That it only requires monitoring...not much work...resources, etc. This is a battle I fought with my management and continue to fight. if you build it...they won't come automatically. - Lauren Vargas

The myth of "if we build it, they will come" - folks seem to often approach developing a community as an idea that people will be so excited that it's there, they will just come to it and participate - so in other words, we don't have to do anything other than put up the location, and once it's there it will be successful on its own. So not true! It's a lot of work to engage a community and keep it vibrant and active! - Jamie Pappas

That does seem to be the biggest. The belief that it just happens. The first chapter of my book is called "If you build it will they come?" That's for obvious reasons you clearly understand. - Angela

in my experience people keep trying to treat the community like a marketing pool and attempt to interact with it with that intent. I find people get very bothered when i stop them from treating the community as a mailing list - Chris Geier

Jamie: Do you think that's because they think their brand or product is just so incredibly exciting or what? I can't put my arms around that mindset. - Angela

Chris--yes! Engagement does not equal marketing. - Steph

You GO Chris. I have refused to let my community be used as well. I have said "this is not a commercial for the newscast." - Angela

Angela: Yes, I think there tends to be the assumption that others have the same level of passion for the topic, brand, product, etc. Wish it were that easy ;-) They also seem to forget that people are busy and have to pick and choose what they spend their time on, so there needs to be a value add in what people can do/expect in the community for their time. I always try to approach a new community I'm introducing thinking "What's in it for me?" from the perspective of the invitees. - Jamie Pappas

agree on the time and resources issue. Sometimes people think its easy and should not take much time. But you only get out what you put in... - Chris Geier

Chris, Angela: Amen to that! Your community is not a commerical - Jamie Pappas

You said a mouthful, Jamie. - Angela

Chris: Absolutely - that's always my advice "You'll get back what you invest" so the more time you spend grooming and educating and engaging, the better the experience will be for everyone! - Jamie Pappas

Jamie - 100% correct, if you cannot answer the question, "What's in it for me?" in 'any' conversation, people will stop listening to you immedateily - they tune you out - this happens all the time in the f2f world, and even more in the online world - most communication is 'about me' not 'about you', so there is usually nothing it it for the recipient - I have a sticky note that says, WIFA (What's in it for the Audience) and I think about it constantly - it guides 100% of my communication - Mark Sylvester

Mark: Love that! WIFA!! - Jamie Pappas

Agreed @Angela The community is not a great occasion for spamming and pitching as much as we can. The Seth Godin's Meatball Sundae story is a perfect illsutration of that. Managing communities requires specific rules (not the old-fashioned marketing ones) and, is mainly about developing relationships and gaining trust first. - Lilian Mahoukou