secrets to building powerful brand communities: presented at digital summit atlanta 2014
DESCRIPTION
Basically, a brand community is a group of people who possess a common interest in a brand. But a powerful brand community, one that has a powerful impact on the bottom line for your business, has another element: instead of just being a group of people who are interested in a brand, they are a group of people who are also deeply interested in and connected to each other. There are 3 secrets to developing interest and connection among brand community members that will build a powerful brand community: you must offer your fans and customers mutual acceptance, expression, and transparency. Doing this breaks down barriers and builds connection. These are 3 very different brands whose ability to leverage these 3 secrets in their brand communities has had a significant impact on their bottom line: CrossFit Inc, Free People, and Buffer.TRANSCRIPT
Secrets to Building a
Powerful Brand
Community @MJSchindler
www.nexDimension.net
Brand Community
Brand Communit
y
Fans and Customer
s
Brand Affinity
Shared Values
Powerful Brand Community
Powerful Brand
Community
Fans and Customers
Brand Affinity
Shared Values
Connection to Other Community Members
The 3 Secrets
BrandCommunit
y
Expression
Acceptance
Transparency
Powerful Brand Communities
CrossFit
7,000Affiliate gyms
166%Year-over-year
growth rate
2%
Failure rate
$2 BillionEstimated net of CrossFit affiliates
Interest in CrossFit Over Time
Acceptance
Acceptance
• Eliminate fear and uncertainty
• Make your members feel important
EliminateFear and Uncertainty
Eliminate Fear and Uncertainty
Eliminate Fear and Uncertainty
Make Them Feel Important
Make Them Feel Important
Acceptance
Free People
30%Revenuesincrease
20%Fourth quarter
Sales surge
24%Rise in wholesale revenues
54%Rise in retail revenues
Expression
Free People’s FPMe
Free People’s FPMe
Expression
• Meet them where they are
• Empower them to share
Meet ThemWhere They Are
#ootd #outfitoftheday #lookoftheday #fashion #fashiongram #style
#currentlywearing #lookbook #wiwt #whatiwore #whatiworetoday
#ootdshare #outfit #clothes #wiw #mylook #fashionista
#todayimwearing #instastyle #instafashion #outfitpost #fashionpost
#todaysoutfit #fashiondiaries
Empower Them to Share
Empower Them to Share
Empower Them to Share
Expression
Buffer
>1 Million
> 2 Million
> 16,000
> 87 Million
Transparency
Default to Transparency Among
Your Community
Transparency Trust Community
Transparency
• Default to transparency within your brand
• Default to transparency among your community
Default to Transparency Within
Your Brand
Default to Transparency Within
Your Brand
Default to Transparency Among
Your Community
Buffer: Hacked
Buffer: Hacked
Buffer: Hacked
Buffer: Hacked• Pattern of upgrades to paid plans
was unaffected• Spike in downgrades from paid
plans evened out within a few days
• “Almost record number of signups” during the hack
Buffer: Hacked
Default to Transparency Among
Your Community
Transparency Trust Community
Building a Powerful Community
POWERFUL
BrandCommunit
y
Expression
Acceptance
Transparency
Acceptance
• Eliminate fear and uncertainty
• Make your members feel important
Expression
• Meet them where they are
• Empower them to share
Transparency
• Default to transparency within your brand
• Default to transparency among your community
Building Your Powerful Brand Community
Powerful Brand
Community
Fans and Customers
Brand Affinity
Shared Values
Connection to Other Community Members