You don’t build a tribe , it already exists out there , as a leader you have to find and connect with them . I have a special love for animals , I feel the hurt when I see any animal is abused , many times I have picked up animals who are injured from the streets to get them treated , my love for animals extends to my food habits . My wife has a special connect with old people , if she does see any old person on the street she would stop and go out of her way to help , she regularly visits old age homes to spend time with old people .

We both are different in our choice for causes we follow and support.

Don’t waste time to argue

It maybe difficult to convince me support the cause of the elderly , though I do accompany my wife on her trips to the old age home . Similarly it would not help try convince my wife to support animals , though she does visit animal shelters with me.

Yet a lot of time , effort and money is wasted by nonprofits in trying to convince everyone to believe in the cause they believe in. Even within a single cause example supporting underprivileged children there are so many different options.

This also happens in political space I follow a particular ideology , so some of my school friends who have a opposite ideology expend a lot of energy trying to convince me why what I believe is wrong only that it does not work . It is almost impossible , you cannot convert the believers . The marketing spend in trying to convert no believers is wasted , trying to sell Microsoft to Apple fans is difficult if not impossible.

Tribes Everywhere

We all want to belong , we want to be part of a group , we want to be missed , that is why there are tribes everywhere . It is human nature to build connections and belong , there is the family tribe , the religious tribe , the school alumni tribe , the morning walkers , the cyclist , the diabetics , the organisation you work at is a tribe , the coders , the hackers , environment activist , the weight watchers , the vegans , the Starbucks tribe , the bikers , apple users , spiritual buddies , you look around and you will find a tribe. Each one of us belongs to many tribes , religious , political , brand , lifestyle , school , profession , career , organisation , we are all part of many tribes .

Tribe of Fans is not a marketing strategy

Harley Davidson has a fan tribe , when you see them you know . There is a sense of pride to belong to the community , everything the tribe does has a unique language , they way they dress , the tattoos , the attitude , the lifestyle everything is a reflection of the culture of Harley Davidson . When Harley changed from bing a bike company to a community and made it as part of its business strategy not marketing strategy many of its employees became bikers , many of the bikers became its employees . There is ownership of the Brand by the community , the brand did not build the community rather the community strengthened the Brand !

Tribes loves a conflict

It is Us vs Them , Greenpeace takes on the Governments and Corporations in its fight to preserve the planet. An Apple fan is against Microsoft .In India a Patanjali Indian homegrown Ayurvedic desi brand is against the multinational brand HUL (though it is as much Indian as any ) , the followers of Ramdev Baba the yoga guru back the desi , traditional , low cost brand story.

Lead your Tribe or be a part of a Tribe

You have two choices , create a movement or be part of a movement . If you choose to build a movement your Tribe is waiting out there.