Building a company by focusing on building a community
It’s arguably impossible to scale a product or business without building a community. Building a strong community early on does two great things for your business: (1) It helps you build traction because early users often become the best product evangelists. (2) It position your business for long-term success because your community will want to […]
It’s arguably impossible to scale a product or business without building a community. Building a strong community early on does two great things for your business: (1) It helps you build traction because early users often become the best product evangelists. (2) It position your business for long-term success because your community will want to see you grow and succeed.
How do you start building your community?
Establish a mission: A business without a mission can’t build a strong community, and probably can’t even survive in the long-run. When you stand for something, your users (and potential users) feel that when they use your product or service they are part of something bigger then themselves. A strong mission gives people a shared sense of purpose when they’re part of community, incentivizing them to grow your community (at no cost to your business).
- Strong companies build strong communities.
- Strong communities are created by evangelists who believe in your company mission.
- Encourage members to communicate with each other (at events, on your site, etc.).
- Focus on the quality of your community early on. Keep it positive and fun so people want to continue coming back and contributing.
- Community building often helps you gain traction because you find people you believe in your mission and vocally help you become more successful.