In this episode of Leadtail TV, host Byran Kramer chats with Cecile Thirion, about building a community, how B2B marketers should expand their thinking to marketing internationally, and why mentoring and lifting people up is so important. Cecile is a global marketer known for her innovative thoughts on community building.

We’re sharing some highlights from the episode in this blog post but you can watch the full episode here

When Should a Company Consider Going Global? 

The first thing to consider is whether or not your product or service is solving a global problem. 

One of the examples Cecile shared is the transportation industry.

Most large cities have the same issues and considerations regarding transportation no matter where they are in the world. Meaning companies who provide transportation solutions should consider global marketing because the solution is needed everywhere. She calls this product-market fit, but with a global consideration. 

The next thing to consider is where your website visitors are coming from. Are you getting visitors from regions outside your own? Do you have customers outside of your region using your product in other countries? If yes, then it may be time to consider marketing on a global scale.

Even if you’re the head of marketing for an early-stage startup, you should still consider tracking these metrics, so that when the time is right, you’re able to pivot into an international marketing plan. 

Another reason to consider global marketing is if you have very aggressive growth targets. Why not explore the idea of reaching potential buyers in similar geographic markets? 

The Power of Mentorship in the Workplace

For Cecile mentorship is about giving. She says, “If you give, you grow, you learn. Giving leads you to uncharted territories and new opportunities you wouldn’t have thought possible. And that’s the power of mentorship.”

As you mentor others you grow your ability to lead and empathize with others. Understanding another person’s point of view and the reason behind it makes for a much more cooperative leadership style. 

Cecile shares how she first started in mentorship and why she has stuck with it over the years. She now mentors with TechWomen to help elevate women in STEM and entrepreneurs throughout the Bay Area.

How Mentorship Informs Community

Being able to properly mentor others helps you build the skills needed to create and engage your community. The same skills that help build up your mentees are the skills needed to help manage a community of customers.

Engagement is one of the key markers of a successful community but it doesn’t happen on its own. A heart of service and a willingness to give are needed to help increase engagement and create effective communities.

It’s all about sharing valuable things and handing out knowledge and resources that matter to your community. It’s all about service and creating a safe space for people to get together and share thoughts and ideas.

Can Building An Engaged Community Grow a Company?

For Cecile, that answer is very much yes. Not only can you build your company’s brand by engaging your community, but you can also test new product ideas and gain insights for your product roadmap. 

Your community is made up of people who already know, like, and trust your products and/or brand. They’ll be the first to tell you when they like something but also when something seems off. Don’t discount their feedback as your company grows. 

Even if you didn’t have a full-scale marketing budget, having an engaged community could mean the difference between growth and stagnation. 

Now It’s Your Turn

We’d like to hear from you. How do you engage your community?

Let us know if you have any questions for Cecile and we are happy to pass them along.

Watch the entire episode here or listen to the podcast version here.

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