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About Douglas Atkin

Douglas believes that community is the engine of loyalty -- to companies, brands, religions, causes, sports teams, whatever -- and that social glue is generally a good thing. He works with organizations to create to create stronger glue through better community platforms and programs. He does this through his venture: The Glue Project.

How you know when you’ve created a successful community

This is a guest post from Douglas Atkin, CEO at The Glue Project and author of “The Culting of Brands.” The engine of loyalty is community. The engine of community is mutual support. The most powerful agent in creating loyalty is belonging. I would argue that the main ingredients of a successful community all create a…

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How myths can inspire community members

This is a guest post from Douglas Atkin, CEO at The Glue Project and author of “The Culting of Brands.” Myths are stories, but with a critical difference. They have symbolic importance. They embody what the community is all about: its purpose, its beliefs, and its actions. Regular stories that relate things like events and achievements…

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The fan vs. follower vs. community checklist

This is a guest post from Douglas Atkin, CEO at The Glue Project and author of “The Culting of Brands.” Fan, follower, or community member? In the past, I’ve interviewed people about whether they are enabling real community. Most of them have been in the commercial arena. Many of them want to create communities around their…

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Purpose: The fundamental ingredient of all successful communities

This is a guest post from Douglas Atkin, CEO at The Glue Project and author of “The Culting of Brands.” What’s your purpose? At the heart of every successful organization is a clear purpose. It’s the thing that the founder starts with. It’s what successful organizations use for big and small decisions alike, often for decades…

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