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Human connections
A more advanced way of establishing meaningful differentiation is to understand the human behind the customer and the individual and relationship needs they have. Often individual and relationship needs go hand in hand to fulfill a sense of purpose, belonging and community. Here lies the potential for organizations to unite with customers over shared passions and interests. Bonding between the organization and its customers could be realized through loyalty & collection programs, benevolent actions (e.g. volunteering), events and brand communities.
Broadly speaking there are five ways for organizations to address community needs:
- Sharing passions and desire
- Nurturing community vitality
- Capturing community imagination
- Offering spiritual guidance
- Supporting online communities