"Our whole brand is about being inclusive and making people feel like they're part of it," said Dan. For Chinatown Market that means experimenting with IGTV live streams where fans can pitch design concepts and watch graphic designers bring them to life, engage in DIY tie-dye and customization projects, city-specific charitable collaborations supporting Covid-19 relief initiatives, and much more. All of this puts followers at the forefront of an ongoing creative conversation. So when the company inevitably makes mistakes (think shipping delays or forgetting to share new product releases on social), the audience is much more likely to forgive its gaffes. (Read more about the brand's killer strategy in this Fast Company piece from March). 

#3: Treat your super-fans like the special people they are

"We have people that collect every piece from us, and do their own competitions for whoever has the most [Chinatown Market gear]". This group are the brand's "core fans" said Dan. The company now has an email list of these fans ("the brand's most important ones") determined by several factors such as most frequent purchasing and consistently  high spending. Core fans get access to exclusive product releases and drop pre-releases, among other things. The goal, said Dan, is "making them feel special." Dan said that, of the 10,000 super-fans who receive that targeted email, typically 8,000 will buy something.

#4: When it comes time to sell something, be clear that selling is what you're doing

"When you're doing commerce [on Instagram] don't be afraid to [actually] do it," said Layla. In other words: no need to hide the fact that you're selling something. If you have built a strong enough community, they'll want to know about it. "I think people forget that like there's an entire generation of people that have grown up watching YouTube unboxing videos and who are used to being sold stuff directly," said Layla. That logic is the driving force behind new IG features like Product Launches (a.k.a. drops), which enable brands to build excitement around product releases (and drive products like this one to sell out in seconds).

#5: If possible, design your products with a social feedback loop in mind

When Dan and his team plan their product offerings, the relationship between those products and content--both user-generated and their own--is always top of mind. "You don't just get a screen-printing kit [from us], you get a screen-printing kit with two special T-shirts, and there's a piece of content accompanying so you can learn actually how to design your shirt with pieces from the Chinatown market design library." This strategy helps people feel "like they're a part of the brand," said Dan (and drives crazy social engagement as people share their DIY creations).

What's the biggest take-away here? Instagram is just a tool. If you don’t have an active and engaged community (or if what you’re selling isn’t optimized for the platform), it’s likely not going to land with your audience.

Here's that link again to the full recording from my conversation with Dan and Layla.

If you want to learn how to create and grow a digital community for yourself or your brand, ensure that yours continues to thrive in this uncertain environment, and learn from the people actually building one successfully, The Digital Campfire Download is for you. Learn more here. 
 

Want my help navigating digital campfires for yourself or your brand? Want to pitch someone as a guest for a future episode? Have an opinion on digital campfires or other digital marketing matters? Reach out on Instagram at @sarawilson or say hello at sara@swprojects.co.