Community marketing

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Community marketing is a strategy to engage an audience in an active, non-intrusive prospect and customer conversation. This does four things:

• Connects customers with prospects
• Connects prospects with each other
• Connects a company with customers/prospects
• Connects customers with customers

There are two types of community marketing:

• Organic (created by users with no company intervention)
• Sponsored (fostered and hosted by a company)

[edit] Companies employing community marketing

While they may not call it "community marketing", many companies and nonprofit organizations are creating forums, user forums, developer forums and other community-driven vehicles. Among them are:

• Sun Microsystems: Java Forums
• Oracle Corporation: Technology Network
• Microsoft: Channel 9 Forums
• Intuit, Inc.: Developer Network
• Intuit, Inc.: Support Forums
• Quickbooks Blogs and Forums
• Simply Hired: Simply Forums
• PayPal Developer Network: Forums, Solutions Directory and Blogs
• The LEGO Company: Forums, corporate blogs, direct consumer interaction

• Nonprofit
  • Mozilla Foundation: Spread Firefox
• Users are creating their own in just about every topic
  • Yahoo! Groups
  • Google Groups

• Consulting Firms
  • Big in Japan

[edit] Benefits

• Customer Insight
• Identification of customer needs
• Customer-focused Product development needs
• Instant Consumer feedback
• Competitive Insight
• Ability to quickly enter the conversation
• Ability to prime market for market introductions
• Fire Management and Damage Control
• Identify and engage Advocates
• Identify and engage Detractors
• Reduce support costs: Customers helping Customers
• Social Networking: Users with similar interests will connect and grow
• Knowledge Management: Grow body of information about your products
• Owning and leading the conversation in your industry
• The 'place to go' for information about your space - trusted vendor
• Demonstrate openness, transparency
• Demonstrate customer focus

[edit] Tools used in community marketing

Community marketing occurs when companies develop sustainable, positive relationships with their prospects and customers. In situations where it is difficult or costly to talk to all prospects (especially in today's globalized marketplace), leveraging web tools can be advantageous.

• For Profit/Non Profit Partnering
• Corporate Designed/Funded Citizen Empowerment Program
• Online forums
• Wikis
• Blogs
• Social networks
• Syndication
• Messaging systems (Instant messaging, Private messaging, or E-mail)
• Any other "participant controlled" tool

Resources:

• [1] The Community Action Network
• [2] The Sensible City - creators of the Community-Oriented Marketing System
• [3] Community Oriented Marketing: The Definitive Guide to Enlightened Business Development by Ian Bryan (February 2004 - ISBN 0-595-30881-3)
• [4] The Customer Interaction Manifesto