Community Building 101: The Basics

• Get your minimum viable community out.
• Most groups will probably need at least a location.
• If your company or office are adequate, bring people in. It’s probably good for the company’s brand. If not, heading to a coffee shop, bar, or restaurant is better than nothing.
• If your event has direct costs, reach out to the provider and ask for discounts. The steady business you will bring will make up for it.
• Figure out how to market and promote it. The Internet and social networks are often the best ways.
• Put yourself and your ideas out there, trying won’t cost you anything.

• Reach out directly to your friends
• Submit your event to local event aggregators.
• Post it on existing digital communities on Reddit or Facebook.
• Make sure event’s unique value proposition is clearly defined, letting potential readers filter your signal through the noise.
• Avoid paid promotions as they are often ineffective.

Use your body language deliberately to set the tone and people will unconsciously adopt and spread your attitude. If you have speakers, ask them to buy in as well and if people aren’t buying in, that’s okay. They’ll self-select out.

Also, your community needs to be safe. Your guests can cross the line and you need to be watchful for that. Make it clear inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated.