How to Use Online Communities As a Marketing Strategy for Lifestyle Business Growth
We all know that if we want our businesses to grow, we have to have an annual marketing calendar. If we really want to generate a significant level of revenue, this plan will be designed to help attract clients to our businesses both online and off. Taking this into consideration, do lifestyle businesses benefit from specific types of marketing? I think they do.
Aside from creating a business based on your passions and gifts, one of the most enticing things about building a lifestyle business is that you can do it from anywhere, any time. However, if networking (one of the most effective ways to build partnerships and expand brand awareness) is one of your preferred marketing methods, the traditional form of meeting people at events, shaking hands and exchanging business cards may not be conducive to how you want to operate your lifestyle business.
For mompreneurs, attending a networking event can be an expensive hassle when you factor in child care requirements and travel arrangements. If the event doesn’t directly result in an increase in sales or a significant boost in visibility, it can be hard to justify the expense.
I know that I have certainly attended events and when I returned home to find myself scratching my head, wondering if all of the fuss was worth taking my time and attention away from the family. The bottom line is that networking is something that every business owner must do, but the lifestyle business owner must look for creative alternatives when travel and significant time commitments (more than a few hours) are involved.
One solution to the traditional networking approach is to get involved with online communities and membership sites that share your target audience or where potential joint venture partners interact. Online communities are typically built around a common interest, group support and growth in a specialized area. On top of that, they offer opportunities to expand your network and increase brand visibility. If nothing else, joining online communities elevates your visibility by simply becoming a member and getting additional links (traffic) to your site. Communities that offer additional training and support by trained professionals are even more powerful since you can expand your contacts list while learning new skills.
Joining online communities doesn’t mean you don’t have to attend live networking events, it just gives you an additional source for meeting and connecting with people who can help you grow both personally and in business. Think about incorporating 1-3 phone calls per week with people who you have connected with online, either through social media or community sites into your schedule. If you do this, you will have connected with between 50 and 150 people by the end of the year and your potential for joint ventures, partnerships and cross promotion will have grown significantly.
If your goal is to have personal, financial and brand growth this year, marketing is something that your business cannot do without. Attending events in person and joining online membership sites are essential business expenses that can be written off of your taxes and that can provide consistent, powerful opportunities for brand visibility and revenue generation.
So, are you a member of an online community that you love? How has it helped you to grow your business? Please share your thoughts in the comments. Thanks!
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