What is a micro-community and why should you create one
Two businesses are selling similar goods, but one of them is growing faster, attracting more customers growing rapidly into new market.
What's the difference between the two? One has a micro-community where members gather to share opinions, basically telling company owners what features and add-ons they want.
If you're looking to develop quality relationships with customers, improve lead conversion and offer the best value to your target audience the niche community might be exactly what you require. They may be small (as the phrase "micro" indicates), but they provide huge benefits for business and their customers.
Wondering what micro-communities are and ways to utilize micro-communities to make an impact and expand your business? Stay with us for a quick, but thorough review.
What exactly is a micro-community?
Micro-communities are extremely-focused, exclusive online groups that are hosted by an organization to help clients or potential customers. Though micro-communities might be smaller (up to, say, 100 members), "micro" doesn't necessarily refer to the number of members in the community. However, "micro" refers to the niche or micro aspect of the community rather than its size.
Micro-communities are a good example.
Micro-communities can be found in a vast range of structures and formats. How you structure and format your micro-community will depend on your goals for the group. This is a bit of inspiration to help those of you...
Glossier's customer communities
Glossier is known by its nickname of"the "people-powered beauty ecosystem" has perfected the art of staying connected to its customers. They do this by inviting top customers to Slack chat groups which allow them to connect and keep in touch.
They are extremely local, and members exchange over 1,100 messages weekly which creates an interaction loop with the most active fans of Glossier.
Doodle Institute's members clubhouse
Doodle The Institute offers online courses to help people learn to draw. Students get basic training in the course. As a bonus the students are also granted admission to Doodle Clubhouse. Doodle Clubhouse.
The Clubhouse gives students a safe place to discuss their work, and network with other doodlers.
MyYogaPal's Community
MyYogaPal aids users connect to themselves and their yoga practice. They also provide a yoga community where students can connect with other those who love yoga.
One of the biggest benefits of having micro-communities
Micro-communities encourage feedback
Micro-communities are typically small and informal, they are a safe space where people are able to share their thoughts and hopes. This makes them a smart strategy for gathering genuine feedback regarding your products or service.
An investigation by Zak has revealed that 60 percent of those younger than 30 prefer to share their opinions in safe places like groups that are private and are less comfortable chatting on forums that are open to discussion. This isn't just an age-related problem. If a group is comprised of members "like me" individuals tend to feel more confident in sharing their opinions.
If you establish a small community where your customers feel heard (and connected), they're more likely to express their thoughts and experiences.
Tips for a successful HTML0: Don't let good feedback go to waste. Take action on it and your customers will be feeling extra appreciated and special, just like the customer of the Payment processor Stripe.
From anonymity to real connection
Often, it becomes hard to establish a face for the name of a person when you're receiving reviews from your customers on the Internet. While Google reviews and posts in public forums provide excellent social proof for your business however, they're not so valuable as you think they are. There are people on forums that don't fit into your ideal customer profile, the one that you could learn the most from.
However, if you establish an online community for 100 of your top customers, you can ensure that you count on their comments.
When you interact with them within the local community You'll begin to get familiar with them. You'll begin to understand their objectives, including how they're attempting to reach them. By understanding this it will be possible to create new products and features that help them achieve those objectives.
Build a mutually beneficial support network
As community members share similar desires and interests and goals, they form solid bonds. In turn, they will support one another, making your job simpler.
If customers publish a question about your product or service on a micro-communitysite, most likely, they'll get responses from a variety of like-minded people willing to share their experiences thoughts, opinions, and experiences.
These are powerful interactions built around your brand, a positive outcome for your business as well as your fans.
What are the reasons to start an micro-community?
As we've discussed, micro-communities make a significant contribution for any company. However, you may be wondering if a community is the best choice for your needs. To make your choice easier, here are the three main reasons to consider setting up the micro-community.
It's more than just a service provider.
If you can make your clients feel connected (through micro-focus communities or otherwise), you become more than just a familiar name or a popular celebrity. Communities can help build authentic connections with your customers, increasing the sense of belonging as well as loyalty.
You're now seen as a friend or mentor, not just another online course creator. That expands your network, making it easier to develop and market new products.
It's easier to serve multiple customer types.
Micro-communities can be a fantastic method of serving clients in many different industries and particular niche.
For example, let's say you provide corporate training to large companies and sell self-guided classes that cover similar concepts to people. Instead of creating a single community that isn't able to serve both groups well, you can create a unique group for each of the segments.
The focus of your business can be on the needs of your customers and customize content to meet their needs. This way, each customer receives the assistance that is most helpful for them.
It is a form of social evidence.
Micro-communities can provide " social proof" for your company. Once someone signs up to your group you will see their posts and the respect they feel for your brand. If they didn't know you in advance They'll soon realize that your authority and is trustworthy.
Positivity is contagious. The new members are quick to pick up on the energy of the group and adopt the same attitude of positivity. Be aware that if your product has issues or your company gets criticized for their ethical practices (may it not be so) the community can be an avenue for the venting of anger.
How can a micro-community grow to become something larger?
If you establish a micro-community and provide customers a safe place to engage with you and others, it creates loyalty.
In the realm of business, loyalty is worth more than gold. It's one thing that can't be bought no matter the amount you invest in marketing.
They're not just more likely to buy from you, but they're more likely to praise the quality of your goods and services in conversation with others who share the same values which can increase your revenue.
In promoting loyalty and improving customer experiences Micro-communities can be growth engines for your business--leading to customer retention, new customers, or even fantastic ideas for innovative products and services you know people are looking for!
Here's one illustration of how to expand a micro-community and make it more substantial.
In the group, share your plan for creating the course. Examine your material with group members, and get their feedback. Once you know what they need, you can create your final curriculum.
Your group can serve as an incubator for other products also. After you've released the course, ask your best students to join your micro-community. Invite them to offer their feedback about your course. You can also get their opinions in the process of create your next course.
You can then start a spin-off group, where all of your students interact each other, work on the material in class as well as answer each other's questions.
Start building your micro-community
Have you been convinced about the value and promise of micro-communities? If so, your next step should be to start creating one. Here are our tips to get to the point of starting:
Choose your strategy. It is possible to create micro-communities by yourself, or work with influential people. Influencers already have an active public, but creating something of your own can make your micro-community appear more significant.
Invite members. Make sure to spread the word about your community. Invite people who will help you create an environment that is positive and active. you envision.
Build relationships within your niche community. Make sure to engage with members. Make yourself available and present. It's also a good idea to offer them the first look into the latest products and services. Make members feel special with exclusive access.
Keep it fun, engaging, empathetic, and purposeful. The group shouldn't be used for marketing and sales. Focus is on building relationships and sharing knowledge.
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