What is a brand community?

A brand community is where people prioritize establishing an emotional connection with the brand, consuming its content, and sharing products/services with others. In other words, they love seeing what their favourite brand has to offer. Communities are key to brand loyalty, awareness, and overall success.

What makes a good brand community?

When businesses can create a sense of community among their customers and around their products or services, they will have the upper hand in the long run. Individual consumers will become brand advocates, and loyal customers will feel even more connected to your products/services.
A brand needs a community to increase brand awareness, understand customers, improve outcomes and build brand loyalty. This is a successful trend, especially in tech companies.
A brand community can be understood by the following characterization:

Personalization

The most successful brand today knows the power of personalization can change your marketing game. By adding an AI-driven layer of personalization, each customer will have their needs met consistently- that means more loyal customers are on the way. It also helps in retention.
Over the past few years, personalization has played a major role in shaping brand communities through social commerce. A company like Starbucks is the best example of this. It creates a personalized shopping experience for its customers by writing their names on the drink offered and also has offers for loyal members.

Engagement & Collaboration

Successful online communities don’t just help you sail through marketing campaigns-they offer good space for customers to connect and find a solution in real-time. Many brands are hopping on this trend of building customer engagement platforms- but few are diving deep into it and understanding it better. If you can create a two-way engagement community, then loyalty will follow without a doubt.
The internet is full of a blank walls. And due to these customers being left unanswered about their most important questions and sometimes redirected for hours, as we get most of the time on customer care calls with teleoperators. It’s a defiantly frustrating ordeal!
As much as it’s important to ask a question in the community, allowing customers to pitch in and present their ideas sometimes can also be beneficial for a brand. This is the case with LEGO and its collaboration efforts. Once this company was on the verge to file bankruptcy, and today it’s one of the best examples of building a huge brand community. Members could submit new concepts, vote on them, and choose ideas to receive their share of royalties.
These types of exchanges allow the company to grow incredibly and gain a loyal customer base. This is also a direct contact between the brand and the user.

Key benefits of building a brand community

One of the best things about being an entrepreneur and having a community is you will have complete control over what content and visual identity is presented in front of the public. Below are some of the benefits:

Customer retention increases

Promoting and growing your brand community through apps is a great way to ensure it will be used for a longer period. When your community is happy about what they experience, they will bring more members into the group- this makes retention easier and cheaper as there is less acquisition cost.
Brands can retain customers by adding engaging features to their platforms like Live chat and streaming. As you are using customer data to find out more about their needs and sell accordingly, better provide the best experience. If you have built trust with them, you will not need much convincing to sell your newly launched product.

Creating brand advocates

It’s hard to get the word out right in public about your company. But your loyal army can do that for you. The online community of followers who are ready to give you reviews and positive feedback will spread the word too. This is why it’s important to transform your brand community into your advocates.
If user-based content is increased that will automatically uplift your brand value and increase sales. Your fans are the most valuable assets you have. Your brand advocates create authentic content that reduces the risk of distrust as it’s real people giving feedback- which means having them on your side is building loyalty with others.
Starbucks is the best example of having a good brand community and creating a success story. Starbucks’ online community is a valuable brand advocate. Because Starbucks allows them to share their ideas and experience on the Starbucks blog and even earn money for their contribution. Starbucks always give prompt reply to their customers online, this enhances engagement and brand loyalty.

Better customer experience

The best way to meet expectations is to know what your customers want, and you can easily know this by collecting customer data and getting feedback through surveys or online communities. Use the data collected in improving their experience with the brand and improve future interactions.
Apple is the best example of this, has always cared deeply about its customers, Apple’s support community is a space for feedback, support, and knowledge sharing. This in turn fuels the engagement among its active fan base. You as a company should make it easier than ever for a better customer experience.

Less dependency on ads

How did you make a recent purchase from your favourite brand? Was it when it was on sale or did you come across an ad? Most likely you purchased it because you have an emotional connection with that particular brand and if we need something we always go back to that same brand without seeing ads.
When you establish a strong brand community, it will automatically draw people towards the brand without putting ads in front of their faces. It is more of an emotional connection.
A proven study shows that User- Generator Content impacts the purchasing power of people. Hence, a brand community leverages this business strategy, and users are more likely to trust the brand as a whole.

Naturally, brand communities are no longer a buzzword but something for all marketers to consider beyond just a tactical drive to sell.

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Online Shopping- New Normal for Buyers

India’s rise in online shopping is fueled by the 639 million strong internet population, and COVID-19 accelerated the process by adding 80 million online shoppers in the last three years and that makes it 130 million today. During the pandemic there was the temporary closure of physical stores and the public was diverted to online shopping which gave rise to this D2C market and it flourished. Online shopping in India is expected to grow at a CAGR of 35%+ from $39 billion today to $200 billion over the next 5 years, also supported by internet and payment infrastructure developments.

Advancement of Consumption Pattern

Women, the new class of consumers have the final say in more than half of household decisions now. And more than half of them are online shoppers. Consumption trends are also progressing, new-age consumers want niche and customized products and are ready to pay large amounts for them. Traditional players are not able to fulfill that. So, every shopping experience is made keeping women as consumers in mind.

Inclination Towards D2C brands

Companies with D2C channels have an emotional connection with their consumers, fostered by a unique brand identity and clear value proposition. D2C brands are characterized by their innovative marketing style, efficient operational processes, and effective use of technology. With easy access to customer data D2C brands work on the shopping pattern and a feedback-led model and develop products to ensure that customer needs are met.

Emergence of D2C Brands in India

There are 800+ D2C brands in India as of April 2022 and the expected market opportunity by 2025 is $100 billion. India is witnessing a rise in D2C brands across categories. As many women-led businesses are been funded and early-stage funding activity is huge we can see many women-led D2C brands now. As women are the majority of consumers so the market has risen in products consumed by women. D2C brands such as Zivame, MyGlamm, WOW skin science, Mamaearth, Sugar cosmetics, and Spring Dairies, among others, are occupying niches and creating brands with extraordinary value in their respective sectors.

Future of D2C Brands in India

The pandemic has changed the game and made everyone realize that nothing is certain in business. And brands have been trying out new strategies in cost, retail experience, and research to provide a personalized experience to customers to excel in their segment.

To boost sales, D2C companies will play more in personalization and customization using more and more technology. Famous brands like super smelly which is a skincare brand and WOW Skin science are planning to increase their retail presence and expand pan India. All D2C brands will touch customers wherever they are online or offline.

Written by- Seema Lalwani

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However, a woman’s excellence, most often than not, never left the four walls. In fact, women were hardly ever a part of any significant scenarios during the first, second, or third industrial global industrial revolution. Hence the growing gender discrepancy in the working environment of the 21st century. Research has shown that women are often much more organized, skilled, and intelligent than men in many leadership scenarios. Yet, only 7.5 percent of the Fortune 500 workforce includes women as CEO.

The role of women in the booming digital industry

The digital transition has opened an expansive new gate for women entrepreneurs worldwide with more unique opportunities and scopes to grow and thrive as individuals. With over 60 percent digitization by this year’s end, the world is moving towards a new era. While the world is still under the realms of traditional industrial growth, the dependency on the ‘internet’ has opened a new channel for women to showcase their potential.

• Remote Multitasking

Tools like Team, Zoom, etc., have made it very easy and flexible for women to work remotely from anywhere in the world without requiring a strict and time-bound presence physically at any workspace. This has given an enormous scope to many women to return to work and yet manage most of their personal and professional situations easily.

The result – More creativity and choices with women-centric presentations and ideologies being implemented. The dynamics and role reversal are also visible.

• Financial alterations

Fundraising is not an easy task as it requires endless hours of pitching, investor hunting, and much more. With virtual communications becoming a new norm, it is easier to reach broader and longer distances for seeking financial assistance. Skype, hangout, etc., have made it feasible to connect with investors beyond borders and seek help within days of communications.

• Availability of digital tools

The availability of newer and more sophisticated digital tools has opened numerous more unique scopes for women to try. Education, finance, trading, and many aspects of informative science are now easier and more flexible to handle, thanks to the right tools and accessories. From modular capsules to flexibility of timing and program management, there is a look that is now easier to manage, thanks to the right digital tool.

• Ease of promotion

Today promotion is no more reliant on print media or televisions. Social media has become a solid and integral necessity for every promotion. However, instead of seeking third-party assistance, these platforms allow the freedom of self-publicity through any desired channel. Self-promotion is one of the most cost-effective and genuine methods to connect with organic consumers. Women can utilize this aspect to its full potential to help drive their sales and publicity.

• Innovative entrepreneurship

Women are one of the most significant untapped entrepreneurial scopes worldwide today. With the incorporation of women in the digital business sector, innovation is bound to take a far more neutral stance than before. Newer approaches delving into women-related scenarios will be a fundamental change that many will be looking forward to.

A future of entrepreneurship with gender neutrality

Men went ahead to earn livelihood and manage the world outside while women stayed back and managed the home. For generations, their excellent managerial skills and keen accounting knowledge have been the critical reasons for families’ smooth sailing personal lives and the overall growth of the family’s children. Today the world is changing, and women are leading the race by standing on the mantel to show rather than the guide from the sideline. With more innovative startups being introduced that are trying to minimize the gender discrepancy, hopes for a strong entrepreneurial future for women seems like to be very near. Mystyle Communications based out of Bengaluru, India is one such digital workspace which is setting up new milestones with its unique women-centric workspace. From missed opportunities to grabbing the chance to shine, this is the future character trait of women in the world of business.

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India is a country of brimming potential, with advancements occurring in every industry. In 75 yrs of its independence, India has conquered the skies and left its mark everywhere. The journey so far would not have been possible without the constant participation and zeal of the feminine brigade.

Impact of Women Entrepreneurs on India’s Economy

The change in the growth scenario of the country can be dedicated equally to women who have proven themselves to be excellent leaders, managers, and successful entrepreneurs. From the Amul Co-operative movement where women played a key role in transforming India from a milk deficit to a milk-surplus country to Lijjat Papad where seven women built an empire on India’s most loved snack; women-centric business models have never failed to create buzzworthy impact.

They not only paved the way for female entrepreneurs but their contribution towards boosting the economy of the nation is also equally impressive.

Reforms in Guardianship and Custody Laws in India in May 2015 was one of the most iconic moments in giving women the well-deserved identity they had built for themselves. According to the law, the father’s or the husband’s signature and name in educational documents and government id was no more a mandate. 

Making room to establish their identities for their contribution and hard work, the new law motivated many women to come out of their bindings and start building on their ideas, transforming them into realities.

The Chains Holding Women Back 

While social stigmas like women are meant to run the households and not earn for whatever reason still surrounds our society, what leaves us thinking is how our habitual repetition of turning a blind eye to things that may not concern us directly, but at-large. Women themselves are often the shackle holding themselves back, and the norms and guidelines of unconscious gender bias can never change if we do not.

While this is a grave concern in itself, the other chains and shackles include..

• Lack of knowledge and understanding of the business administration can help them excel in developing the plan and the network.
• Absence of financial assistance to help them establish their business idea due to a lack of information about loans, schemes and incentives. The issue of collateral for loans also has been a massive detriment to the process.
• A deficit of resources due to the unavailability of training and experienced mentors often stops many from progressing further with their dreams.
• Unawareness of the market – The market is constantly changing, and the middlemen are often too late or unaware of the turning wheels. The result is a continued loss of hard work and time.

Factors Driving Women to Start Businesses Today

Despite all the barriers and shackles, there is no doubt the 21st century is the era of women standing up for themselves and creating a niche identity. In the last decade alone, thousands of women have changed the world’s outlook by forcing them to recognise the brilliant gender they are. The driving factors include :

• The need for recognition from the world around.
• The ability to be the support system to the family. 
• The zeal to make a difference for the ones who are lost.
• The ambition to showcase the skills that’s different and has potential to be a breakthrough.
• The drive to be an equal in a hierarchy, gender bias, and class differentiation.

Few Lesser-known Tales of Women’s Entrepreneurship in India

Some of the most inspiring tales of the rise of the women from unknown parts of the country are worth being told about, not because they are successful but because they are the inspiration for others.

• Anita Devi 

The mushroom lady of Bihar helped hundreds of villages across Nalanda to become independent by successfully growing and harvesting mushrooms. 

• Ananya and Anushree Malloo 

A market dominated by big brand names, men hygiene care is not an easy venture to work on. Yet, a young female duo’s startup Nuutjob showed that even women can create a premium line-up of intimate products for men without worrying about backlash or prejudice. 

• Chetna Gala Simha

The inspiring activist who created the Mahila Seva Sahakari Bank, the first-ever bank for rural women exclusively has been able to overturn decades of preconceptions by providing over 50 million dollars of financial support to rural women entrepreneurs.

• Prema Gopalan

Post the heartbreaking trauma of the 1993 earthquake, one lady took it upon herself to help rebuild the villages through help from the local women. This was the beginning of a new change that laid the foundation of Swayam Shikshan Prayog, a community venture that helped women grow through skill training and learning.

Government Initiatives to Promote Women Entrepreneurship in India

• Bharatiya Mahila Bank Business Loan

The scheme provides loans of over Rs. 20 crores for women entrepreneurs. As a collateral-free loan can also be availed of for loans worth less than Rs. 1 crore.

• Udyogini Scheme

For women with an annual income of Rs. 1.5 lakh  to Rs. 3 lakh for women wanting to start a business but have no capital.

• Dena Shakti Scheme

It was designed for women entrepreneurs looking to start their business in certain sectors such as agriculture, retail and manufacturing. The interest rate  is 0.25% below the base rate for upto  Rs. 20 lakhs.

• Women Entrepreneurship Platform

Started by NITI Aayog to motivate women to start their own businesses.

A New Beginning of Hope

Changes can be witnessed in every sphere, no matter how big or small in magnitude.  Women-based startups and networking platforms support entrepreneurship by giving women the platform to identify their potential and work from anywhere. This new ideology of all women’s workspaces and organizations is paving the way for many hidden talents and aspiring ladies to come forward and pursue their passion without much hesitation. 

With hopes for many more such unique propositions in the future, we look forward to witnessing many more women-led business empires to rule the world.  

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Source: Women Entrepreneur

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1. Please share your journey, how it started as an Entrepreneur?  
   I come from a business family, and I remember spending my holidays from school going to office with my parents. We would spend time together in the office and when they were in meetings I would sit and listen to all that was unfolding before me. It used to feel really amazing to see how meetings were held, what they would talk about and how somehow everyone would come to conclusion that they seemed happy with. This kind of thing always peeked my interest and I knew that this is what I wanted to do. The main thing however that I admire about entrepreneurs is how they take an idea and make it into so much more. I would like to think I am on my way every day to do just that, make my idea more than just an idea. When I was studying law in the UK, I saw how easily available legal services were online and how easy it could actually be to find a lawyer. That’s when the idea of Rest The Case came about. I wanted to create a place where anybody can Rest their case (put it to an end) and find the help they require.
2. What are the biggest hurdles that you faced in your journey?
   Starting anything new takes time and a lot of getting used to. There were a lot of things I still had to learn then and still have to learn now, that I think has been the biggest hurdle.
   Starting young definitely has its perks but it did sometimes affect me negatively. A lot of people I talked to didn’t think I knew what I was doing, in fact I was asked once if this was just a hobby or I wanted to do this long term. This had been my idea and my goal; it was never a hobby but because I was younger when I started people thought that.
   Finding the right team was a difficult as well. I was so driven by this idea it was all I thought about and all I think about even today, and to find people who will give it just as much importance as you is difficult, but I think now I have been able to find the right people, slowly but steadily.
3. Failures are the best teachers so how can one overcome that?
   This may sound like a cliché, but I do really believe the best thing that failure does is teaches you to rise after every fall. Overcoming failure is not easy, but when you do, you realize you come out as a different person, and so I think that we must do different things, try to do what scares us and then even if we fail we will have learnt something about ourselves or about the work at hand that we didn’t know before.
   For me what works best is to discuss my failures with someone else because they see it in a light that I don’t, I talk it out with my family you could talk to anyone who you wish to share with. It also helps me see it more clearly that way because I have explained it out loud. Don’t be scared of failures, they definitely are the best teachers, they help you understand yourself in a way you didn’t even know.
4. What Inspired you to start ‘Rest The Case’ at such a young age?
   The idea of Rest The Case came to me when I was studying, and I wanted to start it as soon as I could because I thought it will solve a problem. The problem I saw was that in our country people find it extremely hard to find a good lawyer to help them with their basic legal requirements. We have resources available in our country, but we don’t really know where to find it, so I wanted to create a one stop solution for all legal services and information. When the lockdown happened and the entire world seemed to be changing the need for legal help increased even more and that when I decided I didn’t want to wait any longer, I wanted to start now.
5. Share 3 advice for young entrepreneurs.
   a. Be brave- I know this sounds redundant but I think this needs to be told to everyone who wishes to start their own business. Don’t think about what will happen, don’t ponder on the same things you have been thinking about all this time, the time is now, get up and get started.
   b. Plan- I think it’s very important that you know what you want to do and also very important to be sure of what problem you are trying to solve. Put it down on paper, it helps to clear your thoughts.
   c. Believe in yourself and your ambition- this is the most important part of doing anything, if you don’t believe in yourself and your idea, nobody will.

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Source: Women Entrepreneur

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