You are to assume the role of the owner of Smokers Ring, a business that manufactures and markets barbeque smokers. A business partner wants you to build a customer community to build the brand.
A smoker is a cooking apparatus in barbeque cuisine. They allow food to be cooked at low temperatures in a controlled, smoky environment. There are many different types of smokers, using different fuels and direct or indirect heat. Smokers Ring allows customers to customize the smoker that is right for them. Smokers Ring also sells a variety of wood pellets, dry rubs, wet mops and charcoal. The business has a small local shop, but over 97% of sales are from the business’s website.
While business has been great, a smoker is typically something that is only purchased once every 5-10 years. To encourage loyalty, your business partner wants Smokers Ring customers to have a community that will help build the Smokers Ring brand and encourage them to influence others to purchase a Smokers Ring and join the community. Your business partner calls these customers, “company champions.”
The business partner wants you to develop and create a Smokers Ring customer community. The business partner wants you to determine:
- Which platform to host the community
- How to identify and target external company champions
- Other Smokers Ring stakeholders to consider
- How the customer community can build the brand and influence sales
