Since 1995, I have been managing communities across the board. Either teen chat on AOL, #proggies on mIRC, or communities for existing brands that I manage.
Over the years, I have developed a list of guidelines to follow to continuously ignite the communities.
1. Passion infuses conversations NOT products. The “Build it and they will come” days are over.
Even though the market is saturated, that is not an excuse. Today’s consumer lives within the clutter, but filters based on preference. Passion is preference and if you have it, the consumer will find it!
-“The most money you can make is by following your passion, I believe that.” - Gary Vanyerchuk
2. Be a pioneer and ask questions, while sparking conversations. Do not be that populous self righteous douche bag . Get involved and be a conversationalist. Crowd-sourcing needs the source to ignite the conversation.
3. Transformational Leadership is what inspires enthusiasm. Change only comes from within and a leader than can transform its peers by action. Walk the Walk & Tweet the Tweet.
4. Authenticity is essential. You must have street credit. Fans would be crushed if they knew @BrittneySpears was not really thanking her fans. On the other hand, she lets her entourage update more consistent than the Superstar herself.
5. Sharing experiences embarks transparency. As an organizer, life casting your attachment to the group is not a bad idea. The audience can then relate in a much more dynamic way with a new factor of trust and relevancy.
6. Collaborative Responsibility encourages cost-efficient growth. When a community see’s its leaders in the trenches, then they are willing to give much more in the long-term.
7. Drive incentives to create real-engagement. Listen to your extensions. Throw a contest, provide discounts for customer feedback, or even create a messaging strategy to develop a culture for your community.
8. Balance technology. Online is amazing and allows opportunity that off-line does not, however we live in a very balanced world. Make sure to make your off-line events are social and your online events spread Word of Mouth offline.
9. Have reason. Reason is absolute. This is the capacity for resolving, through reflection, the question of what one is to do. Communities are driven by reason. By definition is makes them think. Thoughts envelop ideas, then you know the rest…
The only route is sustainability. Give back, live long and prosper.
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