The Explosive Power of Online Business Communities
One of the best times to build an online business community is during a period of uncertainty. In this episode, James and Dean talk about the advantage of getting out in front of your tribe, with as much power-packed content as you can make, during the ongoing coronavirus quarantine.
Groups are launched and abandoned on social media every day. They start up with hopes of something new and different, but the people leading them often get sidetracked seeking applause or engagement for posts that aren’t much help or use to the members.
James launched the BulletProof Business group on Facebook, a platform where he’d previously not been active. It began to grow very quickly. In this discussion with Dean, you’ll zoom out to 30,000 feet to get a firm grip on the right attitude, intentions and some practical steps for creating YOUR highly engaged, profitable online community.
The energy and intention you need to bring should always be, “How can I create a community of people who need my services?” – James Friel
Outline of This Episode
– [07:55] Community, leadership and direction over isolation and confusion
– [18:30] Mindset, sales, marketing, team, operations, systems … your BulletProof survival kit
– [21:30] The top 3 counterintuitive strategies of an online group in the age of COVID-19
– [28:28] The power of celebrating wins together – why they ratchet up engagement
– [32:25] How engaging with your tribe totally sets you apart from the pack
The top 3 strategies you wouldn’t think to use to get massive group engagement
James started BulletProof Business with high-level knowledge to deploy, at a brisk pace. But he found that quarantines increase attendance for Facebook Live videos, even if they’re spur-of-the-moment and unannounced. He also flipped the script on chasing engagement, focusing only on what he can give that adds the most value to people. By violating every rule of direct response marketing, James’ group is both monetized and full of energy – even though he had no intention of making money or becoming a social media celebrity.
The strength of the pack is in the “wins”
From a mompreneur’s success getting her kids to bathe to an executive closing a $300k deal, winning is even more important during times of turmoil. When BulletProof Business does “Wins on Friday,” the comments section goes nuclear, and “your” economy becomes separate from “the” economy. Psychologically, this helps people keep their attention focused where it belongs – and OFF the daily news soap opera and rumor mill.
Why we need to talk
You just can’t outspend someone who is generous with their time, or make up the ground with paid advertising. James intentionally engages business owners and entrepreneurs in his group, and easily sidesteps the question of what makes him different from other thought leaders and experts. During a term of isolation and restriction, engagement is easily our most powerful asset as entrepreneurs.
Resources & People Mentioned
– BulletProof Business with James P. Friel on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1107362546297055/
Music for “Just The Tips” is titled, “Happy Happy Game Show” by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
