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A coach knows how much effort it takes to build and maintain an online community. The internet is like an ocean with so much information. In the age of information overload, only a few coaches and trainers manage to build their own island – or domain of expertise – and grow their tribe of learners.
Remember that your relationship with your customer does not end with the sale. It starts at the point of sale. Community building is essential to differentiate a digital company from ordinary, no-strings-attached transaction companies. Communities keep your customers coming back for more and become more than just buyers of your products or services.
Many online communities benefit greatly from the coaches or moderators who support the tribe through multi-channel touchpoints such as webinars, e-books, masterclasses, a wealth of informative videos on platforms such as YouTube, podcasts, online meetups, digital events and face-to-face meetings. disagree — all of which add value in their own unique way. Online communities can also harness the power of interpersonal communication between members to facilitate tribe building and engagement.
While it is true that successfully built digital communities have deep connections without geographic boundaries and no additional infrastructure costs, frequent offline contact points for members can help improve the quality of these connections and help achieve group goals — while bringing the culture and vibrancy into another whole. Set up.
In addition, they can reinforce the group’s mission and build on the value it brings to the community as a whole. Bringing things to the offline world through meetups, conferences, or similar interactive event formats is a great approach to foster meaningful interactions and provide opportunities for your group members to socialize and bond.
Related: The top benefits of building an online community
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While members may already be sharing knowledge virtually, for online communities putting a face to a name can help build relationships. A face-to-face meeting strengthens the relationship through a shared experience.
Even if you find people online who share your interests and spend hours talking about anything and everything, there is a certain magic to meeting someone in person. We often forget that we are communicating with a complete human being with numerous systems and characteristics. For the young and the curious, or those looking to break into a space, an offline event can be an excellent space to learn vicariously from the more experienced. People learn from each other’s experiences. Not only that, it might be possible to choose the brain of a trainer or leader you’ve admired.
Build tension in the group
Online communities are usually hosted on a platform where they can thrive, learn and inspire each other. Offline events can take it up a notch and create a ritual that community members look forward to, especially if the event occurs at regular intervals – monthly, quarterly or even yearly. It also makes it possible to organize events that are best held in person: awards, networking lunches, conferences and summits or hackathons.
Related: Create Special Events That People Will Love
Offline events give everyone a chance
All fingers are not equal. A member of the community can be an outstanding performer by checking all the right boxes. Still, their virtual involvement may be limited for various reasons, such as time constraints, especially if it is a high-impact community. Offline events can block time for meaningful engagement, which can significantly increase the willingness to speak or share. This is more likely if the event is designed in such a way. In addition, it can break the ice for the newer members of the community and give them a chance to integrate.
Related: 10 ways to connect with absolutely everyone you meet
Encourage diverse and in-depth interactions
In addition to increasing a sense of belonging, offline gatherings can facilitate interactions that may not have naturally occurred in virtual spaces. This can lead to better networking and collaboration opportunities. At the same time, an offline event offers the chance to hold or plan escape meetings to explore new opportunities. For many companies, this can lead to findability, visibility and a whole new customer base or customer base.
Come out
An excellent way to engage your target audience in your community is through content. If it’s a private event exclusively for community members, there are even more eyeballs that your event could grab simply during the end-to-end process from conception to event hosting. It also gives a good chance to get a lot of content. Think of photos, testimonials, aftermovies, live streams and clips for social media.
Improved feedback
When you ask for feedback, you get it from your online community, but seeing what an offline community develops is priceless. You’ll get a personal take on what makes people tick and why they love the community you’re creating. Identify the real drivers of demand for our business and what truly connects individuals.
More online engagement
Users will become even more committed and loyal to your brand and the others in your community when they interact with you offline. Undoubtedly, positive human interaction can improve our lives and make us happier. Members will want to interact more with you and the other people they’ve met if you provide them with a positive offline experience. Meeting offline helps people get through the commitment curve so you can ask bolder questions and increase their engagement in the future.
It’s probably time to implement some offline events if you want to drive engagement, especially among new members. For the mentors and coaches, offline events make them more accessible, where members form positive perceptions and feed them back to the same mentor.
Janice has been with businesskinda for 5 years, writing copy for client websites, blog posts, EDMs and other mediums to engage readers and encourage action. By collaborating with clients, our SEO manager and the wider businesskinda team, Janice seeks to understand an audience before creating memorable, persuasive copy.