Engage Your Community
November 14, 2012 Alex de Carvalho ● @alexdc

Alex de Carvalho
@alexdc
twitter.com/alexdc
linkedin.com/in/alexdc
facebook.com/alexdc
alexdc.org

I create spaces for individuals,
companies, and brands to connect
Desarollo espacios para conectar los
individuos, las empresas y las marcas

About me ...

Securing
the Clicks
Network Security
in the Age of
Social Media

I am half-Brazilian and half-Finnish

But enough about me, let’s talk about ...
You
Community
Some Concepts
Why focus on tech communities?
What Now?

You want to ...
• Extend your social
network and make new
friendships
Learn something new
You •
• Find work and projects
• Bounce your ideas off
like-minded people
• Not feel alone
• Access resources: space,
marketing, funds

A source of ...
• Like-minded people
• Learning
• Work and projects Community
• New ideas as well as
people who understand
your ideas
• Fellowship and
togetherness
• Space, marketing, funds

Profitable
You Persona Community
When you provide service/value to others,
it always reflects positively on you

Profitable
You Persona Community
How do YOU make a difference in your community?

The pyramid of influence
Influence
Authority
Reputation
Identity
Credibility
Presence
alex de carvalho @alexdc

• "80 percent of success is just showing up" —
Influence Woody Allen
•Online, you publish yourself into existence
Authority
•First step is to determine your objective(s)
Reputation •Next steps include choosing the platform(s)
(blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and creating your
Identity profile (bio, avatar, etc.)
Credibility
Presence Personal Branding vs. Profitable Persona:
•Image vs Personality
•Commercial focus vs Paying things forward
•The value you derive vs The value you add

•Credibility is about trustworthiness and
Influence expertise
Authority •Are you a consistent source of reliable
information?
Reputation
•Do you have extensive knowledge or ability
Identity (or interest) about a certain topic?
Credibility •Every post you publish will add to or subtract
from your credibility
Presence
The profitable persona publishes and curates

• Your presence and history of publishing
uniquely describes who you are
Influence
• Your interactions and relationships with others
Authority help authenticate who you are (ie., who you are
Reputation is who you say you are)
Identity • Interacting with others in real-life situations,
including publishing photos taken together,
Credibility help cement your identity
Presence
The profitable persona is authenticated through
interactions with others and is associated with a
set of communities

• The dynamic and ever-changing measure of
Influence what others believe about you
Authority • Changes in credibility and identity will impact
reputation both negatively and positively
Reputation
• It is out of the individual’s power to control and
Identity manipulate (ie., “you cannot fool all of the
people all of the time”)
Credibility
Presence The profitable persona is perceived as a valuable
contributor to the community

• Recognized expertise and an esteemed
reputation will vest an individual with a higher
Influence
social position for any given topic
Authority • The scope of a person’s authority depends on
their ability to reach other leaders and people in
Reputation the same field
• Once achieved, authority may outlast
Identity reputation and subjects may follow regardless
of consequent effects on other people
Credibility
• The profitable persona acts in accordance with a
Presence high ethical value system
The profitable persona rewards community
members for their participation, longevity, and
quality of contributions (social capital)

• Do you bear social proof for others to follow?
Influence
•Your cues are interpreted by others
Authority
•In ambiguous situations, your example
Reputation determines the correct way to behave
Identity • Do people conform in order to be liked?
Credibility
The profitable persona helps define ethical social
Presence
norms and becomes a steward of the community’s
shared understanding (social construct)

Before a community is formed, potential
community members are as fickle as crabs

They are quick to hole-up and hide out

But they are not alone

It took us 3 months to organize our first meetup ... and only 5
people showed up (including the photographer)
@robertmurray
@cwsaylor
@brianbreslin @alexdc

But we persevered, meeting up monthly ....

Within 18 months, our meetups averaged 100 people
and our community grew to over 2,500 members

RefreshMiami: new media community
- South Florida’s largest web community
- Established March 2006
- Over 2,500 members
- Monthly meetups average 150 participants
http://refreshmiami.org

Social Media Club of South Florida
Established September 2008
- Over 2,500 members
- Monthly meetups average 100 participants
Expand media literacy
Share lessons learned
Adopt industry standards
Promote ethical practices
facebook.com/groups/smcsf

BarCamp Miami
- Web and new media “un”conference
- Over 1,500 have attended five events
- Supported by over 60 company sponsorships
http://barcampmiami.org

First one in June 2012:
16 presenters & 300 attendees

500 people joined for the conference
and networking in May 2012

Community spawns communities,
like rainfall makes things grow
• RefreshMiami
• BarCamp Miami
• Social Media Club South Florida
• Mobile Monday Miami
• Tech Tuesday
• Tweetups
• Coworking Miami
• Ruby Brigade
• iPhone Lovers Meetup
• Wordpress Meetup

Many other models to create / copy
• The Hatchery
• TechCocktail
When you create a new
community based on
• OpenCoffee
what exists in other parts
• World Café of the world, those
• First Tuesday international communities
• Twiistup
start noticing you!
• etc.

The thing is, we have shared interests ...
It’s the reason we speak to each other
and not someone else

Shared interests
means passions
in common

Shared interests means helping each other

Shared interests means having a common
language, vocabulary, stories, and inside jokes
Text
Text

And spaces acquire shared meaning

The market for shared
experiences is inexhaustible

(just use the bathroom first!)

Connecting through shared interests

Why focus on tech communities?
"The digital economy is absolutely central to the future
of wealth creation.
Although we are living in an increasingly globalised
world, it is local communities rather than nations that
are becoming more important"
Chris Clark, BT Chief Executive, February 18, 2010

Why is tech important?
“The key to economic growth lies not
just in the ability to attract the
creative class, but to translate that
underlying advantage into creative
economic outcomes in the form of
new ideas, new high-tech businesses
and regional growth.”
Richard Florida

Why is tech important?
• White collar, well-paid, culturally curious
• Driver of economic development
• Attracts innovation, talent, and money
• All industries need tech to remain competitive
• Real Estate
• Tourism & Hospitality
• Healthcare
• Banking
• Journalism / Media
• etc.

@gapingvoid

The right type of community
• Identify community needs
• Large & all-inclusive or small & focused
• Online & Offline

Community Management
• Seeding
• Introduce yourselves
• Blogging Challenge
• Identify early leaders
• Policies
• Enforcement
• Executive Committees
• Events
• Communities are often very local

Event / Meetup Format
• “Open-source” culture and ethics
• Networking --> panel --> networking
• Master of Ceremonies & Moderator
• Low-stress, informal, “Beer and Pizza”
• Quality presenters
• Awards

Consistent Date & Location
• The right meeting venue depends on objectives and
size of group
• Universities
• Hotels
• Coworking locations
• Coordination with other event organizers
• “City” calendar for better coordination

Sponsorship
• Networking should be free
• Proximity to bar or restaurant
• Sponsor pays vendors directly
• Company involvement

Use Social Networks
• Google groups
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Eventbrite registrations

Got questions? Here’s where to find me
Alex de Carvalho
@alexdc
twitter.com/alexdc
linkedin.com/in/alexdc
facebook.com/alexdc
alexdc.org

Engage Your Community
November 14, 2012 Alex de Carvalho ● @alexdc