There is no quick fix when it comes to getting more sales and building your tribe. As much as we’d like to think there’s a magic formula, it’s really all about refining and workshopping what’s right for you, your brand, your tribe and your business.

I’ve been an entrepreneur for over a decade now. At age 17, I started my own mobile spray tanning business to make some extra cash whilst I was studying performing arts. It was a fun side project, and I did it for about 8 years in between the big gigs. It was a great money maker, I got to meet loads of super cool people and I really enjoyed it. Then once I closed the door on that chapter of my life, I opened it on this one — still an entrepreneur, and still doing what I love.

I love being my own boss. It comes with so many perks — setting your own hours, priorities and goals is freakin’ awesome. However, everything does rely on you to run the show. Which isn’t a bad thing, it just means you need to lead the horse. If you aren’t steering the way, nothing gets done — even if you have an incredible team, which I do and I am incredibly grateful for. You still need to show up each day with passion, heart and commitment, otherwise your team will feel it. They won’t be as motivated and things won’t move forward.

Although there isn’t one solution for getting more clients or building your tribe, today I want to share with you the top 5 things that have worked for me over the years.

1. Be Authentic

People can smell inauthenticity a mile away. It reeks! Vulnerability makes people lean in and connect with you.

Being yourself is like a magnet, and once you get over your Mean Girl BS (‘No one wants to hear from me!’ ‘What if no one likes my post?’ ‘What if people laugh at me?’) prospects will be drawn to you.

When I first entered the online world, I held back. I censored myself. It wasn’t until I got real and raw — when I wrote a post about my struggles with eating — that my site went boom. It taught me a big lesson: writing what is true in your heart is the only way to go. Even when it’s scary.

Now, this doesn’t mean you have to share everything — you absolutely do not. But you do have to be yourself. Don’t try to write or be like anyone else, people will see through it. Just write in your own voice and share what’s real and genuine for you.

2. Give, Give And Give More

Give loads of free content away — whether it’s doing interviews, answering questions or blogging your heart out. Even simple quotes, a recipe, daily insights or inspirational images go a long way.

Don’t hold back here, or save your best and most juicy content for a later date. More will come! The juice isn’t going to dry up. It’s actually the opposite: when you give wholeheartedly, you create space for more juiciness to flow through you and onto the page.

Another super important point, come up with a seriously kick-ass opt-in strategy that’s going to convert like crazy. Don’t just offer another PDF of fluff and filler, find out what your tribe really wants and give it to them. Discover their fears and desires and use that as your compass. And then give and give some more. (Oh, and did I mention — give?!)

Being unapologetically YOU is your birthright and it’s the best thing you can do for business.

3. Treat Your Tribe And Potential Prospects Like Gold

Treat every email, every comment, every person who takes the time to write to you like gold. These people are your tribe. Without them, your business doesn’t exist. People don’t remember what you said to them, but they do remember how you made them feel. These are wise words to live by. Write ‘em on a Post-it note and stick it on your computer.

In my biz, treating people like gold means that every single email gets a thoughtful reply, whether from myself or one of my awesome team members. I personally read every comment I get on my site and respond to every question. I make sure every comment on Facebook is read and liked. I read every Instagram comment and see who is re-pinning my stuff on Pinterest. I’m always there taking note, and always grateful.

Of course, there are some things that get missed — that’s natural, and is to be expected when you’re running a growing business. But when the intention is there, and you genuinely care about your readers and customers, your tribe can tell and they’ll respond accordingly.

4. Interact

Following on from the above point, you must engage with your audience. Comment, write back, ‘like’, retweet… If someone has taken the time and energy to engage with you, give them some love back. Again, there will be ones you miss —especially if you have a massive tribe —but that’s ok. Just do your best. People love to be heard and acknowledged, so jump in the fray and start connecting.

5. Cultivate A Masterpiece Mindset

The quality of the work you are putting out into the world matters. Take pride in what you do, and treat everything — from the tiniest blog comment to the biggest event — like a masterpiece. Pretend that you’re Michelangelo and you’re sculpting your latest work of art.

This means re-reading every email before you press send, crafting inspiring and helpful Facebook updates, treating your blog posts like feature articles, thinking before you whack something up on Instagram and never settling for anything less. Remember, once your work is out there, it’s out there.

So there you have it — my favorite tribe-building tips for heart-fuelled entrepreneurs. Was this helpful? If so, please share it with your friends so we can all create beautiful work that inspires, helps and supports others.

And do you have a hot tip of your own? Please share your insights with our beautiful tribe in the comments below. Remember, your tip may be the one thing that someone has been searching for.

Thank you as always, my darling, for being so honest, open and loving in the comments.

I love the heck out of you.