as the "real you" under or free of pressure! It combines how your presence, personality, and behaviors impact others. So, self-awareness is critical in how you present yourself to your desired audience. Because if any of the three are out of alignment trust can easily be lost.

Start with well documented studies that communicate the urgency of your cause. As a veteran, the mental health of veterans in the workplace is off high priority for me as a mental health and emotional health cause so, statements like the following are powerful: According to a report published by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in 2016, which analyzed 55 million veterans' records from 1979 to 2014, the current analysis indicates that an average of 20 veterans die from suicide per day.

Taking the time to actively listen and express genuine curiosity is not just a key to building relationships; it's a bridge to understanding others on a deeper level. By delving into people's backgrounds, interests, challenges, and goals, you not only gain insights into their perspectives but also convey a sincere regard for them as unique individuals. This understanding becomes the foundation for tailoring your communication to align with their situations and preferences, fostering a connection that goes beyond mere surface interactions.

Well said Kian and the more you do this the deeper the connection and the more likely you will get to knowing and understanding their “why” once there you are truly at the heart of it.

Having a system/process for follow-ups is key. When you have something you know you will need to follow up on immediately put that into your follow-up system/process. This reduces the likelihood that you will forget. My follow-up system includes the following steps: 1. Enter the required follow-up tasks into my task manager (I use Google Tasks, but any task manager will work. Good old pen and paper is a good option too!) 2. Schedule when I will complete the task on my calendar (Google Task integrates well with Google Calendar and allows me to see the task on my calendar.) 3. Complete the follow-up 4. Repeat Remember your brain is not the spot to store your follow-up tasks!