Advice for Creating a Community
One of the absolute best things that came from By Kayleigh was the incredible community that came with it. When I first started By Kayleigh, I was selling forms and contracts on Etsy and I really didn't expect it to become where it has become. One of the best things I ever did was make the decision to become community focused and really create a space for people rather than a place for me. It's something that I get asked a lot about when I do my Q&A’s and in the level up club is how do you create a community, what are the benefits of creating a community and is it worth creating a community as a make-up artist. So today here are some tips and advice around creating a community as a makeup artist/
Why Create One?
I'll be honest, there is a lot of buzz right now around the word community. It's no secret that brands are jumping on this because they are seeing that community members are often the biggest advocates AND spenders for the businesses and brands they advocate for. I predict that community is going to be a hot topic in the years to come, which to me might not be the best thing. Community needs to come from a genuine place and not for a place of utilising it as a disguise for actually just gaining more sales. If you are thinking “hey, I might create a community because I believe this might get me more bookings” or I might sell more of X products, then think again. The biggest thing to know when starting a community is that the relationships that you are going to foster within it are going to be so powerful, but it also going to be so transparent. Coming at community with the purpose of selling will always show. You can always see a brand or business that is using the guise of community to just sell more of their products, and very often they have no community at all. Creating a community, and being the helm of it is also not passive income. In fact to be the leader or the head of a community, it's actually a full-time job in itself so if you're thinking about creating one think about WHY you want to create one in the first place. If your why is coming from a place of wanting connection, friendship, or creating a place when there isn't one for a specific objective, then these are the correct reasons to start a community. If you want to foster relationships, create stronger ones, these are the reasons we create a community. If you are looking to create a community to perhaps enhance your brand, sell more products, sell a service or a coaching program. These are not the correct motivators for that.
Community has to start with CONNECTION.
I truly believe that the By Kayleigh community started with connection. I never really meant it to me, but naturally, I've always put myself out there as authentically as I can be. You're always gonna see my dogs, my Starbucks, you're always gonna see my wins, but also my losses as well. I have always been extremely transparent with absolutely everything that I have done and I think that really resonated with people at the beginning of my journey. I never really fitted in in the make up industry. I never felt pretty or conventionally attractive enough to be an “influencer”. I never felt tremendously good enough to really be an amazing world class artist. I never really had a lifestyle where I had to have brunch with the girls, my friendship group is pretty small, and I'm sometimes painfully an introvert, although I've got a lot better at that. I just never really fitted in and I think me showing that on By Kayleigh was able to connect with other people who also felt like, perhaps they didn't have a place in the industry. Sharing my struggles, or sometimes my loneliness within the industry helped resonate with other people who are also feeling like perhaps it would be nice to have a gang of friends to share their business struggles with. Ultimately, I think By Kayleigh grew into what it has become, because I wanted to create a place that perhaps baby Kayleigh would have felt safe and nourished within, so I think this is really worth bearing in mind if you are looking to create your own community. Really look at why are you wanting to create it? What is the reason for wanting to create it and what will people get out of being in your community? It doesn't have to be much - you don't have to be giving them the world. Look at runners clubs for example. Someone somewhere one day decided they were sick of running alone and up, popped lots of little running clubs all over the country where people could connect and not run alone anymore. Ultimately, what the point of a community is is, it's a place where people can come together and connect with one another. Where they can come together, and they can relate to each other, where they feel safe when I feel respected and ultimately where they can foster connections with other people.
When it comes to community:
If you're looking to create a community, here are some tips that I have for you.
First of all keep it simple By Kayleigh actually started with a simple free Facebook group, which I'll be honest hasn't been the most active, but I would absolutely love it to be and over the years, it has been a place where people can ask questions in a safe environment. Over my Instagram, I like to think that this is a community where we can talk to each other in the comments and relate to each other about some things that we are going through as entrepreneurs. Exactly where you'd like your community to be based, I always think Facebook is an amazing tool for this, but I know some of us aren't huge Facebook fans. It is a little bit harder on Instagram to foster a community atmosphere, but it can be done, and I think it's a great place to start.
Next establish exactly what it is, that your community seeks to do. For example, I said before keep it simple, the By Kayleigh community is a space when make-up artists can come and learn and grow and scale their business in a supportive nurturing environment. Obviously there are many facets of the By Kayleigh community, such as a podcast, Facebook group, a newsletter, a paid program, a membership and Instagram subscription. But you have to remember that these have grown over the course of a few years no, buy me reacting to what the community once. What By Kayleigh started with simply festival was me posting business tips on Instagram. I also would post a mix of mindset, inspirational posts, mainly things that I have been going through or things that I have gone through in the past, but I feel like make-up artist need to hear. Sometimes make-up artist needs to hear the struggles that I have gone through in the last 10 years, so they can feel not so alone in their own struggles. Start your community off really really simply, you don't have to give them all of the things that I give mine just start small, build small and react to what they need. You only know this by putting out your own vulnerability. You can't expect people to be vulnerable with you if you are not vulnerable with them so remember that whatever you put out, there needs to be genuinely inauthentically you and include your heart.
Most communities have somebody at the head of them. One community that I have been a part of many years has been The Manifestation Babe community, which is helmed by Kathrin Zenkina. The reason that I actually found this community was because I really connected with her podcast. After her podcast I then went into her Facebook group and then on her Instagram. I learnt about her programs and offerings and I've been such a supporter of her ever since. But it all started with me, creating a connection with her off the bat. I loved that she was so authentically herself, I loved that she showed her partner on her stories and her dogs. I loved that she was into wellness. There were a bunch of things that I could connect with and relate to. It's very very hard to connect with a faceless brand or logo. I bet if you think back to any of your favourite influencers or creators, you can pinpoint a few things that you have connected with, be at their dog, their interests, their families or their opinions, but regardless, you can probably always picture their face. You're looking to start a community. The first thing you should start with is yourself and what you thought not really comfortable posting about and sharing but if you are the personality type that could perhaps do that. For full disclosure, I do believe that any personality type be an introvert or extrovert can helm a community, but some people don't feel super comfortable, putting themselves out there, and I do believe when you are in charge of a community you do need to put yourself out there to a certain extent. Maybe think of three or four things that you feel super comfortable about sharing these don't have to be crazy deep things these can be your favourite Starbucks order, Mac and cheese, digestive biscuits, your obsession with the gym. But just chatting things and allow people to connect with you and with them. It makes you more relatable, it makes you more interesting, and it starts the process of allowing your community members in.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, creating community usually has to be an organic thing. It has to be something that you yourself want or wanted or feel I need a pull towards. If you're looking for a place to connect with others around makeup or beauty, or perhaps you want to create a community where you educate your current clients start there. Start with what you feel pulled toward. You have something that others also need or perhaps you can help them with, but more than anything start with you what you have to offer and what you can give them. Sometimes, more often than not much like By Kayleigh, the community will come as a side result of something. If you have an awesome newsletter right now or perhaps you have a thriving YouTube channel, maybe consider what you can do for the avid followers or readers or watchers of those things. Perhaps consider creating a space where they can all come together and you can talk about all the things that you have connected over. Regardless creating a community has been one of the best things that I have ever done. Just today my sausage dog was taken to the emergency vets for organ failure, and I had to pop into the level up club and tell them that I was taking a couple of days off. I was met with such heartwarming support messages and advice. Each and every day my community builds me up motivates me, strengthens me and guides me as much as I do the same to them. I wouldn't change it for the world and if you feel pulled towards doing this I would wholeheartedly recommend it as long as it comes from a genuine place.