Tribe or die.

That was the motto our early ancestors lived by.

Back in “hunter gatherer” days, you were — literally — dead meat if you didn’t belong to a community of some kind.

Your tribe had your back.

Saber-toothed tigers and other assorted prehistoric beasts were far less likely to have you for lunch when you were part of a group.

Since then, we’ve traded in handheld clubs for handheld phones but our desire to belong to a tribe hasn’t changed. It’s an instinct that runs just as deep and just as strong as it did thousands of years ago.

The only thing that has changed?

We have unlimited access to people around the world and we can connect with a global community at the click of a button.

This is both a daring adventure and a daunting prospect for online entrepreneurs and here’s why…

Your tribe is the lifeblood of your business — a big part of your “why” — and so many entrepreneurs easily lose sight of that. When they do, their journey shifts toward personal gain, fame and fortune…

And sooner or later, they fail.

Entrepreneurs who succeed are inspired and motivated by their tribe. Their journey is about service over self.

An awesome tribe gives you a powerful reason — an inner need — to grow a profitable business so you can continue to contribute your expertise and to serve them at the highest level.

But how do you nurture a powerhouse tribe you love and who loves you back?

I took some time to think about the answer to that that question. To be honest, there are a million different ways to do it and there are new methods hitting the headlines every week.

But I’m not going to talk about “hot trends” today.

Instead, I’m going to share the timeless approach I personally used to grow a super smart, dynamic tribe of almost 100,000 people from around the world…

Ready? Here it is:

I never let myself forget — even for a second — that every member of my tribe is a unique, extraordinary human being.

I can almost hear you say, “That’s it?! I already know that, Marisa!”

But do you really? Do you embody this down to the core of your being?

Do you live this?

Do you hold this truth in your heart and mind when you’re working on your business?

Do you tell yourself you’re writing to real people when you, “need to get that sales copy done by 6pm?”

When we allow ourselves to get caught up in the daily highs and hassles of running an online business something strange happens…

Our tribe — the people who support us, who need our expertise, who motivate us —  turns into numbers.

Numbers on an analytics page. Numbers on a spreadsheet. Numbers on our mailing list.

And we forget that behind every number there’s a name, a story, a life.

Behind every number there are tragedies and triumphs. Dreams and desires.

I want you to think of your tribe as your chosen family. People you want to surround yourself with. People you care about and who care about you.

When you think of your tribe as REAL people, everything will shift in your business.

You’ll be inspired to help, and to give more than you receive…

You’ll be motivated to share as much as you can, as often as you can.

You’ll create a deep, authentic relationship with your tribe and you’ll want to know the best way to serve them

You’ll begin to understand what they actually need…

Not what you think they need.

Creating programs and services will be a breeze. Selling becomes easy (and fun) because you already know your offerings provide the solutions your tribe is looking for.

Word will get around and you’ll naturally attract a community of kindred spirits who are more than just clients and customers…

They are people you can lean on. People you respect. People who want the best from you and the best for you.

People who will hold you accountable and support you at the same time.

And best of all…

Those numbers the “marketing gurus” are obsessed about? The ones that reflect your email subscriber list, social media following, website visitors and all the rest?

Those numbers will skyrocket because nothing is more irresistible in our online world of “collecting likes, shares and followers” than an entrepreneur who embodies this truth:

Serving your tribe at the highest level is the only thing that matters.

I’ve recently re-committed to this philosophy with Live Your Message. I want to take this opportunity to let you know there’s a lot that’s changing here at LYM HQ.

I want you to know that our focus is now 100% on our tribe… on you.

As part of this transition, we recently kicked off a free video series called Live Your Message Daily. 

Each video is just 60 seconds and you’ll receive expert insights, tools and techniques designed to motivate, and inspire you to create anything you want in your business – 7 days a week! (click here to find out more and subscribe here)…

Live Your Message Daily is just the beginning…

There’s a LOT more goodness coming down the pipeline, so watch this space!

And before you go, here’s a quick question…

What would you like to see more of in LYM? What would you like to learn from me and what would you like me to share?

Tell me in the comments!