Online customer communities are the best and most efficient way to find out what your customers are really saying about your brand. Give your valued customers a place to talk and not only will the conversation flourish, but brand advocacy and positive word-of-mouth marketing will boom.

Case Study: Mini USA online community

Initially set up as a complement to online advertising, miniusa.com has grown beyond its original remit. We love this online community because it’s a prime example of the versatility of social media marketing – a site that was created to support an ad campaign has now become an interactive marketing destination in its own right. Today, 75% of Mini owners in the US are members of the online community, which aims to engage current owners and sustain excitement for those waiting to receive their new car.

But wait: there’s more. The Mini USA online community does more than simply maintain customer advocacy through positive word-of-mouth. It also achieves quantifiable commercial gains, specifically in the area of lead generation. Most community members go on to buy another Mini – accounting for 50% of the company’s new sales leads. This shows a direct correlation between increasing advocacy online and sales. And the best bit? Lead generation on-site costs $15–$20 per referral, whereas a showroom costs in the region of $800 per referral. Talk about direct return on investment...

Community results at a glance

• 75% of Mini owners in the US are part of the online community.
• 50% of all sales leads are generated through the social media marketing.
• Cost per lead on site is $15–20; in the showroom it’s closer to $800.
• In 2003 the site generated 12,000 qualified leads (target through all avenues was 25,000).

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