Introduction

In today’s world, buyers trust other people more than they trust businesses. This article shows how building a customer community can increase trust and help your partnerships grow.

What's the problem it solves?

Most companies think they have their customers’ trust-but they don’t. Many leaders believe customers trust them, but in reality, people trust each other way more than they trust brands. This lack of trust makes it harder to build strong partnerships and sell products. The article shows how creating a real customer community can fix that.

Quick Summary

When companies focus only on selling, they lose customer trust. But if they treat customers like long-term partners and build a space where customers can talk, share ideas, and support each other, trust grows. This is what’s called having a “community mindset.” It’s not just about selling, it’s about giving people real value and a place to connect. That trust then helps the company get better reviews, honest feedback, and even more support for its partner programs.

The article uses Jamf as a real example. Jamf built an online space called Jamf Nation, where Apple users, customers, and partners talk to each other. From this community, Jamf gets feedback for new products, finds people to speak at events, and collects helpful reviews. Even though not everyone in the community is a customer, the space still brings value to everyone and helps Jamf grow. You don’t need a huge group to start-just a few excited and trusted people can make a big difference.

Key Takeaways from the article

• People trust other customers more than they trust businesses.
• Treating customers like partners builds stronger relationships.
• Building a small, trusted community can help your brand grow.
• Good communities give people a place to talk, share advice, and solve problems.
• Trusted community members can leave reviews, give feedback, and help promote new features.
• Feedback from community forums can guide which integrations or partners to focus on.
• You can also find great stories and quotes for your marketing from community members.
• Start small: a few trusted customers chatting in a Slack group is enough to begin.
• Don’t force the community to act a certain way-let it grow naturally.
• A community mindset helps both customers and partners feel included and heard.

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