Prospect’s experiential journey through Community-led Growth in B2B - Part 2 of 2
Let's transform the prospect's experiential journey into actionable strategies. From leveraging community feedback to enhance trust, fostering engagement, to leveraging technology.
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Last week, I shared Part 1 of “B2B Community - Acquiring and Retaining Members for Growth”, based on my discussion with Todd Nilson (Founder of Clocktower Advisors).
This time, I thought to put the Part 2 of the conversation in a different yet contextual way, because seriously I believed last time was a bit “BORING!”.
From the prospect’s POV:
Imagine walking into a gathering where everyone knows my name, and I’m instantly part of the tribe. That's what it feels like with community-led growth in B2B. From the get-go, it's a journey where every interaction is meaningful, and I'm not just a number but a valued member. It's all about genuine connections and trust.
Let’s try to translate the prospect’s POV into actionables for GTM Motions in B2B.
Why does it matter?
With conversion rates falling and customers tired by repetitive marketing techniques, the challenge for founders and marketing leaders is stark. Transitioning from transactional to trust engagements, a community-led growth strategy emerges as the solution, offering a sustainable path to growth by transforming customers into advocates and streamlining lead management.
-- Streamlines acquisition, nurturing, warming, and re-activation.
-- Converts current customers into influential advocates for brand attraction.
-- Inclusive Brand Recall: Fosters a connected, engaged community for prospective customers.
I have already written about “Community-led Growth for B2B” earlier in 2 different posts…
How to do it right?
Community-led Growth is not EASY…
Difficulty level keeps on INCREASING, so I thought to write about execution excellence in Community-led Growth for B2B.
I have already written about the following topics in the last post,
-- Identifying and Targeting Potential Members in B2B Community
-- Attracting New Members with Personalization in B2B Communities
-- Best Practices for Onboarding New B2B Community Members
-- Communicating Value Proposition to B2B Community Members
-- Role of Community in B2B Community Engagement and Retention
I am going to write about the remaining “so called INTERESTING” topics below, but just look at these 2 guys (I and Todd) discussing and recording to create something meaningful for you…
Let’s dive into the topics NOW, otherwise you’ll unsubscribe 😀
Leveraging feedback to enhance trust with Prospects
Fostering community engagement among members
Enhancing community experience with Technology and Digital Tools
Key Metrics and KPIs for member acquisition and retention
Overcoming challenges in prospect’s retention in Community
Leveraging feedback to enhance trust with Prospects
Imagine you are a part of the “Linkedin” community and someone from Linkedin reaches you for an experience check!!
I've learned that diving deep into our community, segment by segment, isn't just helpful; it's transformative. By asking for feedback in a way that speaks directly to each member's experience, we not only collect richer insights but also show that we value their unique contributions. Here's how I break it down:
Strategic Segmentation: I tailor feedback requests, ensuring each member feels seen, from the super active to the quieter voices.
Targeted Surveys: By asking specific questions of new, engaged, and inactive members, I uncover hidden gems on how to boost our collective experience.
Personal Touch: Reaching out personally to those who've drifted away helps me understand what we can do better to meet their needs. Ex-”What happened? Did we do something wrong”
Cross-Pollination Discussions: Facilitating conversations across different member levels brings out invaluable perspectives, highlighting areas for growth and improvement.
Community Health Checks: Periodic polls let me take the community's pulse, ensuring we're moving in a direction that feels right for everyone involved.
This approach doesn't just enhance trust; it builds a community that's ever-evolving, deeply engaged, and genuinely connected.
Fostering community engagement among members
Are you a part of any Whatsapp / Slack / Discord Community? Do you wonder why some communities are highly engaged and some aren’t?
Building a community of Prospects requires primary focus on engagement, otherwise it’s a failed initiative…
For me, Diving into a community with a personal touch has been a game-changer. By reaching out individually, I not only highlight the unique value each person brings but also boost their confidence to share more openly. Here's my strategy:
Personal Outreach: I make it a point to personally connect with every member, cheering them on to contribute their insights, which helps in reducing their hesitation.
Engagement Measurement: Tracking one-on-one meeting willingness post-personal invites gives me a real sense of how deeply members are connected to our community.
Diverse Engagement Avenues: Recognizing everyone from active speakers to silent readers, I create various ways for all to participate, ensuring no one feels left out.
Valuing Silent Engagement: Highlighting the importance of those who observe quietly but regularly, I strengthen the community's fabric, making everyone feel valued and included.
These steps not only elevate engagement but ensure everyone feels a part of our journey, contributing to a richer, more vibrant community.
Enhancing community experience with Technology and Digital Tools
“You can’t automate the entire Community Experience. It has to be technology facilitated but human connections are going to make or break the initiative…”
By carefully selecting platforms and tools that resonate with our members' cultural and geographical preferences, we've seen a notable uptick in engagement. Here's how I approach it:
Platform Selection: Choosing digital platforms like Slack or WhatsApp based on where our members are and what they prefer ensures they're more likely to participate and engage.
Personalised Conversations: Utilising digital tools for one-on-one interactions streamlines communication, making it more personal and less time-consuming.
Data-Driven Strategies: Analyzing engagement patterns helps tailor our strategies, ensuring we're meeting our members where they are, both digitally and in terms of content preferences.
Integrating Spaces for Sharing: Creating environments for both professional and personal sharing has fostered a more open, engaged, and cohesive community.
This approach has not only streamlined our engagement efforts but has also deepened our connections within the community, creating a more vibrant and supportive atmosphere.
Key Metrics and KPIs for member acquisition and retention
This has always been the question… with the unsolved part “HOW?”
By balancing short-term engagement metrics with long-term advocacy goals, I've been able to craft strategies that not just keep the community buzzing but also ensure its sustainable growth. Here's my roadmap:
Balanced Metrics Approach: Mixing short-term metrics like engagement and churn rates with long-term metrics like advocacy helps me keep the community healthy and growing.
Engagement Tracking: I monitor various engagement activities, assigning weights to different types of interactions to gauge our community's vitality accurately.
Acquisition Analysis: Understanding where our members come from and their initial engagement patterns helps me fine-tune our growth tactics.
Nuanced Churn Evaluation: I look beyond simple inactivity, considering factors like last active time and engagement quality before labelling a member as churned.
Advocacy Focus: Prioritizing the advocacy rate among members guides our efforts towards creating a community that members are proud to support and share.
This strategic blend of metrics and insights allows us to not only retain our members but also turn them into passionate advocates for our community. BTW if you have any queries, feel free to reach me.
Overcoming challenges in prospect’s retention in Community
Facing the challenge of prospect retention head-on, I've come to see the value in nurturing our community with patience and a keen eye on the long-term. It's about building something that lasts, fostering connections that go beyond the superficial. Here's how I tackle it:
Cultivating Patience: Encouraging a long-term vision among our team and members helps us focus on building a community that thrives on meaningful engagement.
Value Creation & Feedback: Continuously evaluating and responding to our community's needs ensures that we're always offering real value, keeping our members engaged and retained.
Personalized Outreach: Proactively connecting with members who might be drifting away helps us understand and address their needs, reinforcing their importance to our community.
Quality Interactions: I prioritize meaningful over numerous interactions, experimenting with engagement tactics to find what truly resonates with our members.
Human-Centric Approach: Shifting to a more human-centric method in managing our community, focusing on genuine care and personal connections, has deepened the sense of belonging and loyalty among members.
Through these strategies, we not only overcome the hurdles of member retention but also cultivate a community that's vibrant, engaged, and deeply connected.
Summarizing everything, I am 100% aligned on the importance of community in the B2B landscape. The journey from a transactional to a trust-based relationship with prospects and members underpins every strategy.
By emphasizing patience, personal outreach, and a human-centric approach, we not only enhance the community experience but also forge deeper connections. The adoption of technology, coupled with a keen focus on meaningful interactions and leveraging insights from engagement data, positions us to overcome retention challenges effectively. This isn’t just about sharing my insights; it's about building a blueprint for sustainable community growth that resonates with every member's (prospect’s) need for belonging and value.
Before we end, want to share one of my loved podcasts on Marketing - “Decoding Story-Based Marketing Podcast”
Annie Mosbacher is the founder of “Decoding Story-Based Marketing Podcast”, also the Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer for Decoded Strategies, a marketing and retention strategy firm focused on accelerating growth for tech focused companies. Previously, she served in a variety of positions including VP of Marketing, VP of Customer Success and Executive Chief of Staff at VC-funded software companies.
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