They took a regular Hallmark holiday and used it to make a playful pun that relates back to both their brand message and product. 

Regardless of the platform you use, you’ll also want to focus on creating a sense of community with your brand. 

People love to feel part of communities that offer mutual benefits. Digital communities – like LinkedIn or Facebook Groups, and forums that discuss something related to your industry – are a good place to start. Try to think of ways to create an environment that your customers can be a part of, which they wouldn’t necessarily be able to access if they weren’t your customer. For example, if you’re a financial consultant, you could start a weekly discussion group about budget hacks that you only offer to people who have used your services in the past. 

Building community could also just mean engaging regularly with your customers. Reach out to past customers and let them know about a new offer. If you run yoga classes, you can create Stories about them on Instagram and send your stories to past customers with a cute message like “would love to see you there!” 

People tend to feel seen when you reach out to them, and it helps them create personal connections with your brand, as opposed to just seeing you as “just another business.” Engaging on social media and creating community will also help your brand stay relevant in the minds of your customers, so the next time they need something you offer, they’ll be more likely to think of you. 

Lastly, social media is a great place to gather feedback – both positive and negative. It will help you to have a finger on the pulse of your customers’ needs as they change, so that you can adapt to those changes and continuously improve your offering to meet your customers’ expectations. 

Borders Books and Music, a brick-and-mortar bookstore chain, failed to follow their customers’ changing preferences. Where Barnes and Nobles shifted and created their own ebook reader, Borders doubled down on their physical stores, and as a result, they went bankrupt in 2011.