Coming down from the high of this past weekend’s 15th annual SXSW Interactive Conference, my head is swirling with the latest theories, best practices, research, tricks and techniques. I’m full of ideas and empowered with newest peer-tested strategies on how to accomplish them. My biggest challenge is figuring out how to harness this energy, capture this thinking, and hold on to this buzz of inspiration.
As I sat this morning, feeling warm and fuzzy about SXSW and attempting to record all of the “AHA!” moments that I had this weekend, I had another – around the power of community.
And this is one powerful community I’m talking about: an estimated 10,000 industry professionals all in Austin to discuss the latest in Web design, development, social media and gaming. That’s a lot of big brains gathered in one place. I felt the impact.
We’ve always known that there’s something restorative about realizing that you’re not alone. But with today’s technology, we’re now more capable than ever of bringing people together and facilitating a dialog around the things they have in common.
What concerns or interests might your target customers share?
If you provide a venue for them to come together, discuss and share ideas, they may not talk about your product or service. But they will feel a little bit better than they did before. Encouraged. Comforted. Inspired. Maybe even motivated.
Best case, that user will keep returning for more of the same, and over time, grow increasingly engaged with your brand. Maybe they’ll tell their peers about it, or tweet about it.
But even if they don’t, somewhere deep down in their cranial tissue, one neuron will have told another neuron that your brand is associated with the warm fuzzies they felt when they engaged with the community you created.
I am grateful to have had the chance to attend SXSW, and I’m energized and motivated from time spent with my peers from all over, united and learning about our common interest.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to that list of “AHA!” moments…
