It started by providing content and allowing for discussion, then added live events. All communities have members who assume leadership roles, and those managing an online community should do everything in their power to find the virtual equivalents of the Chamber of Commerce member. If motivated through rewards and recognition, they can become the community s biggest assets. Leaders emerge in almost any thriving discussion group, whether they are networking gurus in Cisco Systems technical discussion forums or farmers on Agriculture Online. Member feedback is probably the most powerful, and least utilized, benefit of community.
Many companies treat feedback as a threat.
Doing so will increase members satisfaction and loyalty, the primary reason for building a community in the first place. The company not only changed the color, but also instituted a process for soliciting community input on coming changes. It s surprisingly common to find companies haven t thought through how having online communities could benefit their businesses. In other words, businesses haven t figured out whether, for instance, they hope to sell more to existing customers or find new customers. Planning a community for the right reasons can bring unexpected benefits.