If you're a small business owner, it can feel like the world is constantly changing. From internet marketing to social media strategies and everything in between, it seems like there are always new things to learn about running your company. However, there's one thing that never changes.. the importance of community for small business owners.
Community is a great way to build your brand. But not only that it is a great way to build your business. And not only that, its is a great way to support your customer base. AND NOT ONLY THAT [!] Its an incredible way to build you reputation and your network too.
In fact it's simple. Community is awesome.
If you're a small business owner, you may be thinking that community isn't something that applies to your particular industry or company size. But even if you don't think of yourself as part of a larger group, and even if your business has only one employee, you are still part of an ecosystem with which customers interact and engage online, in person and through social media channels. The more connected we are with each other (in person or virtually), the better our experiences will be as consumers and clients.
Community building is ridiculously straightforward but its easy to get blinkered by the larger players out there that make it look so complex. Its important to remember these four things to get started.
Ask questions and listen. Small business owners are often so busy running their companies that they don't have time to listen or respond to customer concerns, especially in person. But when you're able to put aside the stress of daily operations and actually engage with people, it can go a long way toward building trust between your brand and its customers.
Be there for them on social media. Social media is an excellent platform for connecting with customers because it allows you to build relationships outside of work hours (and even across time zones). If someone has a question about something related to your product or service, or even just wants advice about using it, you can use these platforms as a way of engaging directly with them without having any face-to-face contact at all! Just remember: always be respectful when responding online; if someone posts something negative about your company or products/services, don't get defensive! Instead try asking questions about how things went wrong so that next time around everything goes smoothly again...which brings us back around again into another key point here which is...
If you want to grow a community, be present. It's that simple.
Be authentic. If you don't have time for your community, why would anyone else? Don't make excuses or give yourself an out, the more honest you are about your schedule and availability, the better off everyone will be in understanding what it takes for them to get involved with what matters most to them (and their businesses).
Be consistent. You don't need to post every day or even every week; however, if there is no consistency then people will lose interest quickly because they won't know when they can expect new content from you next! If possible try posting at least once per week so that others can plan around this schedule knowing when they can count on seeing new content being created by someone who cares enough about them as individuals versus just another business owner trying something different out on social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram where there's little accountability required when it comes down too whether someone actually cares about doing business with us.
You're probably familiar with the concept of community, but what does it actually mean? The dictionary defines a community as "a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common." In this case, we're talking about your business and its surrounding ecosystem, the customers and clients who support your work.
Community is important because it helps us feel connected to others around us and increases our sense of belonging. It also allows us to share knowledge, resources, and experiences that benefit everyone involved in some way or another. This can be especially beneficial for small businesses owners who are working solo most days (or nights) at their desk or standing behind a barista station at their coffee shop!
One of the best ways to learn about your community is by connecting with other people in it. Online communities are a great way to do this, as they allow you to share knowledge and experiences with others who have similar goals or interests. You can also use online communities as an opportunity for self-marketing, as many people will be interested in what you have to offer if they know about your business through these groups.
You don't need any special tools or equipment for this step; all it takes is dedicated time to be present and to engage. Something we ALL forget to do sometimes!
The importance of community for small business owners is something that can't be overstated. If you're a small business owner and you don't know who your customers are, or what they like, or how they interact with each other online, well then, you're going to have a hard time building a community around your brand.
But it doesn't have to be scary! Community building is actually one of the easiest ways to grow your business and there are plenty of tools out there that make it easier than ever before. You just have to get personal with customers (which I know can feel uncomfortable if this isn't something you've done before). And showing up regularly makes all the difference. Showing up regularly means being yourself instead of putting on an act; being authentic means making sure that everything about how people interact with each other shows up in every interaction between members of an online community, including comments from community manager who participate actively as well as regular updates from wider team members who represent themselves authentically too!
We hope you’ve learned a lot about the importance of community for small business owners. Community is key to growing your business, and it can be a lot of fun too! We know that starting out as an entrepreneur can be challenging but don’t worry, we’re here to help. If you want more resources on how to build your business online simply and effectively then do be sure to join our very own community The Digital Circus. It's our monthly membership packed full of other small business owners and creatives striving to build a better business in the online space. We would love to see you there!