Connie Bensen

We’re looking for the two best answers, then we’ll bring you to Dell World in December to pitch your idea in person! Are you up to the challenge?

Last year Dell World was amazing and this year it promises to be even better! This year we are integrating a social media neighborhood. My colleague, Cy Jervis decided to take IdeaStorm offline by using IdeaStorm to source ideas for how Dell can better use social to connect to its customers.

IdeaStorm

I have been working with Dell Communities for over a year and continually see opportunities for us to better connect with our customers. This spring I put together a project to expand the support forums across eight languages. Dell provides support in the social channels in 14 languages, so why not? Now we have a request for a ninth language. I love the enthusiasm of our teams around the world!

Last fall I worked with Dell’s most faithful advocates and implemented the Dell Rockstar Program. I’m excited that we’re bringing a number of them to Dell World! What a great way to thank them for their loyal support (some for as long as 10 years). I have been putting things in place to show the value of their contributions and making the program scalable (ie: setting up the program, program scorecard, training, mentorship, etc)

Then, last winter Cy Jervis was hired to take care of IdeaStorm full time. I say ‘full time’ because Cy had been faithfully volunteering at IdeaStorm for the full five years since it launched. I assure you that he has some great stories to tell!

And now you have the opportunity to tell Dell how you think we can better use social media and the social channels to better meet the needs of our customers. The two best answers will receive a trip to Dell World in December! In addition to presenting your idea, you’ll have the opportunity to get a close up view of Dell’s present social efforts and meet some great people. The food trucks and the December weather in Austin are also great reasons to visit!

Are you up to the challenge?! You can submit your idea here at the IdeaStorm Live Challenge Contest

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Ends 10/25/2012. For Official Rules visit http://del.ly/6010pBia

When I say that it’s the third annual Community Manager Appreciation Day … they look at me like Really? REALLY?!!!

Yes, really! And the question is, who started that? My answer, Jeremiah Owyang did. (with a straight face). And I believe that we should have a day! It’s not a Hallmark recognized day yet, but organizations should appreciate these committed people who tirelessly work to make things better externally and internally. It’s not easy job!

So, I pondered what could I do for everyone? Last week I was in a meeting listening to Susan Beebe brief us on the Google+ Hangout that Dell streamed from CES. That got the wheels turning and I asked Susan to help me with the logistics.

So I put together some panels of amazing people to provide an educational, fun, networking event with no regard to geography.

Here’s the details & see you there!

Community Management 3.0 #CMAD

Monday, January 23 12 pm cst (10 am pst)

Do you have plans for Community Manager Appreciation Day?

     Come join our conversation on a Google+ Hangout and spend an hour

     with some of the most amazing Community thought leaders!

• Chief Company Pinata & Cat Herder

Beyond a Day in the Life of a Community Manager

     Panelists:

            Amy Muller Chief Community Officer & Co-Founder, Get Satisfaction

            Mark Harrison Community Manager Google Earth & SketchUp

            Patrick O’Keefe Author of Managing Online Forums, iFroggy Networks

• No Matter B2B or B2C; It’s P2P!

Whether Business to Business or to Customer; it’s always People to People

     Panelists

            Jim Storer Principal/Founder at The Community Roundtable

            Vanessa DiMauro CEO Leader Networks

            Lionel Menchaca Chief Blogger, Dell

• Evolving a Social Business

The Future of the Community Manager Role

      Panelists:

            Jeremiah Owyang Industry Analyst & Partner, Altimeter Group

            Bill Johnston Director of Global Online Community

     Circle Leader: Connie Bensen, Sr Mgr Community Strategy, Dell

Want to join us?

Put this in your calendar:

1. Community 3.0 Google+ Hangout ~ Jan 23, 12 pm cst
2. Send questions for the panelists to @cbensen on Twitter or Google+
3. New to Hangouts? Check out Getting started with Hangouts
4. For the event, go to Dell’s Google+ page +Dell
5. Chat will be available in the sidebar. #CMAD12 on Twitter

Can’t make it? The Hangout will be recorded and available for playback later.

**A huge thanks to Susan Beebe, Dell’s Google+ Guru!

Here’s the event info on Facebook (Join the Community Manager Facebook group)

What questions do you have for the panels?

I was asked to present a 3 hour workshop on Community Building as part of Online Marketing Summit in Minneapolis. There is a certain challenge in creating a deck that will provide for an unknown audience over that length of time!

We kicked off the session by talking about the philosophy behind an online community. The most important aspect is the definition of “community”. A community is much more than just a hosted platform. I outlined my definition of community in my post on the ‘Community Strategist Role’.

The deck below outlines five steps. I included a section on digital marketing and SEO because inbound marketing is imperative to growing a healthy community. Efforts in this manner will also make great strides in building organic SEO.

1. Listen: Get to know your People
2. Planning: Create a Strategy & Metrics
3. Digital Marketing: Content is King & SEO is Queen
4. Engagement: Create a Party
5. Reporting: Measuring Success

What are your essential steps to building an online community?

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The social web has put new demands on marketers and communications professionals. Digital marketing is an evolution of SEO PPC, email marketing and requires integrating web content and interactions on social channels. Web analytics and metrics now extend beyond the corporate website. And marketers are more accountable than ever for metrics, so analytics are imperative.

Online Marketing Summit does a great job of covering all these topics in one place. Last fall I sat on a panel at the event and it was the most comprehensive marketing event that I’ve attended.  It offers a broad array of expertise on digital marketing, content marketing, demand gen, SEO or web analytics The best part was that it featured local speakers which allowed for networking that extends beyond the event. I wrote an overview on a web analytics session from last year’s summit.

I’m really looking forward to the great speaker lineup at Online Marketing Summit in Minneapolis on June 7th! I always learn something new about SEO from Lee Odden. Last year, Kim Albee’s presentation on lead gen was excellent. And I look forward to Steve Woods, CTO of Eloqua, lunch keynote. I recently reread his book, Digital Body Language, and noted the many insights on database & email marketing.

If you’re just getting started in digital marketing, there are also two bootcamps available:

• Online Marketing Boot Camp June 6th
• Social Media Workshops June 8th

And what if you don’t live in the Minneapolis area? Online Marketing Summit is holding similar events around the world! Find a date and location near you.

Update: Here’s a 15% off code for my readers: MINN15

See you on June 7th!