Successful brick-and-mortar stores and e-commerce retailers know the value of building and engaging a community.
Community marketing is an advertising strategy that involves creating an attractive, relatable brand presence to engage existing customers. Starbucks Corporation, for example, incorporated community marketing in its social media strategy via its “My Starbucks Idea” program, through which their customers could make suggestions on everything from new products to loyalty programs.
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| Image source: sabusinessindex.co.za |
Another type of community marketing is one that involves creating an audience first before building a brand. A recent example is Tribesports, a company which describes itself as a “global community of sportspeople.” After creating a large following of amateur and professional athletes through its fitness challenges and groups, the company asked members for suggestions and released a line of athletic clothing tailored to their needs.
Communities on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media websites give consumers a place to connect with like-minded people. They also serve as platforms where potential customers can air their needs. Online communities also give companies the opportunity to address customer requests and complaints to make their customers feel valued.
Apart from building and enhancing brand-customer relationships, community marketing through social media provides other benefits. Online communities allow companies to create a multi-directional, real-time conversation with their customers, helping companies build a strong brand identity through honest, engaging storytelling.
Instead of simply posting links to product websites or tweeting about a new promotion, companies can share content that informs, moves, and motivates. Authenticity matters a lot to modern consumers, who want to know that they're purchasing products or services from a company that cares about them and shares their values. The modern customer rewards companies that meet his or her needs with loyalty.
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Community marketing is also low-cost, compared to other more traditional forms of marketing, and has the added benefit of allowing companies to tap into a wealth of information and feedback to improve their products and services.
Club Luichi is an online shopping hub that provides its members access to exclusive discounts and deals on a wide range of products and services. For more discussions on community marketing, follow this Google+ account.
