The Community is Your Asset

There is a point of confusion that most digital marketers to not adequately address.

This entire blog talks about culture and community, and here's why.

Businesses (can) come and go.  Unless you literally "own" the company - you are promoting someone else's opportunity.  You are not in control of your business.  What you do control, however, are the relationships, the "group think" and the alliances and common purpose you build with people.

This is your asset - and it is all relationship-based.  Some call it your "list".  And... the industry adage is "the money is in your list".  Actually, some marketers advocate collecting names and having a lot of names to make different offers to - over time.  As such, they say that this large list is the asset.  I agree with this to a point, but am also inclined to disagree.

There is also the industry mantra of "know, like and trust".  The admonition is that people need to know, like and trust you to do business with you.  I have no argument with this.  The question for me is that from a large "list",  you may or may not have people who are currently participating with what you do - and putting money in your bank account.  Therefore, all of the good will, liking and trusting is of no tangible monetary value.

Therefore, the notion of inter-dependence is key to my definition of community.  Or said differently, having a stake, or "some skin in the game" is a requirement.  As such, names and email addresses are of little utility other than the "potential" of them participating with you financially at some future date.

Again, the asset is the sum total of the relationships you build - one at a time - with the trust of everyone holding everyone else's best-interest as a core value.  And, with the understanding that this community moves forward as its own economy where everyone has a vested interest in ensuring that all who participate have success.