Episode Details

Are you trying to build a community just because you’re afraid to sell?

Recently, a writer reached out to me with a plan to create a community of 1,000 people to eventually sell his services, rather than just approaching clients directly. I see this all the time—people taking the "roundabout" route because they think direct selling is "icky" or "sleazy."

Here is the truth: Community is a long-term game. While you can sell anything through a community, it is a much slower process that typically takes 3 to 5 years to "click" or start giving results. If you need to pay school fees or fix your car "now, now, now," a community strategy will not help you. You are much better off "girding your loins" and jumping into prospecting.

Prospecting gives you direct control over your results and allows you to validate your business idea in the short term—meaning in less than a year. By talking to 100 or 200 people, you’ll find out quickly if they actually value your service or if they are willing to pay what you’re asking.

Also, don't confuse having an audience with having a community. If you are on a stage and people are listening to you, that’s an audience, and the dynamic for selling is different. A real community exists when people are talking to each other even when you aren't in the room. If you try to sell to a community too early or too "harshly," they will figure you out, call you a sellout, and leave.

Stop looking for a roundabout way to avoid the work. If you need help auditing your sales process or your business, reach out to me at 08064662140.