In my community post, I shared the building blocks of community creation. The gist was recruit a small group of 5-12 people, then recruit a group of 10-50 people as your ‘tribe/community/whatever.’ It got even the great Tamar saying nice things about it. But the ‘how to’ portion for each step was a little lacking. So I’m going to go through and detail in detail what I’ll be doing or have done in each section.
Build a great core community: Find 5-12 Likeminded People
The first thing that you have to do is build a group of 5-12 likeminded people. These folks are the most important people that you’ll be working with. These are the folks that are fans, friends, and hopefully a lifelong relationship of people that have your back and vice versa. Bottom line is that you have to recruit them, you have to give to them, and you have to do most of the work to keep your group connected to you.
Think about that: you have to do most of the work. This “group” isn’t necessarily a group that meets formally, knows about its own existence, or is anything more than a set of promises about what you’re offering. You’ll probably give to others as much or more than they give to you. Getting hostile or entitled about your commitment to the group will kill the value you get. In fact, learning to be of service is the most important part of the equation.
Now, with that out of the way, who makes up the group?
I have 11 people that I’ve identified as part of my “mastermind.” They all answer my emails, and I think that they all “like” me.
3 are older than me by 10+ years.
6 are about my age (within 6 years).
2 are 5+ years younger.
All but 2 have their own businesses as their primary source of income. Of my group, I don’t know exact numbers, but 4 present themselves as making substantially more income than me. Only 2 make less. 5 are in the same category income wise, within 25%. I admire–at my core–100% of the people in my “advisory board.” I am 100% committed to adding real value and real help to them.
Finally, of the 11 people I’m in touch with: 3 are vendors/suppliers. 2 are former and occasional customers, one is a direct competitor. 6 are unrelated business owners.
Ideally, then the makeup of the group should consist roughly of 20%+ people above your level financially/professionally. Roughly 60% of folks AT your level, and then 20% of folks that are just starting out or getting to your level. You can’t be a snob about your level, and realize that people present themselves as being more financially successful than they are.
Second: Add Value Without (immediate) Expectation of Financial Return
Real value, real insight, real things that they really want. Not just excess work-product you have lying around, but spend real time in investing in this group, an hour or two per member, per month. This is a commitment: if you have 20 members, you spend up to 20 hours looking at their stuff, thinking about how you can hep and helping. You can make referrals, you can think of their business in a different way, and just give of yourself.
Make referrals, without strings or a rake. Make introductions based on adding value to their business.
Look at their sites, and move them towards best practices.
Do favors, offer the use of your assitant without any strings.
Believe me. You’ll get paid back. Not always directly. Your attitude will change and you won’t come off as someone that always has to maximize their return. You’ll become a Trust Agent of sorts. Anyone you can refer, refer. Make sure it doesn’t waste their time. Figure out what you’re doing right that they should be doing. If you have a helpful service, recommend it (without attachment to the outcome). Try to help, ask what is helpful, useful, and offer yourself as a resource.
When you think hard enough, you’ll find a way to deliver real value. It might not come in the glorious way that you want. I helped a mortgage broker friend of mine organize 80 files. That was service, and there was no glory involved, just simple friendship. I got nothing out of it except this: getting over myself and my notion of what I should be doing for a few hours. And that was a good gift for me.
When you intend to add real value, you’ll eventually do so and you’ll have the right to ask things of people.
Third Step: Keep In Touch On Purpose
Relationships are like teeth: when you ignore them, they will go away. Some people are naturally in sync and connected with you. Other people just aren’t in sync and you have to work at it. That’s OK, different people take different efforts, we as humans are all individuals with individual needs. You have to do the work to stay in touch with people. If you’re really a “people person” this will not burden you.
It is your job to keep in touch with people. It’s not theirs to keep in touch with you, get over yourself. You have to do all the work to keep your community together for a long time–and this includes staying in touch on purpose.
I have an excel spreadsheet with my core 11 and my “nifty fifty” and I know when the last time I spoke with each is. I’m not really strict about this, but I know that I’ve been in touch. If I decide to remove/promote someone into another group, I can do this there as well. I know that when I talk to people on a regular basis, I have more sales. Jesse Petersen and I were talking about it earlier. When we are engaged, good things happen. When we try to be in touch, we tune in to opportunities that can help other people, and in turn they tune into opportunities that can help us.
For those people that I know I’m going to get that yell about this not being “authentic” or “organic.” Go crunch yourself. Seriously. If you like someone you’ll find a way to get in touch with them. If you plan in advance it shows that you give a crap about your community. I need to make sure that I honor the people that I’ve picked in my group and help them. Leaving it to the vagaries of my memory is showing people I don’t care.
Fourth Step: Managing Expectations
What I’m outlining has made me money. This practice I’ve done for years unbeknownst to my “nifty fifty” and “11 disciples.” It didn’t make me money fast and it didn’t make me money in the ways you think it might. I got to look at good examples for myself.
The people that you pick are not necessarily going to do or refer business to you. (Doesn’t mean you can’t do loads of business with them, but you have to continue to earn that right). You’re here to help them. Any bits of knowledge or fun you get out of that is gravy. You’ll see other people’s businesses up close, and you will pick up phrases and habits that go into yours.
You’ll learn a new way of thinking. And you’ll change into someone that’s consistently helpful.
And, you’ll build trust from strangers because when you have the “always generous, always giving,” vibe that’s attractive and magnetic. You’re proving that your business is solid enough to give away time, and is strong enough to be generous.
When you have your core group built, start getting in the habit of adding value, presenting opportunities and making introductions. Rotate people out occasionally. This is your board of directors, your brain trust and the folks that you are syncing up with.
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