The Hidden Power of Community

Anyone who loves rugged outdoor adventures knows The North Face. Their jackets are like a badge of honor for those scaling the mountains or braving the wild. 

It’s the brand you turn to when gearing up for the cold or chasing escapades, embodying that fearless, outdoor-loving spirit we all admire.

But even a powerhouse like The North Face isn’t immune to challenges. In the mid-2010s, they hit a snag. While die-hard adventurers stayed loyal, the brand was struggling to connect with a younger, social media-savvy crowd. 

That’s when they realized it wasn’t enough to just sell jackets—they needed to build something bigger. So, they set out to create a community rooted in exploration, adventure, and connection.

In 2013, The North Face took a bold leap by launching #NeverStopExploring. This simple yet powerful hashtag invited customers to share their own adventure stories, making them feel like part of a bigger narrative. 

Instead of simply posting glossy product photos, they highlighted real-life experiences, turning everyday adventurers into their most authentic ambassadors. 

The hashtag also appeared in stores and ads, allowing customers to see their own photos featured alongside the gear. This further reinforced the sense of belonging they felt by participating in the campaign. 

This campaign sparked massive engagement, skyrocketing their Instagram followers from 1.5 million in 2013 to over 9 million by 2016. Sales followed the buzz, jumping 20% in 2015 alone.

Soon, The North Face took #NeverStopExploring offline with events, workshops, and hikes where adventurers could meet, share stories, and connect. This deeper bond turned the hashtag into a lifestyle, rather than just a slogan. 

The success of #NeverStopExploring proves that today’s customers don’t just want to shop—they want to belong. By empowering its community to share their stories, The North Face created lasting loyalty and real sales growth. 

Community—that’s what this hashtag created. The North Face chose one of the most effective ways to build a community, and it worked so well. It not only gave their customers a platform to share their experiences with the brand, but it also encouraged affirming interactions with one another.

Unfortunately, many brands ignore, underestimate, or completely misunderstand the importance of building a community. As a result, their marketing strategies end up being either half-baked or yielding lackluster outcomes.

That’s what I want to discuss in today’s lesson: the power of community and how to effectively build one that can truly transform your online business. We’ll also address common misconceptions about building a community and explore why it’s such a crucial element for running a successful online business.

My brand has a huge social media following. Isn’t that a community?

Having a big social media following is great, but it’s just the beginning. Think of your followers like guests at a party. It’s one thing to show up, but are they actually talking, sharing stories, or feeling connected enough to stay? 

A crowd isn’t the same as a community.

As marketing expert Seth Godin puts it, “People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories, and magic.” That’s why even a small business with fewer followers can build stronger loyalty if they’re engaging meaningfully. 

A local coffee shop responding to comments and hosting events where those commenters can interact creates a tighter bond with 5,000 followers than a giant brand with millions.

The numbers might get people to notice you, but engagement is what keeps them coming back. A study by Sprout Social shows that 64% of consumers want brands to connect with them on social media and foster networking, not just sell to them. 

I have a huge email list. Shouldn’t that count as a community?

An email list is a powerful asset, but having one doesn’t automatically mean you’ve built a community. If your subscribers aren’t actively opening your emails, engaging with your content, or responding, then it’s really just a collection of names. Plus, those subscribers don’t interact with one another.

A true community isn’t a one-way broadcast. It’s a two-way street where there’s real interaction and shared purpose.

Take Revel Gear, for instance—a small company selling camping lights. Instead of simply blasting sales emails, they used their list to create a real sense of belonging. 

They shared user-generated content like photos of customers using their lights in the wild, featured personal camping stories, and even invited subscribers to contribute their own ideas. They ultimately encouraged their members to engage with one another through commenting and resharing that content.

This approach transformed their email list into an engaged community, resulting in a 35% boost in engagement and significantly higher customer loyalty. 

My online store is already making a huge profit. Why do I need a community?

Profits are great, but they can be unpredictable. Sales might soar today and drop tomorrow if you don’t have loyal customers to back you up. Building a community creates a safety net by fostering deeper relationships that go beyond one-time purchases.

Take Topo Designs, a small outdoor brand, as an example. They hosted local meetups and hikes, bringing their customers together through a shared love of adventure. 

This simple effort turned occasional buyers into devoted fans, leading to a 40% jump in repeat customers. People weren’t just buying gear—they were joining a lifestyle.

Loyalty like that doesn’t happen overnight. It’s earned. A strong community boosts today’s sales and grows your future ones. Community members often spread the word to friends and family without any extra effort from you. 

Think of it as planting seeds that grow into a forest, helping your business thrive for the long haul. Would you rather have one-time customers or lifelong supporters who bring others with them? That’s the power of a community.

Where should I build my community? 

The answer depends on where your audience already spends their time and how they interact. For The North Face, Instagram and outdoor events were perfect fits. 

Instagram allowed them to share stunning user-generated adventure photos under their #NeverStopExploring hashtag, while events like hikes and workshops brought adventurers together in real life. These spaces made sense because that’s where outdoor enthusiasts naturally connect.

If your audience skews toward fitness buffs, platforms like Strava or Facebook Groups can work wonders. Strava, a social network for athletes, allows users to track workouts and join group challenges, creating a shared sense of achievement. 

Take Gixo, a fitness startup that grew a loyal community on its app by hosting live fitness challenges and classes. Their app wasn’t just a tool—it became a digital clubhouse, a place where users felt inspired, supported, and motivated to stay active. By aligning the platform with their audience’s lifestyle, Gixo turned casual users into raving advocates.

What makes people pay to join a community? 

Depending on the type of community you're building and where you're hosting it, you might consider charging an entry fee. This can create an additional income stream for you and make your community feel more exclusive.

How can you convince people to pay this entry fee? It all comes down to value. People are willing to pay when they see benefits like exclusive content, insider access, or meaningful connections.

Let’s learn from BossBabe—a thriving membership platform for female entrepreneurs. They've built a paid community by offering members things they can't easily get elsewhere, such as expert-led webinars, private forums, and mentorship opportunities.

Members are paying for information and investing in a sense of belonging and empowerment. This is why BossBabe has attracted over 3.5 million followers across platforms and turned its community into a profitable business.

Now, how do you ensure the payment feels worth it? 

You have to consistently deliver on your promise of value. For instance, Wool&Prince, a clothing brand known for its innovative merino wool apparel, rewards its loyal customers with perks like early access to new products and behind-the-scenes updates. 

Even more impressively, they invite their most engaged customers to test prototypes and provide feedback, making them feel like insiders. This approach creates a deeper connection between the brand and its community, which translates directly into repeat sales and advocacy.

Beyond this, building a community that people are willing to pay is about creating a sense of inclusion, trust, and shared purpose. When people feel they’re getting something truly unique and valuable, they’re not just customers anymore; they’re invested members of a tribe. And that’s where the real magic happens.

Building a community isn’t just about likes, shares, or email clicks. It’s about creating something bigger than your brand—a space where people feel connected, valued, and inspired. 

Just like The North Face, when you empower your audience to share their stories, your business grows and thrives. And trust me, the adventure is worth it.