Private online communities can be a powerful resource to help companies deeply engage with, and listen to, customers in ways that deliver extraordinary insights, generating phenomenal business results. One primary benefit of such communities is that they can greatly assist with research and innovation. Additionally, there are opportunities for data mining and uncovering new ideas and trends. The nature of an online community is such that finding the fresh, timely, actionable customer insights can be less cumbersome. To that end, some insights can become game-changers, and others help companies make better, faster decisions.
Private online communities, when done correctly, can be exactly what your customers are demanding. Customers today want to express themselves. They want to be heard, and in the vast majority of cases they genuinely want to help companies make better decisions. A private online community can help a company get closer to its customers—to tap their passions, experiences, insights and ideas. This doesn’t have to be a one-time effort, either, and can be set up for the long term.
AIR views a private online community as a strategic marketing asset. Only the most relevant customers (200-400) are invited to join and regularly spend time brainstorming ideas. They agree upfront to this commitment and are asked to offer advice, share their experiences and feelings, and discuss any trends, ultimately helping to figure out marketing and business issues. However, at the base level the community exists to create a bond among members and allow them to feel heard by the company they are choosing to do business with.
As such, a strong private online community can also drive awareness of and interest in the company. A key measurement of success for the online community will be in the insights obtained from the interaction among members. These findings in turn can be used to improve a range of business metrics: new products, improved service, campaign to increase market share, etc.
In today’s world where increasing numbers of people are spending more time online, setting up a private online community may be a good alternative to focus groups and surveys.
Tags: focus groups, Marketing, online community, private communiites
January 14th, 2009 at 10:27 am
Thanks for the link, Shailesh.
Yes, there are benefits to having a private community. By making it exclusive, you make community membership more desirable. By limiting membership you help ensure that those that are invited to join get active and remain active (as long as they know how competitive membership is).
However, I am a little hesitant to recommend it in all situations and circumstances. Although private communities can allow you to interact with your ‘most relevant customers’, you need to ensure you have an adequate metric for determining who these customers are.
Your most relevant customers may not be your most vocal customers, or your most loyal, or even your best. Depending on your goals, they may even be your biggest complainers! Wow, there’s an idea - invite people that have a negative perception of your brand into a private online community and address the issues they raise!
- Martin Reed
January 14th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Martin,
You have a valid point. The most vocal and expressive folks are the ones you’ll probably learn from when it comes to community engagement. I certainly understand that a private online community is not a be all and end all for everyone. However, when faced with the question of running a focus group, it’s good to have a viable option such as a private online community.