Confusing: so many channels for communication
Many of my colleagues are already quite active on other social media. In order to be able to keep an eye on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Yammer simultaneously, I use Yoono as an extension in my Firefox browser. But if I'm honest, I like the mix of inside and outside work, of professional knowledge and personal trivia. And then Twitter is the platform for me. With hashtags like #in #fb and #yam I make connections to my other networks where it makes sense. That brings me to the next point: on how many social channels can someone be sufficiently active at the same time? It's not just about posting messages, but also about responding to each other. And that's difficult in so many places at the same time.
Yammer on Tour Amsterdam
Networks
Enough questions for a Yammer event in the Westergasfabriek. The main language is English, so from now on we will pronounce it correctly: djemmer . There are about 400 guests. After a reception in a room where small demonstrations are given, we move to a room for the plenary presentations. What immediately strikes me is that the room -completely in line with the network idea- is not filled with rows of chairs, but with large round tables.
David Sacks, CEO and founder, tells the success story. Yammer has experienced enormous growth since 2011. The number of organizations using Yammer has increased to 200,000. Many large multinationals are among the paying customers . The day before, it was announced that the company had tapped 85 million dollars in funding . From March 1, Yammer will start its first major advertising campaign, in which it will highlight the added value for companies. According to Sacks, this is ( surprise, surprise ) mainly in the area of:
integrating and facilitating business communications
The best practices and Q&A that follow are short but informative. Tim van Waard from Rijks brother cell phone list waterstaat is on the panel, Thijs van Ulden from QNH and Tom Barton from Capgemini UK. This is followed by six round table discussions for the visitors themselves, each from a specific role. I choose the community manager group.
Tips for Yammer community management
What are tips and experiences to make a community flourish. And what do you do -or not do- as a community manager?
Voluntary adoption : show how easy it is
New to Yammer : Guide newcomers in a separate instruction group with tips
Living room : create a separate group for entertaining, non-work related things
Take cases seriously : share success stories
Yam-jam : hold a session at an agreed time around a topic that appeals to everyone
Engage executives : Yammer shows managers what excites or demotivates employees. Active presence of senior management also works the other way around: it creates understanding among employees for what moves them
Business value : map out the profit points and the Return on Investment
Community manager : learn the basic ideas behind the system, but do NOT be the most active participant. Feel the heartbeat of the community and only intervene when necessary
Community Stewards : Find the champions or super users needed to bring the network to life