How,Profit,From,Online,Communi marketing How to Profit From an Online Community
Automation technologies represent a fundamental aspect of any modern industry. The major types of industrial automation solutions, such as DCS, PLC, SCADA, and MES, are used on a large-scale in process and discrete industries.DCS technologie Awhile ago, I got an email from one of the "gurus" I follow and it shocked me. The gist of it was this person wanted to trade services for a household item.To say it floored me would be an understatement.What was worse was a few days later t
You may have visited sites that have community efforts. Most these days are ghost towns. Click into a message board and youre likely to see the most recent post is from two months ago or a post that simply says test. This will hurt the credibility of the business. Its like putting up a neon sign in a window saying Now Open and having the doors locked.In times past, online communities were built too fast and without forethought. The atmosphere was more like a ghost town than a community.The complaint became that community doesnt make money. Mopping the floor and emptying the trash doesnt make money, but if you dont do it, youll lose customers who come into a dingy store.So how do you do community right? There are three tools - listed below in order of importance and four actions to consider after you activate the community. Do it right, and your bottom line will improve.The Tools AvailableForums. Message Boards are the most engaging form of community available. Always have been. Always will be. Start small in building your sections and buildout as certain subject matter becomes popular. If you build too many sections at the start, youll have a permanent ghost town before you can spell (critical) MASS.Blogs. Web Logs, or the more popular term blogs, have become the rage. Its a form of community in that everyone can speak their own mind, but its almost like an editorial with replies being letters to the editor. There is not much give and take in the conversation.Chats. Unless a chat rooms purpose is for an online Q&A event or a scheduled gathering, an always-open chat room has more risks than rewards. Be very hesitant to keep one open on your site. One form of chat that can work is the live support chat which acts like an instant messaging tool. If you staff it yourself, it can be labor-intensive. If you outsource it, who knows how well the support team knows your product or service. Either way, it can be costly. If you do launch it, make sure it is available during normal business hours or you will lose credibility.PAVE the Way to ProfitsRemember, community has never been a build it and they will come issue although some disagreed in the late 1990s. There are four active roles you must prepare to take on. Miss on one of these, and you may miss your target altogether. Using the acronym PAVE, build your community and be Patient, be Accessible, be Visible, and be Empowering.Be PatientBuild out your forums and be patient. If you have a newsletter or Blog, promote the forums every chance you get. One technique to start conversations is to create multiple users for you to use and post under each of the names at the start.Be AvailableEither yourself or someone on your team should always be available to the forum for help, answers and solutions as it applies to your product or service. Have a feedback or rants and raves section and respond to posts.Be VisibleTake an active part within the community discussions. Not just as a moderator or monitor, but as a member. Your customers will benefit from your presence and you will always have a focus group available.Be EmpoweringAsk members who have made quality posts if you can use their writings in your newsletter, brochures or blogs. They will love the celebrity status and you will gain the much-needed proof by always having quality testimonials. It will also encourage others to continue to post. Share the spotlight and give the community a sense of ownership in the discussions.Keep your community focused at the start. Let it grow naturally and see where it goes. Listen and learn from your customers. Will you be able to count how much your efforts count towards your profits. Probably not. Nevertheless, do you mop your floors and empty your trash?
How,Profit,From,Online,Communi