July 2021

OUTSIDE EXPERTISE

Create a Sense of Community to Drive Sales

If you’ve ever played sports, you know there’s a certain level of pride and belonging in being part of a team. There’s a sense of community. Brands work to replicate that same feeling of belonging. Think about it — are you team Apple or Android, or team Chevy or Ford?

Apple took this a step further with their “Think Different” campaign in which they showcased a number of influential people — people you might envy and think of as heroic or legacies. They paired these images of influential people with language like, “… while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”

Suddenly, everyone wanted to be a genius and share that identity as showcased influencers, and Apple iPhones were just the ticket. Team Apple was not just a team anymore; it was a proud community of thought leaders — it was a new identity — who would likely tell you why iPhones are better than Androids until blue in the face. Ever fighting for their community, they were part of a new, brilliant group.

Many can argue that Tesla has done the same thing. They created a community, or identity, for people who strive for the same things Tesla does (attractive, high-end, sustainable, electric vehicles) — or share Elon Musk’s viewpoints. The company’s mission still stands and is front and center on their website today. They, too, created an identity among their customers.

As your organization looks at its customers, consider how you can build a community and identity. How can you create an environment where people want to do business with you because it gives them a certain status or identity and feeling of belonging?