First Direct Is Building Community

First Direct (http://www.firstdirect.com), a member of the HSBC Group in the UK, has always promoted a progressive customer experience both online and offline.

On the Web specifically, they use www.firstdirect.com to not only provide information about their products and services but also establish themselves as an industry expert, community leader and socially responsible company with initiatives like:

• Podcasts that discuss topics ranging from the effects of the “credit crunch” to smart ways to invest
• Virtual Forest Campaign, where First Direct agrees to plant trees in exchange for members switching to paperless statements
• Energy saving tips to reduce your carbon footprint
• Sponsored art exhibits 
• Video testimonials from real customers (by product type)
• And more

Now, First Direct is going one step further by launching their Little Black Book, a community review site, exclusively for First Direct customers. On this site, members can view and add reviews on restaurants, shopping and “hidden gems” throughout the UK.

Since more than a third of First Direct’s customers were acquired by referrals from existing customers, they understand the influence of recommendations and wanted to create a way for their customers to share experiences more easily. And let’s not forget the exclusivity factor!

Read more about this campaign and see some examples of their email marketing at The Financial Brand.

Comments

[Ben Rogers]

Great share, this is an idea that might not stick as a social network, but it does stick as a marketing campaign (i.e. a new way to get the word out about social responsibility)