FosterCommunity-1

Photo by Shaun Menary

Investing in your community is a lifeline for your organization. When you have a strong and loyal community behind you who sees your vision, understands what you are building and supports it, you can be assured that what you’re dedicating your life to has the opportunity to grow and soar beyond your wildest dreams.

But the first step is cultivating a community. Here are 4 key, yet powerful ways, to navigate you through your building stages.

01 | Treat others how you want to be treated.
They don’t call it the “Golden Rule” for nothing. It’s no secret that great customer service is key to getting and keeping customers (not to mention giving your brand a stellar reputation), but we encourage you to take it to the next level.

Give personalized responses to customers’ feedback, whether through email, Facebook messages, or Tweets. Treat all questions with the same degree of importance and respect, even if the answer can be found on the front page of your website. If you show your appreciation for your customers, they’re much more likely to do the same for you and spread the word about how awesome you are.

02 | Know Your Brand. An Important Part Of Building Your Community Is Making Your Company Likeable
One way to do this is to promote what makes you unique. You should have a firm grasp on what differentiates your company from your competitors and be able to clearly articulate that in all aspects of your business. That includes everything from your marketing campaigns to the design of your website—project your company’s brand, voice, and image in everything you do and you’ll attract a like‐minded community.

03 | Let Your Personality Shine
Your company is more than just your product, your website, or your carefully planned out marketing strategies. It’s an extension of you and your beliefs, values, and passions, all of which should also translate into your company’s culture. An easy way to grow your community is to allow people to look behind the scenes into your company, your team, and even yourself. If you give insight into who you are as a person, people will be attracted to your transparency, honesty, and overall, authenticity. People want to know that a company is run by a real person, not some (figurative) emotionless money‐making robot. Showcasing elements of your personality through your company’s culture, brand, and voice is a great way to distinguish yourself from others and to find supporters who are similar to you.

04 | Use The Internet To Your Advantage
If you’re running a business that has no social media accounts, then it’s time for you to step into the 21st century. Your marketing goals should be less about buying billboard space and more about increasing your follower count. Social media sites are free, easy to use, and can majorly increase your influence. They allow you to share all aspects of your company—from your product to behind the scenes glimpses of your culture—with millions of people around the world. And with a global audience comes global influence. Who wouldn’t want to build an international fan base?

These tips are here to support you as you build your dream. Feel free to share your ideas or questions below to keep the conversation going!

FROM THE EDITOR
At Conscious, we are inspired by remarkable people and organizations, and so we set out to tell stories that highlight global initiatives, innovation, community development, and social impact. You can read more stories like this when you subscribe.