What's a micro-community, and why should you create one
Two firms are selling the same goods, but one of them has a higher growth rate, and is attracted by better clients, and quickly expanding into new market.
What is the distinction between the two? One has a micro-community where members gather to share feedback, essentially telling the company owners what attributes and enhancements they'd like.
If you're looking to establish good relationships with customers, convert leads faster and offer worth to your customers, a niche community is just what you need. Although they may seem small (as the term "micro" implies) yet they can provide big benefits to businesses and customers alike.
Do you want to know what micro-communities are? And ways to utilize these to help grow your business? Follow us to get a quick, but thorough run-down.
What exactly is a micro-community?
micro-communities are exclusive, highly-focused online groups that are managed by a business to support clients or potential customers. Though micro-communities might be smaller (up to say 100 participants), "micro" doesn't necessarily refer to the number of members in the community. In fact, "micro" refers to the niche or micro aspect of the community and not its size.
Examples of micro-communities
Micro-communities are available in a broad range of structures and formats. How you structure and format your personal micro-community is contingent on your purpose for the group. Here's a little inspiration for you...
Glossier's communities of customers
Glossier, fondly known as"the "people-powered beauty ecosystem," has mastered the art of staying connected with its clients. It does this by inviting its top customers to Slack chat groups which allow them to engage and stay connected.
They are extremely local, and members exchange over 1,100 messages each week which creates feedback from Glossier's most engaged fans.
The Doodle Institute's clubhouse for members
Doodle The Institute sells online courses that instruct people on how to draw. The students receive basic instruction through the program. In addition, for a reward students also have an access pass for the Doodle Clubhouse.
The Clubhouse offers students a safe place to ask questions, share their creations, and interact with other artists.
MyYogaPal's Community
MyYogaPal helps users connect to themselves and their yoga practice. It also offers a yoga community where students can connect with other those who love yoga.
The main benefits of a micro-community
Micro-communities facilitate feedback
Micro-communities are generally informal and intimate and are an ideal place where individuals can discuss their ideas and goals. As a result, they're an effective method of gathering genuine feedback regarding your products and services.
A study by Zak has revealed that 60% of people younger than 30 prefer to share their thoughts in secure spaces like private groups and are less comfortable chatting on forums that are open to discussion. But this isn't an age-related concern. In a community that's composed of individuals "like me" the people be more comfortable in sharing their opinions.
If you establish the feeling of a community that makes your customers feel heard (and engaged) and feel connected, they're more likely to share their opinions and stories.
Tips for a successful HTML0: Don't let good feedback get lost. Take action on it and your customers will be feeling extra appreciated and special, just like the customer of the Payment processor Stripe.
From anonymity to connection
Sometimes, it's difficult to create a persona for an individual's name when you're receiving feedback from customers across the Internet. Although Google reviews and comments left in public forums provide an excellent source of evidence of your company's social standing however, they're not so valuable as you think they could be. These may contain people who aren't part of the ideal customer profile - who you can get the most information from.
But when you create the micro-community of 100 best customers, you'll be able to rest assured that you can be sure to trust their opinions.
When you interact with them on the social scene, you'll get to know them. You'll be able to comprehend the goals they have, and the things they're trying to achieve. By understanding this you'll be able create new products and features which help them meet their goals.
Build a mutually beneficial help network
As community members share similar interests and goals and goals, they form strong bonds. In turn, they will support one another which makes your work more efficient.
If your clients post questions regarding your service or product on a micro-community, chances are, they'll receive replies from many like-minded users who want to share their stories, experiences, ideas, and stories.
These are powerful interactions built around your brand. It's a winning combination for both your company and your fans.
Why create a micro-community?
As we've discussed, micro-communities make a significant contribution to any business. You may still be unsure if a micro-community is the right option for your business. In order to make the decision more straightforward, here are top three reasons to consider creating a micro-community.
It's more than just a service provider.
In the event that you help your customers feel included (through micro-focus communities or otherwise), you become more than just a familiar name or a popular celebrity. Communities allow you to build genuine relationships with your clients, improving the sense of belonging as well as loyalty.
Now, you're seen as a mentor or friend, not just another online course creator. That expands your network and makes it much easier to develop and market new products.
It's much easier to accommodate different types of customers.
Micro-communities offer a wonderful way of serving customers in multiple industries or specific niche.
Let's take an example. For instance, suppose you provide corporate training to corporations and offer self-guided classes that cover similar concepts to people. Instead of creating a single community that isn't able to serve both groups efficiently, it is possible to create a unique community for each segment.
You can laser focus on the demands of your clients, and personalize content to the needs of your customers. Thus, each group will receive the help that's most helpful for them.
It is a form of social evidence.
Micro-communities provide " social proof" to your business. If someone is a member of your community you will see their post and also the admiration they feel for your brand. If they don't know about who you were prior to joining your community it will be easy for them to see that you're a leader who can be trusted.
Positivity is contagious. Members who are new will pick up on the energy of the group and adopt the same positive attitude. Take note that if the product you sell runs into issues or your brand comes under fire for ethical business practices (may that not be true) Communities can turn into an avenue for the venting of anger.
How does a micro-community develop into something bigger?
If you establish a micro-community and provide users with a secure space to interact with you and the other members, it builds loyalty.
In the realm of business it's more important to have loyalty than gold. This is one of the things that cannot be purchased, regardless of how much you spend on marketing.
Not only are loyal customers more likely to buy from your company, they're also more likely to praise the quality of your products and services with other people who are similar to them which can increase your revenue.
By fostering loyalty as well as improving customer service, micro-communities can become businesses' growth engines, leading to increased customer retention, new customers, or even fantastic ideas for innovative products and services you know consumers want!
Here's a great illustration of how to develop a micro-community to something larger.
In the group, share your ideas for the course. Examine your material with people in the group and collect their opinions. Once you've identified what they need, you can create your final curriculum.
It is possible to use the group to create an environment for the development of other products as well. Once you release your course, you can invite your top students to join the micro-community. Encourage them to give you feedback on your course and get their opinions in the process of create your next course.
You can then establish a spin-off social network that is where your students engage in a dialogue, go on the material in class, and answer one another's concerns.
Start building your micro-community
Have you been convinced about the value and promise of micro-communities? If so, your next step should be to start creating one. Below are our recommendations for getting started:
Select the best strategy for you. You could either start micro-communities yourself or collaborate with influential people. Influencers already have an engaged followers, however making your own micro-community can make your micro-community appear more important.
Invite members. Spread the word about your community. Invite people who can aid you in creating an environment that is positive and active. you desire.
Build relationships within the community you are in. Engage with your members. Be present and accessible. It's also an excellent idea to provide them with first glimpses into the latest products and services. Let them feel special with exclusive access.
Be fun, engaging, empathetic, and purposeful. Do not use the group to promote sales and marketing. The focus is developing relationships and sharing the knowledge.
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