How to be heard in a noisy world and build a tribe (not an audience)

Build a tribe, not an audience

Many experts out there are teaching how to build an audience.

Having an audience is good.

But there is something even better–a tribe!

A tribe is a group of people connected to one another, connected to a leader, and connected to an idea. - Seth Godin

A tribe is much better than an audience because you only need 1000 true fans (tribe members) vs. thousands of people in your audience. With only 1,000 true fans, you can build a sustainable business, enjoy your coaching craft, and spread your ideas on autopilot.

The leader of a tribe is you. The connection is via your blog, newsletter, community, or even a social media profile. But the secret sauce is the idea that brings everyone together.

The idea is a magnet that attracts people.

The idea is a glue that keeps them together.

The idea is a spark that makes your tribe members your most loyal customers and ambassadors.

What’s a Manifesto and how to create one

The idea that’s at the heart of your tribe is your Worldview.

I introduced you to the Worldview concept recently, and hopefully, you have one now.

A Manifesto is just a narrative that tells a story behind your Worldview.

Marketing is the act of telling stories about the things we make—stories that sell and stories that spread. - Seth Godin

A Manifesto usually has three parts:

The Problem you’re trying to solve - what’s broken in the world
The Solution you’re offering - your content, your products, and your services
Call to action - an invitation to join the tribe and do things differently

The format of the Manifesto could be a simple one-pager PDF, a blog post, or a short e-book. At least initially, don't overcomplicate things, and state the bare minimum.

Examples of a Manifesto

Here are just a few examples of Manifestos out there.

The Writer’s Manifesto: Stop Writing to Be Read & Adored by Jeff Goins. Jeff is an author, podcaster, blogger, marketer, and speaker who coaches and teaches writers. His manifesto is a short ebook, that could be broken down into the following parts:

The problem - writers write for the wrong reasons: to be published, to be liked and praised
The solution - writers should follow their natural urge to create
Call to action - just write and join the community of other writers, misfits, and creatives committed to the craft

Unfortunately, his manifesto is no longer available on the website. But if you'd like to grab a copy, I've got one - DM me.

The Checklist Manifesto: How to get things right by ATUL GAWANDE. Atul Gawade is an American surgeon, writer, and public health researcher. Back in 2009, he published this book that is written in the manifesto format:

The problem - common failure due to the extreme complexity of modern processes
The solution - a checklist
Call to action - create a checklist in your field

ActiveGrowth Manifesto by Shane Melaugh. Shane is the founder of ThriveThemes and the ActiveGrowth blog, which is focused on productivity and online business. Here's how he structured his manifesto:

The problems (a common misconception) - an online business is a quick and easy scheme, a passive income, and can be built by anyone
The solution - an online business can only be built with a valuable product, lots of effort (and skills), and by owning your brand (and your own platform)
The call to action - if you want to build a successful business, focus on the craft, the brain, and the tech.

Actions for this week

The kinda obvious task for this week is to draft your Manifesto. At least, I am going to create one. And post here.