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Old 04-11-08, 05:54 AM   #1
Ego74
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Join Date: Aug 20, 2005
Location: off the coast of Kentucky
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Default Why your online community is like a beautiful woman

Online Community Building - Building Online CommunitiesWhy your online community is like a beautiful woman

Community Building12 Comments

Your may not realise this, but your online community is just like a beautiful woman. This article will explain why.
Treat her well and you will be rewarded
A beautiful woman, just like any other, wants to be treated well. She wants to be respected, she wants to be listened to, and she wants to be appreciated. So does your online community - it demands ongoing attention and your members need to be listened to and feel valued.
Treat your online community well. Take a long-term approach to its development and you are far more likely to succeed. Just as if you neglect your partner, if you neglect your community, you can expect the relationship to come to a swift, traumatic end.
Keep her interested
Being dull and boring doesn’t normally cut it in a relationship. You want to attract and retain her attention, and one of the best ways of doing this is by experimenting. Try new things - don’t be afraid to leave your comfort zone every now and then. Have an open mind; who knows what rewards that may bring? Just make sure the relationship doesn’t turn stale. If it does though, remember that you can always kick it back into life!
Beauty has to be seen to be appreciated
So she is the most beautiful woman in the world, but if nobody can see that beauty, it’s wasted. Make sure your site looks good but don’t obsess over every little detail until you have an appreciative audience. Design your site, ensure it is usable, memorable and original. Then go out and find people who will appreciate the beauty!
Being beautiful doesn’t make you popular
No matter how beautiful a woman is, it doesn’t automatically make her popular. Being beautiful is a great advantage to have, but if that’s all your community has going for it, you aren’t going to find yourself in a happy relationship. Friends are more important than superficial beauty - find a good bunch of loyal, friendly members for your community and it will soon gain in popularity.
Beauty is not a substitute for personality
Beauty will only get you so far. A beautiful woman certainly attracts attention, but how long can she hold it for? A beautiful woman without a personality is a disappointment - make sure your community has its own unique personality that attracts and retains members. It is extremely important that your online community has its own unique personality - it will differentiate your site from the competition and lure in new members. Being beautiful isn’t everything, you know!
You will not always get along
It doesn’t matter how beautiful she is, you have to accept that every now and then you will argue. Sometimes you won’t see eye to eye, no matter how much you want to. This is normal in a relationship, and your online community will be no different.
Sometimes you will feel like throwing in the towel - you will lose motivation because you are finding it hard to attract members, encourage them to post or come back to your site. Don’t give up!
Every now and then you may even argue with one or two of your members (although you should always try to avoid non-constructive, personal arguments). At times like these, you just need to take a deep breath, clear your mind and keep your cool. You’ll soon remember the positives in your relationship.
You will have to deal with jealousy
As your community grows, you may have to deal with jealousy. Perhaps some abusive members that you one banned have decided to set up their own renegade community. It probably isn’t succeeding, whilst yours is. Prepare for jealousy. Just as people may be jealous when they see a beautiful woman who is unattainable, disgruntled members or even struggling competitors may experience the same feelings.
Your thoughts
This article could have worked just as well titled, ‘Your online community is like a beautiful man’, but hey, I’m a guy and it was far more motivational to have the image of a beautiful woman facing me as I wrote this post!
Anyway, as always, please share your thoughts and opinions on this article by leaving a comment below.
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