The quick story …
Tribes are united around a common goal, idea, passion or plan. They are gathered together and inspired by a leader with the goal, idea or plan.
Your role is to identify the goal, idea, passion or plan that your people have in common. And then to start gathering the tribe to you.
Having a tribe to sell your products and services to is a more effective, more sustainable model for your health and wellness business.
Here’s how to start your tribe:
- Identify your tribe
- Know how to inspire your tribe
- Consistently connect with your tribe.
Here's how to build your tribe and grow your business
In his book ‘Tribes’ the most awesome Seth Godin observes that “Most organisations spend their time marketing to the crowd. Smart organisations assemble the tribe”.
Why’s this?
If you bring to mind an image of a crowd, what do you see? I see a heap of people milling around, but generally doing their own thing.
Now what about a tribe? I see again a heap of people, but they’re talking in little groups, mingling with others, communicating between themselves. Not just waiting for one great leader to talk.
Again with the Seth Godin ‘Tribes’ observation … “A crowd is a tribe without a leader. A crowd is a tribe without communication … Tribes are longer lasting and more effective”.
Why are tribes a more effective way to grow your business?
They communicate with each other.
From what I’ve observed over the years, if your business is in the health and wellness space having a tribe rather than a crowd is critical to building trust, confidence and respect.
We’ve seen tribes of people who’re passionate followers of ways of eating, Instagram influencers or YouTube vloggers.
- They are 100% behind the cause, idea or person
- They tell others about the cause, ideal or person
- They gather others into the tribe by supporting the leader of the tribe
If you’re in the health and wellness space our clients are looking for someone to help them achieve goals or solve problems that impact on how they feel about themselves and how they experience life. It’s highly personal stuff isn’t it?
So to be able to trust someone with this experience they’re going through means they have to really connect with the person who they’ve chosen to help them.
How often have you had clients tell you that they saw someone else, but they just “didn’t connect”, “didn’t see their problem”, and “were on different wave lengths”?
You are the leader of your tribe
As the leader of the tribe you’re building there’s a few things you need to get straight to build your tribe.
1. Identify your tribe.
Work up an ideal client profile of who you want to attract into your tribe. Everything you know about them. If you want to develop a really in depth client profile and want some guidance about how to do it check out my ideal client online course, Catch Your Dream Client, at The Helpful Academy.
2. Once you know who your tribe is going to be put yourself in their position, and then in your position as tribe leader. How does this look to your tribe? Ask yourself
- Where does my tribe want to be?
- What do they need to be shown?
- How can I inspire them?
- What do I need to inform them about?
- What do they want to be educated on?
- How do they need cared for?
- How do I best nurture them?
Be responsible for them.
The answers to these questions should supply you with months of social media content, blogs and all kinds of content to engage with them.
3. Your tribe will only consider you as their leader if you show up. Otherwise you’re just a clinician at the front of a crowd yelling over a microphone to be heard.
Showing up consistently where your tribe are is how to become the leader of the tribe they want to be in.
So start thinking of your clients as your tribe and consider
"Leadership is not about a title or a designation. It's about impact, influence and inspiration. Impact involves getting results, influence is about spreading the passion you have for your work, and you have to inspire team-mates and customers."