Internet Marketing Strategies for Your Business Workshop

Announcements, Internet Marketingon March 10th, 2010No Comments

Group of people connectingOn March 12 and 13, Mark Mathson is speaking and presenting a workshop on Internet Marketing strategy for business and organizations. The presentation is part of the 10th Annual Missouri River Break event put together by the Outreach Department at MSU-Great Falls.

Focus and strategy of the workshop

Explore strategies and techniques that you can use on the Internet that will enhance and support your business’ overall marketing objectives. Learn how to conduct promotions, generate targeted online traffic, positioning your content, and over all brand awareness. Come and learn how to make your website work to promote your business the way that you want it to.

Registration information is available at the Missouri River Break page here.

(Photo credit: sdp)

Social Media for Business Presentation

Announcements, Internet Marketing, Social Mediaon February 25th, 2010No Comments

Social media and social networking for business workshop

Workshop presented in Great Falls, MT

In October 2009, I co-presented a workshop titled Social Media 101 for Business, with Jeff Mangan, a friend, colleague, and owner of Fat Moose Media. Our purpose was to get local Montana organizations and business owners excited about social media and social networking, as well as to educate them on best practice and strategy. We had a great turn out, filled the room to capacity and had lots of participation.

Below, embedded is my slide deck, in which my focus was on LinkedIn, and a general overview of inter-mingling your social networks and existing web sites and blogs.

3 Tips on Using LinkedIn for Business

Business, Social Networkingon February 23rd, 2010No Comments

Smurfs networking on LinkedInNetworking is important for business and organizations. Personal brand aficionados also point out the value for the individual as well.  The blending of online and offline contacts in a social network is key to good networking.

LinkedIn, the niche business networking social network site, focuses on building detailed and valuable profiles, connections, and groups to help collaboration and increase the level of communication.

Here are three tips to help you and your organization to get the most out of LinkedIn:

  1. Connect with the people you know – use the import contacts feature to quickly find out who you know that already has a LinkedIn profile, and optionally invite those that don’t.
  2. Make sure your profile is filled out in detail and accurate – Write a short power statement to place in the Summary on your profile and catch people’s attention. Remember that the key words on your profile help you get found in the People search feature, which is used frequently.
  3. Join industry or professional groups - Find a group of your interest; alumni, organization, industry focus. Join, and participate in the conversations, read through the news articles that are shared, and submit anything you find interesting.

Using LinkedIn as a resource and guide to your online professional social networking will help you leverage a powerful, well-connected network of individuals, companies, clients and prospects to maximize your value.

How Many Hours a Week Do You Spend Social Networking?

Social Networkingon February 23rd, 2010No Comments

Please consider taking this short poll. Mark Mathson will be presenting two workshops in March on Internet marketing strategies, and is trying to gather some statistics on the usage of social networking. Granted there are many great resources out there with other information, it would be great to have your input!

Vote on the poll below. (Click this link here to vote if you do not see the embedded poll)

Useful Unconventional Wisdom

Businesson December 13th, 2009No Comments

Most of the best wisdom stems from those that think outside of the box. Check out these 10 Tidbits of Unconventional Wisdom, that aim to drive inspiration into 2010.

Social Networking Isn’t All About Making Money

Social Networkingon November 18th, 2009No Comments

social-moneyCan you quantify your social media and networking efforts? Yes? No? Maybe? There isn’t a right or wrong answer.

There are those who have tried, tested, and proven that social networking works for them. It may be the core of their leads and referrals, or at least significant enough where could answer the above question with a big yes. Others, not so much, kind of a meh, still trying to figure it out, don’t have the time and are hoping so. Of course, there are always, and some legitimately, a big stinkin’ no. This could be for any imaginable reason, maybe it truly does not work for them, and there is a chance they flubbed their efforts.

Is social networking making you money? This question posed, in a recent article by Martha Retallick, makes a clear point that if you aren’t out there networking with your target market, whether this be online or offline, then you are essentially wasting your time. Taking time away from where you could be allocating to potentially a better target. Are you getting leads from peers or colleagues? Is your business thriving because of the time spent networking online with an old acquaintance?  As an insightful commenter stated, “I don’t put all of my eggs in one basket.”

Social networking and media can be important components of an organizations and individuals overall branding and marketing strategy. Income is necessary, and critical, to keep business and life going, observe where your energy is being spent, use time wisely, leverage the contacts you make and be useful to others, and social networking will work, in a profitable way.

(Photo credit: Cayusa)