👋Long term giver saying hello

Hi all.

I’ve been in a forum for 10 years, posting 21,000 times and creating 400+ threads. Being a "long-term giver" has helped me in ways I never foresaw, and it’s the foundation of how I view business.

For those trying to "validate a need" (I kinda hate that phrase), forums and groups are the ultimate resource. People group themselves by interest and chatter about their problems. I’ve produced a ridiculous amount of evergreen content just by noticing where I repeat myself and creating a "solution" thread to point to when the same question pops up later.

In case you didn't spot the parallel to building a business:

1) I find and engage the market (aka "help people") - where they are already.

2) I respond to questions and problems people *already* have.

3) I immediately help people instead of naval-gazing or "building stuff" in my bat-cave.

4) If I find myself answering the same question over and over again - I go create a solution I can point people to all the time.

5) Before I create the thread (solution) I already know it will help lots of people - because it's a need many people already had.

6) The content (solution) was created out of solving real-world problems, rather than solving problems I think people have. It's battle-tested.

This is super important:

Don't just help people with what you sell. I'm a Google Ads guy and less than 10% of my threads in that forum are about Google Ads. I try not to even mention it now-a-days and just respond when tagged.

You want to be seen as a PEER first in any community - as someone helpful, with their own quirks, and their own hopes, fears, worries, and dreams... the same as everyone else.

They'll naturally find out over time that you do XYZ, and if you help people with XYZ too (and are seen helping people with XYZ) then you'll start getting known as "The XYZ Guy/Gal", and tagged whenever that subject comes up.

Whenever someone's stuck in business I just ask: Who have you helped?

Why create a blog and try and find out what content helps people and resonates with people when you can go help people immediately in a busy forum or Facebook group?

Why stare at a blank page struggling to create a new blog post when you can help people immediately in a forum or Facebook group?

Finally... if your goal is to help people and build relationships (hint: do this and get paid then you're in business), then why not do that immediately instead of "building stuff"?

My business moto is "Help people. Get paid. Help more people." Start, sell, scale.

Looking forward to learning and contributing.

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