Plethora Growing Your Online Community
Content
Plethora
Issue 1 | Volume 1 February 21, 2011
Growing Your Online Community
_____________________________________________ Contact: [email protected] Download or Respond Powered by Hover
Inside
Growing Your Online Community Recaps Week One Topics Don’t Just “Jump In” Define your Product or Service Understand Your Target Audience Identify the Segments within Your Audience How this Helps Your Web Strategy Discussion Define your Product or Service Define your Target Audience Announcements Thank You!
_____________________________________________ Contact: [email protected] Download or Respond Powered by Hover
Growing Your Online Community Recaps
Week One
This was our first week of activity, so we focused the most on learning about each other. This is something that will hopefully continue as we talk more and more about our businesses and what we want to accomplish through the Internet and social media. Here are some of the posts:
_____________________________________________ Contact: [email protected] Download or Respond Powered by Hover
Topics
Don’t Just “Jump In”
There is a common conception among business people that time moves faster on the Internet and in Social Media than in real life. In many ways, this is true, judging from the rate at which technology changes or websites rise and fall in popularity. A common fear is that you need to “jump in” and catch up with your competitors who are already using Social Media to grow their business or risk being left far behind. In other words, “evolve or die.” Internet technology has also made it easy to “jump in” and get started in only a matter of minutes. Consider, for example, that I was able to launch the “Grow Your Online Community” group on Facebook in only a few steps. Was this the most efficient way I could go about starting that group? Were there steps that I should have completed beforehand? Well, I have my answers to those questions, but instead of giving them I need to defer to you, my audience. Because everything that I write here in this document, or post in the group, is meant to help me serve you and hopefully attract additional participants who are interested in growing their community. I need to meet your needs or expectations. Failing to do that would reduce my chances for success, and probably scare everyone away from the group. So, my answer to those questions is that I did the wrong thing when I started this group. Instead of beginning with the technology, I should have sat down and tried to determine my strategy. I would do this by asking questions about my product or service, and then asking questions about my audience.
Define your Product or Service
The good news is that you most likely understand the service or product that you are offering to your client or customers. Or, if you are a new business you might have written a business plan which defines what your mission and goals are. For me, this group is a little harder to define because I am planning on letting your questions shape the nature of what I cover. Here are some questions to ask about your business: 1. Name your business’ most unique service or product. 2. How does your business differentiate itself from your competitors (or comparators) _____________________________________________ Contact: [email protected] Download or Respond Powered by Hover
Understand Your Target Audience
This is the step that a lot of people skip as they are “jumping into” social media. Even if you do understand who your audience is, and how you can best serve them, its important to try to understand how they are using the Internet. This has a lot to do with customer behavior and demographics. Here are some questions you can ask about your audience: 1. Describe one or two of your most loyal or best customers. 2. Pick one of the customers from the above question. Why do you believe that this customer has remained so loyal?
Identify the Segments within Your Audience
No customer is exactly the same, but when you closely its possible to identify similarities which allow you to group them together into groups of like-minded customers called “segments.” Within your different industries, you can probably identify the different reasons why your customers stop by your businesses or clients call your number. But, can you guess what they were thinking? When my wife and I were planning our wedding, we worked together to make some very big decisions about the centerpieces and the entre, but there were some choices that I didn’t worry about as much as my wife did. The businesses who understood that would know that I was interested in the just overview, and that they could save the details for my then-fiancee. How many of your customers come ready to learn everything about your business, and how many are simply window shopping or passing through? Knowing the answer to this question can help when you getting ready to build up a community on the Internet.
How this Helps Your Web Strategy
When you understand your audience, you are able to develop a website or social media strategy which appeals to every possible type of web visitor in your segments.
Discussion
Here are those questions again. Think about them, and then post your responses on the group in Facebook. _____________________________________________ Contact: [email protected] Download or Respond Powered by Hover
Define your Product or Service
Here are some questions to ask about your business: 3. Name your business’ most unique service or product. 4. How does your business differentiate itself from your competitors (or comparators)
Define your Target Audience
Here are some questions you can ask about your audience: 3. Describe one or two of your most loyal or best customers. Pick one of the customers from the above question. Why do you believe that this customer has remained so loyal?
_____________________________________________ Contact: [email protected] Download or Respond Powered by Hover
Progress Report
I’m using a service called Remember the Milk to track the tasks that I assign to everyone on the group. Within my account, I’ve set up one list for each participant where I store copies of the tasks I set up. You are encouraged to sign up with an account at http:// www.rememberthemilk.com and update your task list whenever you respond to a question or complete a group activity. Here is the list of activities so far: ● ● ● Post Introduction into Facebook Group (21 Feb 11) Define your business's Product or Service Define your Target Audience
You can view this list inside Remember the Milk by going here.
_____________________________________________ Contact: [email protected] Download or Respond Powered by Hover
Announcements
Thank You!
Thank you everyone for joining me on this journey of learning and exploration! I hope that I will be able to help you with your endeavours out on the Internet, but suspect that you might also teach me a thing or two about social media. The Internet is so new and undefined that no one ever really feels like they understand the “rules” for how things should work. So, thank you for sticking with me and participating in the discussions this week. Everything stays so busy in everyone’s lives that I wanted to find a way to pull back a little bit and keep the pace at a uncomfortable level. I’m hoping that by publishing this newsletter once a week I will give everyone something to chew on and maybe spark some discussion in the Facebook group. Remember that my thoughts or opinions are not the end all or be all of the Internet--in fact, I could possibly be wrong about everything that I write! So, its important to ask questions and dissect anything that you feel the need to dissect. Although I’ve taken up the role of a leader, my plan is really to let you guys lead by following up on your questions or discussions with helpful commentaries or suggestions.
_____________________________________________ Contact: [email protected] Download or Respond Powered by Hover
Issue 1 | Volume 1 February 21, 2011
Growing Your Online Community
_____________________________________________ Contact: [email protected] Download or Respond Powered by Hover
Inside
Growing Your Online Community Recaps Week One Topics Don’t Just “Jump In” Define your Product or Service Understand Your Target Audience Identify the Segments within Your Audience How this Helps Your Web Strategy Discussion Define your Product or Service Define your Target Audience Announcements Thank You!
_____________________________________________ Contact: [email protected] Download or Respond Powered by Hover
Growing Your Online Community Recaps
Week One
This was our first week of activity, so we focused the most on learning about each other. This is something that will hopefully continue as we talk more and more about our businesses and what we want to accomplish through the Internet and social media. Here are some of the posts:
_____________________________________________ Contact: [email protected] Download or Respond Powered by Hover
Topics
Don’t Just “Jump In”
There is a common conception among business people that time moves faster on the Internet and in Social Media than in real life. In many ways, this is true, judging from the rate at which technology changes or websites rise and fall in popularity. A common fear is that you need to “jump in” and catch up with your competitors who are already using Social Media to grow their business or risk being left far behind. In other words, “evolve or die.” Internet technology has also made it easy to “jump in” and get started in only a matter of minutes. Consider, for example, that I was able to launch the “Grow Your Online Community” group on Facebook in only a few steps. Was this the most efficient way I could go about starting that group? Were there steps that I should have completed beforehand? Well, I have my answers to those questions, but instead of giving them I need to defer to you, my audience. Because everything that I write here in this document, or post in the group, is meant to help me serve you and hopefully attract additional participants who are interested in growing their community. I need to meet your needs or expectations. Failing to do that would reduce my chances for success, and probably scare everyone away from the group. So, my answer to those questions is that I did the wrong thing when I started this group. Instead of beginning with the technology, I should have sat down and tried to determine my strategy. I would do this by asking questions about my product or service, and then asking questions about my audience.
Define your Product or Service
The good news is that you most likely understand the service or product that you are offering to your client or customers. Or, if you are a new business you might have written a business plan which defines what your mission and goals are. For me, this group is a little harder to define because I am planning on letting your questions shape the nature of what I cover. Here are some questions to ask about your business: 1. Name your business’ most unique service or product. 2. How does your business differentiate itself from your competitors (or comparators) _____________________________________________ Contact: [email protected] Download or Respond Powered by Hover
Understand Your Target Audience
This is the step that a lot of people skip as they are “jumping into” social media. Even if you do understand who your audience is, and how you can best serve them, its important to try to understand how they are using the Internet. This has a lot to do with customer behavior and demographics. Here are some questions you can ask about your audience: 1. Describe one or two of your most loyal or best customers. 2. Pick one of the customers from the above question. Why do you believe that this customer has remained so loyal?
Identify the Segments within Your Audience
No customer is exactly the same, but when you closely its possible to identify similarities which allow you to group them together into groups of like-minded customers called “segments.” Within your different industries, you can probably identify the different reasons why your customers stop by your businesses or clients call your number. But, can you guess what they were thinking? When my wife and I were planning our wedding, we worked together to make some very big decisions about the centerpieces and the entre, but there were some choices that I didn’t worry about as much as my wife did. The businesses who understood that would know that I was interested in the just overview, and that they could save the details for my then-fiancee. How many of your customers come ready to learn everything about your business, and how many are simply window shopping or passing through? Knowing the answer to this question can help when you getting ready to build up a community on the Internet.
How this Helps Your Web Strategy
When you understand your audience, you are able to develop a website or social media strategy which appeals to every possible type of web visitor in your segments.
Discussion
Here are those questions again. Think about them, and then post your responses on the group in Facebook. _____________________________________________ Contact: [email protected] Download or Respond Powered by Hover
Define your Product or Service
Here are some questions to ask about your business: 3. Name your business’ most unique service or product. 4. How does your business differentiate itself from your competitors (or comparators)
Define your Target Audience
Here are some questions you can ask about your audience: 3. Describe one or two of your most loyal or best customers. Pick one of the customers from the above question. Why do you believe that this customer has remained so loyal?
_____________________________________________ Contact: [email protected] Download or Respond Powered by Hover
Progress Report
I’m using a service called Remember the Milk to track the tasks that I assign to everyone on the group. Within my account, I’ve set up one list for each participant where I store copies of the tasks I set up. You are encouraged to sign up with an account at http:// www.rememberthemilk.com and update your task list whenever you respond to a question or complete a group activity. Here is the list of activities so far: ● ● ● Post Introduction into Facebook Group (21 Feb 11) Define your business's Product or Service Define your Target Audience
You can view this list inside Remember the Milk by going here.
_____________________________________________ Contact: [email protected] Download or Respond Powered by Hover
Announcements
Thank You!
Thank you everyone for joining me on this journey of learning and exploration! I hope that I will be able to help you with your endeavours out on the Internet, but suspect that you might also teach me a thing or two about social media. The Internet is so new and undefined that no one ever really feels like they understand the “rules” for how things should work. So, thank you for sticking with me and participating in the discussions this week. Everything stays so busy in everyone’s lives that I wanted to find a way to pull back a little bit and keep the pace at a uncomfortable level. I’m hoping that by publishing this newsletter once a week I will give everyone something to chew on and maybe spark some discussion in the Facebook group. Remember that my thoughts or opinions are not the end all or be all of the Internet--in fact, I could possibly be wrong about everything that I write! So, its important to ask questions and dissect anything that you feel the need to dissect. Although I’ve taken up the role of a leader, my plan is really to let you guys lead by following up on your questions or discussions with helpful commentaries or suggestions.
_____________________________________________ Contact: [email protected] Download or Respond Powered by Hover
