Collaborative Communities 6 Key Ingredients for Companies Fostering Relationships through Online Communities By Maria Sipka | CEO www.linqia.com

The number 1 most exciting fact about online communities…

Databases & distribution lists are brought to life!

Before Now Collaboration Channel Sales Channel

Understanding the role of online communities in your sales cycle

Communities are not a direct selling tool but rather a relationship conduit

The Sales Cycle Offering The Sale Retention Milestones Resources Acquisition

Ingredient #1 What are you thinking of offering? Is there really a need for your offering? Who are your key stakeholders? How do they currently behave? Offering The Sale Retention Milestones Resources Acquisition

Ingredient #2 What does success look like? Over what period of time? How are they tied to your business goals? How and when will you measure success? Offering The Sale Retention Milestones Resources Acquisition

Ingredient #3 What is your budget? What internal + external people will you need? A community plan? Build or white label? Where will you gather content? Can you source sponsors? Offering The Sale Retention Milestones Resources Acquisition

Ingredient #4 Where do your stakeholders hang out? How are they segmented? What experience can you offer? How will you reach out to them? What next? Offering The Sale Retention Milestones Resources Acquisition

Ingredient #5 At what stage are you likely to convert? What role does your community serve for your customers? Formalized referral? Integrating your CRM? Offering The Sale Retention Milestones Resources Acquisition

Ingredient #6 Keeping your customers engaged Deepening relationships Loyalty initiatives? Evangelists Offering The Sale Retention Milestones Resources Acquisition

Embrace conflict, resist the urge to control, forget opinion leaders – and build your brand

The Numbers 2,000 social networks 80 million communities 1.4 billion people online 750 million social network members 280 million community members

Small Community Highlights: 24 hours to setup Free on Ning 4,026 members in 10 months

Medium Community Highlights: Built on Jive White Label Support community Integrated into existing site 22,000 members 10,000 page views daily

Large Community Highlights: No mention P&G brand Interest categories. Not brand categories. 4 times more affective than advertising $3 million a year to run $480 profit per girl!

Community = Transparency + Engagement + Consistency + Collaboration + Celebration + Simplicity + Measurement Take Aways for Success

Contact Details Maria Sipka Founder/ CEO www.linqia.com www.themoderatorcommunity.com Tel: +34 626768788 [email_address] Barcelona | Geneva | Silicon Valley Twitter: @mariasipka