When an online community comes to mind, most think in terms of engagement, conversations, culture and feedback. And if you continue to think about it, more ideas come to mind, like: how can I be heard, how far reaching is the content, how does this affect my job or company?
But is there more to it? Why should a community be created? What are the benefits?
Why Create a Community?
Similar to a consumer's behavior of doing online research of a product prior to purchase, business buyers look toward communities and their members to get a quick overview of product information, customer satisfaction and company engagement with their customers. They are looking to find out if the company is going to support their organization long-term in the manner they want, based on how well they've met other customers' needs.
But communities provide more than research to a potential buyer, they can:
The value of an online discussion about the merits of a product and/or any flaws is invaluable to a company.
I visit communities quite a bit looking for feedback for any product or service I may be thinking of buying. To research vacations, my wife and I seek information about places to stay, tours to take, restaurants to visit... As I read through the many comments, those comments from previous customers are invaluable and often raise questions or spark ideas I hadn't even thought of, and can change my mind about the product or vendor to buy from.
Key Questions Before Starting a Community
Success of a community requires a well thought out plan, hard work, robust content and an ongoing long-term dedication to your members. Each micro-community can have a different goal or purpose, but before starting any community, be prepared to answer the following questions:
Communities at Cisco
The online communities at Cisco drive awareness and conversation among prospects, customers and partners on Cisco business and technology topics. They enable customers and partners to solve issues collaboratively and proactively. And they give Cisco colleagues insight into the markets in which we sell, work, live, and serve - so we can do so better.
TopCommunitiesat Cisco:
Cisco hosts a wide range of customer and partner communities that can meet almost any need and interest. If you're already a member,thank you! If you're not yet a member, pleasejoin usin conversation and collaboration. Here are some recommendations:
If your company has one or is considering one, what is the goal of your community? Is it being met?
Are you engaged in one or more of the Cisco communities? (If not, why not?) What others should we be building? How can we best meet your needs and interests through our current communities, or fill a gap?