Building a strong entrepreneurial community has always relied on personal engagement. Luckily, many digital tools exist today that help facilitate that engagement.
Few understand that better than Binnenstadbedrijf Dordrecht. The city’s business association has embraced a communications platform tailored for local entrepreneurs. These digital tools help foster collaboration, streamline information sharing, and offer valuable data insights.
Let’s take a closer look.
Dordrecht’s approach to onboarding new entrepreneurs is all about personal connection and engagement.
"We make it a point to visit new entrepreneurs. It’s a great way to introduce ourselves, explain more about our organisation, and share what we do,” says Merel Meuleman, city centre manager at Binnenstadbedrijf Dordrecht.
“It also gives us the opportunity to gather their information so we can sign them up as members. Becoming a member gives them immediate access to our platform."
Following these visits, a welcome email is sent to the new members, guiding them through the process of downloading the app or creating an account on the website. This seamless onboarding process ensures effective user adoption, so entrepreneurs can start benefiting from Chainels right away.
To reinforce this, the team follows up with an in-person check-in, making sure the entrepreneur was able to access the platform smoothly. During these visits, Chainels is often described as "the Facebook for entrepreneurs," helping new users understand its purpose and value.
In Dordrecht, the process of welcoming new entrepreneurs is typically supported by street ambassadors. These ambassadors are local business owners who guide new entrepreneurs and act as their go-to resource.
"We have ambassadors in every street, who make the effort to visit in-person. We try to regularly walk around and stay in touch with the community. Our goal is to do these rounds once every two weeks."
These visits not only help onboard new entrepreneurs but also serve as a reminder for existing members to stay engaged with Chainels. The in-person connection is still vital in maintaining strong community ties.
There’s a clear distinction between entrepreneurs who frequently use Chainels and those who don’t. "We definitely see a group of entrepreneurs who use Chainels every day. They stay updated and are very interactive. But there’s another group that’s not as involved, and it’s challenging to get them to engage."
To boost engagement, the team has started tying updates and communications to specific projects, like the recent green initiative. When entrepreneurs see the tangible benefits of using the platform, they are more likely to remain active.
As part of their strategy, the team is continuously working on professionalising communication. They focus on creating posts with strong visuals and engaging titles to capture attention. Each post includes a clear call to action, such as asking for comments or feedback.
"We always include a call to action at the end of each post. A catchy introduction and good photos work really well for us."
The team is also exploring the possibility of creating specialised channels to deliver more targeted information and avoid overwhelming the main communication channel.
While Chainels is the primary communication tool for the community, there are discussions about expanding its functionality, including adding a chat feature to allow more focused, smaller group conversations.
"I would love to create smaller, focused groups where entrepreneurs can share experiences and discuss specific topics. It would make interactions more meaningful and less overwhelming."
These chats would allow entrepreneurs to connect over shared interests or challenges, enhancing the collaborative nature of the platform.
Chainels not only serves as a communication tool but also fosters collaboration among entrepreneurs. Through shared updates and projects, entrepreneurs are encouraged to take initiative and engage with each other, which strengthens the community as a whole.
"When entrepreneurs start arranging things on their own, rather than just relying on us to post updates and organize events, it really strengthens the community. It’s great when they take the initiative."
For example, when a new green initiative was posted, a long-time member who deals in seeds offered to give a workshop on plant watering. This kind of collaboration highlights the platform’s potential to facilitate meaningful interactions.
The introduction of footfall reports has been a game-changer for entrepreneurs, though it’s still underutilised. These reports provide valuable data on visitor trends and flows, helping businesses plan and anticipate busy periods.
"Footfall reports could be very valuable. Entrepreneurs could use the data to look back and see patterns, anticipate busy periods, adjust stock, or focus on different visitor demographics."
By consolidating this information in one place, Chainels allows the centre management team to assess the success of events and activities in the city. These insights help validate or challenge the data, ensuring that community-driven initiatives are truly beneficial for the local businesses.
Success on Chainels is measured by engagement and readability. The team tracks how many entrepreneurs read posts and engage with them, and they are pleased when these metrics show high readability, even if interaction levels could be improved.
"I’m happy when engagement shows up in green, meaning high. It shows that people are reading and using the platform."
As the community evolves, the platform remains a work in progress, with the team always looking for new ways to improve and engage their members.
Dordrecht’s success with Chainels demonstrates the power of combining face-to-face interactions with a robust digital platform to strengthen community ties.
By continually optimising their approach, fostering collaboration, and leveraging data insights, the team has created an environment where entrepreneurs feel supported and engaged.
While the journey is ongoing, the association's efforts highlight the value of a proactive, adaptable strategy in building a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem. As the community grows, Dordrecht remains focused on evolving Chainels to meet the needs of its members, ensuring lasting impact and continued collaboration.