Unlike money, time has absolute value. Use yours to build your tribe.
Simon Sinek argues in his recent book, Leaders Eat Last, that money has a redeemable value. You spend it, waste it and you make more of it.
When time is gone, however, you cannot get it back. What’s more, everyone has the same amount of it: 24 hours a day, no matter where you’re born.
Because of the absolute value of time, we remember those that give us their time as opposed to those who give us their money.
Receiving Time Makes You Join the Bandwagon
This week a leading Brookings entrepreneur, Coy Yonce, spoke at 1 Million Cups in Fargo about his video game design startup. 1 Million Cups is a weekly meet up of creators, sharing what they’re working on. (If you’re looking for an event to help build community, it’s a great option.)
Supporting Coy meant giving him the most valuable asset I have: time. I gathered a crew from my hometown and drove three hours to listen to Coy and learn from the work being done in Fargo.
In return our group received the same resource from Fargo. We took a walking tour and everyone our host introduced us to stopped to share their projects and ideas with us.
After three hours we headed down the road, but everyone in the car was on the Fargo bandwagon. The fact that people throughout the community gave us their time meant that we felt grateful. We left feeling like a part of the community. We remembered Fargo because Fargo’s residents gave us their most precious commodity: time.
Grow Your Audience with Time
The best way to add people to your tribe is with time.
Sharing your time with customers, community members and collaborators makes them feel connected with your work. When you give others your time, they will do the same for you.
Often businesses bemoan the fact that time-intensive work prevents the ability to scale. If you can’t do it for thousands of customers you shouldn’t do it they may argue. What we forget however is the lifelong value of a customer.
When someone feels like a part of your tribe, they continue working with you. A coffee shop doesn’t survive on a $2 cup but rather the customers that return every day for a drink and a chat. Similarly, a non-profit will not survive in the long run with one-time donors. It requires recurring membership.
If time is the best way to attract lifelong customers and lifelong customers are essential for success, sharing your time is essential for your success.
3 Ways to Give Your Time (And Grow an Audience)
There is a difference between wasting time and using time. To use time to grow your business, engage in meaningful activities focused on growing your audience.
Here are three ideas to help build your tribe:
1. Thank You’s
What feels better: an email thank you, a video thank you or a handwritten thank you?
There’s a big difference in how you make someone feel based on the time you give. Even if you say the exact same thing you would say in an email, saying it with video or with a handwritten note leaves a memorable impression.
At 9 Clouds, we are now sending welcome video messages to everyone who subscribes. That means you!
Sure, it will take a long time and I may never catch up, but anyone who receives and watches that video will know it is specifically for them. If I’m willing to take the time to make the video, I’m confident they’ll take the time to share my newsletter and articles. Right? 
I have long had a goal to write one thank you note a day for an entire year. I’ve never succeeded (and am sure I owe a good portion of the people reading this a thank you). Shooting for that goal, however, will make a big difference for your business or project. There is always someone to thank and sending that personal note (or video) will make you memorable.
2. Personal Support
We recently added personal phone support for all of our 9 Clouds Academy members. This means they can schedule a call to ask digital marketing questions so they don’t waste time searching online.
In Boulder, Brad Feld, author of Startup Communities, has long had an open office policy once a week at a coffee shop. If anyone emails and asks for advice, he tells them to meet him at the coffee shop during his open office hours.
How could your business offer time to leads or people wanting to know more? By giving your time, they will feel compelled to give back, potentially by working with you or telling their friends about you.
3. Visit Collaborators and Colleagues
Visiting Fargo was not only fun, but it was the least I could do. Our host Greg attends events throughout South Dakota and has participated in many of the events we have hosted. When someone travels to help you, you naturally want to do the same for them.
Early in the history of 9 Clouds we were working on closing a large deal. I asked a mentor what we should do to make sure we got the account. His answer was simple and effective: visit them.
Showing up to meet someone in-person or to support their event is a great way to build an audience. Maybe you’re a non-profit and another non-profit in town is hosting a fundraiser. Attend and show your support. Maybe another company in your industry is hosting a conference. Attend and show that you want to see them succeed.
Giving your time and support will inevitably create goodwill that will help your events, business and projects succeed.
The Clock is Ticking
We often worry so much about finishing tasks that we fail to step back and ask ourselves the best way to use our time.
Building an audience is essential whether you are a business, non-profit or simply looking to meet people in your town. The best way to build an audience is to give your time.
