The word audience is typically used to describe a group of passive individuals sitting calmly by and waiting for a performance to begin. A brand audience is often referred to when speaking about the customers and prospects associated with a specific product, service or business. The fundamental fault with this reference to an audience is the assumption that these individuals are passively awaiting your brand to market to them.
A more accurate assumption would be that these individuals are regularly interacting with either your brand or that of your competitors as they go about their daily lives. They are a community of people that interact with your brand and with each other. Why else do you think word-of-mouth marketing is the most effective means of promoting your brand? It’s because members of a brand community, be it formal or informal, are actively engaged with one another as they are addressing issues in their everyday lives.
These issues can be as simple as, what product to use when washing their clothes or as complex as, what approach to take when turning their business around. Ultimately a decision is arrived at when the individual is actively seeking a solution or when discussing the issue with a friend or colleague. The point is that these interactions are the basis for defining a community around your brand.
Communities are formed when two individuals interact over a common interest. There is the global community, and there are societal communities, cultural communities, and as many other types of community as there are brands. Every brand is a community that we can target, touch and teach through properly positioned sales and marketing.
In the world of business, communities are built around industries, companies, divisions, departments, committees, and teams. These communities are not always made up strictly of like minds and kindred spirits; in fact, healthy competition between community members is often supported and encouraged as a means to increased productivity within a company.
The common thread running through the creation of all these communities is an act of leadership. Whether it is the belief that established the community, or the group that continues the mission of the community, the guiding principles are pronounced and certain to change the world. The leaders of these communities are the individuals we must target through effective sales and marketing.
Companies that listen, learn, create, and communicate effectively will make efforts to reward their communities with a sense of consistency in the non-linear experience of the brand. Empowering each individual with an experience of sharing, participation, and fellowship is the sign of a truly successful brand community. Allowing the brand community members to make their own choices and to have a voice in the common purpose of the community will increase the community’s knowledge base and create a positive brand experience. Clear and consistent communication will lead to education and the opportunity for meaningful community involvement.
It is time to move beyond the typical marketing-speak and reach the point of action. I’m the first to admit that these concepts have been talked about before, but we are all regularly subjected to the failure of small to mid-sized organizations to effectively implement them. Brand community growth can be planned, but the accelerated strategy does not always take into account the personal characteristics of the brand community members.
At the core of the brand community development is the tracking of members and their profiles in relationship to the whole community. Multiple opportunities to query the profile database in increasingly meaningful and revealing ways provide the necessary information for disseminating relevant content to the appropriate members. The brand strategy is now properly integrated due to an understanding of client satisfaction.
For groups to truly benefit from the development of their brand community, they must invest in their members’ sense of belonging. In addition to radio and television publicity and advertising, a focus of considerable efforts on providing written content to various print media sources (e.g., white papers, articles, commentary, local stories, etc.) is still important to the success of any branding effort.
So when you think of your brand remember that there is an active community engaged surrounding your product, service or company. If you continue to think of this group as your brand audience you are overlooking many obvious opportunities to have them participate in the building of your brand as a true community. When you recognize that your brand is comprised of individuals who are eager to interact with your product, service or company as a part of their lives you are developing an ongoing dialogue that results in a positive brand community experience.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ran Mullins is the founder and CEO of metaphor, a full-service interactive agency. He is a consultant and adviser on branding and Web site strategy integration to corporations and community organizations. In addition to being an artist and entrepreneur, he is a business owner and community advocate in Cincinnati's historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood.
