Let's learn Community Positioning today!
Why?
Here's why:
  1. To have a direction
  1. To get everyone on the same page
  1. To track the RIGHT KPIs
  1. To align with business goals and member needs
  1. To have a peace of mind
How?
Step 1: Define the business goal
Question 1: What is the PRIMARY goal of your ideal community?
  • I want to acquire more leads
  • I want my customers to buy more/more often
  • I want to activate brand advocates

TIP: Communities might serve businesses in more than one way, but it's important to concentrate your efforts on ONE primary goal. Choose the goal that is most impactful for your business.
Step 2: Define the business objectives

TIP: Only select objectives that map back to the primary goal you've chosen in Step 1.
Question 2: What primary objectives do I want my community to serve?
"I want to acquire more leads."
  • Generate more prospects by increasing offer awareness
  • Generate more leads by increasing retargeting lists
  • Generate more leads by increasing website traffic
  • Generate more leads by increasing market research
  • Enter your own objectives
If you said…
"I want my customers to buy more/more often."
  • Increase sales by increasing retargeting lists
  • Generate sales by increasing website traffic
  • Generate sales by increasing offer awareness
  • Generate sales by increasing customer satisfaction
  • Enter your own objectives
If you said…
"I want to activate brand advocates."
  • Increase number of customer testimonials
  • Increase number of active promoters
  • Increase word of mouth referrals
  • Increase number of affiliate sales
  • Increase retention of active promoters
  • Enter your own objectives
Step 3: Map your target audience
Question 3: What does my target audience have in common with each other?
Map their goals/Interests/Experiences
STOP
Now take a look at your list and highlight the ones that are most compelling for a community.
What common bonds are most likely to unite your target audience? What commonalities are most likely to influence discussion among your members?
Example:
If your target audience is demographically women from the United States who speak English and own their own business, which demographics are most uniting?
It's most likely women who own their own business - the fact that they are Americans who speak English is not as uniting for your members.
It can be something like…
In our theoretical community, perhaps these women who own their own business have a shared goal of building a network and a shared experience of imposter syndrome.
Step 4: Define the community value
Question 4: What value will your community create for your target audience?
Step 5: Community Positioning
Use any of these templates as a starting point:
K.I.S.S. TEMPLATE
For (target audience) who want to (problem they want solved/opportunity they seek), (name of community) provides (how it solves the problem/offers opportunity).
COMPETITOR TEMPLATE
For (target audience) that need (problem they want solved), (name of community) is a space that (how the community solves the need). Unlike (competitor/time competition), our community (how it differs).
more templates:
CUSTOMER CENTRIC TEMPLATE
For (target audience), (name of community) is a place that will (problem it solves) so that you can (benefit your community brings).
SITUATIONAL TEMPLATE
When (target audience) faces challenges with (situation), they need support from (description of peers). That's where (name of community) comes in.
Congrats!
You now have a fully positioned community that aligns with your business goals.
Special Thanks to:
Riten
Suzi Nelson
Shashank
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