We’re Expanding the AvePoint Community Champions Program!
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With Microsoft Ignite 2021 now behind us, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of product, feature announcements, and other industry news circulating around. It can be a gargantuan task to stay on top of every aspect of Microsoft’s announcements, much less the other platforms and tools within the typical multi-cloud environment.
One way that I stay up-to-date on all of the news is through the community — from favorited blog posts to weekly Message Center updates to social media posts from trusted experts. Before joining AvePoint last year, I had long admired the company’s support for the community — from user groups and regional events organized by community members to the marquee events hosted by Microsoft. Now that I’m part of AvePoint, I have an even closer view of AvePoint’s support for the content and community activities generated by my fellow AvePoint MVPs and Regional Directors, and for members of the broader community as well.
As AvePoint continues to expand and grow, we’re continuing to invest in the community. Specifically, we are building upon the AvePoint Community Champions program, making major investments as we approach 2022. For those unfamiliar with the program, I thought I’d share a quick snapshot, highlight some of the activities of current program members, and invite partners and influencers to learn more.
What is the AvePoint Community Champions Program?
The Community Champion program is a way for AvePoint to empower community members to share their technical expertise and business perspectives on collaboration, communication, and management features and solutions. Champions provide content and perspectives from a neutral standpoint and extend the reach of our collective network.
What does it mean to be an AvePoint Community Champion?
Community Champions are trusted advisors and respected influencers within the Microsoft technical community as well as other cloud environments. They have a passion for the latest technological innovations and are always giving back to the broader community. Membership in the program is a great way to extend the scope and scale of their own influence, providing Community Champions with opportunities to collaborate with and learn from each other, from the community, and from AvePoint employees.
How are Community Champions sharing their expertise?
Community Champions provide expertise through a number of methods, including:
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- Content: blog posts, feature articles, eBooks, whitepapers
- Videos: product reviews, webinars, thought leadership, panel discussions
- Research participation: product councils, focus groups, customer events
- Events: ShiftHappens Conference, ShiftHappens Podcast, #O365hours, M365 Talks
If you follow this blog, you’ve probably read one or more of our Community Champions articles or a summary of a webcast or panel discussion. Here is a sampling of some of our recent Champion contributions:
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- Microsoft Teams in Education FAQ: How to Have a Successful Deployment by Laurent Carlier
- Discussing the Microsoft 365 Principles of Retention by Joanne Klein
- Power Automate Training Guide: How to Get Your Team Started by Norm Young
- How to Use Dynamics 365 Marketing to Follow Up With Webinar Attendees by Vesa Nopanen
- Why Small Businesses Should Invest in Collaboration Technology and How They Can Get Started by Shadeed Eleazer
Over the course of 2022, we will be expanding the ways in which our Community Champions can contribute. I’m very excited to share some of what is planned!
What are the benefits of participating in the Community Champions program?
While Community Champions always provide neutral, independent perspectives, they are also advocates for AvePoint. They know our products and have deeper insights into our roadmap and activities. As such, it is also important that our relationship with our Champions be equitable. They give a lot to AvePoint and the community, and we want to give back — in an appropriate way.
Champions are provided with opportunities to collaborate with AvePoint employees and each other, as well as to connect with AvePoint customers and partners. Additionally, we work with our Champions to create personalized joint-marketing plans, give them access to marketing resources, and provide both internal and external recognition.
We are excited to work more closely with our Community Champions to close out this year and make plans for 2022, connecting with current and former program participants to find new ways to provide value to the community. If you would like to find out more about the program or the nomination process, please visit our website. While membership in the program is exclusive, we are always interested in discussing new ways to partner and give back to the community!
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An Office Apps & Services MVP and Microsoft Regional Director, Christian Buckley is an internationally recognized author and speaker and runs the community-focused CollabTalk blog, podcast, and tweetjam series.