Your marketing is strong, the website looks great, your salespeople are good at bringing in new deals, and you deliver an excellent product, but there is still one more piece to consider. A successful local business takes itself from being a building with a sign to building a community around its brand.
Consumers care about authentic interactions that reflect what is important to them. When a story and community are part of the equation, your customers are invited to participate in something bigger than a transaction. Customers become tremendous advocates for your company when they share a collective impact that makes them feel good.
Your customers are making large purchases that transform their most sacred spaces, their homes. The community aspect of your brand makes it attractive to have your company transform what matters most to them.
You are not just selling a product, the company is producing an experience and connecting with people.
How to Build Your Community Brand
Building a community brand starts within your company and then moves outward. It’s not hard to do and becomes exciting as you feel the results of expanded customer relationships and the value you create outside of the company.
Take your time
You don’t build a community brand overnight; the process is a long game to create authentic connections and a compelling story. You’re moving from developing customers to developing friendships.
Be consistent, committed, and constantly engaged. Don’t rush it. A story isn’t built on big moves but on the constant addition of new chapters.
Start internally
Start first with the community that exists within your company. A team rallied behind a vision and purpose is essential to delivering your brand promise. Give them the tools they need, constantly reaffirm that the company builds friendships, and involve them in building value out in the community.
A motivated team that has a purpose beyond a new sale or completing an installation will deliver exceptional brand experiences to your customers every day.
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Find a social cause you’re passionate about
When your company is actively involved in a cause that benefits the community, it becomes more effective in all it does. With each sale, you build a solid community around your brand by involving customers in supporting a worthy cause by donating to those in need.
Involve others with video
Videos of real-life customers endorsing the company are tremendously effective at community building. When you share customer videos and videos of the company involved in building social good, help foster the story your customers want to be associated with.
Furthermore, don’t hesitate to let employees film great interactions and how they love what they do and the results they achieve. All of this is a testimony to your brand’s place in the community and reaffirms your company’s authenticity.
Under-produced, on-the-go video shared on a platform like Instagram is the most authentic and outperforms anything with high production value. Show a natural look at the inside of your company.
Make your online presence value driven
You’re enhancing community value; let people know about it. Share content that enhances the lives of your customers. A “Giving Back” section of your website will be looked at by potential customers who will choose your company over others.
Social media is an excellent opportunity to involve customers in a community. Sponsoring Facebook groups that apply to your business segments, like home renovation ideas, is a great community builder. Another group might be about making a difference in the local community and sharing volunteer opportunities.
Create educational content
Sharing new information through email newsletters or a blog is an excellent community builder. Throw in some perks for being a reader, like discounts, donations with a purchase, or referral fees.
When your buyers hear from you regularly and read helpful information, customers will associate more value with your products and not see them as expensive.
Listen and solicit feedback
Listen throughout the process, encourage customer feedback after completing their job, and ask them to review the company on Google. They’ll feel included and connected with your ongoing success. Additionally, their suggestions and criticisms are invaluable for constant company improvement.
Your customers will feel genuinely valued when they know their message matters.
Your Community Brand Has Immeasurable Value
Being a part of and building a community creates value for customers, those in need, your employees, and your company. A clear purpose behind the company, cultivating a brand story, and building friendships will expand your customer base and keep it growing.
Most importantly, you’ll love more robust, valuable interactions with customers and employees while creating true community value.
Ready to Become World Class in 2023?
You can’t achieve World Class without first defining what it is.
Through our complimentary assessment, you’ll learn:
- What’s the score that proves you’re better than the rest?
- What’s the roadmap to achieve it?
- How do you know you’re on track?
To take our complimentary assessment, visit: https://grandonyx.pro/audit.
