Want to increase the community that supports your brand? These six steps will help you on your way.
1. What problem are you solving?
Be clear about what the problem is you are solving. What are you preventing? What would happen if we don’t succeed? For example the conservation charity, RSPB are clear in the problem they are addressing – ‘Nature is in desperate trouble. Species numbers have declined dramatically in recent years and it’s vital we work together to help their recovery’.
2. Have a interesting origin story
Where did it all begin? What started it all? Every brand has a story to tell – what’s yours? Where you have come from helps build an emotional connection with your community, and helps your followers feel part of your future.
3. Have clear rules of engagement
Be clear how people get involved and what they are expected to do, how they should act, and how they should behave. Your members are ambassadors for your brand, so should reflect your values, personality and behaviours.
4. Make it easy for people to take part
Make it easy for people to join and get involved. Make sure your communications are inspiring and easy to understand. Remove potential barriers to getting involved. Make it easy to identify your brand. Use a consistent visual language. Consider a uniform, a T-Shirt perhaps? – Think ‘Choose life’. Create a badge, a symbol to associate with your purpose. Have a slogan, ‘Think different’, ‘Just do it’.
5. Make your community the hero, not you
Celebrate your members achievements rather than your own. People want to be heard and are more likely to keep doing what they are doing if they feel rewarded. This also demonstrates good leadership, and puts the power into the members’ hands.
6. Connect your community
Meet ups, events, Facebook. Find ways to connect your community to share experiences. Enable your community to learn and benefit from each other.
