Last year was the first time we’ve recognized the folks on the front lines connecting with customers in a human way using online tools. It’s that time again this year, that on the fourth Monday of every January we recognize community managers. You can read about the first time we did this in 2010, thanking all those who are trying to make customer experiences online more human.
Interestingly, one CEO of a social media vendor teased me for starting this off last year, gently ribbing me “wow I have so many community managers, do I have to all give them raises?”, I replied, “It’s about appreciation, as we know they internally have to harbor a lot of emotional customers, endless work schedule, and are contacted from all types of accounts to help customers”.
It’s simple to do: On Community Manager Appreciation Day (Jan 24th, 2011), just send a genuine thank you to those (at your company, or someone who has helped you as a customer) that are working to make a difference in how companies build relationships with their customers.
Update: Citi’s Frank Eliason is behind this idea, Dell’s Bill Johnston, Heather Strout at the Farland Group, Alison a Community lead at Cisco, as well as Telligent, with interesting commentary actual community managers in this Social Media Club interview.
Physical Events Around the World:
North America
- Boston is hosting a physical event. (backed by OneForty, Social Media Club Boston, Awareness, Communispace, Fresh Ground Communications and The Community Roundtable)
- New York is hosting a physical event (backed by Katy Zack, Lea Marino, Vadim Lavrusik, and Zach Seward)
- SF/Silicon Valley is hosting a physical event (backed by Ant’s Eye View, Lithium Technology, and Altimeter Group)
- Austin is going to host a physical event (backed by Bazaarvoice Dell Powered Inc. SocialMedia.org Ant’s Eye View)
- Denver is hosting their event (backed by Dirk Shaw)
- Toronto is hosting a physical event
Europe
- London is hosting a “wild” physical event (backed by Blaise Grimes-Viort, Richard Millington, Arie Moyal, Alistair Sibley, Serena Obhrai, eMint, eModeration)
- Barcelona is hosting “Día del Community Manager” (backed by SMCorner.com (Espacios de Social Media)
- Amsterdam is hosting an event, with more commentary here (backed by Mathijs Van Der Kooi Director of Community Management at Dutch B2B community Myler)
- Switzerland is having a discussion (I’m not sure what it says) (Backed by Swiss Community Managers Association)
Middle East
- Jordan is hosting a physical event (backed by CMAD Jordan)
Africa
- Narobi is hosting a Community Manager day with a panel (Mark Kaigwa Soud Hyder)
Asia
- ?
Note: this started off with Boston kicking it off, where there are many community related companies, which quickly spread around the tech hot spots in NY, Austin, SF and then beyond.
Love it! Josh Pelz – Social Media Manger – Gansevoort Hotel Group
Nice to meet you Josh!
I love this! I never knew about this day, but I sure do now. It's marked on my calendar! Thanks so much!
Jeremiah, congrats on keeping the #CMAD acknowledgements going! It wasn't that long ago that you (and I mean you) could list all the community managers in a reasonably short post 😉
Do you know if anyone has considered establishing an awards program for community managers?
This is a great idea Jeremiah and we will not only give appreciation to our community managers but will reach out to our clients to do the same! Keep us posted.
Jane
Do you think this will ever be as big as Secretary’s day?….. (Ahem its Adminstrative Professionals day now)
Kudos to you Jeremiah for again being a leader.
This rocks, Jeremiah! Thank you for promoting this idea; I will be promoting it online as well! Need a way to have a virtual Thank You party… all of us Community Managers get together online and the same time and have a toast?
Would love more info on the SF/SV event, and I’m happy to help!
Yes let’s toast them!
There are probably more admins than CMs out there.
Announcing soon.
Excited to see the traction this is getting!
As good fortune would have it, I’ll be in town that night. I plan to be there!
As good fortune would have it, I’ll be in town that night. I plan to be there!
We (The Community Roundtable) have thought about doing an award but… think it recognizes one at the expense of others. We’d be interested in your opinion on this though. We also found it challenging to compare community managers – they work in so many different contexts. Challenging.
Community Manager Appreciation Day?????? Do they all get trophies too? #WeUsedToMakeSteelInThisCountry
Only trophies made from steel?
Jeremeiah, I’d like to learn more about the Austin event…how can I help?
Cool, link added!
Contact the organizer you can see the sponsors on the eventbrite. In particular Gerardo Dada is leading the charge. Find him here (I’ve worked on projects with him for years, he’s really great)
http://twitter.com/gerardodada
Contact the organizer you can see the sponsors on the eventbrite. In particular Gerardo Dada is leading the charge. Find him here (I’ve worked on projects with him for years, he’s really great)
http://twitter.com/gerardodada
Glad to have you, I’ll buy you a drink as you do a great job connecting to your customers at Liveworld.
Glad to have you, I’ll buy you a drink as you do a great job connecting to your customers at Liveworld.
I don’t want to be the one to tell my boss that there’s a day to appreciate me (well, more than most days). Can someone make sure he knows about this? 🙂 (kidding)
Cheers,
Sheldon, community manager for Sysomos
Nairobi will be hosting a community managers as well. Details to follow.
Wow, very cool.
Wow, very cool.
Wow, very cool.
That’s great Pedro!
That’s great Pedro!
That’s great Pedro!
Jeremiah,
Thanks so much for supporting community managers. Your support can only help us to connect with and help teach other community managers. Having been in this business for over four years, I can tell you that meeting other community managers/community strategists and learning from them is the only way I have learned and taught others to be good at what we do. It is such a challenging and rewarding field and I love the fellow community managers I have met along this journey. I’ll be at the #CMAD in Austin, celebrating with and meeting others in my field.
Thanks again,
Heather | @heatherjstrout
thanks for calling this out!