12 days of Christmas - Community

Plan in advance for 2022. Don't get caught off guard by tasks that are required annually. Set yourself up for success!

com·mu·ni·ty | noun

/kəˈmyo͞onədē/ Learn to pronounce

— a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.

"the scientific community"

— a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.

"the sense of community that organized religion can provide"

If you haven't started a community for your brand, now is a great time to do so!

Above you see the definition of community as, “a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.” This is exactly what you want in a community that surrounds your business and your brand. This won’t be a place to sell your goods or services, but rather a place to get to know your audience, find out what they need, and get to know them on a personal level.

A few ideas that may be ideal for a community surrounding your brand:

• Facebook Group

• Discord Channel

• Twitter Chat

• Forum

• Various social media platform offerings

Now, building and maintaining a community is time consuming and your heart definitely has to be in it. It isn’t just building a place and expecting people to immediately start participating in it. You have to consistently work hard to offer them value, safety, and trust. They want to feel welcome and valued.

Tips for making your community a successful place that people love to be a part of:

• Know your brands missions and values - front, back, and sideways, too.

• Share valuable posts with your audience in a way that they need and/or want.

• Actively seek engagement and give engagement when members participate.

• Be consistent with your activities - have a game night or weekly check-in of some sort.

• Encourage user-generated content - get your members talking.

• Monitor activity for signs of something that would make it better in the eyes of your audience.

• Encourage growth of the community - ask your active members to invite friends who might also find value within the group.

• Once you’ve found your footing, promote your community to grow further.

And one final tip that is controversial:

• Do not sell in your group. Have easy-to-find links to another area where your members know they can find information about your product or service without feeling the pressure of buying in the safe space of the community.

Keep an eye out for the next 11 days worth of planning for success in 2022!

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