BUILDING CASTLES IN THE SKY

How brands can harness the power of online communities.

While there’s so much good that has come from our relatively new-found connectivity online, many brands still battle to really translate the opportunity into tangible results…. they know it’s out there, and they know it’s vast, but like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow – it’s always just out of reach.

Having recently stepped into the position of joint-CEO for The Brand Power Company SA, this is a challenge we help our clients to tackle. But it’s also one we faced ourselves...

I hosted my first-ever Mumspiration event though, and I am brimming with inspiration and insights that I’m happy to share with the rest of you.

Here’s how to get REAL value out of the VIRTUAL world for your brand…

1.??? RECOGNISE HOW REAL THE VIRTUAL WORLD REALLY IS: In today's fast-paced digital landscape, the role of online communities in shaping brand success has become increasingly pivotal. As a company, we spend our working days driving our clients’ brand growth. How? By fostering meaningful connections with our hundreds of thousands of members. We don’t simply ‘market’ at them, we invest in connecting with them – and connecting them to one another. The results of this approach speak for themselves – don’t just look at the sales figures, look at the comments our members leave under their reviews and our box community posts and articles. They’re real, and they really make a difference.

2.??? OFFER REAL VALUE ONLINE: I’m not just talking about a good deal, I’m talking about the content you create online. To offer genuine value, you’ll need a deep understanding of your target audience. Take the time to research and identify their interests, preferences, and pain points—then create content that resonates with them.?

3.??? PROVIDE REAL AGENCY: Remember, these are real people you’re engaging with – not metrics or transactions. Recognizing them as such, and giving them agency to share their thoughts and interact with your brand and one another creates a sense of belonging (and as a nice knock-on, real brand loyalty). Practically – don’t just talk at your audience – listen to them too. Share insights, conduct polls, host webinars, and encourage discussions. This is the soul of our business – this deep appreciation that every one of our members is a micro-influencer. That we are more alike than we are different. And that we have a responsibility to not simply make money, but to make our members’ lives a little better – by empowering them every step of the way.

4.??? TAKE REAL RISKS: Innovate, adapt, risk a little, then repeat. Easier said than done, I know – but if you don’t go out on a limb sometimes, you’ll never reach the sweetest fruits. If at all possible – step out and provide moments where your online community can meet in real life. I know it’s daunting (and costly) – but in my experience, the rewards outweigh the risk. Personally, hosting our most recent Mumspiration event has been an unexpected highlight of my year. Meeting some of our members, hearing first-hand the impact we’re making, and watching this community grow in real life was nothing short of thrilling. The highlights for me were the unscripted moments – the parts we could never have engineered or anticipated. It was the mom rushing in late, and bursting into tears in the lobby, only to be surrounded by fellow moms who didn’t think twice to reach out and comfort her.

It was watching strangers become friends. It was letting audience members take the mic (a risk for sure) but then, hearing the most heartfelt stories that made us all feel more connected and a little less alone. It was like watching our mumbox tagline move from being sentiment, to solid reality, in real-time: On our own, we can get by, but together – we’re unstoppable. Take a look at the highlights video over here.

That’s it friends and fellow brand-builders. Put these principles in place, and you’ll not just be building castles in the sky – but stronger people and real communities too.