If I build it, how do I make sure they come? with Alli Ball, founder & CEO of Food Biz Wiz

Dear Bri: Community Strategy, Fiascos, and Drama

In this episode, we’re hearing from Eager Beaver in Baltimore. Our writer today fell into the age-old myth: build it and they will come. Thankfully, they’ve since switched their mindset and realized that it takes a heck of a lot of consistent marketing to get people in their community and would like some advice.

To better help Eager Beaver in Baltimore, I invited Alli Ball — founder & CEO of Food Biz Wiz — as my guest expert. I literally couldn’t think of a better person for this episode than someone who has successfully marketed their paid community program for 10 YEARS, which is basically unheard of. Never mind that in that program, she teaches people how to market their products in the food industry.

So, tune in for some insights about how to market your community effectively, how to set the right expectations and let go of any guilt toward your community members, and much more.

In this episode:

(03:52) When your free community turns out to be a mistake

(08:43) The fine line between entitlement and empowerment

(11:10) The free + paid community conundrum and Alli’s pop-up group solution

(16:50) The decision to create a community on Facebook

(20:14) The communitea: Eager Beaver in Baltimore’s letter

(22:41) Community building or a dictatorship

(27:23) The importance of setting clear expectations and strong boundaries

(36:27) Leading your community by example

(38:44) Retail Ready®: a transformative community

(41:03) Alli’s drip sprinkler system marketing strategy

(47:25) Layering in live launches with an evergreen sales system

(52:11) The evolution of Retail Ready®

Resources Mentioned:

🎙️ Listen to the Food Biz Wiz Podcast here!

🎧 Catch up with Episode 2 | Am I crazy to resist going from a cohort-based to a membership community model? With Marie Schacht, CEO of Akimbo to learn more about these two models.

❤️ Sign up for Heartbeat. Bri’s recommended all-in-one community platform.

💛 Join Ember. The place for go-getter community creators building community-powered businesses.

Noteworthy quotes:

“If you are the leader of your community and you are the first person to respond to every post, first person to put a comment in there, to give advice, that's a dictatorship. That's not actually a community.“ - Alli Ball

“If the goal here is that I serve my community members with the best possible advice, most thoughtful responses, what boundaries do I need to put in place so that I can realistically deliver that?“ - Bri Leever

Alli Ball

Alli Ball is the founder & CEO of Food Biz Wiz and the creator of Retail Ready®, an online program providing strategic support, curated curriculum, and values-aligned community for producers of packaged products in the food industry. As a former grocery buyer-turned-wholesale consultant, Alli has helped thousands of emerging brands understand what it takes to get on the shelf and have high sales once you’re there.

🖥️ Website

📱 Linkedin

🤳 Instagram

Bri Leever

Bri got her start building a community and growing it to a multi-million dollar revenue stream for a social enterprise in Portland, OR. Now, she supports folks used to running their business on content, coaching, and consulting to create their community offer. She's a Community Strategist by day and a Campervan host by night on the Big Island of Hawaii and you'll usually find her on, in, or under the water.

🖥️ Website

📩 Newsletter

📹 Youtube

📱 Linkedin

And before you go…

💜 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

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That helps the podcast more than you know and I deeply appreciate it. 🙏

Want your story to be next? Submit an anonymous letter about your community conundrum, fiasco, drama, or other dilemma here.

*Dear Bri is produced by Ideablossoms.

บท

1. Introduction and Episode Overview (00:00:00)

2. Welcome to Dear Brie (00:01:02)

3. Heartbeat Sponsorship (00:01:09)

4. Introducing Allie Ball (00:02:55)

5. Allie's Community Mistakes (00:04:10)

6. Shutting Down the Free Community (00:06:56)

7. Paid Community Challenges (00:10:03)

8. Free vs. Paid Community Dynamics (00:11:10)

9. The Value of Pop-Up Groups (00:14:49)

10. The Facebook Dilemma (00:17:18)

11. Listener's Letter: Eager Beaver in Baltimore (00:20:12)

12. Setting Expectations for Community Engagement (00:28:40)

13. Implementing Systems for Efficient Responses (00:29:24)

14. Managing Guilt and Setting Boundaries (00:31:31)

15. Onboarding and Clear Communication (00:32:35)

16. Marketing and Growing Your Community (00:34:17)

17. Balancing Engagement and Business Growth (00:36:21)

18. Leveraging Social Media and Email Marketing (00:41:25)

19. Evergreen Sales and Live Launch Strategies (00:47:39)

20. Evolving Community Models and Final Thoughts (00:52:05)