If you take a look around at the most successful people in the room. If you look at their habits, what they do, what they don’t do, you will find one commonality. I remember first recognizing it in late 2008 and I still see it today. I know I will continue to see it.
It’s this magical principle of having a community.
Those who are most successful don’t just have some great product, or a big brand, or a secret traffic strategy, or get rich quick formula.
They have created a community.
So how do you do that?
At first, it might sometimes feel like everyone is preaching to the choir.
Whether it’s your fellow Renegade Team community, or the ViSalus community, or the Empower Network community, or the Warrior forum community, or the Better Networker community, you’re just starting out. You’re interacting a lot with the same people.
It’s absolutely NOT a waste of time.
There are some important reasons why you will benefit from this preaching to the choir so-to-speak.
You want to appear (and actually become) a social contributor.
It has to start somewhere. It’s part of the oft-used phrase, “Give value.”
Understand that as prospects find you at your blog, or Facebook, or Twitter, or Google Plus or YouTube (or other social networking locations) it is extremely helpful they see that you’re braided into a social network. That you’re a part of the fabric.
This is why it’s encouraged to have friends, fans, followers, comments, etc.
This is why we are building out The Renegade Blog guest blog program (for our Inner Circle members).
And social proof is a win win win situation for everyone involved.
It also shows that other people see you as a valuable contributor to the marketplace. That’s in itself is attractive.
No one talks to the wall flowers. You wouldn’t stand alone behind the tree in the shade at a BBQ would you? (or anywhere people are connecting with one another).
Well, you also don’t want to stand alone on the web (blogs, social networks, forums, etc.).
If you did, it makes you appear to be a loner, and that implies (whether it’s true or not) that you aren’t a go-giver. That you don’t belong. That you have no value.
This isn’t about being popular.
It’s about circling yourself with others, particularly when they are affirming your points, shining a spotlight on those who are doing it well, occasionally sharing your value in the mix. It makes you more credible.
From a more technical stand point:
Having a group of people who link to your stuff and/or comment on it too whether it’s the walled off garden of Facebook or the Google or Bing web, it improves your rankings. Because the Internet has, and always will view community connection as a sign you are valuable to others (as long as it’s natural and not some “game” you’ve got on autopilot. That rarely lasts long anyway).
That’s why social networking sites have grown so fast and are so powerful. They are the essence of “attraction marketing” because they are built on true human interaction and the exchange of valuable information, commonalities and shared values. They automatically (and quickly) reward those who are involved, interacting, and contributing.
There’s the fine line that many of you haven’t quite figured out yet. Don’t EVER tell yourself or make the excuse that you were busy networking if it comes at the cost of you building out the true foundations of your business.
Don’t let the resistance beat you with that excuse. Not allowed.
Find a way to do sew yourself into the fabric of a community (or communities) without it taking a lot of time. Without it taking away from building the core of your business i.e. your marketing funnel.
Find a way to make your rounds and more social in-roads so people think you’re “everywhere.” Again, without it taking away from more direct ROI activities (like getting targeted traffic to that funnel).
These days, funnel creation and social networking work hand-in-glove.
Similary, it’s also why getting your funnel built is so important. You can get targeted traffic from sewing yourself into the fabric of a community. When you do, you BETTER have a gift waiting for them (which they get with email address).
In conclusion, community connecting and building is very important even if it feels like you’re preaching with the choir. It’s beautiful music which makes the web go round. It also provides social proof. In tandem with having a marketing funnel built, it’s on every success leader and business person’s track record.
Do more of it!
Whether you’re a Renegade community member or a member of another community, don’t slow down with it. Keep it up. Multiply what you’re doing by 10. The trick is to not make it seem like work. Don’t let it take a ton of your time.
Leave a comment if you understand. Preach to the choir! Give an example. Write something that adds-on to this idea. Disagree! Make yourself known. Then share it.
Eric is 80/20 Marketing Inc's in-house marketing collaborator. He works with Ann Sieg and team on all aspects of business building. Suffice to say, Eric is a marketing dork by day. By night, he burns the midnight oil scribbling poetic raps on yellow legal pad paper. Friend or subscribe to his daily Facebook updates to get a dose of his antics.
