Why Community Matters Vero Pepperrell Digital marketing & Social Media consultant www.thatcanadiangirl.co.uk / www.pepsmedia.com Future of Mobile, 17th Nov 2008 Vero Pepperrell, Pepsmedia

Why should we bother? It doesn’t matter if you measure success in…

It doesn’t matter if you

measure success in…

Why should we bother? It doesn’t matter if you measure success in… Footfall

It doesn’t matter if you

measure success in…

Footfall

Why should we bother? It doesn’t matter if you measure success in… Footfall Viewers

It doesn’t matter if you

measure success in…

Footfall

Viewers

Why should we bother? It doesn’t matter if you measure success in… Footfall Viewers Listeners

It doesn’t matter if you

measure success in…

Footfall

Viewers

Listeners

Why should we bother? It doesn’t matter if you measure success in… Footfall Viewers Listeners Conversation

It doesn’t matter if you

measure success in…

Footfall

Viewers

Listeners

Conversation

Why should we bother? In the end they’re all people who want to be treated as such.

In the end they’re all

people who want to be

treated as such.

We aren’t just numbers It's easy to look at numbers and stats, product life cycles and forget that it’s people who drive your business Advertising via traditional media lost some effectiveness over the years, social media lets you speak to your community on a human level but this channel needs a different treatment.

It's easy to look at numbers and stats, product life cycles and forget that it’s people who drive your business

Advertising via traditional media lost some effectiveness over the years, social media lets you speak to your community on a human level but this channel needs a different treatment.

Not just for Christmas… Think of new customers as puppies: Not that they need to be toilet trained, but as friends for life

Think of new customers as puppies: Not that they need to be toilet trained, but as friends for life

Not just for Christmas… A converted evangelist isn’t a one-off purchaser, it’s an extension of your marketing team

A converted evangelist isn’t a one-off purchaser, it’s an extension of your marketing team

The 3 R’s of Community Interaction Respect Speak to your users as humans Let your staff’s personality shine Don't rush the relationship: They’re looking for a handshake, you’re trying to stick your tongue down their throat! Let them talk for a change

Respect

Speak to your users as humans

Let your staff’s personality shine

Don't rush the relationship: They’re looking for a handshake, you’re trying to stick your tongue down their throat!

Let them talk for a change

The 3 R’s of Community Interaction Responsibility Honesty & transparency Responsiveness in good & bad times Be willing to educate, not dictate your users’ choices

Responsibility

Honesty & transparency

Responsiveness in good & bad times

Be willing to educate, not dictate your users’ choices

The 3 R’s of Community Interaction Reputation Positive interactions Happier users Recommendation Improved reputation

Reputation

It’s pretty simple really! Listen to your users: On blogs, forums, in focus groups, to your support email Give them opportunities to speak to you Participate in forums Attend events and just listen Invite them to suggest improvements Let them know you’re listening! Taptu uses a weekly “Wishing Line” email: Uncensored feedback from users & press goes out to the whole team Tell users when you’ve put their suggestions into action

Listen to your users: On blogs, forums, in focus groups, to your support email

Give them opportunities to speak to you

Participate in forums

Attend events and just listen

Invite them to suggest improvements

Let them know you’re listening!

Taptu uses a weekly “Wishing Line” email: Uncensored feedback from users & press goes out to the whole team

Tell users when you’ve put their suggestions into action

Vero Pepperrell Digital marketing & Social Media consultant www.thatcanadiangirl.co.uk / www.pepsmedia.com Blogging since 2000 and still alive! Imagery & ideas credits: On Twitter: @jeffpulver & @mattb On Flickr: betsyjean79 & Eole Gapingvoid.com for the cynical view of advertising Chris Brogan for the imagery on relationships Nataliedee.com for the jelly beans The wonderful communities I interact with for the inspiration Note: No Mr Potatoheads were harmed in the making of these slides Vero Pepperrell, Pepsmedia

Imagery & ideas credits:

On Twitter: @jeffpulver & @mattb

On Flickr: betsyjean79 & Eole

Gapingvoid.com for the cynical view of advertising

Chris Brogan for the imagery on relationships

Nataliedee.com for the jelly beans

The wonderful communities I interact with for the inspiration

Note: No Mr Potatoheads were harmed in the making of these slides