Some community managers work for physical community locations, while others work for virtual locations. When a person works for a virtual community, he or she is known as an online community manager. When a person wants to become a community manager, there are several skills he or she must have, including excellent communication abilities, an ability to comprehend marketing techniques, and an understanding and sensitivity to different cultures. Many people take classes in order to learn more about community management.
All community managers must be able to effectively listen and communicate to both the people within their community and the people on the outside. When a community manager is responsible for managing an online community, the person should have the ability to build websites that allow users to directly engage with another. Many people who want to become a community manager will take a public speaking class, as this helps them to learn how to effectively communicate. There are other classes that are offered in business and management that may also be helpful for a potential community manager.
Taking classes that specifically focus on marketing can aid a community manager in the promotion of his or her community. In order to keep the community thriving, it is important to employ positive advertising campaigns and to use marketing to its benefit. Positive marketing can also help to build a sense of pride within the community. In addition, understanding marketing techniques also helps a person to build his or her online persona when managing an online community.
Volunteering is an excellent activity to take part in when wanting to become a community manager, as this helps a person to understand different cultures and group dynamics. There is much time and effort that must be given in order to manage a community. Volunteering enables a person to understand the stamina it takes, whether it is a virtual or non-virtual community.
It is also important for anyone who wants to become a community manager to be able to cultivate internal leaders and teams in order to establish trust and to build morale. All successful community managers possess this ability. Community managers with this ability are able to create and maintain long-lasting communities because they have the support and assistance of internal members.