Community Building Mistakes: Don’t make them ever.

I got asked today if I’d made any mistakes in building my FreeWeeklyMastermind community. The answer to that is yes. Darren and I have definitely made mistakes. I wouldn’t even say their obscure mistakes – but probably common marketing mistakes many people make.

The first mistake we made was altering the schedule. I made the mistake of switching nights for the weekly webinars.

Some of our audience was also pretty active in another community that met Wednesday nights. It never bothered me that some of ourcalls would be lightly attended because they attended the other call that night. It didn’t bother me because not everyone needs what we’re talking about right now. Maybe the other subject was more appropriate for them. Besides ours are recorded.

In all fairness, how can you expect to maintain a community if you are commanding them to be present? Their presence and attendance should be because they really, really wanted to be there, right?

Anyway, I got asked by the other community’s leader if I’d switch to another night (because it bothered him that sometimes the audience was on my calls that night). I decided to be neighborly and do that.

Well that was a mistake.

Sticking to one schedule that fit into the lives of my community members was the best. Their having a choice was good for them as well.

But more importantly I couldn’t make any other night a regular occurrence. Without my 100% dedication and sticking the schedule, how can I expect the same from others?

So I’ve moved back to the original night and am rebuilding that momentum.

That was clearly a mistake. I need to focus on the needs of my community, my ability to dedicate time to it and not worry about others. I thought I was. . . but I wasn’t.

Lesson learned. Can you think of any other community building mistakes? I know I can. Feel free to share here or at http://FreeWeeklyMastermind.com