What About Your Product?
When you consider the best community approach for your brand, focus not only on your company's strategic goals, but on the real needs and desires of your target customers. Ask yourself the following questions:
- What are my customers' passions and needs?
- Are my customers, like BMW's, passionate about the product itself? Would my customers, like SalesForce buyers, benefit from in-depth help using the product? Or, like Pampers buyers, would my customers be interested in discussing general issues related to my product?
- In what contexts do customers use my product? [If the product is related to traveling, consider a travel-related community; if customers use your product in sports contexts, consider a sports-related community, and so on.] Would my customers prefer a community where they can socialize and make friends, or are they B2B customers who focus on getting a job done?
- What type of information or networking would add value to my product for my customers?
Your product may not have the obvious sex appeal of the iPhone, but with the right online community approach, you can teach customers and potential customers to love your brand, laying down the foundation for a lasting relationship.