What exactly is a micro-community? And why should you create one

Two firms are selling the same goods, but one of them is growing faster, attracted by better clients, and quickly expanding into new markets.

What is the distinction between the two? The first has a micro-community in which customers hang out and share feedback, essentially telling the entrepreneurs the features and add-ons they want.

If you're looking to establish lasting relationships with your clients, increase leads conversion speed and offer the best value to your target audience, a niche community is just what you need. It's possible that they're tiny (as the word "micro" suggests), but they provide big benefits to businesses and customers alike.

Do you want to know what micro-communities are? And how you can easily use them to create impact and grow your business? Stay with us for a quick, but thorough overview.

What exactly is a micro-community?

Micro-communities are exclusive, highly-focused online groups that are managed by a business to support customers or prospects. While micro-communities may be small (up to say 100 participants), "micro" doesn't necessarily refer to the size of the community. However, "micro" refers to the micro or niche focus of the community, not the size of the community.

A few examples of micro-communities

Micro-communities can be found in a vast range of structures and formats. What you do with the structure and layout of your own micro-community depends on the purpose of your group. Let me offer some ideas for those of you...

Glossier's customer communities

Glossier, fondly known as the "people-powered beauty ecosystem" has mastered the art of remaining connected with customers. This is done by inviting its top customers to Slack groups in which they are able to connect and keep in touch.

These groups are localized and members send over 1100 messages each week, creating an interaction loop with Glossier's most engaged fans.

Doodle Institute's members clubhouse

Doodle Institute offers online courses to help people learn to draw. Participants receive a basic education through the program. In addition, for a reward the students are also granted access for Doodle Clubhouse. Doodle Clubhouse.

The Clubhouse provides students with an opportunity to talk with others, ask questions, share their artwork, and connect with other doodlers.

MyYogaPal's Community

MyYogaPal aids people connect with themselves as well as their yoga routine. It also offers a yoga community where students are able to connect with those who love yoga.

The main benefits of a micro-community

Micro-communities encourage feedback

Micro-communities are typically small and informal, they are an ideal place where individuals are able to share their thoughts and goals. This makes them an effective method of gathering honest feedback on your product or service.

A study conducted by Zak found that 60 percent of those who are younger than 30 prefer sharing their thoughts in secure spaces like private groups and do not feel comfortable speaking in open forums. But this isn't an age-related issue. If a group is comprised of members "like me" the people be more comfortable speaking out.

If you build a small community where customers are heard (and connected) and feel connected, they're more likely to tell their experiences and opinions.

Hot tip: Don't let good feedback get lost. Make a decision to act on it, and your customers will be feeling extra valued and appreciated, similar to the customer of the Stripe, the payment processor..

From anonymity to connection

It can be difficult to establish a face for an individual's name when you're receiving feedback from customers across the Internet. While Google reviews and the comments posted on open forums act as great evidence of your company's social standing however, they're not as valuable as you think they could be. They may include people who aren't part of the ideal customer profile - who that you could learn the most from.

But when you create an online community for 100 of your most valuable customers, you can be sure that you can trust their feedback.

If you are able to interact with them within the local community, you'll get to know each of them. You'll be able to comprehend the goals they have, and how they're attempting to reach them. With this information it will be possible to develop new features and products that help them achieve those objectives.

Build a mutually beneficial support network

As community members share similar interests and goals and goals, they form strong bonds. As a result, they will support one another, making your job easier.

If your clients post questions regarding your service or product in a micro-community, the chances are, they'll receive answers from multiple like-minded individuals who are eager to share their stories, experiences thoughts, opinions, and experiences.

These are rich interactions centered on your brand. A positive outcome for your business as well as your fans.

How do you should you start an micro-community?

As we've discussed, micro-communities can be a great addition to any business. You may still be unsure if a micro-community is the perfect choice for your needs. In order to make the decision more straightforward, here are three top reasons you should look into setting up a micro-community.

Your business becomes more than just the service you provide.

In the event that you help your customers feel connected (through microfocus communities or other means), you become more than just a familiar brand or star personality. Communities can help build authentic connections with your customersand increase the sense of belonging as well as loyalty.

Today, you're viewed as a mentor or friend rather than just another course creator. That expands your network and makes it much easier to design and promote new products.

It's much easier to accommodate different types of customers.

Micro-communities offer a wonderful option for serving customers from multiple industries or niche.

As an example, say you do corporate training for corporations and offer self-guided courses that teach the same material to individuals. Rather than creating one community which doesn't meet the needs of both audiences well, you can make a distinct group for each of the segments.

You can laser focus on the needs of your customers, and personalize content to the needs of your customers. Thus, each group will receive the help that's most helpful for them.

It serves as social confirmation.

Micro-communities can provide " social proof" to your business. Once someone signs up to your group, they see others' posts and the respect they show for you. If they don't know about who you were prior to joining your community They'll soon realize that you're an authority who is reliable.

The positive vibe is infectious. Members who are new will pick up on the energy of the group and adopt the same positive attitude. Note, if your product has issues or your brand is criticized for its ethical business practices (may this not be the case) the community can be a place for venting frustrations.

What can micro-communities do to grow into something bigger?

If you establish an online community that gives members with a safe space to engage with you and others, it creates loyalty.

In the world of business the value of loyalty is higher than gold. It's the only thing that cannot be purchased, regardless of how much you spend on marketing.

They're not just more likely to purchase from your company, they're also more likely to praise the quality of your goods and services among other like-minded individuals which can increase your profits.

By fostering loyalty and improving the customer experience Micro-communities can be businesses' growth engines, leading to retention of customers, the acquisition of new customers, and even fantastic ideas for innovative goods and services that consumers want!

Here's one example of how you can develop a micro-community to something more substantial.

Within the group, you can share your ideas for the course. Test your content on the people in the group and collect their opinions. When you have a clear understanding of what the group members need, you can create the final course.

You can use your group to create an environment for the development of other services too. Once you release the course, ask your best students to join the micro-community. Invite them to provide you with their feedback about your course. You can also get their opinions in the process of develop your next product.

It is possible to start a spin-off group, that is where your students interact with one another, work on the material in class and respond to each other's inquiries.

Start building your micro-community

Are you convinced of the potential and possibilities of micro-communities? If so, your next step is to establish one. Here are our tips to get going:

Choose your strategy. It is possible to create micro-communities on your own or partner with influencers. Influencers already have a loyal public, but creating something of your own makes the micro-community seem more significant.

Invite your members. Spread the word about your community. Invite people to help you create an active, positive environment you desire.

Build relationships within your niche community. Be sure to interact with the members. Make yourself available and present. It's also beneficial to offer them the first look into the latest products and services. Let them feel special by providing them with access to exclusive services.

Be fun, engaging, empathetic, and purposeful. Don't use the group to sell or market. The focus is developing relationships and sharing the knowledge.

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