From Crowd to Community
How do you build and maintain a successful business community? After more than 25 years of experience in B2B publishing companies, I have finally found the answer. It's all about content, because content is king. It starts with refreshing and practical editorial concepts, such as checklists, roadmaps, subway maps, mind maps and ecosystems. These make complex topics accessible and visual. By loading these concepts with interviews and elaborating on them in management articles with different perspectives, you create understandable, valuable content.
To reach the intended target audience, you need different channels, such as magazines, websites, email newsletters, webinars, video channels and LinkedIn groups. Through the content and channels, you come into contact with people in the target audience, directly or indirectly. And by consulting these persons, we generate new content and the cycle starts again. The target audience feel recognized by this content and splits from the crowd to the community. When a link in the cycle is missing, the community feels it is not properly served and falls apart.
Since Supply Chain Media BV was founded in 2010, we continuously go through this cycle resulting in a loyal and thriving community of supply chain professionals, with a focus on Europe. I have now made the secret of a successful community visually clear as well. Become part of our growing supply chain community by starting with our content on www.supplychainmovement.com.
Customer Success Manager @ SAP | Supply Chain Management Professional & Community Builder / Evangelist
5moThe quote '"THE GREATNESS OF A COMMUNITY IS MOST ACCURATELY MEASURED BY THE COMPASSIONATE ACTIONS OF ITS MEMBERS." (CORETTA SCOTT KING) is the guiding principle in the groups I currently manage. I believe it translates to a business context though activity level would be a second KPI next to the nature of member actions. I recognize how moderators will be the driving force to transforming 'air' (eg value that is not widely shared) at the start but the pinnacle of community building for me is evolving into a stage where no 'encouragement' is needed for members to contribute & interact. For me, the LinkedIn Groups Activity badge serves really well as a KPI. Extending actual conversations into virtual is still the hard nut to crack. We know the majority of people normally don't post anything.
Interim - Project - I help prepare your logistics and transport needs for the future.
5moput people in your network touch with each other and keep asking them about what is most on their mind, relations are more important than most realize.