Earlier this week, I attended the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA) webinar Beyond CRM: Connecting Communities to learn about the ways in which WISPs and their vendors can better connect in the industry and with their own communities. Here are 5 key tips that I learned from this webinar.
Tip #1: Join industry events
Industry events are packed full of resources, news, and connections— especially those held by WISPA, a 501.c6 advocacy organization made up of more than 800 WISPs and vendors. WISPA hosts two notable events each year: WISPAPALOOZA in the fall and WISPAMERICA in the spring. While attending these kinds of events, you might also consider taking advantage of sponsorship opportunities— a great avenue for building community awareness for your company.
Not sure what to expect at these kinds of events? Take a look at our WISPAPALOOZA 2018 event recap to learn more.
Tip #2: Ask for feedback and advice
Another way to connect in the WISP community is to seek out experts in the field, especially if you are just embarking on starting a WISP. As Minim is a WISPA vendor member, we know firsthand how welcoming and collaborative the WISP community is. Whether you connect with fellow WISPs face-to-face at trade shows or connect on social media (check out the WISPA Facebook group, which is also open to non-members of WISPA), you are bound to learn new tricks of the trade to deliver a better customer experience.
Tip #3: Understand your customers
The webinar also shared advice for connecting in the WISP community on a more local level. A first way you could accomplish this is by looking to your subscriber base.
A great example of this was shared in the webinar by Amarillo Wireless Broadband, a WISP based out of Amarillo, Texas. They reached out to their subscribers when they noticed a sudden uptick in churn. In doing so, AW Broadband learned that these subscribers were simply moving out of town and therefore had to cancel their service. But, with this information, AW Broadband was able to reach out to the locations their subscribers were moving and connect with the communities there.
This example shows how you could connect with your subscribers and learn of new ways to grow your community reach in the process.
Tip #4: Introduce yourself to locals
Another way to connect in the WISP community on a local level is to simply let people know you are around. This may come as a no-brainer, but it's a great reminder to reach out to your community's chamber of commerce, newspaper, library— you name it— and introduce yourself and your business. Let them know you're a local, just like them, and share your passion for delivering reliable broadband services to the area to help the community connect. Not only will this strengthen your business and brand, it will help you build your subscriber base.
Tip #5: Get involved
On this same note, introducing yourself and WISP business is one thing, but actually getting involved with the communities in which you serve is another. By getting involved, such as through supporting a local charity or making a donation to a local small business, you can further show your commitment to seeing the community prosper and grow.
Starting a WISP 101: Must-have resources
