Let’s face it - most startup founders spend those early days building the business, developing the product or service, acquiring those all-important customers, and perhaps chasing investment. However as a startup grows, so too does its community - the clients, the product or service users, the investors, the fellow founders…
Whilst this can happen quite organically, there comes a time when managing that community ought to become a key focus and it’s not generally something that can simply be added to the founder’s already burgeoning to-do list. Hiring a dedicated Community Manager is therefore an absolute must.
If you’re considering hiring a Community Manager for your startup for the first time, here’s the lowdown on the different types of community managers, the skills they have to help you decide what you need…
The Different Types of Community Managers
Community Managers in startups generally fall into one of two camps, where they are either responsible for managing a digital community or they’re responsible for managing and engaging with a community in real life. Alternatively, they can have a remit that's a combination of the two, managing both the digital and real-life communities.
The Digital Community Manager
Those managing digital communities, they’ll be pretty much online advocates for the startup’s brand. They’ll focus on developing the online community and will be active everywhere from social media channels, private and public Facebook groups, community platforms, and discussion forums to managing email newsletters and hosting webinars. They’ll promote the business, participate in discussions, engage with and listen to existing customers and clients and proactively find new ones.
Some digital community managers may also have a social media-focused role. They’ll curate, source, and share online content, always aiming to optimise engagement and build relationships with customers and followers. With an eye on trends, they’ll look at strategy and analytics, continually monitoring and assessing how to grow the community further.
Their Key Skills
Strong communication skills are essential for this role, with an ability to write engaging and relevant content. They’ll also be creative, with excellent marketing skills and the ability to focus on the stats and KPIs - from tracking data on conversions and reach, to increasing followers and subscribers. They’ll be digitally savvy, flexible, and always willing to try new things to help build the community and the startup’s visibility and brand.
Take Peleton for example, its success wasn’t simply down to its innovative tech, but also how it built a community, instructors, and customers who could engage, connect and compete and become real brand advocates.
The ‘In Real Life’ Community Manager
The focus here is generally on running events - from organising socials and meetups through to networking and workshops. Growing the startup community will always be at the core. Good Community Managers will also know and understand what the community really wants so they’ll plan and tailor events to suit.
They’ll engage and interact with the community, generating ideas and getting feedback, always mindful of organising events that bring real value to community members - not simply paying lip service. They’ll be savvy at organising events that’ll help attract new community members as well as keep existing members enthused.
Their Key Skills
They’ll be competent at all aspects of event management - from the planning and organising through to the facilitation. Confident communicators, they’ll be excellent public speakers, knowing exactly how to engage with people, show empathy and build trust.
They’ll be creative too, coming up with new ideas, always keeping on top of event trends, and sussing out what works and what doesn’t. For example, the Rebel Book Club's mission to hold events centred around community + connections is part of what makes it so successful - from hosting inspiring speakers and creative workshops to brunch clubs, their focus is always to keep things interesting. Likewise, community managers in co-working spaces are always striving to create fun, interesting, and inspiring events. In addition to being creative, with a can-do attitude, they generally have great interpersonal skills, are highly organised, and epitomise flexibility!
The Hybrid Community Manager
Some community managers will do a mix of both, growing an online community whilst also looking after all in-person community events and activities too. Whether it’s engaging with customers on social media channels or online forums, or promoting a real-life event, their focus will always be on building positive relationships and attracting new followers and potential clients.
Their Key Skills
In terms of skills, adaptability, and flexibility will be paramount. They’ll be as happy engaging with members in a digital forum as they are at an in-person event. With excellent communication skills, they’ll be able to craft engaging written content and also be the public speaker, face, and voice of the startup at community events. They’ll be data-conscious and target driven too, ever mindful of acquiring followers, extending the reach, and growing that member base.
The Different Stages of Community Growth
Although many of the duties will be similar and many of the skills will be transferable, working as a community manager can vary quite a bit from startup to startup. It all really depends on what stage both the startup and its community are at. After all, there are big differences between starting a community from scratch, continuing to grow and build an existing community, or nurturing and maintaining an established community.
Therefore when you’re recruiting a community manager, make sure to check out what potential candidates have been doing before and hire accordingly! Do you need someone who knows what it takes to build a community from the ground up? Are you happy with the community you’ve built to date but want someone who can devote the time and effort to growing and strengthening that community? Or do you want to recruit someone who has had proven experience in managing an established community, and who knows how to keep members engaged and be brand advocates?
The Different Types of Community
Be mindful too of what type of community prospective candidates have experience managing. For example, there are different skills required when managing a free community in comparison to those required when managing a paid-for community. If candidates are experienced in the latter, it’s likely that they’ll have excellent sales and business development skills, and are always conscious of the value proposition being offered to community members. It’s not just a numbers game, it’s about providing real tangible value.
Likewise, managing a consumer community can be a very different experience from managing a B2B community, from the channels used to engage with community members, the approach used to grow that member base, through to how they acquire feedback from each to help shape future product or service development. However, no matter which type of community, the key fundamentals are the same - making connections and building relationships!
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Offering personalised, consultative service, at TableCrowd Talent we’re a specialist recruitment agency with our finger on the pulse of the startup and scaleup scene. We are committed to matching graduates, professionals and C-level executives to exciting startup and scaleup jobs across London, the UK and Europe.
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