#18. Four Lessons I've Learned On Community
So Many Lessons To Share!
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Hi!
So excited to send you another issue after weeks of radio silence. I guess that's what happens when you're juggling two jobs and life.
Assuming the role of Head of Growth has been an interesting challenge. But it’s one I was excited to accept.
I’ve always preached the power of building organic traction rather than just relying on paid acquisition. I could go on endlessly about the compound benefits of organic growth over all others.
But this has been an opportunity to really roll up my sleeves and experiment from the lead.
I knew before I even started I wanted virtual community building to serve a central role in our growth strategy.
I knew before I even started I wanted virtual community building to serve a central role in our growth strategy.
I became a huge proponent of the power of community after using the lockdown period of the pandemic to focus on creating a personal brand. The number of professional opportunities that came my way exploded over time.
So my thought was, wouldn’t this be so much more powerful if I was funneling all of this experience into building something long lasting?
This thinking drove me to start a podcast on community building. It’s given me a forum to talk to experts in this area and to share what I’m learning.
So here are 4 things I've learned that I'm trying to apply now:
1. When you start, it’s not about community building. It’s about joining one.
Customers aren’t waiting for you to rally them to join your cause. They’re out there, living life and focusing on concerns of their own.
And they’re already members of several other communities that they’re passionate about and invested in.
So when you’re first starting out, the best move is to go meet them where they’re at. Join communities where your customer already engages, but as an individual, not as a “brand.” Put in the time to get to know them and develop relationships.
2. Community isn’t about business. It should be about a lifestyle.
Not many brands are truly good at community building. To be honest, I could probably count on one hand the number of brand communities I think I belong to. And still have fingers left over.
It’s more than just getting a good customer return or retention rate. It’s about people truly getting invested, inspired, attached on some emotional level.
Apple is an obvious example of this. They’ve got fans for days who love the dream that comes with the pristine aesthetic their products carry. Owning Apple is a sign of social status.
But it’s also possible for B2B brands.
Salesforce does a tremendous job of creating interwoven communities that instill a sense of pride in being a Trailblazer. They’ve got communities for users who are developers, marketers, sales people, parents, different ethnicities or nationalities, etc. And they all tie back to the larger brand mission while transcending just usage of the software itself.
3. You have to give people a damn good reason to keep coming back.
Forming a community is the start. Getting people to join is another thing. But having people continue to return is the real challenge.
I make plenty of purchases, but in most cases I’m not thinking about anything beyond that moment when I buy. I’m not going to give more of my time because there’s nothing more to the “relationship” than the purchase. Or if something breaks.
Whether B2C or B2B, you still really have to think about:
A - What makes my brand sticky?
B - What do I offer beyond just a transaction of goods or services?
C - What can make my brand stand out from any others in the space?
4. You have to show up and lead every day.
Once a community exists, you can’t expect the members to do the heavy lifting. Your community members aren’t your employees, although employees can certainly be members.
One of a community’s strengths lies with how it’s moderated.
You know how at certain parties, most people just stand around listlessly trying to figure out who makes the first move.
You’re the host. You’ve got to crank up an expertly curated playlist, be the first on the dance floor showing people the steps to the electric slide, make everyone feel welcome to get a plate of food, etc.
You need to provide a sense of purpose, direction and motivation.
To get people dancing and to keep them engaged.
In addition if your community has certain values, you need to protect and reinforce those. If your members don’t feel like there’s a sense of order, you’ll quickly find yourself overwhelmed by toxicity or a culture that doesn’t align with your brand.
This isn't the full version of this list of lessons. If you're interested in the complete article, check it out on my website.
Other Stuff I’ve Been Doing:
I quietly published an article titled B2B Advertising: 5 Tips To Improve Paid Ads, Conversions & ROI. Check it out if you're looking to ramp up your paid acquisition strategy.
I've got a lot of new content on the YouTube channel I recently launched. that includes several clips from my podcast and a full interview with the Head of Marketing at my favorite stock photo source, Pexels.
AdAge included my thoughts in an article about the future of brands on Clubhouse. It's a gated article, but take a look if you're a member.
Looking forward to sending you more content again soon when I get my hands free. I'm working on a few great articles and interviews I really think you'll enjoy, including one with marketing expert Amanda Goetz and another with the TikTok-loving head of meme-ology at Kapwing.
Talk soon,
Chantelle
Cool People Doing Cool Things
1. Syed Ali wrote an article about true brand authenticity and social media for The Rosie Report. Check it out here.
2. Pat Timmons is publishing a book about the significance of empathy in marketing. You still have a chance to support by pre-ordering his book. Support here.
3. My new favorite thing I just discovered: horoscopes for marketers! Ejolee Mitchell created the awesome #MarketingHoroscopes series for Adweek (also featured on Twitter), and I am here for it. Check it out here.
4. Marketing Twitter celeb Anna Melissa had a few things to say about the state of the online marketing communities. Worth a read, so take a minute.
5. Content strategist and agency owner Ross Simmonds wrote a pretty cool article: Unexpected B2B Lessons from NFTs and Sneakers [article].
Other Cool Things You Might’ve Missed
1. There was some backlash when one Twitter user discovered they had to pay to end their Adobe Creative Cloud subscription early. The best part of seeing people gnash their teeth in response was all the posts about free or lower cost alternatives to Adobe apps. Here you go.
2. Some feel-good stories. The creator of dogecoin was able to buy his mom a new house. And the massive Battle of the Joshes took place Saturday (see random meme above). Even ESPN gave it some coverage.
3. Also in case you’re still into Clubhouse, here’s a list of the top most-followed users (image below). I thought it was kind of interesting to see, although not surprising at all. If you’re still on Clubhouse, connect with me -- @ccmarce_writes.
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