This is a guest post from Brandon Mendelson. Brandon’s blog can be found at Soap Box Included. If you have a laptop you would like to donate to a homeless shelter or charitable organization, or would like to participate in crowdfunding A Million High Fives, you can find all the details here on the project page.

Let’s say you amassed a large tribe on your favorite social network.

A large tribe does not mean a large number of followers, but it does mean a respectable size that actively shares what you’re doing without your involvement.

Your tribe gets bigger and managing it evolves into a full time job. You need money to keep it going.

What Could You Do?

• You could use affiliate links for items you recommend the tribe uses.

• You could send sponsored messages and encourage the tribe to visit your sponsors.

• You could integrate a brand into your tribe.

The Problem With The Coulds

Option one isn’t too bad.  The key is to disclose to your tribe, in multiple visible places, that you use affiliate links.

Option two won’t work, and should be avoided. If you throw advertisements at your tribe, you guarantee some will leave and spread negativity about you.

In addition to chasing members away, like the affiliate links, a critical mass of click-throughs would be needed for this to make it worthwhile. Indicating the message is sponsored in some way will limit your success.

If you want to advertise, advertise where your audience would be receptive to it (such as on your blog, in a newsletter), but a social network is no place for traditional advertising.

The last option is tricky.  If a company offers something valuable, that is relevant and useful to your tribe, and it helps you continue your project, it should be considered.

But, if a company comes to you and tries to ram their product into your efforts, or even worse, you become a shill,blurring your cause or project into a commercial, this is the worst thing you can do to your tribe.

Unfortunately, option three is happening increasingly as brands learn they don’t need big advertising campaigns, just a handful of “influencers” to get the word out. The why behind this is beyond what we’re discussing, but it is happening, and killing good projects as it does.

What Should You Do?

Option two is junk, don’t bother with it. Option one is okay as long as you inform your audience, but you have to be patient and plan for the long haul for affiliate links to be worth it.

Option three, can be a powerful thing. But it has to be done the right way:

• A barrier needs to be formed. Your message can’t become the sponsor’s message.

• Like the affiliate links, you have to clearly layout your relationship with the company in multiple locations.

• Don’t use money to decide what brand you should team with. Make sure you have a logical fit, preferably one that fits the needs of your tribe.

• Promote in moderation. This segment was brought to you by Sprint, using an example from my previous project, is more powerful than “Oh my god I love Sprint, they are so awesome #Sprint #cellphones”.

• Be honest. If you need to keep your tribe going, tell them you reached out to a related company to help you, and in turn you are promoting something that could be useful to the tribe.

Let’s be clear: There will always be members of the tribe who resist advertising, regardless of form. But by following these steps, you can alleviate concerns and hopefully create a beneficial relationship between your advertiser and your tribe that allows you to fuel your project.

Thoughts?