According to Seth Godin: A tribe consists of like-minded individuals connected to an idea. They have active members but membership is voluntary. Tribes are not created by converting people. They are not closed off or Isolated. Members of the tribe aren’t blind Sheep, they are evangelists. Tribes don’t necessarily do what the leader wants, they do what they want. People belong to many tribes, not just one. Every tribe Is different and every leader is different.

People want to belong to a tribe. The want to identify with a specific group that connects or rallies around a specific mission or purpose. Tribes come in all shape and sizes. People congregate around businesses, products, ideas, hobbies, political movements, religion — you name it.  People belong to several different tribes at the same time. Tribes organize themselves around a leader or group of leaders, someone who casts the vision.

Fortunately I figured this out years ago. I discovered that in order to grow my networking business, I needed to identify the leaders of the tribes. At the time, I referred to them as “gate-keepers” or “a person of influence” or a”Bubba” If you can influence the leader, their tribe will follow. The tribe is more likely to adopt your product or idea because the leader or a group of leaders did.

You will build your network efficiently and much faster if you identify and connect with leaders of groups and build mutually beneficial relationships. To make your product or service market itself, it has to be embraced by an person of influence that can spread the idea to their sphere of influence.

If you are just marketing to the herd , you’re for a long painful cattle drive.  As the old movies say: “take me to your leader.” Make sure you come bearing gifts. Create value for the leader and the tribe will follow.