Community Marketing

Community Marketing Listen, Participate & Build Customer Loyality

Are community sites taking over the world?

No! But a new way of interacting online is becoming more important each day. Not only for individuals.

Did you know that there are ...

1.400.000 people in Switzerland on Facebook 1.400.000

more than 3 Million twitter messages written daily (March 2008, trend: raising) 3 Million

900,000 Ning-Platforms all over the world 900,000

So, what if you’re not present where people exchange opinions? You don´t exist, if you are not present! Here five reasons, why:

1. The conversation is already happening! Whether you are part of it or not. You decide whether to have a part in the conversation and be listened to or to let your customers just talk among themselves.

2. A client may be looking to get in touch with you – but you are somewhere else. Is your competitor where you should be? That´s great for him!

3. Out of sight – out of mind! If your customers stop talking about you, they’ll stop considering you relevant.

4. You won´t be on the records Ignoring the ongoing conversations will delete you from the digital consciousness & the Zeitgeist records. People won’t remember you, if you don´t let them know that you exist. A website is a good first step but there is still some way to go before people actually notice you.

5. You will not get to know your clients on a more personal way. This will affect your overall business: Marketing, PR, customer service, product development, ... will lack the best possible support and insight. Nowadays you don´t need to pay for expensive market research. Most of your needs can be satisfied online at reasonable prices as part of your community marketing strategy.

Overall – you’ll miss out on what’s going on right now! And that may affect your business in the medium and long term!

So, is there any risk to start with community marketing? No! People will forgive mistakes – after all, we’re all humans. But they won’t be as forgiving if you pay no attention when they demand it.

Want to start with Community Marketing?

Three steps to go:

Know your target

Think strategy

Interact, listen, learn

Step 1: Know your target

What are they doing online?

What are they talking about?

Do they think about you? How?

How do they spend their online time?

Do they look for you? Or for your competitors?

Step 2: Think Strategy

What should I communicate online? Do my customers care about company news and new products? Or should I engage them with more emotional topics?

Where and how should I interact? Do I need a customer service live chat? Or would a forum on my website be better? How about a real time news feed? Or a classical facebook group with games?

Who should interact? Anyone in the company? The CEO? Some geek, who knows the online-tools by heart?

Is my company able to accept negative statements, react to them and turne them into a positive image? This is a big challenge for every company but definitely can happen online. Don´t forget: Your clients have the same power there as you do. Are you ready for that?

Step 3: Interact, listen, learn

Interact, interact, interact

Listen, record, remember and learn

Measure, analyze, collect and share the information in your company as well as with your clients. Marketing, PR, Customer Service, Product Development and the rest of your company as well as your clients will be thankful for the new insights!

And never forget...