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Oracle OpenWorld 2007 Selects Leverage Software To Power Event's Online Community

We're pleased to announce that Oracle OpenWorld Connect (the event's online community) is now open for business. To join the community, you need to first register for Oracle OpenWorld 2007. Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know it's still early to register but one of the variety of passes is free so it's a no brainer. Register and then join the community to start networking with fellow Oracle developers (like Justin Kestelyn, OTN Editor-in-Chief), share and learn best practices, and begin scheduling appointments in your Oracle OpenWorld Connect calendar. The early bird gets the worm.

Online Community Goal Setting - Be a Rebel - Joie de Vivre style

I have a minimum of 50 discussions per week about online communities and social networks. These discussions are typically with customers, prospects, partners and employees. It occurs to me that establishing goals is quite a challenge for those considering the launch of an online community. In many organizations, several stakeholders exist and those stakeholders have different and sometimes competing objectives. It is important to establish the community owner, and set goals that meet the needs of the owner and the audience that will be served by the community - customers, partners, internal employees, readers, etc.

I would like to offer an exercise that is used by Chip Conley, the CEO of Joie de Vivre. Joie de Vivre is the largest boutique hotelier in California with plans for rapid growth. I gained a great deal of respect for Chip after reading his book, Rebel Rules, which was forwarded by Richard Branson. When Chip considers launching a new hotel, he thinks of it in terms of a magazine or two and the five words that will describe it's personality. For a description of the hotel used in this example, go to Hotel Vitale. As Chip explains in this Business 2.0 article, "The Vitale was a hybrid of Dwell and Real Simple; the words were 'modern,' 'urbane,' 'fresh,' 'natural,' and 'revitalizing."

This same approach can be used while thinking about the community that you will enable. Of course, the community will take on a life and personality of its own, but you will be off to a great start if you first set goals that can be well defined. An example of these descriptive words may include fun, educational, active, thought-provoking and zealous. As you embark on community, have fun with it and with the audience it serves.

In full discloser, I had so much respect for Chip and his marketing genius that I called him to discuss, and they became a client. Look for their community and that of their guests, to launch soon. Remember - communities are about people and people have personalities (well, most do) - what is the personality of your audience?

Community 2.0 - Where is the ROI on Community?

I was invited to speak at the Community 2.0 conference this week on a panel titled "The New Technology Toolbox for Community Building". My takeaways from the panelists and the 250 or so attendees are as follows.

1) Everyone seems to have a different definition of community. To me, an online community is one wherein relationships can be developed and information can be transfered among a peer group. John Hagel defines the keys to community as an environment wherein relationships, discussions and identities are shared. Several participants seem to believe that information sharing within forum discussions constitute a community. I don't believe the value of an online community can be maximized without the opportunity to develop and share relationships among it's audience members. It's a bit like having a neighborhood community without being able to say hello to your neighbors and borrow a cup of sugar from them, or like attending a conference without the ability to interact with the participants. The relationship building component is a primary reason for the success of MySpace, currently at more than 160,000,000 profiles.

2) It seems that 50% or so of the audience is in the process of or has already implemented an online community (or forum discussion) or social network while the other half seem to be wondering where to begin. For this half, please be assured that you can implement a branded community at a low total cost of ownership and low risk. The primary considerations are:

a) the goal and purpose of the community - without a goal, you cannot measure success

b) the community requires ownership and buy-in - you need a project or community lead

c) the potential beneficiaries (the audience) need to be aware of the community - please build awareness around it

d) reciprocity is key - the community will succeed only if the host benefits (roi) and the audience benefits

3) Return on Investment - It is quite obvious that a thorough ROI tool is not available to those considering an online community. We will create one. As marketers, publishers or community hosts in any industry - you not only have to satisfy your audience, you have to satisfy the number crunchers. The variables that drive the return on investment vary based on your industry and may include decreased support costs, decreased attrition rates which lead to increased revenue, improved customer loyalty which increases lifetime value of a customer, outstanding word-of-mouth-marketing, competitive differentiation, a more valuable partner ecosystem, rapid product innovation, improved communication, etc.

Leverage Software will publish a white paper which will allow community hosts to evaluate ROI for specific communities. Check back here or on our website for the paper. It will likely happen in mid-April.

The key take-away from Community 2.0 is that it's always about the people, conversations, interaction and sharing. Tools are very important, but the same business rules of people, process, objectives and ROI apply.