The power of online community forums in social networking is strong. Having a great group of people around you can make the difference between success and failure. When everything no longer resides solely on your shoulders you feel like you can lift your arms up to start flying(well, at least figuratively).

That is why I want to discuss how to leverage online community forums to build your business.

Online Community Forums

Online forums are a great place for people to share ideas and also make vital connections online that can become very profitable for both sides. Connecting with people online on these forums is where relationships are built. I have met a number of affiliates, vendors, customers, and networking partners on different forums. One of my favorites is MLMSocial, which is a social network as well. Note: I don’t really use this community as much as possible. However, I do leverage communities on Meetup and BiggerPockets to connect with prospects and partners in different industries.

That is why there is an amazing power behind online community forums to build your business because the professional relationships that are created are built behind trust and learning. You start a dialogue with your potential prospects, which is different than other forms of marketing. In those cases, businesses run a promotion and look to see out of how many people, a certain number will purchase their products. It is Seth Godin’s idea of permission marketing taken to a new level because it is more education than selling.

Final Thoughts

The power of online community forums ebbed and flowed over time. As social media continues to grow, it is important that you build your community. Otherwise, it will be harder to face the competition alone. In order to make this blog more of an online community forum, I definitely invite your questions about social networking.