Do’s and Don'ts of Building a Community-Centric Brand
I founded Hummingbirds around the idea that people want to be a part of their community—both as experience-oriented consumers and humans who thrive on feeling connected and known. Our partnerships across 15 cities (and growing!) proves this true, again and again.
In places where people are the megaphone—Instagramming about how much they loved trying a spa’s beauty treatment, posting about the people behind the counter at their favorite shops, sharing the local bookstores they love—local businesses are a bigger part of the conversation.
But there is a big difference between businesses that understand “community” simply as a place to put a billboard and those that recognize its networked potential. Here’s what I mean:
Community-based brands are defined as a geo-specific category rooted in the location where they were founded.
Community-centric brands make a choice to build relationships with customers who buy into their purpose and values as much as their product choices. They might be geographically bound, or their audience could be widespread.
I founded Hummingbirds around the idea that people want to be a part of their community—both as experience-oriented consumers and humans who thrive on feeling connected and known. Our partnerships across 15 cities (and growing!) proves this true, again and again.
In places where people are the megaphone—Instagramming about how much they loved trying a spa’s beauty treatment, posting about the people behind the counter at their favorite shops, sharing the local bookstores they love—local businesses are a bigger part of the conversation.
But there is a big difference between businesses that understand “community” simply as a place to put a billboard and those that recognize its networked potential. Here’s what I mean:
Community-based brands are defined as a geo-specific category rooted in the location where they were founded.
Community-centric brands make a choice to build relationships with customers who buy into their purpose and values as much as their product choices. They might be geographically bound, or their audience could be widespread.
The great news? A small business can be community-based AND community-centered. We’ve also seen nationally headquartered corporate brands deepen connectivity in a target market by adopting a community-centered approach.
Here’s how to make a community-centered approach part of your business’s growth, and what common missteps to avoid:
DO: Design experiences that tie into products and services.
76% of consumers prefer to spend on experiences than on material items, according to research by Momentum Worldwide. Retailers can build experiences around their product offerings to get people to stop in, stay longer, and buy more.
How our customers did it: Ted Lare Design Build is a destination garden center 20 minutes outside the Des Moines. They created two special events to appeal to two different audience segments. The first was an adult-oriented terrarium workshop for new homeowners, and the second was a Halloween-themed kids craft for young families.
By creating events tailored to their ideal customers, they reached a larger audience than a typical workshop would have. They also used items that they sell so community members could easily make a purchase at the event or return later.
DON’T: Rely on clicks and conversions as the only way to determine ROI.
Word-of-mouth marketing often creates interest that simmers over time, which means your conversion metrics only tell a slice of the story. Always engage your customers to hear what they say when you ask… “how did you hear about us.”
Here’s just one example: Months after one local influencer spent a day at Adventureland, she purchased season passes for her whole family as a holiday surprise. Then, she shared her plans with other moms in offline conversations. Some of them picked up passes, too!
DO: Host pop-ups and forge partnerships with other “like-minded” small businesses.
In online marketplaces, limited edition product “drops” create hype. Big brands use them to experiment with trends and enjoy the buzz of one-off celebrity collaborations. We’ve seen savvy local businesses draw people in by hosting a home bakery, serving as a 5K race packet pickup location, or co-locating with a service.
How they did it: Marnē, a local boutique, brought in Permanent Bracelets for a special event that would connect customers with welded jewelry. Because that service consultation can take a bit of time, customers browsed the racks of sustainable fashion, finding items that would fit their next special occasion.
DON’T: Be afraid to share a point of view.
Championing important community led causes can draw people in. Business owners who have a clear sense of what they stand for can attract customers who are aligned with their values. Just try not to go negative, or make inflammatory political statements. Shared values can be a big part of what makes a community special.
This owner’s stance on sustainability shines through: Jamie, who runs a zero-waste shop called The Collective, weaves her own identity and values into her “about” page, sharing,
“I am sober, vegan, and try to live my life as sustainably as possible. I am a Des Moines native and I cannot even describe how much I love being a small business owner in this big, little city. It has been magical watching our city grow and evolve over the years, however, we still have so much work to do here…”
DO: Strive for dialogue on social media channels.
Engage with posts that tag or mention your company and re-share authentic user-generated content (UGC). Interacting with your social media audience helps them feel seen, appreciated, and part of your loyal customer base.
How our customers did it: The Des Moines Playhouse invited our birds to a VIP preview night for a performance, then used the content they created to promote the show throughout its run. Performing arts venues and nonprofits have deep experience creating communities of donors and patrons and are often fantastic organizations to look at for inspiration.
DON’T: Make everything you share a sales pitch.
Instead, consider how you will inform and inspire your audience. What kind of behind-the-scenes looks can help your community feel comfortable getting past the front door? Remember that your brand message is the overall story that your company is telling. Share it in a way that draws people in.
How we do it: Hummingbirds hosts a monthly “community campaign” that ties into fun holidays like National Pizza Day, and National Compliment Day. We encourage people to celebrate all sorts of businesses they love—even if they aren’t our customers! Doing this allows us to support and amplify the communities we champion.
Great community-centric brands build trusting relationships with people they’ve empowered to help tell their story. Hummingbirds are all about creating real-life connections through content. Ultimately, the goal is to build vibrant communities where local commerce can flourish.
