The Power of Engaged Community | with Jake McKee
Brand to Fan Show EP05
Better business decisions come with finding your company’s community. Lauren is joined by Jake McKee to explore the importance of customer connectivity and its role in fostering brand fandom.
Episode 05
Lauren is joined by community professional and consultant Jake McKee to explore the importance of customer connectivity and its role in fostering brand fandom.
Jake draws on his extensive experience in community management to share insights into what makes a community thrive and the common misconceptions that businesses have about their audiences. He explains that community management is all about creating a deeper connection with your audience and translating their needs to business operators.
Lauren and Jake discuss what it takes to build an engaged customer base, drawing on Jake’s experience working with brands like LEGO and Apple, and Lauren’s experience at the PGA TOUR and now as a startup founder. Brands that leverage the phenomenon of fandom to build affinity with their customers transform by creating long-lasting relationships that go beyond mere transactions.
Throughout the episode, Jake shares his perspective on what businesses can do to regain their customers' trust, maintain customer loyalty, and build a purposeful brand. As an example of how to regain customer trust, Jake identifies how Southwest Airlines leveraged community principles to regain its tarnished reputation.
With its mix of practical insights and personal anecdotes, this episode of the Brand to Fan Show is a must-listen for anyone looking to create a deeper connection with their audience and build a brand that inspires fandom.
“The community mindset is a much bigger way to holistically think about what your company is doing with customers, and how you are developing operational process against that. That to me is community management. ”
The Guest: JAKE MCKEE
Jake McKee runs Jake McKee Consulting, which is focused on helping organizations ensure that online spaces where customers connect are positive and effective both for the community members and for the company. He founded Dinner5, a monthly program that Fosters connection, conversation and camaraderie amongst community community managers.
In this Episode
Introducing Jake McKee
Defining community management
Creating a deeper connection with your audience
Principles to regaining customer’s trust
How to maintain customer loyalty
What businesses are getting wrong about their audiences
Translating customer needs through a community manager
Don’t lose track of customer’s needs
Boost your business by being purposeful
The importance of internal feedback
What we can learn from the evolution of Lego
The history of Dinner5
What are you a fan of?
“I am a scale modeler, that's one of my many hobbies. I have been absolutely fascinated with a Facebook group called the Scale Modelers Critique Group, (SMCG) and have really had a good time in that group in a way that I haven't had in online communities for a long time, because of the way, the vibe it creates. The support I've been able to get, at a rapid-fire nature. The questions are getting answered and the way that's being moderated—all the pieces have really been a lot of fun.
I’m less of a fan of a specific product and more of a fan of really rejuvenating my interest and my passion for the hobby. This year, that's been really busy…I feel like I've been connected to the hobby even when I'm away from the bench.”
What is your favorite piece of Fanwear you own?
I have two Outdoorsy t-shirts–they were a client of mine a couple of years back. Much to their credit when they created their swag, they made nice swag, so it wasn't just crappy t-shirts that people go. ‘Oh, thanks’ and then toss it away because they're scratchy cheap shirts. These are really nice poly blend. They fit wonderfully, and I've about worn holes in it because I just can't imagine getting rid of them.
But it's funny to me, because, you know, it's been a while since I've actually used the site to rent an RV…and it's been a while since I've worked with them, but I still pull that thing out…I wear them frequently, and every time I do, I think about (Outdoorsy), and I think about them fondly, because here I am using this thing that's super comfortable to wear, and you know, every time I hit the work bench around the corner. That’s one of my modeling shirts now because it's got holes in it, so it's a good one to paint in.
It's an emotional connection back to that period of time, and that brand and their efforts to really take care of me as a customer. Those customers likely are thinking the same thing, because it's not just some cheap piece of nonsense. It's something that really was nicely designed to spend an extra few dollars on it. It was more meaningful. And that meaning has lasted.
Show Credits
Brand to Fan Show is produced by Teague FC and supported by FanWagn
Audio production by Bryan Griggs / Griggs Production
Producers: Kimberly Voorhis, Ashley Ruiz and Carrie Hellbusch
Video Editing by Garrett Teague
And I’m your host, Lauren Teague.
In this episode, we unravel the dance of digital influence with Judson Laipply, the first YouTube celeb who mastered brand longevity!