Strategies for Successful Online Communities

Media Release For immediate release

15 October 2008

Key Strategies for Successful Online Communities

How to create, develop and evolve a social media presence to increase collaboration, drive awareness and improve customer loyalty

Social networking and online communities have received significant attention in the past 12 months, as services such as Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn attract and connect communities of people. For organisations wanting to truly bring their marketing and customer service strategies into the 21st century, creating and fostering an online community can be the most powerful –not to mention the most cost effective – marketing tool available.

For marketers and communicators social media is proving effective at reinforcing an organisation's brand, understanding and capturing customer feedback, and creating and sharing information across communities of interest. Organisations can take advantage of similar technologies to create their own custom community experiences.

According to Ullrich Loeffler, Program Manager Software at IDC, "Enterprises are interested in social media based on its ability to drive internal and external collaboration, information exposure and revenue acceleration while reducing marketing and operational costs."

Recognising the importance of this trend, Intergen has invited Andreas Stjernström from Swedish enterprise software company EPiServer to New Zealand. He will highlight the reasons why developing a community is important, and give real world examples of organisations that have successfully created and maximised the benefits of online communities.

Intended as an introduction to online community development, these free events are targeted at:

• Organisations that are currently creating or are looking to create or sponsor an online community.

• Agencies who want to offer your customers options for taking advantage of social media.

• Marketers and communicators who are looking for new mediums to communicate your organisation's value proposition.

Events are scheduled on the following dates:

Wellington Wednesday 5 November, Level 7, 126 Lambton Quay – 4.30pm-6pm Christchurch Thursday 6 November, Level 2, 158 Hereford Street, 8am – 9.30am Auckland Friday 7 November, Level 2, 15 Huron Street, Takapuna – 12.30pm – 2pm

To register for these free events, email events@intergen.co.nz. Finger food will be on offer at all sessions.

ENDS

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