Marketing in the Participation Age: A Guide to Motivating People to Join, Share, Take Part, Connect, and Engage

Chapter 8

D + E + C = P2

Connect

As we learn more about the new connected world in which we live, we understand more clearly the profound affect individuals have on one another for even the most basic of choices. We live in a highly connected, highly networked world—and part of marketing’s new responsibility is to help facilitate and enable these connections. The emphasis to connect comes from the relatedness attribute of the self-determination theory and refers to the need to feel connected to others. As mentioned in earlier chapters, humans are social creatures with an intrinsic need to be a part of something bigger, and this includes relationships. Recent technology obviously helps facilitate this by allowing individuals with like minds and similar interests to connect anytime, anywhere, virtually or in person. Connecting in this way lets people feel as though they belong to a larger community.

Companies that are marketing in the Participation Age must connect by actively considering what relationship their product, service, or brand has with participants in an authentic and transparent manner, of course. They must also determine how to further support participants’ desire to connect with other participants. Products, services, and brands are passion points around which participants like to connect, so actively managing community activities as part of marketing is what the connect element in the Participation Way is all about. Consider the following when activating the connect ...