Monday, January 23, 2012
 
Today, myself and Community Managers all across the nation are celebrating our successes, during the 3rd Annual Community Manager Appreciation Day (#CMAD). This internet-based pop culture celebration was originally founded back in 2010 by Jeremiah Owyang, of whom dubbed the 4th Monday of January as a day to reflect and to give thanks to Community Managers across the online landscape.

2012 marks my 18th year of managing online communities in various forms and industries. It is only as I reflect upon my own personal and professional experiences, that I realize how much the world has changed through technology and its adoption.

The Glory Days of BBS’s

It was 1994 and I was only 12 years old when I first became a Community Manager. Of course, we weren’t referred by that title at this point, as the internet was still a technology mainly used by “nerds” with pocket protectors and the latest in Sony Walkman technology. We were known only by those in the profession as System Operators, “SysOp” for short.  SysOps managed rudimentary text-based communities called Bulletin Board Systems (BBS), which were the precursor peer-to-peer networks before the popular adoption of the Internet as we know today.  Users had to dial into the server through phone lines, and most BBS systems only had a single incoming line, with a small handful of BBS’s having up to three incoming phone lines.

This was state-of-the-art and only a hobby for technologically inclined geeks of the 1990′s. In fact, technology was so limited during this time period that Google was only in its early start-up stages and was still being updated manually at this point in Internet history.

As a SysOp of three local BBS’s, I spend many hours dialing in and connecting to various BBS’s, constantly making new connections, new friends and absorbing as much knowledge and insight into what was popular and what wasn’t.  Today, we call this user experience and usability studies, user behavior and competitive analysis.  Back then, I called it listening to the community.  Through text-only forums and in-game messaging within games like LORDS or MUD, SysOps were able to get a sense of what users enjoyed, wanted and needed from their BBS community.

Community Management Today

Fast forward 18 years, and we now have massive networks like Facebook and Twitter, and an entire society almost completely interconnected via laptops, mobile devices and even their internet-enabled TVs. We live in a world that operates on two timetables, the real world and the internet world, where time seemingly travels at 10x the speed of real-time.

Regardless of the technologies involved, and adoption rate, the basic principles of community management still holds true even today.  Listening, engaging and developing new features that serve the purpose of the community, has and always will be the cornerstone of any successful online community. Community Managers must be given the flexibility and tools to quickly react to the needs of their communities, or risk mass exoduses to other communities more capable of meeting their needs.

Bridging the Online with the Offline

These days, I spend much of my time challenged with bridging the online and offline communities in which we live.  While many organizations are only focused on engaging their supporters and community members via Facebook and other social networks, I enjoy bridging the gap and capitalizing on the benefits of connecting the online with the offline.

Today’s young generation of social media consumers have grown up knowing nothing but connecting with friends via Facebook, and text messaging their friends to stay in touch.  Lost are the face-to-face communication skills vital to life-long success in the real world. As Community Managers, it’s our responsibility to serve our advocates and supporters as best as we can.  In my mind, this includes bridging the online to offline gaps.  Some of the most successful local networks are popular because they actively try to bring their online communities into the offline world for meet and greets, activities, games, events and more.

Linkedin Live Raleigh is a prime example of how an online community of over 100 million, can be enhanced through the opportunity of local members to come together and connect in the offline world.  As one of the organizing partners, Virginia Johnson and I have fostered an environment of support, networking and community outreach at our monthly business networking events.  In fact, we’ve managed to also bridge the gap between the for-profit and non-profit worlds which typically do not attend the same events, yet through the right messaging, one-to-one connections and online conversation, we’ve managed to integrate the two “worlds” and pull them both in and out of the digital world.

Celebrate With Us!

So take a moment today and thank your Community Managers that represent the online brands, services, businesses and organizations that you’ve come to love and pledge your loyalty to. Seek out opportunities to connect with the communities you’re a member of, both in the online and offline world. Don’t hesitate to offer feedback and suggestions to your Community Managers, because you never know which suggestions will make the cut – but those suggestions not offered are guaranteed to be overlooked.

Community Managers… never stop listening to your members, advocates and supporters.  Embrace their feedback and fight for the flexibility to maintain the purpose and mission of the community at large.  Strive to always improve upon your community, and whenever possible, bridge the gap between your online and offline membership.

Success is measured in many ways, but a truly successful Community Manager will know it in the voices and hearts of the members and advocates. It’s often the qualitative measurement of community sentiment that matters more than just the quantitative bottom-line. Satisfy the mission and purpose of the community, and they will always stand loyally by your brand.

2011 was a very busy year for me personally.  Between having a full-time job, a family life and serving on several nonprofit and trade association boards, time for blogging just didn’t happen often enough.

Therefore, in 2012 my new years resolution is to re-energize this blog (formerly known as the NauticalUrge blog), and re-launch it under the best brand I know of personally… me.

Stay tuned for my inner-most thoughts, musings and adventures!

I was recently invited to attend the North Carolina Governor’s Entrepreneurship Summit on behalf of iContact.  So for two days, I contributed to the live tweets during the conference.  The following are the actual tweets, archived from those days.

• “Great ideas need EXECUTION, but it’s also important to protect it (trademarks)…” –Louis Foreman | #NCEntreSummit

• “Only take on clients that you believe you can move the needle…” –Louis Foreman, Enventys & Everyday Edisons | #NCEntreSummit

• It’s frustrating that the Marketing/Social Media session at #NCEntreSummit has no WiFi, and AT&T gets only 1 signal bar, at best. #FAIL

• “Entrepreneurs need to be more engaged in policy advocacy and in public forums…” –Scott Daugherty | #NCEntreSummit

• Sec. Keith Crisco, NC Dept. of Commerce, shares stories of bootstrapping startups. All that’s missing are the ramen noodles! #NCEntreSummit

• “We don’t just produce furniture [and tobacco] in NC anymore… we’re redefining our state…” –Gov. Bev Perdue | #NCEntreSummit

• The key to success is to SOCIALIZE what you’re doing. Become an educator, a service provider, a mentor and more! | #NCEntreSummit

• “Getting money in the form of debt, is also a form of servitude… find ppl that share your passion.” –Martin Eakes | #NCEntreSummit

• Interesting that the theme of multi-cultural issues & integration are being simultaneously discussed at both #NCEntreSummit & #NPN2011.

• “You don’t take a stance cause it’s good for your enterprise, you do it cause it’s your duty to the world” — Martin Eakes | #NCEntreSummit
  
  Self-Help, through coalitions and policy advocacy, caused CitiBank to cease their predatory lending practices in #NC | #NCEntreSummit
  
  In Self-Help’s first 10 yrs, not a single home loan to low income families defaulted | Absolutely amazing! | Martin Eakes | #NCEntreSummit

• “Your ability [and desire] to change the world gets a little bit bigger as your platform gets bigger…” | Martin Eakes | #NCEntreSummit

• 3 Stages to Successful Business: Provide a Direct Service to an Idea. Enlist Helpers to Assist. Push for Advocacy & Policy | #NCEntreSummit

• Martin Eakes: What drives progress is creating things and producing things. #NCEntreSummit

• Really looking forward to #F8 this afternoon (12:30pm EST). I’ll have to skip lunch to find a reliable WiFi hotspot to tune in.

• “If you’re still using a flip phone, you need to talk to a [mobile] rep…” Conversation about QR Codes & Smartphones at #NCEntreSummit

• Day 2 at #NCEntreSummit. On stage is Master of Ceremonies, Chris Heivly of Triangle Startup Factory | t.co/yNPYAZ7B | #iContact

• Well… that’s it for the netbook. 9mins of power remaining, lol. Switching to the iPhone. #NCEntreSummit

• Interested about @iContact’s 4-1s Social Responsibility Program @RyanAllis just mentioned at #NCEntreSummit? Read more:

• A core value shared by many successful businesses, is a deep root in some sort of social cause/mission — it’s not just $$$ | #NCEntreSummit

• Companies should hire me just to LIVE tweet from their conferences… No seriously, DM me, LOL! #NCEntreSummit #JustCause

• When choosing a business partner, go for someone with skill sets complementary to your own. #NCEntreSummit

• RT @iContact: Behind every great young entrepreneur, is a trusted mentor and role-model that sees potential in them | #NCEntreSummit

• ATTN: Hotel staff that aren’t aware that you should duck when walking in FRONT of a live video camera… please duck. #FAIL #NCEntreSummit

• The @iContact Crew, @KSchiltz, @MeKopac & myself, have setup a basecamp in the back of the room, come say hi after the panel. #NCEntreSummit

• Three Entrepreneurs Under 30 Panel: @RyanAllis (@iContact), @RachelRWeeks (@SchoolHouseInc) & James Freeman (Mighty J’s) | #NCEntreSummit

• James Freeman of Mighty J’s Sports Restaurant, had a very entertaining bio video. Definitely going to check it out one wkend #NCEntreSummit

• RT @kschiltz: @iContact CEO @ryanallis “In the tech space it’s innovate or die. Disrupt or be disrupted.” #NCEntreSummit

• Watching a video about our @iContact’s CEO, @RyanAllis, at #NCEntreSummit. It’s an honor working with such an innovative young entrepreneur!

• Really interesting insights and examples from Donna Fenn at #NCEntreSummit | Find out more about her (and others) at: http://ow.ly/6B2Dg

• Fun, Innovative, Exciting… new products and services are created by today’s Gen specifically to cater their own Gen | #NCEntreSummit

• Today’s young entrepreneurs are tech dependent but that’s just a tool. It’s all about SHARING, it’s in our Generation’s DNA | #NCEntreSummit

• Gen Y is the first Gen to have young entrepreneurs as role models. They have made entrepreneurship “cool!” | via Donna fenn | @NCEntreSummit

• Opening remarks from Mayor of Durham, Bill Bell and Casey Steinbacher of the Durham Chamber. #NCEntreSummit

• Gearing up for LIVE tweeting from the keynote, followed by a panel discussion at the NC Governor’s Entrepreneurship Summit | #NCEntreSummit

• Visit @iContact at the NC Governor’s Entrepreneurship Summit. @RyanAllis will be on a panel at 3pm! #NCEntreSummit t.co/jRp1oXvO

Some things in life you simply don’t realize, while other things you’ve grown all too accustomed to ignoring.

Thankfully, it’s your truest of true friends that will always carry the flame for you, even in the darkest of situations. Those individuals are the ones most worthy of your loyalty, your commitment, and your love…

You know who you are, Thank You!

Sincerely,

James C. Wong

While listening to Pandora tonight, a song came across the “Postal Service” channel, of which I was tuned into. The song was “West Coast,” by Coconut Records, and it reminded me immediately of a very specific trip to the west coast back in 2009…

Portland, Oregon

Two years ago, I had the pleasure of attending the Internet Strategy Forum in Portland, OR. This of course, was not my only trip to the west coast, but it was the most memorable.

My life has been blessed with memorable chance run-ins with noteworthy and eclectic individuals alike. This particular trip, I attended a Social Media Club Meetup which featured Jeremiah Owyang, who was at the time, still the Senior Social Media Analyst at Forrester. And yet, Jeremiah wasn’t the most memorable part of this trip. Don’t get me wrong, it was an excellent presentation, as was the Internet Strategy Forum that week.

However, as I look back to this specific trip, one experience stands out above everything else. A friendship by chance, that has lasted ever since that fateful trip.

I met Mike Phillips, a young professional like myself, at the Portland Social Media Club meeting. We quickly sparked ideas and conversation at the table we were sitting at. It was at this same event where I was introduced to another part of Portland I love to this day, Widmer Beer. #FTW!

At the conclusion of the event, we found ourselves with no agenda and no obligations for the rest of the afternoon, so Mike invited me to join him across the river on his side of town. None of my colleagues wanted to come to Portland with me, and since I avoid being alone on trips as much as possible, so I said “Why not? Lets go!”

This simple little chance decision, turned what would’ve been a typical conference, into an experience I cherish to this day.

We hopped on a bus that took us through downtown and across the river, and dropped us off near his apartment. We walked a few blocks through his neighborhood, and I couldn’t help but notice how much cleaner the air and everything else was, as compared to Raleigh, NC.

In fact, Portland is one of the cleanest and most beautiful cities I’ve ever been to. There’s a natural feeling of peace, relaxation and beauty that envelops everything and everyone in that town.

After a quick tour of his apartment, we took some time to simply sit and relax on his front steps — enjoying some refreshing beers, of course!

Those of you that know me personally, know that it takes a lot for me to be able to slow down enough to simply relax.

However, the vibe of the people and the places I had seen so far, put me at ease. Humorously, sitting there on Mike’s front steps with his neighbors, reminded me of a scene from GoodWill Hunting. . . it was nice.

The next day started the Internet Strategy Forum, which I LIVE tweeted from, and even managed to fill an entire notebook full of notes which I still reference content from to this day.

But yet again, it was after the conference that I reminisce about often. Once again, I found myself with no agenda and no obligations. Seeking to avoid a night filled with mundane wandering around town, and a potential dinner alone, I opted to take a chance and call up Mike to see if he was doing anything; he wasn’t, and invited me over.

A quick bus trip later, I was right back in his neighborhood as we walked down the street to his favorite local pubs (literally just a block or two down the street). We talked a little shop, but mostly just had several good conversations, chased down with refreshing adult beverages which only Portland, OR and her numerous micro-breweries could offer.

At some point during our “pub tour,” I was introduced the the other memorable “character” of this trip, Alisa Starr, a young entrepreneur and founder of Snarky Cards — which specializes in custom hand-made greeting cards with a special “snarky” and often adult-humor oriented twist.


Alisa best best describes her brand and products in her Etsy Store as:

“Over the years I’ve noticed that other people don’t have the gift I do for saying exactly what is happening… So I decided to enable you, the coolest people of the world. So that your interactions [are] as clear and true and hilarious and uncomfortable as mine often are. And you won’t be trapped in a situation you don’t like because you can’t say how you feel.

Now that all I do is sell brutally honest greeting cards, people expect me to tell the truth. I don’t get in trouble anymore. People who spend time with me know what they’re getting themselves into. And they dig it.

I hope my cards help you dump someone not cool enough for you, or confess to pet murder or establish your boyfriends true sexual preference.

And if they don’t help you do any of those lofty things, I hope they crack you the f*** up.”

– Alisa Starr

I remember Alisa as being a vivacious and extremely energetic young woman with an paralleled sense of humor — you’d have to in order to create the cards that she specializes in.

It was around this point in the evening that Mike started talking about his band, the Fenbi International Superstars, which I can only describe as the producers of some the greatest Irish drinking songs of my young generation. They describe themselves on their Facebook fan page as “world Irish gypsy pop punk rock music.” I love their music, and I highly recommend checking it out sometime (buy their music on iTunes!).

We spent much of the night just hanging out, but as with all things in life, there’s always an end to every story. The night eventually wound down for me, as I had business to attend to the next day.

While this story doesn’t seem like an exciting adventure, I assure you that it was to me. The laughs, the sights and the friendships that came out of these two days, I still cherish even now.

I was a stranger, in a city where no one knew who I was. Mike and his friends accepted me as if we’d all known each other for years. We shared stories and laughs as if it was just another night at the “old pub.” I cherish this amazing experience, and the memories I still carry from it.

I still keep up with Mike Phillips and his infamous band. I look forward to finding my way back to the west coast again soon, and hopefully to once again share a drink with my friends in Portland, OR.


Special Thanks to Mike Phillips and Alisa Starr. You guys ROCK!