If you’re looking to build a six, or even seven-figure business, here’s a hard truth: Vanity numbers don’t matter. 

I get it, you want to have 10k Instagram followers, a massive email list, the most popular Facebook group and the biggest Meetup group in your town… but those vanity metrics aren’t what we should really be focused on. 

The thing is, while big numbers might look shiny on the outside, they mean NOTHING if they don’t convert into sales.

So what does matter?
What should we focus on?

Building a community where we create genuine connections with our ideal clients.

Genuine connection, through the power of community, not only creates a positive ripple effect in other people’s lives, but it also makes a difference in your bank account.

Take it from me: all in all, I have a small audience compared to others at my level in my industry.

But with my small audience (which I built first on Meetup and am now growing a Facebook group), my connections go deep, which make it possible for me to generate consistent 5-figure paydays.

Imagine being handed $15,000 from one client, in one day, for four months of your time, because she sees your value and is eager to work with you?!

Then having the same success the following month, and the month after…

This is possible when you focus on quality over quantity and a few key community-building skills. 

Sure, size will help as you grow, however, you definitely don’t need it to get started. You don’t even need it to hit six figures. I didn’t!

What you do need is a community filled with your ideal clients, that’s structured around connections and positions you as the expert they can’t wait to invest in! 

Ready to build a community that’s eager to invest with you?

Keep reading as I share some of the biggest lessons I’ve learned about how to do this organically … without a big list, social media following or spending a ton of time and money on marketing:  

We’ll cover ...

1. How to choose the best platform to grow your community 
2. How to attract the right members … people who want what you have to offer 
3. The four things (you might be doing right now), that make your members decide to invest with someone else:-(
4. The one thing you must have in place if you want your community to say YES to investing 5K, 10K, 15K or more with you
5. The top community-building tasks you NEED to be spending your time on (and the tasks you can cut from your to-do list now).

How to Choose Your Platform

Choosing a community platform is what sets the foundation and structure for building your tribe. Here, we’re discussing two great platform options for hosting your free community that serves as a funnel into your business. Both Facebook Groups and Meetup Groups have some solid reasons they should be considered, but choosing which is right for you ultimately comes down to how you need the platform to function for you.

Facebook Groups

Facebook groups are a popular choice for community hosting because of the ease of accessibility. Almost everyone has a Facebook account and checks it at least semi-regularly, making it easier for you and your group to stay top of mind. 

However, Facebook does have limited options when it comes to group communication and planning. Yes, they do have a Live option, but they don’t offer much in terms of event planning (other than creating an event page and inviting members to RSVP). 

Ultimately, Facebook is a great option if your community isn’t bound by geography and you want to reach a large number of people on a convenient platform.

Meetup Groups

For groups that are based in certain cities or regions, Meetup is a great choice! Specifically designed for local communities, Meetup will serve as an amazing hosting platform if your group is mainly based in one location, and you’re wanting to meet in person regularly. It even has a built in email system, making it easy to communicate with your group quickly and regularly! 

Meetup, however, doesn’t offer the convenience of Facebook. There’s no group page for members to interact, no option to go live to your audience, and less of a sense of an online community. 

If hosting an in-person group is your goal, then this is a great platform to choose.

Deciding what’s right for you ultimately comes down to your goals for the group. If you’re wanting a local tribe that meets in person, then Meetup is the way to go. If you’re wanting an online community where location doesn’t matter, then a Facebook Group is a great option! 

How to Attract the Right Community Members … People Who Want What You Have to Offer

1. Get Clear About Your Ideal Client

It might seem obvious, but it’s worth mentioning: The first key to building a community that’s eager to invest with you is to make sure only the right people are invited into your community.

Among other things, your community (whether that be a Meetup group or Facebook group) functions a funnel into your programs and services. Because of this, it’s important to be clear about who makes a good fit (and who doesn’t), so potential members who aren’t a good fit, can weed themselves out before they join.

To do this successfully, you’ve gotta drop your concern with vanity numbers and focus on building a community filled with your ideal clients (which means you’ll have to turn some people away, and that’s ok).

If you’re struggling to identify who your ideal client even is, finish the sentences below to start painting a clear picture of who should be invited to join your community:

• My ideal client’s deepest desire is:
• My ideal client’s greatest fear is:
• My ideal client’s biggest struggle is:
• When my ideal client first discovers my community, they feel:
• If my ideal client doesn’t resolve [biggest struggle] soon, they’ll continue to:
• My ideal client’s friends would describe them as (insert personality traits of the type of person you want as a client): 
• Outside of my ideal client’s business/relationship/health (whatever it is you help them with) you might find them (insert personal activities and interests): 
• My ideal client values (insert shared values that would make someone a good fit):

Once you identify these things about your ideal client, you’ll be able to speak to their hearts and souls in a way that’s truly aligned with them. 

But it doesn’t stop there … it’s also important that your ideal client is completely aligned with you!

2. Get Clear About Your Brand

This brings us to your brand - and no, I’m not talking logos, colors and fonts. 

A major part of building your community, with the right members, is being clear on who you are and what you stand for … because as someone once said (I’m not sure who): “your vibe attracts your tribe.” 

While logos, fonts and colors are important for creating a consistent visual brand experience, any of my clients will tell you that visuals are not the place to start.

Here are some journaling prompts to help you clarify who you are and what you stand for as the face of your brand: 

• What opinions do I have on my topic that might differ from the norm in my industry?
• What personal stories can I share to help my ideal clients resonate with me?
• What are my brand values?
• Where can I be more vulnerable as the face of my brand?
• What personality traits do I want to be remembered for?

Knowing who you are and what you stand for, and then showing up authentically, is one of the most important things you can do for growing a community that’s eager to invest with you. 

4 Things That Make Your Members Choose to Invest with Someone Else (Yikes!)

It’s exciting (and an honor) when new members decide to join your community … but the work doesn’t stop there - this is actually where the real work begins! 

If you want to build a community where members feel inspired to take that next step with you (by investing in your programs and services), there are 3 things you must stop doing now:

1. Refusing to get vulnerable

If you’re not showing your truth, not sharing things because you think you’ll be judged, or simply trying to be too perfect (I’ve been guilty of all of these!), your community will see right through it and run the other direction. 

I know it can seem counterintuitive when it comes to building your business, but being vulnerable is part of forming genuine connections (which lead to sales!), and it is something you must be willing to do if you want to grow your business to six or seven figures. 

2. Having the same conversations you were having three years ago

It’s important to evolve the level of conversation in your community to keep members engaged and meet their evolution of consciousness. Of course you’ll still need to talk about the focus and purpose of your group, but what’s the new level of conversation given what’s happening in your industry or even the world? As the consciousness goes up, you need to be LEADING the conversation.

You’ll need to find new words, new themes, and new ways to express what you stand for that are unique to your brand and that haven’t been heard a million times before. Not only do you want to avoid growing stale, but you also want to meet your community where they are today.

3. Leading with sales instead of service

One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is that they try to sell before providing any real value or service to their audience. Before selling, we need to be of service by providing helpful tips, creating space for connection, and sharing inspiration. 

By starting off service-oriented, we not only have the opportunity to genuinely help people, but we also get to show off our expertise and start to build real relationships. All of this ties into building the know, like, and trust factor - people are more likely to invest in people they know, like, and trust, so your first goal should be to share yourself, your personality, and your expertise with your audience. 

4. Failing to communicate your value in a way that your community actually cares about

When it does come time to promote your programs or services inside your group … or when a member approaches you about working together … If you're leading the conversation by trying to explain your tools, systems and processes, it’s time to make a change.

When you transform your language to be centered around the results you help your clients achieve, you’ll finally stop watching your community members’ eyes glaze over when you talk about what you do, and you’ll start getting more sales!

Here’s an exercise to get clear on the value you offer: 

• Write down all the tools, systems, or processes you use in your business. 
• Then, list the results that get to happen for your clients when they use your tools or implement your systems and processes (be specific).

Once you’ve clearly identified the results your clients receive from working with you, you’ll know how to frame your messaging to catch and keep your members’ attention.

The ONE Thing That Must be in Place if You Want Your Community Members to Say YES to Investing with You

If there’s one thing you need to figure out before you can expect your community to get excited about investing with you, it’s your signature offer. 

Having a bunch of different tools and trying to sell one-off sessions is a really hard way to expand your income and impact to the level of those industry leaders you’ve been admiring from afar. 

Instead, turn your tools into a step-by-step solution that tells your community how they’ll get the result they desire through working with you. The perceived (and actual) value of a signature offer is so much greater than one-off sessions. 

Having a signature offer also positions you as a true expert in your industry by showing that you know how to solve the exact problem your potential client wants a solution for. 

Community-Building Tasks That are Worth Your Time (and Those That Aren’t)

I know how daunting building a community that fuels your business with new clients and income can be … so let me break it down for you in a few simple steps (all of which are organic strategies that cost you little to no money).

Not only will we cover what to focus on here, but also, what not to focus on. Truth is, there’s probably some things you’re spending time on that have little impact on your results, so let’s get those off your plate right now so you can focus on what really matters!  

Here’s what you want to do to build your community:

• Join other people’s communities and participate consistently. These could be masterminds, group coaching programs, networking groups, Facebook groups or Meetup groups that are filled with people who either are your ideal community member or who can connect you with people who are. Relationships are key to growing your community, so forming and nurturing them should be top priority. And guess what?! We have the perfect resource for you right here at The Daring Fempreneur. It’s called The Impact Tribe. Check it out!
• Create the best community experience available! Happy members lead to more happy members. In other words, if you build a community that your members LOVE being part of, they’ll spread the word without you even having to ask! How do you create the best experience around? Show up consistently, give members the value they want, nurture an environment where meaningful connections can unfold and do all of this while being true to yourself!
• Focus on high-touch marketing activities. Get interviewed on podcasts, speak at events and conferences, be a guest expert in other people’s programs or pick up the phone and call anyone you know who might like to join! Anything you can do where people get a sense of your personality and the value you provide is a great way to build your community.

Now, here are some things you can cut right now:

• Flyers. Seriously, stop wasting time and money creating flyers and pinning them to bulletin boards all around town (I’m speaking to all my Meetup group leaders out there). Very few people see your flyers and the ones who do, don’t know you yet, so it’s highly unlikely they’ll feel inspired to join your group. Instead, invest time into some of the high-touch marketing ideas above.
• Trying to be on every single social media platform. Start with the one you want to master, master it, and then start expanding to others. Take it one step at a time and be consistent. Building your community is a long-term game that can lead to sustainable success. It’s not a get rich over night kinda strategy (which actually doesn’t exist).
• Shallow and inauthentic content. Even if you’re showing up consistently, if you’re hiding behind other people’s quotes plastered on top of cheesy stock photos, you’re wasting your time! This might be the easy way to be consistent, but it’s not the most effective. You need to infuse your content with your own quotes, opinions, values, beliefs and wisdom. And you need to use imagery that feels authentic to your brand. Either take your own photos or find classy stock photos - aka, not the ones that you’ve seen a million times - how many times can we really see a woman with a tape measure around her waist or two business people shaking hands?

To reiterate, when it comes to building your community, there are so many things to consider - and most of it ultimately will be decided by your goals and vision. Focusing on where and how to build relationships, being of-service by sharing your expertise and inspiration, and building a community based on authenticity and service are not small tasks. However, they’re all essential when it comes to ensuring that you’re creating a community that’s eager to invest in you! 

Also, it’s important to remember that this is your business, and you can structure it however you want. Focus on optimizing what you have and cutting what you don’t need so that you can reduce overwhelm in and about your business, and make time for your personal life too.

Want More Practical Tips and Business-Building Exercises Like These?

Join me live in The Daring Fempreneur Facebook Group every Friday at 10am Mountain Time. 

Each week, I take on a new topic and break it down into practical, useful advice that you can implement the same day to start seeing real change in your business. These trainings are available on replay under the “Guides” tab in our Facebook group, and will always be free of charge!