Community-based marketing (CBM) is one of the most effective ways to connect with customers and create a lasting relationship. When done correctly, it builds trust and encourages customer loyalty. In this blog post, we will discuss the key components of a successful community-based marketing strategy and provide some tips for getting started!
What is Community-based Marketing?
Community-based marketing (CBM) is a type of marketing that focuses on building relationships with customers and other stakeholders through engagement.
By uniting people around a common practice, goal, place, or item, it allows us to form meaningful relationships with prospects and customers that bring great value to our organisation. It involves creating communities around brands, products, services, or causes and engaging in two-way communication with customers.
Let’s take Nike as an example; their Facebook page is teetering on 10 million ‘likes’. This huge cohort of devoted fans has access to limited technical help, inspiring quotes, pictures and videos, plus athletes who share the same interests!
Through these connections, businesses are able to gain insights that help strengthen our bonds and ultimately benefit the company. This can include activities such as online forums, social media campaigns, customer feedback surveys, content creation for the community, and more.
Types of Community-based Marketing
There are two types of community marketing: organic and sponsored.
Organic CBM
This type of CBM leverages existing customer forums and conversations to build relationships with customers. It takes advantage of the existing connections between customers, and encourages more organic engagement.
Organic community-based marketing is a great way to foster relationships with existing customers and improve customer loyalty.
Sponsored CBM
Sponsored community-based marketing is where the brand takes an active role in creating and engaging with their customer base. This involves creating the appropriate social media platforms, such as blogs, forums, or other digital channels, to engage with customers and build relationships with them.
By monitoring customer interaction and providing valuable information through these platforms, brands can create loyal customers who view them as an ally.
When used accurately, both types of community marketing can create a sense of loyalty and satisfaction by connecting current customers with the brand and each other.
Benefits of Community-Based Marketing
There are several benefits to investing in community-based marketing, including:
Improved customer loyalty – When customers feel heard and acknowledged, they are more likely to recommend products or services to others and become loyal customers.
Higher ROI – Many community-based marketing activities are low cost, making it easier to reach a larger audience.
Increased Sales & Revenue – Customers who feel connected with a brand or product are more likely to purchase items from that company.
Improved Customer Service – Community-based marketing helps you provide better customer service by understanding customers’ needs and providing timely responses.
Improvements in Product or Service Development – Through customer feedback, you can gain valuable insights into how customers view your products and services, allowing you to make improvements accordingly.
Who needs Community-based Marketing?
Any company or organisation that wants to build lasting relationships with customers and other stakeholders can benefit from community-based marketing. This includes companies of any size, from small businesses to large corporations, as well as individuals and non-profits.
For example, if you’re a small business, you can use community-based marketing to engage with your customers and build a strong relationship with them. If you’re an individual, you can use it to connect with potential employers or customers. And for non-profits, community-based marketing can help increase awareness of their cause and generate support from the public.
Community-based Marketing and Social Media
Social media is a powerful tool for community-based marketing. Through platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, you can quickly reach a large audience and engage in two-way communication with customers.
Social media allows you to create communities around your brand or product, share content that resonates with your target audience, and develop relationships with customers by responding to their comments and feedback. It also allows you to get a better understanding of customer needs, interests, and opinions in order to make decisions that will benefit the company.
How to Develop a Successful Community-Based Marketing Strategy?
To develop a successful community-based marketing strategy, there are five key steps you should follow:
Set Objectives
Before you start developing your strategy, decide what you want to accomplish and how you’ll measure success. Having objectives will help you stay focused and ensure that your efforts are in line with your end goal.
Create a Mission Statement
Having a mission statement will help you identify your goals and objectives, as well as guide the activities of your community-based marketing. If you do not have a mission statement yet, make sure to create one!
Identify Your Target Audience
Knowing who your target audience is will allow you to tailor your content and messages accordingly. You should also consider the demographics, interests, and needs of your target audience when creating a successful community-based marketing strategy.
Choose the Right Platforms
Different platforms will be better suited for different types of marketing activities. For example, if you are targeting a younger audience, then Instagram or Snapchat may be better than Facebook or Twitter.
Develop Engaging Content
Make sure to create content that resonates with your target audience and encourages engagement. This can include videos, blogs, podcasts, and other forms of content.
Monitor and Analyze Results
Regularly monitor the results of your activities to understand how effective they are and make adjustments as necessary. You can use analytics tools such as Google Analytics or Facebook Insights to track progress and improve the effectiveness of your campaigns.
By following these steps, you can develop a successful community-based marketing strategy that will help you build relationships with customers and other stakeholders.
Conclusion
Community-based marketing is an effective way to build relationships with customers and other stakeholders. By creating connections between people who share common interests or goals, you can drive loyalty and engagement around your brand or product.
Utilising social media platforms to reach a large audience and engaging them with content that resonates with them will help you create deeper relationships over time.
It’s important to monitor the results of your activities, so that you can make adjustments as necessary and continue to develop campaigns that are effective. With a well-thought-out strategy, community-based marketing can be an invaluable tool for any business or organisation.
