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Tips for Community Evangelists

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Let’s have a group project, shall we? Some folks have been talking about growing communities lately, and there is a heap of scattered information out there about the best way to do it. I thought we might be able to put some of the best advice together here and compile it into a resource that we can share.

toolbox
toolbox

Let’s harness the power of our connections and see what we can build. I’ll start with a couple of my own tactics:

A. Prove that you are a passionate believer.

As Hugh McLeod says, “The market for something to believe in is infinite.” People want to believe in something (or someone) so give them a reason to join your community. Express your passion with authentic language.

B. Make it easy to share the enthusiasm.

Provide a vehicle for community members to share with each other. Comments on blog posts are a simple method, creating an actual forum platform is even better. Depending on your community and its needs there are plenty of applications to choose from:

  • ning.com
  • Facebook
  • flickr.com
  • LinkedIn

C. Encourage new ideas.

Keeping the content fresh is what entices people to come back and to stay involved. Explore new concepts and get people talking about them. Reward innovation and collaboration.

Take it one step further

What say you? What would you like to add as advice for a community evangelist? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

The Complete Metaphor Project Listing and Winners

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What Teachers and Learners!

What’s Your Metaphor?

When we know something well we have internalized what it’s about. That makes us flexible with our thoughts and our models. It offers us an ability to be fluent when talking about the subject. Our experience and knowledge allows us to teach others how it works.

When a concept or practice is simple, teaching is often an act of simple demonstration. When the concept or practice multi-layered or complex — when it’s process and information, people and data — sometimes a translation or a comparison that takes a person from the known to the unknown has a better chance. . . . That’s when a great metaphor comes in handy.

Thanks again to Char and Derrick for inspiring this project.

Welcome to the Complete Metaphor Project List!

Thank you all for being a part.

BONUS: 10 Winners

These ten contributors, selected randomly by a man, who paid so little attention that he doesn’t know what this contest is about, will receive an autographed copy of Lorelle’s book “Blogging Tips — What Bloggers Won’t Tell You About Blogging.”

If your blog’s name is listed below, please email me, using the subject line METAPHOR WINNER and include your email address and postal address. We’ll ship the book to you.

Congratulations to the winners!

Everyone won will all 50 metaphors! You drew unforgettable pictures with your words. Thank you, again!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Check out the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.

Metaphors Post Four — We’re Good at This!!

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The Metaphor Project: What Fun!!

This list is the fourth set of metaphors you’ve sent. I’ve gathered all I could find in every corner where they might have come together. I’ve visited most and hope to read the rest today. Each one I read makes the experience even better.

To think that Derrick’s Pizza Makers and Char’s Famer’s Market got this whole thing going is quite the statement of how the blogosphere works. A great idea takes hold and gets growing — each one inspiring another.

Check this new batch out and pass them along to your readers. The more ways we look at blogging the better we’ll be able to explain it when we need to.

Oh, I hope I found them all.

Because this project spread so quickly and not all links are making their way to me, if you’ve written a metaphor and you’re not on the list, please email me a link.

This weekend, when I’m sure that I have them all together with none missed, I’ll compile the entire lot into one list. (If you sneak one in late I’ll add you, you know that.) That’s when I’ll announce the winners of the ten copies of Blogging Tips That Bloggers Won’t Tell You About Blogging by Lorelle VanFossen.

Thank you for all of the submissions to The “What’s Your Blogging Metaphor?” Group Writing Project.

In respect and gratitude to all who took part and all who blog, here’s my metaphor:

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Check out the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.

More Metaphors to Explore

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The Metaphor Project: Wow! Even More!

This is the third set and I’m so enjoying reading these metaphors. I always knew that bloggers were teachers at heart. The variety and the depth blows me away with enthusiasm for how well we know the subject.

Thank you for all of the submissions to The “What’s Your Blogging Metaphor?” Group Writing Project. Some of you are new to me and I’m so enjoying this introduction to you and your blogs. Some are familiar faces and it’s so exciting to get to know a new part of who you are.

Check this new batch out and pass them along to your readers. The more ways we look at blogging the better we’ll be able to explain it when we need to.

Let’s find some more.

Because this project spread so quickly and not all links are making their way to me, if you’ve written a metaphor and you’re not on the list, please email me a link. If you’ve already done that before 10pm CDT on June 6, please forgive me and send it again.

Be a Part of the Project

So, what’s your blogging metaphor? Join the project. There’s still time to be a part – I’ve extended the list to 10pm Chicago time (GMT-6hrs.) June 11th the Monday I return from NYC. So you have plenty of time to take part. Here’s the original post for the background — the whats and the hows.

C’mon tell us. How would you explain blogging to someone who knew nothing about it? What’s your blogging metaphor?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Check out the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.

The Second Submissions: What’s Your Blogging Metaphor?

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The Metaphor Project: Wow! More!

The next bunch of submissions are in, and like the first batch, they’re colorful creative and inspiring. They show the individuality of each blog and each blog author, while at the same time they show what we all have in common.

It’s such fun reading all of the submissions to The “What’s Your Blogging Metaphor?” Group Writing Project. Some great blog writers have taken on this challenge. Again, the creativity is reflected in the titles! Check this new batch out and pass them along to your readers. The more ways we look at blogging the better we’ll be able to explain it when we need to.

Let’s find some more.

Because this project spread so quickly and not all links are making their way to me, if you’ve written a metaphor and you’re not on the list, please email me a link. If you’ve already done that before 10:00 on June 4, please forgive me and send it again. (I had dental surgery yesterday . . .)

Be a Part of the Project

So, what’s your blogging metaphor? Join the project. There’s still time to be a part

I’ve extended the list to 10pm Chicago time (GMT-6hrs.) June 11th the Monday I return from NYC. So you have plenty of time to take part.

Here’s the original post for the background — the whats and the hows.

C’mon tell us. How would you explain blogging to someone who knew nothing about it? What’s your blogging metaphor?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Check out the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.

The First Submissions: Your Blogging Metaphors

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The Metaphor Project: What’s Your Blogging Metaphor?

When a nonblogger asks, “What is a blog?’ How do you answer? Have you tried using a metaphor? Would you mind sharing yours? A few bloggers have.

The first submissions are in. Like the blogs they come from, each metaphor is a unique representation of the writer. We see blogs almost everywhere. They are a County Fair. They’re underwater. They’re a line of koalas. Like life, blogging seems to lend itself to metaphorical explanation — maybe more easily than it does to a straightforward definition.

These are the first submissions to The “What’s Your Blogging Metaphor?” Group Writing Project. I’ve discovered some great new blog writers and fun ways to talk about blogs. Just look at the titles! Check them out and pass them along to your readers. The more ways we look at blogging the better we’ll be able to explain it when we need to.

Let’s find some more.

Because this project spread so quickly and not all links are making their way to me, if you’ve written a metaphor and you’re not on the list, please email me a link. If you’ve already done that before noon on May 31, please forgive me and send it again. (I had dental surgery yesterday . . .)

Be a Part of the Project

So, what’s your blogging metaphor? Join the project. There’s still time to be a part – I’ll keep adding to this list until June 5th at Midnight Chicago time (GMT-6hrs.) Here’s the original post for the background — the whats and the hows.

C’mon tell us. How would you explain blogging to someone who knew nothing about it? What’s your blogging metaphor?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Check out the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.