Give your community what it needs

Posted on May 18, 2009 by Tom

Imitating success.  It seems like companies, now more than ever, look at each other to see what they’re doing.  Not knowing what triggered the other company’s online community success, they just want in, before it’s too late.

A company may be in part responsible for the demand for a community, depending on the actions a company can have a great influence, or even control, over a community, but a company never really owns a community.  It exists thanks to its members, so understand that you’re not the host here, they are.  You’re a guest at their place, not the other way around.  It’s an important distinction to make, because just like you go and visit someone, as a guest you have to abide by certain rules.  What communities don’t need is a company who meddle too much.  It’s a lesson in humility knowing that they don’t need you.

The problem is that most companies don’t really have any notion of what they want from a community, they just want one, like ordering a new company website or buying a morning latte.  Managers make the most difficult decisions on a daily basis, but when it comes to online trends, they’re completely clueless and think the online world uses a different set of rules than the real world.  They’re not, it’s basically the same but with some added features.  There’s no difference from the tennisclub or the girl scouts, similar interests and word-of-mouth.

Communities are places where people share a common goal or interest and where word-of-mouth is a powerfull marketingtool.  There’s a reason why there is a growing demand for community builders and managers.  It’s a place with a lot of respect and trust, hence one of the biggest reasons why it can be so important in a word-of-mouth campaign.  But not knowing what you’re getting into means you won’t give ‘your’ community what it needs to help you moving forward.  Respect a community like you were someone’s guest and trust, that with the right set of tools you give them, they can give you that extra edge.

You may want to read:

• Online communities, what’s luck got to do with?
• 5 ways to improve word-of-mouth
• Viral vs. word-of-mouth