The Bar Scene Teaches Us About Using Social Media The Right Way

The coolest thing about being a community manager is that I get to socialize all day. It’s a big part of my job to create genuine conversation. And it reminds me a lot of starting good conversations at the bar.

Social media is a lot like being out in the bar scene. And being an effective social media user is a lot like being an effective bar crawler. It takes enthusiasm and it takes endurance—and all of us have a off-putting experience that we wish we could forget.

Don’t call me alcoholic. I’m not. I’m just being allegorical. And what better to turn into a metaphor than two of my favorite things? (more…)

Kickin’ It Twitter Style: The 10-Step Guide To Tweet-Up Success

I’m impressed by how many ways people can use 140 characters of text. Nothing in social media is as captivating to me as the Twitter phenomenon.

My most recent Twitter obsession? The Tweet Up.

Two weeks ago Brazen Dan put together a killer Tweet Up for Team Brazen and other local Twitterers in the Madison area. The turnout was amazing.

With Twitter’s high-speed approach to consuming information, it’s only a matter of time before Tweet Ups start sprouting up in every major city around the country. (more…)

10 Tips for Successfully Managing Online Communities

When I first became the community manager at Brazen Careerist, I was less than enthused. Nobody could tell me exactly what the title meant, exactly what the job was, and so I had no idea where to start.

Five months later, the work has become the reason I get up in the morning. And the reason I keep working late at night. I also feel confident explaining what I can do for a startup in one word—bridge.

When companies, especially startups, get caught up in the hustle of post-funding mayhem, a sturdy bridge is what will keep you aligned with your loyal, pre-funding customers. And those loyal customers are important when you’re community building. It’s a messy and erratic job, but somebody’s gotta do it. (more…)