Biz Talk - Business Blog Roanoke and Beyond

Valley Business FRONT launched in October 2008 with rave reviews from the business community. Dan Smith and Tom Field formerly of the Blue Ridge Business Journal have created a relevant easy to read monthly publication for the Roanoke NRV business communities.

The November issue features a discussion about one of the hottest topics in the world of marketing - Blogging.  Local bloggers are interviewed as they tell the various ways area businesses are using blogs.  And to back up the article, both Dan and Tom are also blogging.

With the economic downturn, local business people are looking for effective, affordable ways to promote their businesses.  Social media fits this criteria and there is definitely a strong local interest. VWCC Workforce Development Fresh Connect recently held a workshop where they had a full house for it's session on the Power of Social Media for Business.  

Stuart Mease gets it! In his recent blog post he pointed out the need for the region to use social media to showcase the area and attract and retain young adults.

To further demonstrate the interest locally in Social Media, a specific group has been created on Facebook.  SW VA Social Media Connect was launched one month ago as a resource for local businesses on social media. It has already grown to 178 members and continues to grow weekly. 

Optimized Strategies will be launching a series of How To Workshops on Business applications for social media networking sites FaceBook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Virginia Western Community College's Workforce Development Services , FRESH CONNECT to Virginia Western is hosting an informative seminar, Power of Social Media for Your Business.  The event will be Thursday, October 16, from 7:30 - 8:30am at UKrops, Roanoke Ivy Market.  Registration fee is $10.  Learn how you can harness the power of social media for your business.  Join the millions of businesses that are applying cutting-edge social media technologies.  If you don't get it, then check out this simple video by the Common Craft people. The Fresh Connect seminar will help you learn about social media tools for success in PR, marketing and recruitment.

Applying these seven social media must-do's will bring business success.

1.  Twitter - one of the newest social media phenomenons can help you leverage conversations for business contacts. Once you have an account and using the service you will gather up "followers" who want to engage in your conversations and invite you to engage in theirs.  It is referred to as micro-blogging and allows you to enter up to 140 characters to tell other twitter users what you are doing, working on or need. 

2.  Facebook - which you have probably heard about and may think it only applies to the younger generation.  WRONG!  According to Facebook Statistics they have more than 110 million active users, it is the 4th most-trafficked website in the world as well as the most-trafficked social media site in the world and the fastest growing demographic is those 25 years old and older. Facebook is a great place to reach a target market.  The technology behind facebook allows you to identify and target people that are your perfect clients!

3.  LinkedIn - used as a more professional means.  Users create a profile listing their current position, qualifications, past experience and awards.  You build your professional network by connecting with other professionals on LinkedIn.  A big advantage of LinkedIn is the professional groups that you can join and the means of giving and receiving recommendations.

4.  YouTube - to use video to expand you message by sharing your company and personal videos.  Videos for training, showcasing your company and marketing or branding a product or service.  Videos often become viral.

5.  Flickr - This is a place you can share your photos.  Many businesses are using flickr badges to include photos on their website and blogs.  Flickr is one of several networks you can use.

6.  Digg and Stumbleupon - These social bookmarking tools provide a place for people to discover and share content.  From news stories to blog postings to favorite videos and images, the more people who see your info is definitely better for your business.

7.  Blogging - This is probably the most important step you can take to get your message across.  Blogging gives you an opportunity to start a conversation and gives your clients an opportunity to join in the conversation.  It gives you an opportunity to have constant communication, a big plus in this day.

There will be more about these social media tools at the Fresh Connect seminar on Thursday at UKrops.  For more information about Fresh Connect and upcoming seminars contact Dr. Chuck Terrell, Vice President of Workforce Development Services. To register call 540-857-6076 or email pwillhite@vw.vccs.edu.

When Craigslist decided to add Roanoke as a location many Roanokers were delighted and felt a part of the Craigslist revolution.  Well, stand back because we are about to join in on another social revolution. 

Stuart Mease, an evangelist for bringing and retaining young professionals to the Roanoke and New River Valleys, has once again demonstrated his desire and eagerness to do just that.  He read about Fwix, a new regional activity aggregator being beta tested in major cities.  He contacted them and requested they add Roanoke Blacksburg as a location in their next release.

Read his post about Fwix and then join Fwix and become part of this next generation of aggregators.  It's a win-win for Roanoke and the New River Valley thanks to Stuart Mease.

Ninety people attended and another 12 joined in the live streaming video of the Recession Proof Social Marketing forum Wednesday at the Salem Civic Center.  Many thanks to those who attended, our panel of experts, Videographer Don Thorne and the Salem Civic Center. 

Forum participants were surprisingly impressed by the display of social media tools that are available to businesses today for marketing and recruiting.  Ira Kaufman opened up the event with challenges business people face and revealed why social media is a powerful and cost effective marketing medium.  Stuart Mease enlightened us with success stories of how businesses can use Facebook as low cost advertising and a tool for target marketing.  Beth Deel and Wendy Schuyler introduced "The World of Twitter" as they beamed their presentation across the web "Twitter Style".  Eric Melniczek shared real life examples and of how LinkedIn can be used to market and recruit for your company.  Patsy Stewart explained Blogs in Plain English and 8 ways companies can benefit from blogging.

For those of you who weren't able to attend the event and for those who just want a re-cap, you can visit the Roanoke Biz2Biz Streaming Video Archive where we keep videos of our past shows.

Twitter users are invited to follow us on twitter

If you can't make the Biz2Biz Forum, Recession Proof Social Marketing, no problem.  You can watch it via live streaming video on Wednesday morning around 8:20am.  http://roanokebiz2biz.com/streamingvideo.php

Social Media experts will show you how to unlock the potential of Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Blogs and more.

• Ira Kaufman - Turn on the power of Social Media Marketing
• Stuart Mease - Facebook
• Beth Deel and Wendy Schuyler - Twitter
• Eric Melniczek - LinkedIn
• Patsy Stewart - Blogs

Follow Us On Twitter

Become Our Fan on Facebook

To learn about all of these social media tools watch our live streaming video or if you missed the live show we will have it backed up in our archives.  http://roanokebiz2biz.com/streamingvideo.php

           

Location: Salem Civic Center

Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Time: 8:00am - 10:00am

Targeting: CEOs, Managers, Marketing and HR Managers, Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs

Click here to Register NOW!

Unfortunately, most businesses are not capitalizing on social media to provide quality connections with business consumers. According to a recent study, more than 71 % of consumers who use social media are more influenced by user-generated content than traditional advertising.

Join the conversation!

Small and mid size businesses can leverage the power of social media to achieve their goals. Some marketers have been experimenting with social media to reach target audiences for recruitment, event planning, branding, lead generation, product introduction and networking.
We invite you to discover, learn, contribute and ask questions.

The session will include an overview of Social Media Marketing and how your business can benefit.  A qualified panel of successful social media users will enlighten you and answer your questions.  This is your opportunity to join in the conversation.

Be proactive, learn how to use a recession proof social marketing strategy and be ahead of your competition. 

For more information and to register: Call 540 563 2249 or Click here to Register by Email!

Visit http://www.RoanokeBiz2Biz.com/special_events.php to learn more about this event.

Stuart Mease asked me to participate in this meme, a way to share information from blogger to blogger to increase traffic and exposure of a site and give a more personal touch to a blog.

So, here it goes with a little different spin…

I am going to provide you with some facts about me but you will need to check out my profiles in Linked-In, Facebook or MySpace to find the answers.

1. I have lived in the Roanoke area all my life.  What high school did I go to?
2. I made a career move after spending 28 years with what company?
3. I have a pet that loves to socialize more than me.  What is his name?

I'm sure you didn't have any problem finding the answers from my social profiles.  OK, so now I'm going to tag Josh Perrington and Robyn Tippins with this meme.  You can thank Stuart Mease for this.

Today, October 15, is Blog Action Day, where bloggers around the web have united to put a single important issue on everyone's mind.  That issue is the environment.  

To help increase awareness through the Roanoke business community I have chosen to write about how businesses can help the environment in three easy steps.  If every local company would commit to these three simple steps we can conserve energy, preserve our natural resources and help fight the issues of global warming.

1. Replace 2 regular light bulbs with an energy saving model. If every business in Roanoke replaced one regular light bulb with an energy-saving model, we could reduce global warming pollution by more than 90 billion pounds over the life of the bulbs; the same as taking 6.3 million cars off the road. So, replace your incandescent bulbs with more efficient compact fluorescents, which now come in all shapes and sizes.
2. Pull the plug on electronic devices when not in use. To make sure you aren’t wasting energy put all of your electronics and chargers on a power strip (or a smart power strip). This way you can simply flip the power strip off when your electronics are not in use.
3. Set computers to energy-saving settings.  For most businesses our computers are the central tool for work. Optimizing the energy settings for computers and other devices can be more than a modest energy saver.  Printers and scanners that are only used occasionally can be unplugged until they’re needed.
4. Charge your mobile devices through your computer's USB port.  Cell phones and PDA's can charge using your computer’s USB port.  You never have to worry about leaving your AC adapter plugged in.
5. Buy recycled paper for copiers and fax machines.  The benefits of recycled paper include fewer trees cut down, less water and energy consumption and less pollution generated. Using recycled paper reduces waste and preserves natural resources.
6. Encourage employees to recycle by adding recycle bins.  Add bins near copier machines for paper and in lunch rooms for cans and bottles.
7. Have lunch delivered to your office once a week.  Plan a day in advance so employees can order lunch together and dine together.  It saves gas and cuts down on pollution. It also makes a great way to reward your team. Also remember to ask for paper instead of styrofoam containers.
8. Turn climate control systems off when they aren't needed.  Adjusting the thermostat a few degrees warmer or cooler can also benefit. You may be surprised by how much energy and dollars this saves.

Check out TreeHugger.com for more information on ways to green your workplace

Most people don't understand the power of social media.  They don't understand how blogging and other forms of social media can impact the business environment.  Viral Marketing is a marketing phenomenon that facilitates and encourages people to pass along a marketing message voluntarily.  Let me show you direct proof of how an ongoing internet conversation can effect a topic or situation.  Imagine if this were your business and why you have to be cognizant of the affects, good or bad, it can have on your business.

I found this article in the Washington Post regarding the rage over the new drivers fee's invoked by the Virginia Legislators.  Marc Fisher reported…

Since when do ordinary people take up the cause of offenders such as the 5 percent of drivers who are eligible for abuser fees because of their bad records? Since when do Virginia's supposedly hard-core anti-tax voters slam their lawmakers for avoiding a general tax increase by slipping in fees aimed at some small group?
Well, since the Internet changed the speed and power flow in politics, says Del. David Albo, the Fairfax Republican who finds himself the target of much of the popular rage.

Fisher added..

In the wild world of Virginia political blogs, that made Albo Public Enemy No. 1 — accused of concocting a dishonest way to raise money for transportation projects, making it extra unfair by exempting out-of-state drivers from the fees and topping it off by working in a field in which he stood to profit from an increase in court battles over these fees.

Social Media is changing the landscape of our politics as well as how we do business.  This is what we call viral marketing.  Several months back Roanoke Biz2Biz hosted a social media workshop where I explained about the Power Of Blogs. (see my white paper Blogs - Your Power Marketing Tool) 

You can accept it or not, but this is a part of your future.  Five years ago, few took a serious look at a Google search as a marketing tool.  Look at them now!  If you don't have a top ranking in Google you can bet your competitor does!  

Blogging has grown into a powerful venue for businesses to gain valuable exposure.  Companies now use various forms of social media marketing to introduce new products and services, announce events and generate leads for their business.

It's YOUR choice, you can be pro-active and an innovator in incorporating social media into your marketing strategies or you can lag behind as your competitors evolve.

Last week I was asked to provide a letter of recommendation for a service I had received.  I immediately responded that I would be happy to write a testimonial because I was very pleased with the service.  A week has now passed and I still have not written the testimonial I promised. Why am I procrastinating?  …because it takes my valuable time and that is unfair to the this service provider. 

Many businesses use testimonials as part of their marketing strategy.  But that being said, getting a written testimonial can be a tedious and exhausting task.  Is there an easier way to get a recommendation? 

LinkedIn is a fast growing social networking platform that provides online networking for business professionals.  If you are not already a part of LinkedIn, you have probably been exposed or received invitations to join a colleagues LinkedIn network.  Success Magazine says if you're not already linkedin "Chances are your competition is".

LinkedIn members have an opportunity to recommend service providers, colleagues, and business partners.  You can make a personal recommendation for a contact that can be viewed in their profile.  You can actually request a recommendation from your network of connections.  The more recommendations you have the higher placement your profile will have in the search results. In other words, in my earlier post about your online identity, when you are googled you will be a stud not a dud.

Here are some other ways to use LinkedIn.