Social Media and Building Community (IMU)

June 23, 2009

Professor: Chris Brogan, New Marketing Labs

I didn’t make an actual count of Chris’ mentions/celebrations of other people’s ideas, products, and successes, but based on my rough notes I think he was getting pretty close to his oft stated Twitter goal of 15:1 (their stuff:your stuff) and he also managed to spread these examples across industries and businesses, large and small.

Chris’ knowledge, expertise, and passion around using social tools to build communities and his ability to translate this into clear, human examples have made him a leader in the field and I would strongly encourage you to take a look at his presentation (below) to see these ideas presented in his words (and then, of course, subscribe to his newsletter and blog for ongoing social media community goodness!) In the meantime, here are a few of the highlights from his IMU presentation:

It’s not about you, so always be humble.
Create content that your community wants (and/or needs). Hint: This is probably not what you think it is and it’s almost definitely not a sales-y pitch about your new product.
Be where your community members are – the platform (Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo! Groups) doesn’t matter, go where the people are, go where the participation is happening.
Always acknowledge your community members, celebrate their successes, and equip them to handle their challenges.
Although return on investment (ROI) is important and should be measured, also consider the “return on influence” (ROI) as well.

And some nitty-gritty details from the Q&A:

Should you separate personal and professional identities when interacting with communities? It depends. Generally, it’s easier and more authentic to blend the two (while being mindful of what you’re posting where.)

How many connections are too many? It depends. Chris uses CRM tools to manage his numerous connections, but that may or may not work for your. (YMMV)

What listening tools should I use? There are lots, paid and free. Free tools are great starting points. Paid tools can help with automation, workflow management, and detailed analyses. It’s how you use the tools, not the tools themselves

Should I use my business name or my personal name on Twitter? It depends. For companies with multiple users, the best option may be to do a combination of the two (@janeATcompany instead of @janedoe or @company.) This lets you know you’re talking to a real person, but also allows people to find you if they search on your company name.

I hope this summary was helpful! Don’t forget, I’m also adding all of the links and examples I run across in these presentations to my delicious.com page for IMU. Enjoy!

#3 IMU: Social Media and Building Community (GF201)

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