Building Community Engagement Through Email And Beyond: Strategies for Success

Do you have a tribe? 

According to Seth Godin, entrepreneur and best-selling author, that’s the most critical question you can ask yourself as a marketer.

“A tribe is a group of people connected to one another, connected to a leader, and connected to an idea,” writes Godin in his book Tribes.

This reverse terminological shift (‘tribe’ sounds quite retro) ironically summarizes the psychological compass of the internet-led 21st century with scientific precision. Thanks to the internet, every marketer can have and serve a dedicated tribe. It’s not about being known by everyone, but by the few that matter. In marketing lingo, your tribe is your smallest viable market. Your strawberry field.  

You don’t need to be a Gucci, a Ferrari, or a Nike to be successful at your business. The need of the hour is to identify a shared interest and communicate. 

Email, combined with fellow marketing channels, is ideal for building, growing, and expanding your tribe. It holds significant potential to be a powerful tool for building and maintaining community engagement. 

In this blog post, we will explore strategies for transforming your email list into a vibrant and interactive community and discuss how other marketing channels can complement this effort. So, let’s get started!

• Encourage subscriber interaction
• Highlight subscriber contributions
• Create feedback loops
• Foster discussions 
• Segment and personalize 
• Leverage other marketing channels 

“Brands need to earn the attention of the communities they’ve targeted through their hero products and their brand story. But they also need to fuel those conversations with a continual stream of exciting and engaging content that consumers and influencers can latch on to.”

— McKinsey & Company

1. Encourage subscriber interaction

Incorporate polls and surveys into your emails to gather valuable insights and opinions from your subscribers. For example, a monthly survey about product preferences can inform your development strategy while making subscribers feel heard and valued. 
Consider the following email from Death to Stock which features poll results. 

Check out this poll initiated by Huel. 

Pose thought-provoking questions or prompts in your emails. This encourages subscribers to engage by replying with their thoughts, experiences, or suggestions, fostering a dialogue rather than a monologue. For instance, a question like “What challenges have you faced this month that we could help solve?” invites interaction and offers value.

But here’s a cool example from Magic Mind where subscribers are asked to solve a brain-teaser.

2. Highlight subscriber contributions

Featuring user-generated content in your emails can be a powerful way to recognize and celebrate your community. Share success stories, testimonials, or creative works contributed by subscribers. This inspires others and builds a sense of camaraderie, showcasing that you value community contributions.

Regularly highlight a subscriber or group of subscribers in your emails. Share their stories, achievements, or contributions to your community, which boosts their morale and motivates others to engage more deeply. How about “Member of the Month” to highlight individual accomplishments within your community?
This email from FUM features a testimonial from a satisfied customer.

3. Create feedback loops

Ensure your reply-to address is monitored and invite subscribers to use it to share feedback or ask questions. 

This creates a direct line of communication and allows for a more personal connection between your brand and your audience. Responding promptly and personally to these emails can further enhance this connection.

Keep your community informed about how their feedback is influencing your products, services, or content. Regular updates on the impact of their contributions reinforce the value of their input and encourage ongoing participation. For example, you could say, “Based on your feedback, we’ve added new features to our product!”
In this personal note from the founder of Magic Mind, James Beshara says how they’ve incorporated customer feedback into their product. 

4. Foster discussions

Initiate email threads that encourage subscribers to reply and engage in conversations with each other. This can be a simple yet effective way to facilitate many-to-many interactions within your community. For example, a themed discussion email about industry trends can spark insightful exchanges.

Invite subscribers to virtual events, webinars, or live Q&A sessions where they can interact with each other and your brand. These events can be excellent platforms for fostering real-time discussions and building stronger connections. Sending a calendar invite link within your email can increase attendance.
Here is an example where Bold Type invites subscribers to a webinar.

Toward the end of their email, Graza invites their subscribers to join them at the US Open. It’s a great way to build and foster community engagement. 

5. Segment and personalize

Segment your email list based on subscriber interests, preferences, or behavior. This allows you to send more relevant and personalized content, which increases engagement and makes subscribers feel valued. Tailoring emails to different segments based on past purchase behavior can drive higher engagement.

Use personalized content that speaks directly to the interests and needs of each subscriber. Personalization can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your emails and foster a deeper connection with your audience. Using the subscriber’s name and referencing past interactions can make the communication more intimate. 
The following email from Uncommon Goods was triggered immediately after the subscriber explored the product page. 

6. Leverage other marketing channels 

Here’s how you can leverage other marketing channels:

. Social media

Social media platforms are excellent for fostering community interaction and engagement. Encourage your email subscribers to follow and participate in your social media channels where they can engage in discussions, share their experiences, and connect with others. Cross-posting content and updates can create a seamless experience.

In the footer of this email, Decor Steals encourages the community to connect on Instagram.

. Community forums and platforms

Guide your email subscribers to community forums or platforms dedicated to your brand or industry. These spaces allow for deeper, more organic interactions among community members and can complement the efforts initiated via email. For example, a branded forum where users can ask questions and share tips can deepen community ties.
In this email, pipl.ai encourages the subscriber to join their community on Slack. 

. Content marketing

Use content marketing to provide valuable and shareable content that sparks conversation and engagement. This can include blogs, videos, and podcasts that you can share through your email campaigns to keep the community engaged and informed. Encouraging sharing among subscribers can expand your community reach.
Really Good Emails regularly update their community through curated content.

. Webinars and live events

Promote webinars, workshops, and live events through your email campaigns. These events provide an opportunity for real-time interaction and can be a focal point for community engagement across various channels. Recording these events and sharing the highlights in emails can keep the conversation going.
For instance, the Brooklyn Museum invites subscribers to a number of events lined up in September. 

“Harley Davidson was failing and rallied its community of customers to make suggestions that would get them to come back and buy its motorcycles. The company listened, the customers noticed and Harley regained its popularity and iconic status.”

— Shep Hyken, author of The Amazement Revolution

It’s about Vous, not you!

Building and maintaining community engagement through email is a strategic process that requires creativity and dedication. By integrating other marketing channels, such as social media, community forums, content marketing, and live events, you can create a comprehensive and dynamic community engagement strategy. 

However, keeping email at the center ensures a consistent, direct line of communication that is both personal and impactful. Start leveraging the power of email today to build a thriving community around your brand. Need help with email marketing? Let’s have a talk!