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How to Build a Thriving B2B Community - Generate Founder Axel
theb2bplaybook.com
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Most B2B communities suck. “Community members join, see no value, and bounce.” But what if you could build a B2B community that people actually want to be a part of? One that’s filled with real conversations, useful insights, and members who stick around because they’re getting value, not spam?
Too many “communities” end up being glorified pitch-fests where every discussion turns into a sales call. No one sticks around for that. As Axel pointed out: “Some groups are just full of people selling. It’s just ‘hey, attend my webinar,’ or ‘take my free trial,’ and there’s no real discussion happening”. “Instead of wasting time sifting through Google search results or generic blog posts, members can ask real-world questions and get practical answers from people who’ve been there before.” “If you have a marketing challenge, instead of spending hours searching, you can ask a group of 300+ experienced B2B marketers and get actual responses that are relevant to your region”.
Most B2B communities suck. “Either they’re dead zones with zero engagement, or they’re overrun with salespeople pitching their latest “game-changing” software.” But what if you could build a B2B community that people actually want to be a part of? One that’s filled with real conversations, useful insights, and members who stick around because they’re getting value, not spam?
And that’s exactly why it works. “Too many “communities” end up being glorified pitch-fests where every discussion turns into a sales call.” When a community actually helps people solve problems, it becomes invaluable. Instead of wasting time sifting through Google search results or generic blog posts, members can ask real-world questions and get practical answers from people who’ve been there before.
And that’s exactly why it works. “No one sticks around for that.” When a community actually helps people solve problems, it becomes invaluable. Instead of wasting time sifting through Google search results or generic blog posts, members can ask real-world questions and get practical answers from people who’ve been there before.
That’s why community matters more than ever. “Most marketers don’t need more blog posts, more webinars, or another generic LinkedIn group where everyone just pitches their latest SaaS tool.” As Axel put it:
Too many “communities” end up being glorified pitch-fests where every discussion turns into a sales call. No one sticks around for that. As Axel pointed out: “Some groups are just full of people selling. It’s just ‘hey, attend my webinar,’ or ‘take my free trial,’ and there’s no real discussion happening”. “When a community actually helps people solve problems, it becomes invaluable.” “If you have a marketing challenge, instead of spending hours searching, you can ask a group of 300+ experienced B2B marketers and get actual responses that are relevant to your region”.
Too many “communities” end up being glorified pitch-fests where every discussion turns into a sales call. No one sticks around for that. As Axel pointed out: “Some groups are just full of people selling. It’s just ‘hey, attend my webinar,’ or ‘take my free trial,’ and there’s no real discussion happening”. “When a community actually helps people solve problems, it becomes invaluable.” “If you have a marketing challenge, instead of spending hours searching, you can ask a group of 300+ experienced B2B marketers and get actual responses that are relevant to your region”.
If people aren’t getting value from the conversations, they’ll mute the group and forget about it. That’s why in Generate, every single question gets answered, no exceptions. “And it’s not just about answering questions, it’s about keeping discussions focused.” “We don’t have 50 different channels for every little thing. The more clutter you add, the harder it is for people to know where to engage.”
“We don’t have 50 different channels for every little thing. The more clutter you add, the harder it is for people to know where to engage.” “He personally engages in discussions, asks thought-provoking questions, and encourages members to share insights and experiences.” Should Your Business Start a B2B Community?
Make engagement the priority – If people don’t talk, the community dies. Encourage participation daily. “Kill the spam – No sales pitches, no fluff. Keep discussions useful.” Be the glue – A community needs a leader. If no one is driving it, it won’t survive.
There are plenty of marketing communities out there, but most of them are either too broad or filled with agencies trying to sell you something. That’s exactly the problem Axel ran into when he was looking for a space to connect with other in-house marketers. ““I joined a few global marketing communities, and they were great… but sometimes you just need something more region-specific. Like, if I need a merch vendor in Melbourne, who do I ask?”” So instead of waiting for someone else to create the perfect B2B marketing community, he decided to build one himself.
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