Building A Community Around Your Ecommerce Brand

The world preaches loyalty, but how many brands actually live it? Last month, I got an invite to something called Summer Smash, 1st Phorm International's invite-only community event in St. Louis. Think three days of HQ tours, private pre-parties, high-energy workouts, rides, and live music from artists like Ludacris, Lil' Jon, Pitbull, and Steve Aoki. The whole thing sells out in under a minute each year. Pure community building at it's finest. I couldn't make it due to personal obligations, but here's what blew me away: they still sent me a surprise box packed with over 10 of their top products (proteins, apparel, energy drinks, protein sticks), plus a handwritten note that felt genuinely personal, not like a marketing ploy. We've gotten so caught up in digital tactics that we've forgotten about the power of high-touch moments that forge actual emotional connections. This kind of follow-through is almost unheard of in today's brand world. Most companies would've moved on to the next person on their list. But 1st Phorm gets something that a lot of brands miss: real loyalty isn't built through campaigns or offers, it's built through experiences that make people feel like they belong to something bigger. That's where lifetime value really takes off. Summer Smash is far beyond just an event; it's the kind of experience that flips the loyalty script entirely, where customers don't just buy, they simply belong. Here's what I think other brands can learn from this approach: ➟ Send unexpected value for no reason. A surprise product or handwritten note shows customers they matter beyond their purchase history. ➟ Build exclusive communities around shared values, not just products. Whether it's in-person events or virtual experiences, give your best customers something they can't get anywhere else. ➟ Create moments people actually talk about. A few hours with A-list talent or behind-the-scenes access beats another discount code every time. ➟ Lead with gratitude, not growth metrics. When thank-you moments drive your strategy instead of the other way around, authenticity follows naturally. The bottom line: loyalty is earned through emotion, experience, and belonging. If your brand isn't building that, you're just another transaction in someone's day. When did you last surprise your customers with something that wasn't even on your roadmap?

The key to creating a brand that people can't stop talking about? 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲. But it’s not just about creating 𝘢𝘯𝘺 community. It’s about creating one that feels 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞. Your community should reflect a purpose, a cause that resonates and drives everything you do. So, how do you do this? 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭.  ↳ Instead of just posting on social media, organize virtual or in-person events that align with your brand values.  ↳ For example, if you're a sustainable fashion brand, host clothing swap meetups or upcycling workshops.  ↳ This gives community members a chance to connect with each other and your brand in meaningful ways. 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲-𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐞.  ↳ Involve your community in the creation process.  ↳ Use polls, focus groups, and beta testing to let them influence product decisions.  ↳ Share the journey from ideation to launch, crediting community input. ↳ This not only improves your offerings but also gives members a sense of ownership and pride. 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐚 𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦.  ↳ Create a structured program where community members can earn increasing levels of recognition and perks based on their engagement and advocacy.  ↳ This could include exclusive product drops, BTS access, or even advisory board positions for top-tier members.  ↳ This incentivizes active participation and creates aspirational goals within the community. People don't want to be talked at. They want to be part of something real. Build a genuine community, and you won't just have customers. You'll have passionate advocates.

I often see people who misinterpret social media as a community building tool. It can be used as such, but very tough to do. (and most people who think they are doing it right are just building another distribution outlet — which is great, but different from building a community) It requires a slightly different approach than the average social strategy. Social Platforms (like X & LinkedIn) • Open networks • Content dependent • Great because people are usually spending lots of their time there • Tough to stand out since you’re competing against the algorithm, other creators, brands, and everyone else in the feed Community Platforms (like Discord, Slack, Circle) • Usually closed networks • Dependent on user engagement • Great for consolidating your core group of members • Very tough to maintain over time since you need people to come back to your specific group (even tougher if engagement is declining) Ok, so how do you use social platforms top build an online community? 1/ Define your community 2/ Share it on your social accounts, in your bio, etc. 3/ Align your content around this community and what they love 4/ When you create your content, keep this specific community in mind 5/ Share updates publicly just like you would within a Discord channel 6/ Allocate a good chunk of time per day to community management 7/ Nurture your most engaged followers by supporting their content 8/ Make introductions directly in the feed wherever possible 9/ Use your platform to elevate others in your community 10/ Introduce group language that people can use How do you know when you’re doing it right? • People will use your account to discover others with similar interests • People will use your language and phrases in their posts • People will use the comments section of your posts like a forum • People will host meetups or connect with one another IRL at events • People will often tag you in content related to your community In closing, Yes, you can use social platforms like X & LinkedIn to build an online community. But it requires much more effort than just posting content about your brand or the problem you solve. You’ve got to constantly keep the community you’re serving top of mind, put in the time to nurture your members, and be consistent over a long period of time.

Most founders obsess over their social media numbers. After connecting 1,000s of brands with creators, I've noticed something counterintuitive: The brands with the biggest follower counts often have the smallest profits. Meanwhile, companies you've never heard of are quietly building 8-figure businesses. Here's what most people miss: They confuse attention with traction. Real growth isn't about: • Manufacturing viral moments • Chasing trending sounds • Gaming the algorithm It's about creating systems that: • Convert viewers into customers • Turn customers into advocates • Build genuine community trust Think about it this way: A viral post might get you 1M views today. But a loyal customer base? They'll bring you 100 new customers every month. Consistently. The math is simple: Viral moment = 1M views, 0.1% conversion Community building = 10K views, 10% conversion Stop optimizing for views. Start optimizing for relationships. Build something people naturally share with their friends. — Leo Limin

Most Brands Get ‘Community’ Wrong—Here’s Why “Build a community.” That’s the advice every brand gets. And 99% of them do it completely wrong. They think community means engagement metrics. They think it means a Discord, a Slack group, or replying to comments. They think it means “involving the customer in the conversation.” And then they wonder why no one cares. The truth? People don’t want to join your brand. They want to join a world that makes them feel something. That’s what separates a brand with an audience from a cult brand that people would die for. The Problem With the ‘Community’ Playbook Most brands follow the same tired strategy: ✅ Start a social media page ✅ Create “engaging content” (whatever that means) ✅ Launch a Discord or Facebook group ✅ Hope people show up and talk about the brand And guess what? Most of these communities turn into a ghost town. They have zero identity, zero mystique, and zero sense of belonging. People don’t want another boring brand forum where they talk about products all day. They want a movement, a belief system, a new way of thinking. And that’s why the most powerful brands don’t build communities—they build worlds. The Cult Brand Playbook: Build a World, Not a Community Let’s look at brands that actually get it right. 🔥 Harley-Davidson: You don’t just buy a motorcycle. You join an outlaw brotherhood. 🔥 Liquid Death: It’s not about drinking water it’s about murdering thirst. 🔥 Apple (under Jobs): Not a tech company—an anti-establishment revolution. None of these brands talk about “engagement” or “building a customer community.” They create a lifestyle, mythology, and set of beliefs that make people feel like they belong to something bigger than themselves. And that’s the secret: Cult brands don’t chase customers. Customers chase them. How to Stop ‘Community-Building’ and Start World-Building If you want to build something people actually care about, stop focusing on engagement and start focusing on immersion. 🔑 Define a Belief System – What does your brand stand for? (And who’s the enemy?) 🔑 Create Rituals & Symbols – What actions and language make someone an insider? 🔑 Make It Exclusive – Can everyone join, or is it earned? 🔑 Give It a Mythology – What’s the origin story, the legend, the deeper meaning? If you build a world people want to live in, they’ll fight to get in. If you just build a community, they’ll leave the second something better comes along. Most brands are just a conversation. Cult brands are a religion. Your Turn Drop a comment: ⚡ What’s a brand that has built a real cult following? ⚡ Have you ever joined a brand not just because of the product—but because of the world they built? Let’s hear your take. 🚀 #Branding #CultBrands #WorldBuilding