Want to make something happen and happen big? Create a community of action. By now, I’m sure you’ve heard of the “Ice Bucket Challenge,” the campaign designed to raise awareness for ALS. I’d seen the videos hitting my social media feeds, but it didn’t really occur to me how rapid the campaign had spread until my daughter, responding to a new post on her Instagram, looked up at me and asked that I dump a bucket of ice on her head “for a good cause.” Since then, I’ve seen everyone from co-workers to celebrities to entire organizations stepping up to the challenge—and encouraging others to do the same.

There are many reasons behind the Ice Bucket Challenge campaign’s success, but the main reason is simple: it fuels our desire to be part of a community. We want to engage and have a shared experience with others. We want to be part of the action.

TOMS is one example: “TOMS was built on a movement, a sense of community and caring for people in need. We grew fast and it became increasingly difficult to keep deep connections with customers beyond a grassroots level,” says Zita Cassizzi, Chief Digital Officer. “We turned to Salesforce because we want to build even stronger and longer lasting relationships with customers, and connect our employees.”

Even if your brand isn’t tied to a cause, there is something to be learned from organizations that let the community tell their story.

Statistics show that engaged customers spend 19% more, and engaged employees sell 37% more—and are a lot more productive. Companies are starting to realize that the real innovation isn’t coming from R&D or the boardroom. It’s coming from their employees and their customers.

Perhaps no company knows this better than Dunkin’ Brands (think Dunkin' Donuts, Baskin-Robbins). Dunkin’ Brands has succeeded in meeting its customers where they are: everywhere. And I’m not just talking about the abundance of physical locations across the world. Dunkin’ Brands also has a massive online community where fans gather to talk about the products they love. According to John Costello, President, Global Marketing & Innovation, “Being social is not just about winning fans and influencing followers. It’s about sharing content that inspires our customers (and their friends), and giving them the opportunity to engage with us.”

Collaboration is integrated into everything Dunkin’ Brands does. And, according to its ever-growing community, 12 million and counting, it’s paying off.

But it’s not just about selling products. Today’s most successful companies are engaging that deeper relationship. Marketing teams are tapping into customer communities to get feedback on new campaigns and promote social and environmental initiatives. They’re moving into employee communities to collaborate with sales teams on generating, nurturing, and converting leads. Partners are tapping into the community to access everything they need to close the deal—wherever they are.

Entire systems of engagement all working towards the same goal: to be better at whatever it is they do or sell.

What are you doing to engage your community—and transform it into a community of action?

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