Taking Community For Granted
/We long for a place where everybody knows our name. We seek community. While there continue to be discussions over what actually defines a community, for many, it is a sense of cohesiveness among a group of people.
Let's go with that.
Photo Credit: iStockphoto
Sometimes communities are organized like Women of HR or Tribewriters. Sometimes communities are organic. Bottom line - people join a community because the community offers something they want or need. Victorio Milian recently posted that community, "may simply come down to supporting and interacting positively with other individuals who share a vested interest. Your community helps you succeed, even when success isn't evident."
He nailed it.
In a 2012 Forbes article, The 4 Pillars of Community Management, the author wrote that community managers are pivotal in getting people not only to your community, but actively involved in it; connecting with people; listening to feedback and evolving the community based on member needs. Good community managers build communities that last.
She nailed it.
Communities are in constant motion. It's not a question of if members will leave a community, it's a question of when. If you are establishing a community or currently managing one, here are a few points to remember:
- You don't own the people in your community.
- People have a choice. If they chose you, treat them well.
- Know your niche. You can't be everything to everybody.
- Members are looking for a reason to stay. Give them 10.
Don't take your community or its members for granted. Life happens and things change. When a member chooses to leave your community don't be dismissive. Or an ass.
Taking Community for Granted by Lisa Rosendahl first appeared on lisarosendahl.com.
