3.27.2014

21 Ideas to Build, Connect, and Grow Your Business Community


Happy 21st Birthday Brittany!

Where does the time go, I can't believe my daughter is a grown up already. I remember when she was a little girl and we did everything together. Today she is a beautiful, smart, and independent woman full of ideas and ready to take on the world.

My daughter thrives in her college community and uses their support to help her achieve the success she is striving for.

In honor of her birthday I have put together a list of 21 ideas to build, connect, and grow your online and offline community.

Having a strong community is a big part of the success of your business. Taking the time to build a community that will support and motivate you will make being an independent create business owner a little easier.


1. Start with one person. Reach out, send one outreach email, be a volunteer, take the first step and get started.

2. Share freely of yourself, time, and talents. Pitch in with ideas, contribute, remember what you have to add to the conversation is important.

3. Grow your connections, you don't have to go it alone. Work with a mentor, a group that will inspire you, people that you admire.

4. Get to know everyone in your online and offline community. Map out where you have access to resources, tools and services that will help you and your community and share with everyone.

5. Connect with your community via social media.

6. Listen you the members of your community. Letting people tell their story without judgement is an important part of a community environment.

7. Celebrate business and personal successes.

8. Seek out diverse people and perspectives. This will create a vibrant community culture.

9. Share a note with a community member with an encouraging  and motivating message to show your appreciation.

10. Collaborate with people in your community with similar interest and skills.

11. Engage with people who push you out of your comfort zone.

12. Ask for help when you need it. your community is there to help, use their skills.

13. Share information and expect nothing in return.

14. Introduce yourself to the leaders you admire, even if it's just to say HI. You never know what could happen.

15. Keep on learning. Take online classes on sites like Skill Share or Big Hit Webinars.

16. Teach a class, share a tutorial, create info graphics, you have a lot to share with your community.

17. Be a leader.

18. Connect people you think could benefit from knowing each other.

19. Cheer on members. Encouragement goes a long way in the success of your community.

20. Kindness is appreciated. Thank the people who help you along the way.

21. Do something daily for your community, build your connections.

If you don't have a community to motivate and help support your creative business, start building one today. If you have a community, try incorporating some of these ideas to making your community stronger and more successful.

Do you have an online and offline community that supports you and your business?


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4 comments:

  1. Excellent list!
    Part of the reason I like Zibbet.com is that it comes with that community. Of course, you have to want to take part to reap its benefits, but the community I have found there is wonderful.
    Happy Birthday to your daughter!!
    ~Rebecca

    ReplyDelete
  2. Happy birthday!!!!

    No, there's really no 'live' craft community around here that I can find. I have support on Facebook and the blogs, but I only make minimal sales.

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  3. Happy birthday Brittany!
    Nice post on making connections! Love it. Pinning it to my Learning Board on Pinterest!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Happy Birthday to your grown up girl! With time a factor I have just worked with an online community. The best part is supporting others!

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Your thoughts and ideas are an important part of the conversation, thanks for sharing!