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As a preview for Word of Mouth Supergenius on July 20 in New York, we’re taking a look back at some of the amazing presentations from our last “How to be Great at Word of Mouth Marketing” conference in Chicago.
Here, Spike Jones shows us how Brains on Fire created the amazing Fiskars fan community — a community that increased sales 300%, significantly reduced advertising expenses, and generates 13 new product ideas a month — all for a 360-year-old brand. His big ideas:
1> Involve fans from the beginning
2> Don’t make it about scissors
3> Fight an injustice
4> See Spike’s live presentation from Word of Mouth Supergenius
1> Involve fans from the beginning
Often, your fans have better ideas than you do. Before launching anything, Spike and the crew at Brains on Fire went around the country to small crafting stores and met their most devoted customers, seeking their input on what they needed in a community. By involving fans in the earliest stages, they built buy-in and sparked excitement around the Fiskars project long before the community was established.
2> Don’t make it about scissors
Most customers aren’t interested in talking about your products. Instead, give them a place to talk about their passions related to your products. The conversations within the Fiskateers fan community is so strong because they’re not about scissors, they’re about what you do with scissors.
3> Fight an injustice
Great communities stand for something. More than just to discuss crafting, the Fiskateers’ purpose is to create a fun, friendly environment where everyone is welcome (and they kick out those who break that pledge). It’s a rare feeling in the surprisingly mean-spirited online crafting world.
4> See Spike’s live presentation
Check out Spike’s presentation from Word of Mouth Supergenius — and join us live in New York on July 20 to see a bunch of amazing marketers share case studies like this:
