So how does IBM’s SAP Alliance team partner with SAP Community Network in social media?

Everyone agrees it is essential to get involved in social media.  Luckily, SAP Community Network is designed with SAP partners in mind, so you can easily reap big benefits from this community. The IBM SAP Alliance team for example has benefitted from social media teamwork with SAP Community Network. If you are a partner, I urge you to read on because I’ve included some specific information and next steps at the end of this blog that you can take to leverage the community for your programs and initiatives and build a partnership like the IBM SAP alliance team did.

IBM SAP Alliance Team 

IBM’s SAP Alliance team works with SAP in social media to deliver hot news, exciting technical insights and field enablement to benefit its ecosystem and customers. Below are a couple of instances where SCN delivered value to IBM:

• Integration of social media into all areas of the business with strong Twitter teamwork between @IBMSAPAlliance and @SAPCommNet  – essentially tweeting and re-tweeting pieces of information that are beneficial to 4000+ followers of @sapcommnet  and 2040+ followers of @IBMSAPAlliance. This teamwork extends to other social channels such as Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn as well.
• SAP-savvy IBMers help solve business problems using innovative IBM solutions and best practices – SCN being the platform to both share expertise and gather knowledge from a breadth of related Blogs, Wiki Pages, Forums, Topic Pages, Articles and more.
• IBM DB2 optimized for SAP benefits from exposure to the broad community of users who leverage SCN as a source of knowledge – proving the fact that thought leadership on SCN helps in increasing reach and awareness about your solution and/or company.

The IBM team sees value in SAP Community Network which is why many IBMers are active participants in SCN’s forums, blogs, thought leadership articles as well as many SAP events such as TechEd, SAPPHIRE, and Run Better Tour. Here’s what IBM’s Todd Kirtley, General Manager SAP Alliance, has to say:

“IBM’s active participation in the SAP Community Network enables IBM teams to learn more about client requirements and challenges, and to share their knowledge among constituents.  SCN has helped to expand IBM’s thought leadership position and is a critical component in support of our overall community engagement.”

Takeaways for partners:

• Check out our Community Engagement Handbook to see steps you can take to leverage SCN for your programs and initiatives. By engaging and contributing on the Community Network, you can leverage the promotion opportunities for your programs and initiatives in SCN’s community homepages, topic pages, newsletters and more.  (let us know if you’ve any comments!)
• Do you want to know how SAP harnessed social media for impressive business results through the SAP Community Network? ; How partners are driving real business impact with communities and social media? And actions you can take to capture tangible benefits in 2011? See SAP Community Network’s Mark Yolton address these points in SAP Community Network – Helping Partners Harness Social Business.
• Learn about Advertising Opportunities (paid) with SAP Community Network.
• Partner videos:
  • Are you taking full advantage of SAP Community Network? Learn how Intelligroup does so. Interview with Intelligroup’s Ashutosh Mutsaddi
  • Know how you can leverage SAP Community Network not only for your own teams but also for your customers. Interview with HP’s Peter Gibbels

 How are you leveraging SAP Community Network? We’d like to know how you perceive SAP Community Network and understand how we can set you up for success!