How to build community

To build community online YOU need to get your audience talking. The most important thing in developing a relationship with your audience is to engage them. So many times we speak with marketers about their "community" plans and they are simply missing the boat. People don't seem to understand just how difficult it is to build community. Many feel that putting technology into place, blasting an email to customers and posting an occasional message is enough. Au contraire, if this is your approach too then you are completely wasting your time. Think about what community means: "A group of people having common interests" (one definition). To bring people together that share common interests you need to connect with them as a peer on their level. In fact your entire organization needs to engage in your efforts and join the community. If you commit to a strategy of being one of your customers and engaging them directly as peers, your messages will be viewed as authentic (not a self-serving sales pitch) then they will genuinely feel like part of the (your) family. If you can accomplish this then your audience will come to you via your new friends' friends.

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