Online Community Goal Setting - Be a Rebel - Joie de Vivre style

I have a minimum of 50 discussions per week about online communities and social networks. These discussions are typically with customers, prospects, partners and employees. It occurs to me that establishing goals is quite a challenge for those considering the launch of an online community. In many organizations, several stakeholders exist and those stakeholders have different and sometimes competing objectives. It is important to establish the community owner, and set goals that meet the needs of the owner and the audience that will be served by the community - customers, partners, internal employees, readers, etc.

I would like to offer an exercise that is used by Chip Conley, the CEO of Joie de Vivre. Joie de Vivre is the largest boutique hotelier in California with plans for rapid growth. I gained a great deal of respect for Chip after reading his book, Rebel Rules, which was forwarded by Richard Branson. When Chip considers launching a new hotel, he thinks of it in terms of a magazine or two and the five words that will describe it's personality. For a description of the hotel used in this example, go to Hotel Vitale. As Chip explains in this Business 2.0 article, "The Vitale was a hybrid of Dwell and Real Simple; the words were 'modern,' 'urbane,' 'fresh,' 'natural,' and 'revitalizing."

This same approach can be used while thinking about the community that you will enable. Of course, the community will take on a life and personality of its own, but you will be off to a great start if you first set goals that can be well defined. An example of these descriptive words may include fun, educational, active, thought-provoking and zealous. As you embark on community, have fun with it and with the audience it serves.

In full discloser, I had so much respect for Chip and his marketing genius that I called him to discuss, and they became a client. Look for their community and that of their guests, to launch soon. Remember - communities are about people and people have personalities (well, most do) - what is the personality of your audience?