While most community outreach focuses on conveying information - when, where, what to expect - Beacon Invitations go deeper. They create an immediate, tangible experience that serves as both invitation and preview of what the community offers. Rather than simply announcing an event, they invite recipients into a "call to adventure" that feels personally meaningful and emotionally engaging.

 

Beacon Invitations differ from standard marketing communications in several ways: 

• They address needs or wishes that recipients already have, rather than trying to create demand. 

• They offer an immediate sense of discovery and possibility - something serendipitous or out of the ordinary that invites exploration. 

• They stand out, sometimes because of the craft and generosity that went into making them (such as hand-written invitations), sometimes because they invert expectations (such as an interactive object unexpectedly encountered in the street), sometimes because they are so personally relevant.

• They signal the possibility of genuine change.

 

Beacon Invitations work through a series of stages. 

1. Addressing a real need in the recipient's life, often one that mirrors the community founder's own initial purpose for creating the group. 

2. They create a moment of discovery that feels special rather than routine - perhaps through unusual materials, unexpected delivery methods or
   intriguing presentation. 

3. They demonstrate the ‘community in microcosm’ through the invitation itself, showing rather than telling what kind of experience awaits. 

4. Finally, they provide a clear pathway to engage while signalling what mindset or approach recipients should bring to participation. 

The stages can happen all at once (as in the single letter sent by Gather), or be spaced out over time in several engagements.

 

Because Beacon Invitations tap into personal needs and emotions they require careful attention to intentions and expectations. Recipients should always have genuine choice about whether to participate, without manipulation or coercion. The line between creating healthy intrigue and engaging in deceptive practices requires constant vigilance. They should be made with consideration to accessibility.

 

These invitations work precisely because they're tightly targeted rather than
broadly appealing. They may be rare, mysterious or hard to find, emphasising rich, tangible experiences over thin or digitalised communications. By appealing to the senses and creating moments where recipients feel fully present, they generate the kind of specialness and care that makes people feel genuinely welcomed rather than merely recruited.