The Business of Belonging

Buchzusammenfassung

David Spinks cofounded CMX, a network for community professionals that has over 20,000 members. He is also Vice President of Community at the enterprise software platform Bevy, which acquired CMX in 2019.

Belonging to a community follows the Social Identity Cycle, where individuals associate with a group, engage with it, and receive validation, reinforcing their connection. This cycle repeats, deepening their involvement. For example, Alex, a marketing professional, joins Marketing Mavericks, starts with basic participation, receives positive feedback, and becomes more engaged, eventually identifying strongly with the community. The key to fostering such connections lies in defining the community’s purpose and audience clearly, as specificity strengthens bonds. Communities also serve various business goals, summarized as SPACES: support, product development, acquisition, contribution, engagement, and success. Members’ involvement varies along the Commitment Curve, from inactive consumers to active contributors, influential members, and leaders. Each role is vital, with inactive members forming the audience and active ones driving content creation. Encouraging participation through validation—both intrinsic and external—helps sustain engagement. Rewards like status, networking, access, and perks can motivate members when balanced thoughtfully. Building a community requires offering diverse experiences, maintaining consistent activities, and focusing on members’ needs, ensuring the platform aligns with their preferences. A well-crafted community benefits both its members and the business.

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