Some companies are too aware of themselves.
They hide their own involvement in their communities. They don’t state
who founded the community, or why the community was founded. They don’t state
what they intend to do with the community or what is expected from members.
These companies mean well. They don’t want the community to be about
them. They don’t want members to feel they’re being marketed to.
The problem is this creates suspicion. Who is the founder of the
community? What do they want? Who is the person we’re handing our data and
information to? (legally it creates problems too!)
Don’t make the community about you – but don’t hide that it is your
community either. It’s a fine line between the two. State why you created the
community, what you want from the community, how you’re going to help members
in the community.
If you’re founding the community with noble goals, state them. Remove
the suspicion.
