Developing a New Community
January 14, 2009 by BloggerNewbie
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How do you develop a new community?
I have lived in the same community all my life. I worked in the insurance industry for about 21 years. The first 12 years I was a partner in a local agency. For various reasons, I decided to start my own insurance agency. Many people told me that it was extremely difficult – next to impossible – to start an agency from scratch. Others told me that the one thing our town did not need was yet another insurance agency.
I, of course, did not listen. I had to see for myself, I had to try. Maybe it will work for me. What is the worst that could happen? I decided the worst that could happen would be that I would fall flat on my face and I’d have to look for another job. I could live with that.
As many of you know, I am often inspired by quotes. Quotes Motivate me and inspire me to action. An encouraging friend offered me the following quote to think about:
“The best thing to do is the right thing,
The next best thing to do is the wrong thing,
The worst thing to do is nothing!”
~ Author Unknown
In the offline world in my little town I have a large circle of influence in which I mingle. I have many friends in many different areas of my life.
~ Business associates and friends
~ Golf friends
~ Lodge of Elks friends
~ Motorcycle friends
~ Yes, even some John Deere friends
Well what is the point of this tour down memory lane in smalltown USA? The reason I was successful in starting an agency from scratch in a small town inundated with insurance agencies was because I had a circle of influence from which to draw from. My circle of friends and contacts offered not only support but were a great source of business.
I built these relationships over time. I joined organizations, social groups, participated in community events, etc. I became well known in my little world. I knew people by name when they came in. They were made to feel comfortable. This was not some stuffy, starch white insurance agency. Come in, sit down, tell me about yourself!
So how do you develop a new blog community?
I have lived in the same community all my life. I bought my first computer complete with the internet about 25 years ago. I didn’t know anyone who had the internet or anyone who even knew what the internet was. I was one of three people in our town who had the internet. For various reasons, last year I decided to start a blog. Many people told me that it was extremely difficult to make money with a blog. Others told me that that I would be one in a million amongst other blogs. Well thank you. Some didn’t know what a blog was but thought it was a waste of time anyway.
I, of course, did not listen. I had to see for myself, I had to try. Maybe it will work for me. What is the worst that could happen? I decided the worst that could happen would be that I would fall flat on my face and be out the $9.95 monthly web server fee. I could live with that.
The offline world is a different from the online world yet the same. People are still people. So what do we need to do to be successful?
- Build relationships over time
~ Blogging associates and friends
~ Writing friends
~ Forum friends
~ Twitter friends
~ Social network friends
~ Niche friends
- Encourage community
~ Treat people feel like they belong. Treat your visitors as friends and they will come home again and again. Sounds too simple, too basic? Think about how you like to be treated when you go to a blog. Do you like to go to a blog when your comments aren’t even acknowledged? Feels like you are talking to yourself. Didn’t we get enough of that when we first started our blog?
~ Help your fellow bloggers and social network buddies. Promote your friends sites. Offer help without expecting anything in return. Build your relationships. There is nothing more annoying than a “taker”. You know the kind. Always asking, asking 10 times to your 1, not in any hurry to help back.
Get to know people by name when they stop over to your blog. If they stop at your blog don’t you think you should visit their blog? Make them feel comfortable. This iss not some stuffy, starch white blog. Come in, sit down, tell me about yourself!
You can’t buy a community, you have to nurture it – develop it. Community doesn’t happen overnight. Relationships take time. What is the key to your success in building community? Be sincere. Be helpful. Be polite. Be business minded as well as friend minded.
Toodles -Blog Happy!
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“I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community,
and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can…”
~ George Bernard Shaw
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You are so right. A community is exactly what a blog revolves around. You have to keep at it, and be nice, encouraging, an friendly. Now all I have to do is figure out the making money part. I have been doing it just for fun, LOL.
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Eric:
Same here. People think they can buy community and you just can’t buy genuine community. Make your visitors feel all warm and fuzzy!
Money? hmmm, sound like a post. I’ll get back to you!
I agree with you on all of this.. You have to BUILD a community.. it isn’t instant..overnight… good job once again
Danielle:
Well you know I want it and I want it now but that philosophy doesn’t work with most things, at least important things.
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Wow – I can’t imagine always living in the same place. Though I did live in NH for 16 years growing up – that still feels most like home.
I wonder why people tell us we will fail when we tell them our plans – starting a blog, going back to school, etc. Why not be encouraging instead? I wonder if it’s jealousy – that they don’t dare try something new.
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My little town only has a handful of traffic lights too. I really tried to encourage my daughters to go to college out of the area. They were a bit suspicious of that encouragement!
I agree, I think people are jealous. Or some people live by the theory “misery loves company” and they don’t want you to grow out of their company.
I’ve even had people discourage me from quitting smoking. Same theory I think. It takes some doing sometimes to talk yourself into changing a habit or going forward and it’s a shame that people have to throw doubt your way. I then have to divert my energy to blocking out their negativity. It’s too much work to be negative. doesn’t flow naturally with me (usually)