Community Reputation Before Promotion

A successful entrepreneur shares his strategy for building influence in online communities, emphasizing the importance of establishing genuine relationships before promoting products. His approach focuses on becoming a trusted community member first, then leveraging that trust for business growth.

Key Strategy Points:

• Community Entry Approach:

  • Join groups but avoid immediate self-promotion
  • Focus on becoming a familiar, helpful presence
  • Add value consistently before asking for anything

• Relationship Building Process:

  • Start with regular, helpful content posting
  • Build rapport with moderators and admins
  • Become recognized as a regular community member
  • Maintain visibility through valuable contributions

• Product Validation Strategy:

  • Connect with admins/moderators personally
  • Schedule individual feedback calls
  • Show genuine interest in their input
  • Iterate product based on feedback
  • Wait for genuine enthusiasm before promoting

• Promotion Approach:

  • Only promote after establishing credibility
  • Frame posts as seeking feedback rather than selling
  • Let community leaders advocate for the product
  • Leverage admin endorsements for credibility

• Key Success Factors:

  • Focus on product quality over quick sales
  • Build genuine relationships first
  • Act on community feedback
  • Circle back to show improvements
  • Let organic advocacy drive growth

• Results:

  • Higher acceptance of promotional content
  • Strong community support
  • Natural product evangelists
  • Authentic growth through trust

This approach prioritizes long-term relationship building over short-term sales, resulting in stronger community acceptance and more sustainable business growth.