You won’t, nor should you want to, appeal to everyone.

If the members of a community don’t share values, or a vision of the world, or needs, then it’s questionable whether it’s a community at all. If there are none of these things present, what exactly is the glue that’s holding them together?

If they don’t share an identity, or a common purpose, or enjoy the same things, I would argue it’s a loose arrangement based simply on convenience or habit and it has few strong ties.

Really effective groups draw a line in the sand and stand for something. They’ve made decisions about what they do and don’t believe and what they do and don’t want to get done.

The result is committed members: they’ve joined and are active because they’re aligned with a well-defined purpose and values.

Is this an extreme or narrow view?

Actually, I’ve seen it proven many times, and in a whole range of community-types. It’s clearer to see in those that are very explicit about their purpose (such as activist or political groups) or clear about their values (such as religious organizations).

But I’ve also seen how important it is for regular ‘everyday’ organizations such as companies or brands. Or those where membership is predicated on proximity, such as villages or towns.

All of them should define how they are different from other groups or places…and then live that difference.

(this is a summary of the sixth ingredient, following #1-5 summaries, previously posted)