Make Community

Akil Benjamin
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  • Marketing
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Hey, We’re Akil and Mike. We’ve built careers helping companies reach their ideal customers, and now we’re sharing with you the best ways we’re seeing in the world to do it. From niche community groups to international brands we cover new and classic case studies to build communities and monetise audiences. We believe community-driven sales will be a more prominent way of doing business as more people search to fulfill their wants and ambitions in groups vs the highly personalised era of the previous decade, but let’s see. AK + Mike

Episodes

  1. 08/19/2025

    📈 #8 Community-Driven Sales and Brand Loyalty

    This episode explores the concept of Community-Driven Sales (CDS), highlighting how prioritising relationships and customer involvement can lead to sustainable growth and brand trust. Rather than focusing solely on transactions, this approach emphasises building loyalty and advocacy by engaging customers throughout the brand journey, from product development to promotion. A case study of the beauty brand Glossier demonstrates the practical application of CDS principles, showcasing how two-way communication, transparency, and turning customers into brand ambassadors contributed to their significant success and highly engaged community. The core message is that businesses fostering an authentic connection with their community can transform customers into passionate advocates, ultimately building a sustainable and emotionally resonant brand.  Read the full article on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/makecommunity/p/8-beyond-sales-building-relationships?r=5hk7md&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

    9 min

  2. 08/05/2025

    🌱 #7 Scaling with Community and Operations

    This episode discusses the challenges and strategies involved in scaling a successful minimal loveable product (MLP) into a larger operation. It highlights the importance of balancing operational readiness and infrastructure development with maintaining strong community engagement. Using case studies of Treasure Tress and Slack, the text illustrates how leveraging user feedback and fostering a passionate community are crucial for achieving sustainable growth and becoming a market leader. The examples demonstrate that prioritising both practical scaling and the core appeal of the product leads to a more resilient and championed brand. Read the full article on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/makecommunity/p/7-scaling-up?r=5hk7md&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

    12 min

  3. 07/22/2025

    ♻️ #6 Shared Value and Community Sustainability

    This episode explores how organisations focused on community impact can achieve financial sustainability by forming strategic partnerships. They highlight the importance of identifying partners who share values and see the benefit of connecting with the community's audience, creating mutually beneficial paid propositions. Case studies of Mentor Black Business and TEDx illustrate successful models where collaborations with entities like Lloyds Bank and global brands enabled programme expansion, enhanced community offerings, and provided partners with valuable exposure. The overarching theme is that sustainability is achieved by aligning shared value between the community, partners, and the initiative, leading to scalable growth and long-term impact. Ultimately, those who care and invest are key to carrying the mission forward. Read the full article on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/makecommunity/p/6-who-cares-pays?r=5hk7md&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

    19 min

  4. 07/08/2025

    🫶🏾 #5 Building Beloved Products with Your Community

    This episode discusses the concept of building a Minimum Lovable Product (MLP) as an alternative to the traditional Minimum Viable Product approach. They highlight how companies can achieve lasting success by launching a thoughtful initial solution and then continuously improving it through iterative development and active feedback loops with their user base. We use examples of Airbnb and Figma to demonstrate how co-creating with the community leads to a stronger, more user-aligned product, fosters loyalty, and drives significant growth. Ultimately, this episode emphasises the importance of building with your community, not just for them, by treating users as partners in the product development process. Read the full article on Substack: =https://open.substack.com/pub/makecommunity/p/5-co-creating-value?r=5hk7md&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

    9 min

  5. 06/24/2025

    ✅ #4 Cultivating Community Engagement and Trust

    This episode discusses how to build thriving communities by focusing on cultivating engagement and trust. It suggests strategies such as creating dedicated spaces, enabling two-way communication, and developing a brand voice that reflects community values. We include case studies of BlackStrat, a community for Black strategists that used WhatsApp and events to build connection, and Reddit, a vast platform that thrives by empowering users and maintaining transparency. Both examples illustrate that authenticity, active collaboration, and prioritizing user needs are crucial for creating spaces where individuals feel valued and connected.

    12 min

  6. 06/10/2025

    🗺️#3 Mapping Community Engagement

    Mapping a community's journey as a crucial strategy for community-driven sales. It emphasises the need for companies to understand where and how their audience engages, highlighting the presence of communities across various online and offline platforms. This episode explores how to build inclusive engagement by creating hybrid spaces and balancing the input of active members with insights from the broader community. A case study on LEGO is presented as an example of a brand successfully implementing these principles to foster innovation, loyalty, and growth. The overall message is that meeting your community where they are is vital for building strong, sustainable relationships. Read the full article on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/makecommunity/p/3-mapping-the-community-journey?r=5hk7md&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

    15 min

  7. 05/27/2025

    🤝🏾 #2 Understanding your audience

    The core principles of Community-Driven Sales (CDS) is emphasising the importance of understanding and engaging with your target audience authentically. It highlights that successful CDS strategies involve researching audience needs, recognising business strengths to align with those needs, and avoiding transactional approaches. Two case studies, DOES and Dove's Real Beauty Campaign, are presented to illustrate these principles in action. Both examples demonstrate how identifying the audience's preferences and values and providing genuine value through appropriate channels can lead to increased reach, engagement, and overall success by fostering strong, loyal communities. Read the full article on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/makecommunity/p/2-understanding-your-audience?r=5hk7md&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

    12 min

  8. 05/08/2025

    👥 #1 Community-Driven Sales Strategies

    According to Akil and Mike, traditional sales methods are becoming less effective as consumers increasingly value trust and relationships, making community-driven sales (CDS) a crucial approach. This method focuses on building strong relationships and shared value with target communities rather than just selling. Before implementing CDS, businesses must carefully identify the right communities, ensuring their efforts are meaningful and effective. Key steps include defining purpose, researching communities, assessing fit, and segmenting subgroups to provide genuine value and align authentically with real-world needs. Read the full article on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/makecommunity/p/1-community-driven-sales?r=5hk7md&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

    8 min
  • 8 Episodes

About

Hey, We’re Akil and Mike. We’ve built careers helping companies reach their ideal customers, and now we’re sharing with you the best ways we’re seeing in the world to do it. From niche community groups to international brands we cover new and classic case studies to build communities and monetise audiences. We believe community-driven sales will be a more prominent way of doing business as more people search to fulfill their wants and ambitions in groups vs the highly personalised era of the previous decade, but let’s see. AK + Mike

Information

  • Creator
    Akil Benjamin
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Akil Benjamin
  • Show Website
    Make Community