Building a Thriving Community Around Your Business
Do you have a new business and you are seeking ways to build a thriving community? Starting your small business and getting it from having zero customers to your dream number is not an easy feat. Many people rise as entrepreneurs, but only a few remain in the industry after a long time. Only a few get the desired numbers for their business and customer base for those who remain.
One of the major ways to grow your business and make sure you remain standing in the entrepreneurial industry after a long time is community building. Building a community around your business is like having a family around what you do. They are your first line of customers, your free publicity. Every business that wants to thrive and be successful needs a bustling community behind its products and services.
Most small business owners never get a thriving community because they go about it the wrong way. Here are a few steps you can take to build your community.
1. Start With your Team:
The common saying that goes – use what you have to get what you don’t have is very applicable here. You don’t need to look far to start your community. Start with your team members. They are your first set of community members. Make them understand that they are not just working with you to make money but also building a business with you, a brand that people can associate with. If you can get your team on board, then you can begin to extend your tentacles outside of your business to other people outside.
2. Introduce your Customers and Investors to more:
Most traditional customers and investors are not used to being part of a community. They mostly just buy their desired products and return whenever they need more—the same thing with investors. As a small business owner building a thriving community, it is your job to let them know that they are part of something bigger. Let them know that your business is not in a hurry to collect their hard-earned money but somewhat interested in knowing them on a deeper level so they can better be served.
Customers like to feel special. They want to know they are just another name on your balance sheet. They want to be convinced that they are more and that they matter to you. As a small business owner, it is your job to ensure that they feel this way. And this is done by adding them to your community, which brings us to our next point.
3. Use Social Media:
This is perhaps the most important point here. Community building is more of an online activity than anything else. Create social media accounts for your business. Use Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms. These will go a long way in pushing your business forward and not only that.
It will also help in building your community. When you get customers and investors, you can direct them to your social media pages to engage there. You can even encourage them to post your product on their social media and add a nice caption. When they do this, you share it and encourage your other customers to share. This is how to build a thriving community.
4. Drive Community Engagement:
This is also an essential part of building a thriving community. Once you’ve started your community, the next thing to focus on is how to keep the community active. You need people talking and interacting with each other. For your community to grow, it cannot just be you and customers interacting but customers interacting with other customers. That is when you know that you are growing. To achieve this, you need to drive engagement both on your social media and off. There are various ways to achieve offline community engagement. Events, trade fairs, and many others can be organised to that effect.
Organising events can be very tasking and expensive. However, the reward is immeasurable, not just in terms of financial profit but in terms of brand promotion and expansion. Online events also work, but offline events are much more encouraged at the early start of your business.
5. Sell your Vision with Value:
When people choose to become part of a community, they want to know what they are working towards. You are not just selling your community but the vision behind it. Let your community members know the vision of your business. Are you meeting the technological demands in African cities? Are you breaching the gap between homeowners and good furniture? Let the community feel their attachment to a cause.
And give value to your community. Let there be something those who are not in the community are missing out on—E.g. trade fairs, exclusive events, etc.
Building a thriving community around your business is tasking and requires dedication and hard work. But when you get it done, the reward is endless.
