Best Ways To Build Community

Slapping something up and hoping people will stop by is something of the movies, well one movie to be exact, ‘Field Of Dreams.’ In today’s overcrowded everything, everyone wants to start a community or be a part of a community.

In fact, right now I am helping to build a local community of Interactive Marketers, Techs, PR professionals, designers and other creatives in Central Florida. Last night we had a focus group to see if what we were up to was something that we could build a community upon. I won’t deliver the details, but I will say that Doterati is in the right direction. With that said here are some thoughts on community:

1. The best way to build a community is to invite someone new in and let them touch, feel and interact with the regulars.
2. Do not exclude anyone.
3. Students are just are prone to great ideas as the CEO or the janitor or the intern or the powerful consultant. This holds especially true in the online world.
4. Beginners are tomorrow’s leaders. Treat them as such.
5. An old and established dog can still learn new tricks. Reaching them is another story.
6. Don’t be afraid of the big guys. Go after individuals from the big guys and you will start to see the human side of corporations.
7. Sitting in a room and discussing brings out the best (and worst) in people. It also makes things happen.

I think point number 1 is the ultimate act of building a strong community. You can never have enough members and the next person you reach out to can be the difference maker in your community’s future.

Till next time, I hope you sign-up to be a part of this jamblr thing and movement over at jamblr.com. Please answer our market research question in defining your “it.” That would be swell.

-Greg Rollett

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