Small businesses usually benefit when they find creative ways to do their marketing. As much as the marketing conversation tends to revolve around finding new leads or encouraging repeat sales, there is an often-overlooked element that sits outside the box: Building up the strength of the community inside your business. Let’s talk today about marketing your community from the inside.
When I think about the aspects of small business marketing that are typically addressed, there is a certain Venn Diagram of reaching new leads, retaining customers, and that sweet spot of word of mouth that everyone seems to cherish. We chase these goals in our marketing, and many people track them quantitatively.
What if we look at marketing a different way? What if we look at it from the perspective of focusing on growing the bonds and the strength of your existing community? It’s a qualitative, experiential endeavor, but where could it take your business?
Let me root this in some examples.
I enjoyed watching the show Lost. I didn’t discover it until midway through its run while it was on air. I have since watched all episodes and am currently rewatching it with the added content of a deep dive podcast that analyzes each episode. I have learned that Lost is one of the shows that first hit TV as the internet was finding its feet. Lost became the backdrop for a whole community of fans to connect through the internet, sharing their theories, questions, and philosophical discussions. The “water cooler conversation” became a phenomenon that went far beyond the water cooler. The relationships built within the community yielded offline events, fans teaming up to create podcasts, charity projects, and more. All of these initiatives could be launched because the community was there. It had been built from the inside out.
For seven years, I served on a Board of a nonprofit (Ventures). In my second year on the Board, it was decided that we would pair up the Board members and encourage each pair to get to know each other outside of a Board meeting. I was teamed up with a more seasoned Board member. We set up one chat over a happy hour. She and I have remained connected, have supported each other, hired each other, referred each other. Our connection to each other is a direct result of our participation on this Board, and something that continues to come up in our conversations. Our conversations keep us aware of the nonprofit that led to our introduction.
One of my favorite podcasts to listen to – Rob Has a Podcast, which usually provides 2-3 hours of content per podcast all about the strategy of Survivor and Big Brother (I’m doing it. I’m outing myself.) – has applied this principle well. At the end of a lengthy podcast, the hosts ask the listeners who are still with them live to suggest a hashtag that represents something meaningful said on the podcast itself. The hosts collect suggestions real-time through the chat, and pick one for people to use. If you go to social media after the podcast, you will see listeners sharing feedback, having conversations with each other, and getting to know each other. From this core of engaged listeners came an active Patreon, offline meet and greet events, and many other additional passive revenue streams for this business.
Marketing your community from the inside fosters the people within your community, the connection between them, and, in doing so, creates more interaction and loyalty with your brand.
Marketing your community from the inside fosters the people within your community, the connection between them, and, in doing so, creates more interaction and loyalty with your brand. #community #smallbusiness #smallbiz
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And in all of these examples, there is a natural tendency for the ongoing conversation among the most active participants in the community to make its way to new people. These are new fans, followers, and customers who discover the brand simply because of the engagement of the community within.
Is this an approach that can work for every business? Maybe yes, maybe no. But can it work for yours?
In recent years, we have heard more and more of the idea of having “accountability partners.” When you have a goal, and you have someone checking in with you about the goal, you may be more likely to stay on track. This marketing approach of building your community from the inside works for the same reasons. It is the strengthening of one or more bonds within the community that creates greater strength for the whole community.
As a business, what a potentially powerful expression of love and loyalty for what you have made. Your interaction with the community around your brand is vital to ensure that the community continues to be shaped with the values your brand upholds. And this is important. (Read more about the values of your brand here). You want to make sure it stands for what you stand for. But the community you’ve fostered has its own beating heart, and the meaning its members find in their involvement stands alone while being a beacon for others with similar interests. This can become one of the biggest draws for your business if you shape it well.
Your interaction with the community around your brand is vital to ensure that the community continues to be shaped with the values your brand upholds. #community #smallbusiness #smallbiz #business
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Is this something that could work for your business? In what ways can you spark conversation within your community? Is there a forum you can give them that makes sense, maintains order, and upholds the tenets of your brand?
Give it some thought. If you see value, give it a try. I would love to hear what is working – or not working – from you below in the comments!
Want to get more insight on the use of hashtags in how you build your community? Read here!
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