What can a cult teach us about community? A lot it turns out. I’m no cult expert, however I was involved with a group that produced cult-like followers. That’s not to say that the organization wasn’t a cult - but that it used techniques that were quite effective in building the community. Unfortunately, due to overzealous leaders, community came before the individual. Community is about empowering the individual.
Having studied membership websites and writen about them in Membership Site Bible, I thought I’d share some of my limited insight on community building as it applies to membership websites.

Here are some tips I am learning about community building and how to avoid a community melt-down (in no particular order).

  1. DO - Provide a safe environment. I’m not sure where safety comes on Maslow’s hierarchy, but it’s right up there at the top. People want to be part of a community where they feel - and are - safe. Blogs, in general, are not safe communities. Blogs have no barrier to entry so anyone can comment and provide hit-a-run commentary. Some disgusting things have been posted as comments to blogs lately. Why? Because people can. There needs to be a filter on the community if you want to make it a safe one.
  2. DO - Membership has a price. Cost of entry is vital to a healthy community. Often this is enough of a filter - a barrier to entry - to limit the drive-by comments. “If it costs nothing, it’s worth nothing.” Comments and posts on a paid membership site are unique in that everyone has “paid the price” and attaches a value to the community of which they are a member. People will protect that “investment” and self police - to a degree.
  3. DO - Give the community opportunities to participate. Comments are great, but that’s not participation is it? Really? Comments are not “user generated content” either. Find a way to make the environment interactive.
  4. DO - Give members jobs. This is key. I keep coming back to the groups that give me a task or job to do.
  5. DON’T - Dictate the path. The community needs to dictate the content and you, as “leader” need to empower the community. Don’t be rigid, Don’t be dogmatic. The community will evolve and you will evolve.
  6. DON’T - Be a know-it-all. This may sound counter to the whole “Guru with a community” thing but it’s not. I learn so much from the community each and every day that it would be silly for me to pretend that I have all the answers. If you are confident in the knowledge you DO possess, you will acknowledge and reward the knowledge and insite of others.
  7. DO - Address issues quickly. Every once in a while there is an issue or problem that needs addressing. Act on it immediately. My favorite saying is “Pay now or pay later - with interest.” It will always cost you more if you postpone things that need your attention. Don’t be lazy or have a la-de-da attitude. Fix things that need fixing and deal with things that need dealing with.
  8. DO - Protect the Brand. In the church of eCommerce, the brand is god. Now there are MANY examples of non-branded impulse buy items for sale on the net. However, these are one-time affairs and we are talking about building a sustainable community. Protect your logo, protect your image and police their usage.
  9. DO - Remember you are not the brand. Even if you have a site call MyNameHere.com - you are not the brand. The community, the assets, the experience all come together to form the brand.
  10. DON’T - Build on personality. You need to build on community. The catholics have this figured out. They build a “parish” that serves the community. The “leader” can be swapped out with little or no disruption in service. Some “Mega Churches” build on a personality. What happens when that personality leaves?
  11. DON’T - Be impatient. Building a community - like Rome - doesn’t take a day or two. Give it three years and continue to build wisely all along the way. We have all heard of the Million Dollar Launch bla, bla, bla. Again, we are talking about community building here. Where is the asset in an info product launch a year from now? Once the info or system is “out there” it’s worth is diminished.

I’ll add to these as time goes on. I’m far from a community building expert but these things make sense and I have seen them work. As a final DO - do be transparent. You could “hide” these things from your community, but sharing with them the vision and goals - along with your beliefs on community - will only help.