For a long time, brands’ relationships with their customers were mostly transactional, with a focus on individual sales to drive profit. Over time, companies learned that strong, loyal customer relationships are far more valuable and cost-effective at creating sustainable business.Today, the greatest indicator of a customer-focused business is the presence and support of a strong community. The loyalty customers exhibit toward a brand stems from a communal bond forged through shared values. These groups are ultimately the key for marketing, developing, and expanding your brand’s prominence within the lives of consumers.
The Power of a Brand Community
A brand community is a group of devoted customers that organically assembles over a shared connection to a brand’s products, services, and/or values.
These communities, when given the space to grow and develop, create a sense of camaraderie and shared joy around the topics of the brand itself. Smart brands provide ways for customers to reach out to one another, connect with brand ambassadors, and even meet up in person to discuss their shared experiences and values. Through the sheer positivity and enthusiasm that the brand community generates, companies see higher levels of loyalty and overall customer lifetime value as a result.
Building Your Own Brand Community
A brand community should have a balance of organic passion and engagement from customers and a level of participation and encouragement from the company. Here are some ways in which real brands have succeeded at fostering strong communities.
Incentivize customers
Small incentivizing nudges — from giveaways to flash sales to rewards program — can be the catalyst for customers to join a community. Sephora is a prime example of a brand that knows the power of incentivization. Their Beauty Insider community is built for one-time, active, and future customers who want to share beauty and makeup tips. Using points earned from past purchases, shoppers can even take home samples of products their fellow Insiders have suggested.
Create real-world connections
Brand communities don’t have to be confined to online forums or Facebook groups if your organization has the means to connect with fans in the real world through meet-ups or events. Within the Harley Davidson Owner Club, thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts have made lifelong connections with one another thanks to a shared love for the brand — reinforcing not just the power of the community itself, but the lasting impact product loyalty can have on people’s social lives.
Empower existing superfans
For some companies, the passion for the brand already exists — it just needs to be harnessed into a community and used to share that excitement with others. Lego was wise to gather their “super builders” and develop a wildly successful DIY ambassador program, giving a platform to talented Lego artisans who share their inspirational builds to generate hype and interest.
Power Marketing and Your Brand Community
We at Power Marketing provide the tools and communication expertise to help any brand, regardless of size or industry, find their ideal community and build valuable customer relationships that make companies sustainable. To see how Power Marketing can help you foster the ideal brand community for your own organization, reach out to us today.
