Walking the metaphorical tightrope between the needs of your business and the needs of your customers can be a real challenge, but this is exactly what community managers have signed up to do.
Balancing the diverse needs of internal and external clients while maintaining your brand’s image and — hopefully — keeping everyone happy is no small feat. It’s no surprise that this can be a high-stress job, but fortunately for community managers old and new, there are some tricks of the trade that can help make your life easier. We spoke with Wunderlist‘s Simon Chan to find out just what’s in his community management toolbox.
Learn to Say “No”
Community management can be a 24/7 job if you let it. Your community is always online, talking and asking questions — but if you try to keep up with them all day and night, you’re going to burn yourself out. “It’s just not possible for any person to work those hours without feeling the affects,” explains Simon. “I tried doing it when I started and the result was just a degradation in the quality of my work.”
No one wants an over-worked, over-tired community manager trying to field customer questions, so a good community manager needs to know their own limits. “The number one thing is the word ‘No,’” says Simon. “It’s a negative sounding word, but it’s what’s kept me sane ever since I’ve been a community manager.”
Saying ‘no’ doesn’t mean you aren’t a team player — it’s crucial to be able to recognize what you do and don’t have time to do well, and say ‘no’ when you just can’t squeeze something into your schedule. Being honest with yourself, your community, and your co-workers will make sure everyone has the right expectations and help you get through …read more
Source: Sprout Social
