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Aaron Strout

Aaron Strout
Vice President of Social Media
Citizen Marketer



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Aaron Strout : Citizen Marketer
Five Community Marketing Tips

People ask us all the time for community marketing best practices. Here are a five pearls of wisdom that we've learned from managing our own and our customer communities over the last few years:
  1. Drink your own Kool-Aid
    Understand exactly what your asking your customers to do – during the community sign up process and during ongoing community activities. Be the first to join your community.

  2. Save the best for first
    Remember to incorporate your best customers into the community-building process. They should be the first ones invited to your community. Listen to their feedback before inviting others.

  3. Build “it” and they might come
    Ensure that your value proposition in all of your marketing materials is crystal clear. If you’re customers can’t easily find value in your community, they won’t come. Or if they do, they won't stick around.

  4. Once isn’t enough
    Getting customers to join your community is relatively easy (if you’ve followed step 3.) Getting them to come back is hard. Remind them constantly of what’s in it for them in all your marketing touch points – enews, website, email, ads, collateral, etc.

  5. Keep your ear to the ground
    One of the unique advantages of a community is that you can talk to your customers directly. Take this opportunity to listen to what they have to say. Adjust your marketing plan and community offering accordingly.
There are lots more good marketing ideas not included on this list. Please feel free to add your suggestions by commenting on this post.
Fri, Apr 06 2007

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