Larchmont, New York
Creative Commons License photo credit: dougtone

No matter the size of your community, you will have the opportunity to celebrate milestones or some other form of success.

Milestones tend to be number based: 5 years online, 1,000 posts, 20,000 members and 100,000 threads. But, success and notoriety can come in many forms. For example, being mentioned in a book, a major publication or on television might be a noteworthy achievement and exciting for the community.

Instead of simply letting these moments pass, seize them as opportunities to share an accomplishment with your community and to thank people who have helped you earn it.

If you work for a client or a larger corporation, are you just noting these accomplishments in private? Or are you sharing them with the community?

Some may be reluctant to share them because they fear it may come across in an egotistical way. But, if that is not the spirit behind sharing it, then that is not how it will come across. You are sharing it humbly – making people aware of it and expressing gratitude. It’s a great thing.

I like to thank the members who has positively contributed to our community. I generally don’t try to thank individual members, except in extraordinary circumstances, as I would hate to leave anyone out. But, I sometimes will mention my staff members by name.

This action encourages a sense of pride in being a participant in the community. Appreciation is a powerful community builder and the sharing of the successes and the milestones that you reach is one way to show your members that you appreciate them and that you recognize that they have been a part of it.