Why Communities Are The Future Of Business Development, with Renat Wegrzyn (Birthright Israel)

In a world where feelings of isolation are on the rise, and technology threatens to overshadow our sense of humanity, the art of fostering genuine human connections will become one of the most valuable skills of the 21st century. And today, businesses have a tremendous opportunity to cultivate communities of like-minded individuals around their brands, topics, and services, bringing people together in meaningful ways.However, building a successful virtual community is a craft not a lot of people know about, and many companies jump on the bandwagon assuming is much easier than it actually is.In this episode, we’re joined by community expert Renat Wegrzyn, head of Birthright Israel Digital, a digital alumni network that helps Jewish stay connected around the globe beyond their Taglit-Birthright Israel trip.In this episode, Jake sits down with Renat to discuss what is the role of communities as it relates to marketing, how to cut through the noise and engage your members effectively, and how companies can leverage communities to transform the customer’s journey from a one-off service to a life-changing experience. Tune into this thought-provoking conversation and discover why communities are the future of business development.  Time stamps: (00:00) Our guest today, Renat Wegrzyn, Head of Birthright Israel BEYOND(00:43) Building a purpose-driven community(06:57) Common challenges among community builders(10:57) Attracting and engaging members(14:49) How to integrate a community into your business(22:20) How online connections transcend to the real world(24:07) How to cut through the noise as a Greenfield community(28:48) What is the future of communities?(34:17) Outro Quotes  "If you are not clear about the need, you will never be able to succeed.""It’s better to have 10 very engaged people than 1,000 that are hardly engaged."<br />“The stronger the connection customers have to the product or service, the better your probability to grow a long-lasting relationship with them.”"When the time gets tough, you tend to close all the innovation units, all the things that are not a necessity, which tends to be a huge mistake when business goes back to usual."“The more we're digital native… the more therapists and the more human connections we'll need.”______________________________ Connect with Renat: <br />Website: https://birthrightisrael.com<br />LinkedIn:https://int.birthrightisrael.com/ Follow Jake:LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jakedunlapInstagram: https://instagram.com/jake_dunlap_Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaketdunlapWebsite: https://jakedunlap.com