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3 steps to building a community for your business
H
ow businesses communicate their values to their customers has changed dramatically in the last few years. With the emergence of social media and net-
working sites, businesses have pivoted from relying solely on one-off marketing campaigns, to a long-term content market- ing strategy which builds com- munities of engaged, interested customers who are loyal to their brand and eager to try their new products and services. Let's face it: building a com-
Social Media Alyson Shane
munity can be a challenge. However, research has shown that customers in communities spend 19% more than customers who aren't, which means spend- ing that time developing a com- munity could seriously impact your business' bottom line. With this in mind, forward- thinking brands should be con-
sidering how they can leverage existing social networks in order to talk to (and hear from) their customers and target audience. Te key element to building a community is participation.
Social media managers tasked with managing a brand's community need to be just as devoted to their own followers if they expect anything in return. Respect, as they say, is a two way street. Use the B=MAT Model to Drive Engagement
Te idea of building a community, enticing new members,
retaining existing ones, and creating and sharing content that engages and produces qualified leads for your business can be daunting when you look at all the details involved, so we recommend starting at the beginning: When it comes to creating environments that motivate
people to take the action you want, we like BJ Fogg's Behav- ior Model, which breaks actions down into three categories: Motivation, Ability, and Trigger. When a behavior doesn't take place, one of these three elements is missing from the equation. We can also break these elements down into questions that
we can refer to while building our communities: 1. Are community members motivated to participate? 2. Do they have the means to participate? 3. If there a trigger that encourages participation? Keep these questions in your mind while designing, man-
aging, and creating content for your community in order to make sure that you're always keeping your members in mind and providing them with opportunities to connect with your brand. Plan, Build, Grow: A How-To
Building a community is much more than just creating
a page and clicking 'Invite'; it takes planning, preparation, and work to build a successful community that speaks to your brand values and encourages two-way communication with your members. Here are three steps to get you started: 1. Plan. Start out by planning your community. Ask your-
self: what value will our community bring to our business and our members? How can we design something that motivates members to contribute and come back for more? If you're not sure how to get started, ask around. Speak to
people in your Sales department, refer to your Buyer Profiles, and speak with Customer Service to determine the questions
Image via
behaviormodel.com
customers ask the most, their likes, dislikes, and challenges, and how your community can grow into a place that not only helps members feel good about engaging, but encourages them to come back for more. 2. Build. Start small - don't try to be too ambitious from
the get-go or you may let yourself (and whoever you report to) down. Te best, most successful communities are the ones that start small and build organically thanks to ongoing member engagement and successful "triggers" from you. Te most effective way to do this is to invite members slowly, over time, to avoid a huge influx at the start and avoid "empty bar syndrome" which occurs when your community looks empty, and as a result members disengage because they don't want to be the only ones participating. By starting small and building up you can show your
community members how to engage with your content and each other. Tis creates a positive and active community that members will want to return to over and over. 3. Grow. You've done your research, consulted with key
stakeholders, and have created a game plan to build and your community organically and in a way that promotes engagement and activity within your member base. Now it's time to think about growing your community so that it can continue to grow and meet the needs of your members and generate confidence in your brand. Some ways you can organically grow your community
include: Connecting to existing events and brand initiatives Link to your community on your website's home page; pro-
mote an upcoming company or industry-related conference; post about community initiatives, sports teams, or other local events your brand participates in or supports. Use your community to showcase who your brand is, not
just what they sell or provide to their customers. By showcas- ing multiple facets of your organization you can appeal to a wider member base who will start to visit your community regularly, and may even invite others to do so as well. Identify Community Champions
Your Social Media Manager shouldn't be the only one wel-
coming, encouraging, and interacting with new community members. While these tasks are important, the key to long- term community success is to find "advocates" for your brand who are actively engaged with your community, and who One of the best ways to do this is to have a few employ-
ees, stakeholders, or partners involved in your community who are invested in seeing the community succeed. Tese individuals should be tasked with Liking, Commenting, and engaging in conversations with community members; this way members are engaging with more people than just your brand. Do you have any social media or content marketing related
questions for me? Tweet at me at @alysonshane on Twitter or drop me a line at our website,
www.starling.social.
Are you about to buy your first home? H
ello SmartBIZ readers. My name is Michael Cabral, Mortgage Broker at Dominion Lending
Spooner Financial and I want to touch on some tips for first time homebuyers Te first and most crucial
part of buying a home is get- ting pre-approved for the right mortgage for you. Peo- ple PLEASE shop around and ASK QUESTIONS. If you take anything from this article I hope it’s this, so that you really under- stand your mortgage. In my profession, I see so many clients who took the word of their local and trusted banker and ended up in a mortgage that didn’t fit their needs. Most t imes when you
heartbreaking and frustrating to say the least. Tis leads me to: Important question number 1
Make sure that your credit checked at time of preapproval. Tere are so many differ- ent things that can affect your credit standing that having this in front of you can only help. Important question Number 2
Do I have an adequate Finance Michael Cabral
walk into a bank looking for a mortgage you will be pre-approved based on income alone. In this situation the bank will then send you on your way so that you can go out find the perfect home, make an offer, it gets accepted, then the bank says “oh sorry actually we didn’t have all the information in place.” This type of situation can be
October 2017
down payment and WHERE is it coming from. Many people don’t know that a down payment can come from resources like a TFSA, savings accounts or RRSPs for first time home buyers or from a gift letter from a family mem- ber. You can also have
the down payment from inheritance. What most don’t know is that anything that was deposited into your account of $2000 or more will be questioned and should be prepared to answer. Important question Number 3 So now that you have your down payment for 5% down, how much have
listen to the radio, you would have needed to buy a video/ picture camera, or MP3 player to listen to music. Now smart phones can do all of those tasks, along with tablets (which Apple also help revolutionized with the iPad in 2010), pushing mobile computing forward. A smart phone or tablet is like
Big things come in small packages S
a computer within the palm of your hands. Consider, today's' the processing power of a smart phone is millions times more than NASA computers in the 1960's or when they sent the first man to the Moon. Mobile is now becoming the
Clean Tech Adam Johnston
optimum choice for computing. Before smart phones or tablets, you were more likely to have to use your desktop or laptop to access the Internet. However,
consumers could not drag along their desktop, while laptops had issues of their own. Tat has all changing with smartphones (and to a lesser
extent tablets). With 3G, 4G, and soon 5G mobile networks, anyone can access the Internet anywhere on the planet. With 3.5 billion users mostly from developing nations
coming online by 2020, mobile will be the preferred way to access the Internet. By 2020, according to CNBC, there will be 6 billion smart phones on the planet. Meanwhile, renewable energy is continuing to evolve.
Falling prices are making it more attractive for consumers in both the developed and developing the world as many technologies, including solar and wind are reaching grid parity in many regions. We are seeing this occur in both the developed and
developing the world with how both renewable energy and smart phones are building the cleantech infrastructure needed to move past the fossil fuel economy. For example, smart
phone apps can map out electric vehicle charg- ing stations around the planet. PlugShare allows for
Tesla Model S, Chevy Volt, and Nissan LEAF users to check where there are charging sta- tions. Te app has won crit ical acclaim from both CleanTechnica, and Green Car Reports for its detailed, yet sim- plicity of use. Solar panel install-
ince the release of Apple’s first iPhone in 2007, smart phones have made an impact on many levels. Before, if you wanted to shoot a photo, video, or
Of course there's an app for that. The Plugshare app helps you locate where to find a charge for your electric car.
you set aside for your layers costs? In my experience, most first time buyers had no idea that there was more to pay be- sides the down payment. People should be prepared to have about 2.5% saved for lawyer’s costs, title insurance, land transfer tax and taxes to be paid out to the end of the year. Important question Number 4 What kind of mortgage do I need? Do
I need a 5 year mortgage? What are my options when it comes to pre-payment on the mortgage? What is my penalty if I pay my mortgage out earlier? Do I need to go with a 5 year mortgage or will I be in the house for 3 years? Tese are great questions your mortgage professional should be asking you when you’re go- ing through the pre-approval process. To everyone that is looking to get
a mortgage, instead of being focused on how much I am going to pay each month what you should be asking is what mortgage suits me the best. I look forward to writing you next month. Have an awesome month and I look for- ward to your feedback. Feel free to mes- sage me at mcabral@dominionlending. ca Mike Cabral Mortgage Professional Dominion lending Spooner Financial.
www.smartbizwpg.com
ers are also using smart phone apps. Installers including SunRun and SolarCity have apps which allow for customer interactions amongst each other through social media while providing them real-time information on how much solar energy they are generating while saving on energy costs. But perhaps the biggest impact where mobile comput-
ing within the cleantech realm is having is of course in developing nations. According to the World Resources Institute, notes pay as you go (PAYG) solar can provide a solution for energy poverty within Sub-Saharan Africa. According to the Global Off-Grid Lighting Association
and the World Bank's Lighting Global group, PAYG solar transactions reached $41 million in 2016, while 110.9 mil- lion consumers have benefited from the power of off grid solar electricity. Companies PEG in Ghana are harnessing the power of
mobile technology, and solar to create new exciting busi- nesses. Tey offer a plan where after a $35 deposit and a 12-month payment plan consumers can receive their solar system, radio, lantern, and a mobile charging station. Most PEG customers earn $1-$6 a day. While smart phone apps for electric vehicles and solar
energy tracking systems are exciting, its PEG’s example, which is a powerful testament to what author Tomas Friedman says we are in “An Age of Acceleration.” When you mix two disrupting technologies, to provide a new service for underserved consumers in the developing world: Tat's life changing! Tis can inspire other regions, including our Aboriginal communities in Canada. Sometimes big things come in small packages. Adam Johnston is a freelance writer and owns a part time
social media and clean tech writing business. You can go to his website at
www.salayconsulting.com or email him at
salayconsulting@gmail.com.
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