June 8, 2022

Does Your Business Have a Brand Community?

Two young seated women looking at a cell phone together

Building a brand community is an important and influential aspect of your business. Some of the most successful brands in the world are those that have nurtured a strong and engaged community that stands behind them through thick and thin. 

Traditionally, the marketing campaigns and promotional materials you use, together with the social connections and conversations with your customers, contribute to your brand community.  When done well, your brand community helps you gain a higher number of loyal customers willing to invest in your products or services. They trust your word and will recommend your brand to their friends and family. 

In order to build a community you must be willing to offer consumers something that helps to meet their needs and creates an emotional connection.  What can you provide that stands out from what your competitors are already doing?

Lead with your brand’s values

Consider the values that you hold as a brand to determine how they align with your audience's. When your customers share the same values, they are much more likely to feel a deeper connection with your brand, making it easier for you to build a strong and loyal community. 

Ask yourself:

  • What is my brand’s purpose? 
  • How do I help my customers? 
  • What steps am I taking to engage with my audience? 

Know your customer 

When it comes to creating a loyal audience and brand community, it is essential to start by ensuring that you truly understand your customers, not only what they purchase, but what they enjoy, value and spend their time doing.  When you can confidently answer these questions, you will know exactly with whom you are trying to build that emotional connection. 

Ask yourself:

  • What are my customer touch-points today?  
  • How can I expand these quickly and effectively?
  • How might new customer insights enhance my marketing and transactional data?

Prioritize customer experience

An easy to navigate website and app, a transparent and generous return policy, prompt and helpful customer service may be the basis of a positive customer experience, but they alone will not ensure your brand stands out.

In order to elevate customer experience so that it contributes to your brand community, it must provide a compelling reason for your customers to put in the extra time and effort to be a part of the community and act as a brand ambassador on your behalf.  

Ask yourself:

  • How can I grow the community?
  • What offers, promotions and VIP experiences am I offering my community? 
  • How can I reward my community outside of our transactional relationship?

Today’s consumers value a strong digital experience, personalized and timely offers and want to feel like they’re part of a community.  In turn, your customers will reward you with their wallet and advocacy.

“Research shows that up to 92% of consumers trust peer recommendations. And according to American Express, happy customers recommend to an average of eleven people.”1

Add health and wellness features to your existing app that your brand community will love.  Sprout Open Health API gives you access to our reliable and scalable technologies in order to stay ahead of the competition and create meaningful customer engagement.

Learn how the Sprout Open Health API’s modular and extensible platform architecture can drive business outcomes that matter to your organization.  Book your discovery call today. 

Book Your Discovery Call

 

  1. Covdy, Veronica. “Turning Happy Customers into Brand Advocates”, Adroll, October 28, 2021, https://www.adroll.com/blog/turning-happy-customers-into-brand-advocates

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