Connie Bensen

It seems ages ago now, but in January 2007 my sister & I created a simple community consisting of forums, a blog & a file cabinet. That experience has evolved into a study of social networking, brand building and community building.

Here’s a summary of the basic premises every community manager should keep in mind. And companies that are creating communities should also realize their importance.

• How can you ensure that your community will be successful?
• Identify a need and provide resources to fulfill it.
• Build a community around that concept.
• There needs to be a lifestyle affinit
• How do you make others aware of the community?
• partner with related sites
• provide meaningful information
• How do you identify those that need your product/service?
• by listening to online conversations & utilizing tools
• I’ve been using Google alerts since Oct 06 & acting on them
• My day job is with Techrigy SM2 and we have a free version
• Monitoring social networks as well as web analytics is imperative
• Why will people return?
• to learn more about the product
• to get their questions answered & discuss niche related items
• How do you get people to link to your site?
• it’s human nature to want to help each other, so they do it to be helpful
• if you have resources that others find helpful then they will link others
• How do you build interest around new product releases?
• know your customer segment(s)
• what interests them? what types of activities do they thrive on?
• we held events such as chats (our ladies loved real time chats), offered prizes, celebrated niche specific events

And probably the most important realization that I had:

• Why will people want to buy at your site?
• if people find value in the information and resources they will want to support you
• time is of great value to many & if your site demonstrates extensive knowledge then people will want to purchase the product or resources

In the community that my sister & I created at DigiScrapInfo.com we started with no expectation of a business model. We later added the affiliate program because our community appreciated the resources so much that they asked how they could support us. People sincerely wanted to make sure that we were compensated if they  purchased.

My blog and site are another example. After less than one year people were offering me work opportunities. When I started this blog I never had any intentions of monetizing it, but it happened in a subtle way. Even though I have a full time job now people still assume that I do contracting work. With the recession I can connect those seeking positions with employers who read my blog. The job sourcing and mentorship is free as time permits because that’s how I can give back to my community.

My focus is on helping you create opportunities for yourself no matter the size of your community whether it be a blog, forums, small business, or a company.

If you are a company that is creating a community you should have a business case. But it will be much more successful if the focus is on providing information and resources first and realize that sales will be a natural progression. That will be a subsequent benefit after realizing many other benefits such as positive WOM, increased brand visibility online, etc first. It’s about establishing a presence based on giving back resources for what your community needs and establishing a relationship with them.

What have I missed?

Companies are realizing the impact that the social web can have on their brand. Listening & building relationships with their consumers is going to become an integral part of their strategy for success. Those that ignore the trend will continue on their path, but ultimately it will be the consumers who decide their success.

The community manager role is quickly gaining acceptance. For companies that are doing the majority of their business online, it’s a role that’s imperative to their success. For larger enterprises the term, social media strategist, is frequently used.

It’s time to look into the future. The adoption rate for community building is gaining momentum. Some companies that have a very successful community manager are wondering how to scale the community building role with a team of people.

There are many companies that are empowering their employees to utilize social media to build community. And they range in size from start ups all the way to Fortune 500. I foresee the role of Chief Community Officer.

When I was rewriting my Goals & Responsibilities post from 2008 I removed some of the language. But for the CCO position, these should be included in the role:

1. Ensure that Company continues to remain strategically opportunistic by continually evaluating & revising Company’s online marketing and outreach strategies, including both tools presently being used to emerging technologies.
2. Take primary responsibility for executing Company’s outreach strategy to create, build & maintain brand (and engage with customers & identify potential markets).

Why do I feel that this position should be at this level?

Community building is going to become an integral part of operations. If the role is implemented across the organization it offers the opportunity to contribute to marketing, customer service, product development, etc. The question I hear so often is, Who should the community person report to? And a bit more troubling is that it’s a leadership role that requires a lot of responsibility & commitment, but not recognized as a management position.

When I was doing some research for this post I found a white paper by Chuck Brymer, CEO of DDB Worldwide. He suggests that a CCO is the new marketing role. He suggests moving from the 4 P’s (product, price, place & promotion) to the 3 C’s (conviction, collaboration & creativity). His paper is definitely worth reading. I like how he talks about the need for creative leadership to develop more interactive relationships with consumers.

In this world a Chief Community Officer ideally oversees the relationship between brands and their communities, not just in the narrow confines of how a consumer interacts with a product at point of purchase, but also in how consumers interact with each other…A Chief Community Officer implicitly understands how to align all areas of marketing to influence consumers and engage their communities around brands.

He outlines 4 areas that the CCO would be responsible for:

1. Build community around the brand using multiple channels & ensure that the organization is living its message

2. Know the community’s wants, needs & lifestyle & use that data for marketing efforts

3. Monitor, respond & interact with the community to build relationships

4. Facilitating & nurturing an environment that empowers the community to uplift the brand.

The Future is Now

It’s an exciting time for community builders. My speaking & workshops this year focus on the role, implementation of it & the strategy. I look forward to discussing these ideas at New Comm  Forum, Community 2.0 & Enterprise 2.0! (More info on the speaking tab on my site) This past week I joined two panels in the Twin Cities focused on community building. It’s exciting to hear people discussing & exploring the concept.

Deb Schultz uses this phrase that perfectly envelopes the concept of a CCO: Think Community Manager meets Senior Executive.

There are already a few with the title:

• Bill Johnston, Forum One Network’s Chief Community Officer.
• Amy Muller, Chief Community Officer at Get Satisfaction.
• StartUpNation has Joel Welsh as their Chief Community Officer.
• Douglas Atkin, Meetup

Do you have what it takes to be a Chief Community Officer?

You can apply to be the CCO at Autism Speaks.

(If you talk with them, gently explain why ‘exploit’ isn’t a good choice…)

Exploiting the new media of social and community networking in the not-for-profit sector

What are your thoughts?

(Image made with free 3 modeling program)

That’s a new analogy that @curtprins came up with at Social Media Breakfast MSP. I like it!

I want to thank Rick Mahn & Albert Maruggi for inviting me to join them to present on Community at MSP Social Media Breakfast #13. It was a great event with 70 people! Albert invited us to the St Paul Boat & Yacht Club with a gorgeous riverfront view. On the drive there I grabbed a photo of the sunrise over the MPLS skyline.

I can talk passionately about community building for a long time & was a bit nervous if the majority would care. But Albert, Rick & I lead a very interactive session that sparked some good discussions.

These are notes from the Twitter backchannel. I encourage you to follow some of these great MSP people!

Community management not about technology, it’s about people & relationships!

How do we get the message to corporate America that many of them are doing it wrong =1way communication?

Communications, relationships, community building is where you can build your business

It’s not community management, it’s community building

Building community in B2B – helping people into the sales funnel, helping people pass through it, and ongoing support as they purchase

Twitter can be used as a lead generation tool

B2B has many opportunities now that only B2C used to have in the social media space

Social media – change. The walls are tumbling down.

Have to begin at the top of the enterprise chain, how do you get there in a way that is informative & educational

@albertmaruggi social media = one hell of a chat room

curtprins: Is a community manager a marketing swiss army knife–acct, product, pr, development et al via Social Media?

This isn’t new…The first social network—the rotary club 150 yrs old..

tsauce: Digging @curtprins swiss army knife analogy for role of community managers via social media

matthewtift: In typical online community, 99% of the community is just there to observe and not participate

mindsailing: Community spokesperson does take organizational brand recognition and memory with them if they leave.

btkennett: SMERF Social Media Elite Response Force ! I LOVE it!

MegCanada: great point about social media turning up volume on personalities that grow larger than a brand.

NicoledeB: #smbmsp just brought up idea of companies gaining equity from individuals’ brands. This makes me think of yesterday’s Chris Anderson talk

KakieF: Personal brand and corporate brands, can they be effectively integrated so there is win-win

tsauce: How do companies cope with losing employees who grow personal brands/equity and then leave?

matthewtift: Imagine starting a company with a bunch of people who each have a strong personal brand

lulugrimm: What’s your crisis plan? Do you have one, and to that one that includes solving a social media crisis

KakieF: Who writes the brand standards for social media in corporate america and where will they get their expertise?

curtprins: The barriers to creating personal brands have dropped. Companies are spooked. Thought leaders do not share corporate their own P&L

You need to begin with an audit of your brand… Then plan and strategize. Then how will collaboration and partnerships work

michelle_eide: What kind of person/position is best suited to be a community manager considering building brand vs. risk mgmt?

You have to collaborate and partner, especially in the current economic state

jbsem: Brand of "you" is the lens of how we will view employment in the future.

curtprins: Social media offers individual marketers direct access to their customers…at risk of the corporate brand?

negative feedback/ comments from the community is important & needs to be embraced

KakieF: what are you doing to listen to the chatter, what tools are you using, net vibes, blogpulse, google alearts

btkennett: Who owns the "community" in your org? Great Question from

timj4real: @btkennett can anyone own community? By definition isn’t it ‘common’

emlarson: From #SMBMSP, pondering "personal brand" of community manager vs. "company mascot". Wondering if news anchors are a metaphor in that mix.

traciknoppe: @emlarson I see mascots as a funny distraction, like at the high school football game; not a serious brand draw.

beehivepr: Community managers need to be able to talk to the front line to the c suite. Also need natural leadership skills and creativity.

tsauce: Comcast has a dozen people around the country that jump on you through twitter as soon as you mention the brand

mitchellhislop: "Comcast attacks you if you say anyhting" #smbmsp Lets test it COMCAST COMCAST COMCAST

tsauce: It’s similar to when you’re shopping, an a swarm of sales people is constantly asking if they can help you

KakieF: Tell us more about hosted services to manage brands

ckbliss: Social media tools are about more than extending your community. It’s about becoming a part of THEIR community

MegCanada: Feel like we are asking all the unaswerable questions, this stuff is so dependent on local leadership

Create own opportunities and reach out to companies you are interested and pitch yourself

studiozeroseven: Are these Community Managers expensive to hire?

KakieF: What is the best way to position self as an expert if no background working in this space?

lizgiel: If you’re in a situation where you need to find a job, get creative – what do you have to lose? @cbensen

KakieF: Good q – how to educate people in companies about how to use social media? A – ease into it = consultant approach

mindsailing: Leadership in social spaces has to be internally motivated. Leadership must demonstrate for adaptation to occur

KakieF: Find early adapters, get them trained, as word spreads you can gain credibility

lulugrimm: Great advice @cbenson you can’t say we are starting a corp. Blog and all of you are going to blog and like it

(for training people internally)   lulugrimm: You need to find the early adopters and let it happen organically 

KakieF: One company I know of started a blog under the radar and it really took off, sr leadership accepted, now widely read

lizgiel: Marketing is now about mediating relationships

matthewtift: Marketing used to be about mediating content, now marketing is about mediating relationships

rohnjaymiller: #smbmsp With social media a company gives up control of the brand to a degree in return for authenticity.

bstemmler: Recession has helped speed up embracing SM which has been a great thing! (my opinion)

stevekloyda: @rickmahn Community is ever expanding. It’s organic it grows. #SMBMSP gave me a different way to look at community. Very valuable.

I didn’t follow the Twitter stream while I was at the mike. So now I had a good chuckle about the ‘left side’ against the ‘right side’ of the room. The room was a ‘V’, so they couldn’t see each other but they were definitely communicating!

Conversation is a bit disjointed at #smbmsp today. Jumping from question to question without really exploring each.

If you disagree, find a way to argue without sarcasm #rightsideleftside #leftsiderightside #smbmsp

mitchellhislop: #starbordside is the wrong side #portsidestarbordside

And here’s a few excerpts from the coffee drinking contest!

lizgiel: @mitchellhislop (5 cups) on a coffee drinking marathon, one-up on @myklroventine (4 cups) #smbmsp

mitchellhislop: @lizgiel Red alret! Mykl got a bigger cup!!!

mitchellhislop: Anyone know CPR? This coffee drinking contest may not end well. #smbmsp

And finally, the Twitter Stream was keeping up to SXSW. I just went thru 24 pages of tweets, so there was lots of conversation happening.

lindsi: Following #smbmsp stream on @tweetgrid. Y’all are trending in the top 10 right along with SXSW and iPhone 3.

This is a great way to get feedback on how the audience received the presentation. We were really interactive & that was reflected in the comments.

If you have questions on any of the points, feel free to ask. And if you haven’t attended a Social Media Breakfast in your area, I highly recommend it!

Beth Harte has a great post on Personal Brand Equity. And it’s very timely discussion for me because we talked about it at MSP Social Media Breakfast yesterday. Our topic was the community manager role. In discussing the role & the impending culture changes that Gen Y’s are going to bring to the workplace someone asked, Will companies want to hire people with strong personal brands?

In addition to that Albert Maruggi asked, should companies be helping build personal brands? If they invest in an employee by sending them to training & workshops, then should the employee need to pay some of that equity back when they leave? (It sounds like a prenuptial agreement. If there’s a falling out, you will only leave as financially successful as when you came into this relationship.)

My question is: Does a company want to be filled with faceless, obscure beings? What if they don’t care if their employees have any passion for their profession? What if they’d prefer that their employees didn’t grow professionally? What if they’re not interested in contributing to the industry & profession at large?

I guess I’m not interested in working at that type of a company.

Beth’s post reviews traditional corporate branding. And she adds the following list in regard to the personal perspective:

What are you selling? How does your unique skill set, experience, reputation, etc. achieve corporate goals and objectives?

What’s your brand mark? Perhaps you have a personal logo or an avatar (photo). Are you distinct?

What’s your name? That’s obvious. But is it a well known name that a corporation would embrace? Is it a name recognized and established in the industry?

How much loyalty do you have banked? Can you bring ready-to-buy customers/prospects to the table upon hiring? Does the brand loyalty you’ve established help shorten the sales cycle? Do you have marketing/PR relationships that help save money or generate revenue?

What is your personal brand worth in revenue? What value does it add to the existing corporate brand? (Or does it conflict?) Does your personal brand help propel the corporate brand forward or create buzz?

Yesterday at SMB I proposed that the younger generation is going to expect certain things:

• utilize social media tools & technology
• have a personal brand that’s established on social networking sites
• to enjoy their work & be gratified in it (or they’ll move on)

My prediction is that the smart brands will value those with strong personal brands. I love the term ‘Talent Management’. It’s very similar to community management in that it’s a misnomer. But if you read about talent management the focus is on engaging talented people and ensuring that they’re challenged, it makes total sense. It’s important because they’re intrinsically motivated. My feeling is that those with strong personal brands are leaders & if they’ve taken the time to be outstanding in their own right then they’ll also take pride in doing the same for uplifting the corporate brand. What company wouldn’t want that? Does a company say, ‘Well, we’re fine with our corporate brand being mediocre.’ If a person has worked hard to ‘define’ themselves through education or life experience shouldn’t they be compensated for that?

Peter Kim asked these questions on Beth’s post:

- Personal brands seem best suited for awareness, consideration, and preference. But a different skill set takes over to drive purchase and loyalty.
- When the tangible (e.g. salary) meshes with the intangible (e.g. personal brand), objective metrics for evaluation are critical. We need to solve measurement, fast.
- With the changing nature of work, should employers even “buy” personal brands anymore? Or should they be thinking of leasing them for shorter terms for specific purposes?

I agree with Peter’s distinction that a personal brand is well suited for awareness, consideration & preference. That’s why community managers need to sparkle. I would add loyalty to that set because high level customer service is also a result of an effective community manager.

A personal brand is built over time. And I would argue that time = experience. So if that person has achieved & demonstrated an excellent skill set then shouldn’t salary be commensurate? This brings me back to the problem of companies thinking that they can bring in an experienced community manager at an entry level salary. They’ll bring their metrics & provide the deliverables to justify the cost.

Does “buy” = salary versus “lease” = contract work? For someone to contract they have to more than double their cost to offset being self employed, benefits & retirement. Does the organization get high quality consistent work over a long period of time that actually makes a difference & is adopted? In contrast to having someone on salary leading the corporation in that area.

I’m going to ask Dan Schawbel for his suggestions from the personal branding perspective. And Peter Gold who introduced me to the concept of talent management. What are your thoughts guys? And I welcome my readers to join the conversation too!

Does a personal brand have equity?

*update on this post – Beth had written a previous post. I just realized that Dan was used as an example in that post. (Dan & I have been friends for almost two years with complimentary mentorship. Hence I subscribe to the value of personal branding ideas too. They have served me well & my last two jobs have come to me.)