On the basis of our combined 30 years of researching,
building, and leveraging brand communities, we identify and
dispel seven commonly held myths about maximizing their
value for a firm. For companies considering a community
strategy, we offer cautionary tales and design principles. For
those with existing brand communities, we provide new approaches
for increasing their impact. And as you'll see from
our discussion and the online "Community Readiness Audit" at brand community.hbr.org, your decision
is not whether a community is right for
your brand. It's whether you're willing
to do what's needed to get a brand community
right.