Let me begin by saying I LOVE the concept of tribes.  I’m a member of several.


Working together, leveraging each others’ strengths and creating a community
environment that fosters growth for all its members has been around since
mankind drew its first breath.

While the tribe mentality has proved to be an efficient…and effective…method
of increasing traffic for those of us who market on the Internet, however, I’ve seen
some unfortunate behaviors lately that tend to de-humanize those involved.

Human psychology, the fundamentals of behavior and the principles of
marketing apply whether you’re posting an article on the Internet or selling
bolts of silk in an open air market.  Savvy marketers know this, and conduct
themselves in these groups in a manner that serves them well.

Unfortunately, I’ve noticed some behaviors in many of the tribal groups
online that not only don’t serve them, but can actually have the opposite
effect folks are hoping for…and diminish them.

Let me explain.

People are people, and whether we want to admit it or not, people judge…
often in an instant.  What others see you doing…or not doing…can determine
(maybe unfairly) their long-term opinion of and response to you.  Because
of that, there are some things you might want to keep in mind:

Be real.  By that I mean, flesh out your profile(s) with a short bio and
a picture.  People are drawn to people who are genuine.  Cartoon character
avatars and cutsey biz-op related names speak volumes about how serious…
or approachable…you’re NOT.

When you join a group, don’t just sit there doing nothing.  Most social
media sites, tribe sites, etc. have a way of displaying your activity.
Remember human nature.  People go where the action is.  That’s why we
rubberneck on the freeway and watch the widget demonstrator who’s gathered
a crowd around her.  No activity, little to no interest.  When people see
that you haven’t been active for weeks on end, they’ll pass you right by.

The Golden Rule definitely applies here.  Do unto others and all that.
The more you’re willing to give, the more you will receive.  It’s that
reciprocity thing in the middle of us that compels us to give back in kind.
Don’t expect others to promote you if you’re unwilling to promote them.

Who and what you syndicate says a lot about your motives.  Sharing someone
else’s content is a type of suggestion to others.  Remember, whether we like
it or not, whether it’s fair or unfair, people are judging us by what we say,
do and suggest.    Make sure that the people you’re syndicating are posting
content that you believe has value.

Above all, when engaging in tribe activities, use common sense.  It’s PEOPLE
you’re interacting with, not a “system”.  Be mindful of human nature and what
people respond to, and your tribe experience can serve both you and the other
tribe members well.