On July 1, 2010, the sixth Community Manager Netherlands ( # cmnl ) meeting. The theme of this session was "to create support within the organization for the community". This includes motivating, informing and involving employees, management and directors. In addition, the role of community manager in the organization are discussed.

This time we were invited by Hans Schepers, online marketing manager at Rabobank Netherlands and responsibilities included the Rabo Starters community . He gave the kick-off the session with a presentation on the starters communities of Rabobank.

Rabobank Starter Communities

Rabobank has more than 150 independent banks. The website consists of static content, but there was for the varied needs of the audience start anymore. Rabobank wants to be where their customers and enhance online visibility for exploratory starters. Therefore, two years ago launched a number of local communities starters.

The goal of this project is to discover what contribution social media makes to the relationship between the local Rabobank and its members, customers and other stakeholders. The local blogging community banks, and members can help each other on the road and sometimes do business.

The communities are geographically determined, the model of the Rabobank. The local banks are leaders in this project. They are generally traditional organizations, so they do need help and guidance of Rabobank Netherlands. The banks are mostly waiting and wondering what such a community gives them. Hans Schepers has the role to hunt and guide.

It is up to the banks Schepers understand the use of social media, community, and to build a strong network. Banks must learn that it is not going to send them online but the dialogue must go. Schepers looking in the associations people who like to do, because it makes no sense for communities to invest in employees unrelated to the Internet. Local banks will also meet regularly to learn from experience.

Members are involved in the development of the starters community. The membership is growing, they are now across the country about 2600. Here are a few dozen very active members. Members also come together in meetings to network, but also to provide feedback on the platform.

View Prezi Hans Schepers here:

The presentation of Hans Schepers raised interesting questions. So you ask yourself whether it is good for the starters to keep or locally based community that could be better organized nationally. Some questions in the forums are in fact general and members of other interesting places. Hans told that in addition to local and national, including a mix of both is considered.

There was also a discussion of the importance of community members by name in their profile should be mentioned, or that it is better and freer to operate anonymously in a forum. In addition, the question whether the community manager of a community per se a starter Rabobank Employee should, or that this expertise should be recruited properly.

Support for communities

After the presentation of Schepers was time for the second part of the session. We went brainstorm subtopics under the heading 'support for communities', which we then went to work in groups. Then we came together to make up the acquired knowledge. This component was accompanied by Leonardo Zangrando of Entrepreneurs Peer Learning Europe , and was the model of the Enterprise Camp .

"Never be responsible for output"

The first group said that as a community manager never be responsible for the output. It is not a community benefit as the community manager focuses only on the quantity should be directed. You are there for the connection, you contribute to the communication skills of the company. Unlike call centers will now see what you communicate online (or you just do not communicate). The communication skills of the company means that everyone is part of the brand experience. This is more important than just recruiting people or help people individually. Improve your community manager speaks the least, let others do that. Be visible and functional authentic. Keep the collective valuation close to your business. Enter the visible control of the dialogue. Community Management is a comprehensive meaning.

Duties of the community manager

The second group, the tasks of the community manager discussed. Develop your community from the mission of the organization or from your passion (and actually preferably both). The question was whether you as a community manager should know something of the subject, or that you just connect and passion for bringing together people should possess. The group discussions revealed that in at least a basic knowledge of the subject should have.

The second group has a number of timely topics including the issue of quality versus quantity. According to them ensures quality over quantity, good content and a good community attracts more members. Ideally, the community provides the content, but the editors here can be a push to give. Use the most active users as the conscience of the community, such as testing or commercial messages in a non-profit community can be placed.

The role of community manager within the organization

The third group discussed the role of community manager and its place in the organization. The community manager is sometimes crying in the wilderness. The community management is in fact a young profession and not yet defined clearly. Sometimes you decide about your job, but you also often encounter resistance within the organization. The current community manager is a doer, often doing something just ask and subsequent approval. The word "guerrilla community manager" is also dropped. You must not think too much and ask permission, just take the lead. You walk to be often at the forefront of the organization. Never underestimate your own knowledge. Going to work contemplated and let the success stories. And once you're in a good community, who then retrieves the plug from the customer?

There are many different types of community managers from nonprofit to commercial, community and core of the organization into something that "kicks in" from internal to external, etc. The community manager usually has no budget and needs in other departments through meetings or to make proprietary tools to untie. The comparison with CRM came here: it is striking that one account has it's own budget for networking. Would more agreements are? Is the community manager will become the host or hostess of the organization?

It was an exciting meeting that ended with a drink. The knowledge we are all forward, because there were so many ideas that go a night much too short!

This report was written by Tineke Pauw, web editor at Kennisnet . She specializes in co-creation and community. She blogs here regularly on her blog Thoughts Crowned .