Would you invest your money without the support of someone who understands the current marketplace, knows where trends seem to be heading and what strategy will be best to maximize that investment? Many of us wouldn’t. And yet companies are often throwing open the door to community initiatives without having someone in place that can show them where the community can go and how to get there.
The very things companies need to understand before they reach success with communities are the same things you look at before investing:
Understand yourself – what are your assests? your liabilities? how much risk tolerance do you have?
Understand the market – what investment vehicles are available? where can you find expert information? what tools are available to you?
And the people to help you with understanding, listening and getting your money’s worth are community managers. What do they do? A whole lot that seems like not so much – except when you see your investment appreciate instead of depreciate, then it seems like a whole lot:
- Define the scope, ideal outcomes and boundaries
- Ensure participants receive more value than they contribute
- Build an environment that fosters outcomes through infrastructure, programming and participants
- Promote, encourage and reward productive behaviors
- Discourage and limit destructive behaviors
- Facilitate constructive disagreement and conflict
- Advocate for the community and its members
- Monitor, measure and report outcomes
- Marshal internal advocates, resources and support
- Manage tools and member experience
What do you think, is hiring a community manager like hiring an investment advisor?
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The Community Roundtable is committed to advancing the business of community and being a valued resource to community management and social media professionals through our monthly subscription report, membership based peer network, community management training program and customizable advisory services for corporations and individuals.
