Social Media for Small Businesses

Debbie Gorskidebk@uwyo.edu

Anya Petersen-Freyapeter35@uwyo.edu

An Entrepreneurial Christmas Story •For the first time, Wyoming is providing the 2010 US Capitol Christmas tree!•Wyoming Entrepreneur’s companion tree will be adorned with 52 small business ornaments.•Social Media Marketing Venues:

•Facebook: http://facebook.com/wyomingentrepreneur•Ning: http://wyendotbiz.ning.com/•Twitter: http://twitter.com/wyendotbiz•Pitchengine for social media releases: http://www.pitchengine.com/wyomingentrepreneur•YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/wyendotbiz

•Social Media Webinars•Coaching Pod calls

Social Media for Small Businesses

An Entrepreneurial Christmas Story •Providing an opportunity to give exposure to our WY small businesses.• Assist businesses with a creative venue to learn about social media/digital marketing.•Reaching your markets in a viral/global market. •With or without you, your clients and potential clients are using the Internet to search, compare prices and buy products/services!

Social Media is Here to Stay!

Wikipedia—written by people (you and me). The largest reference website—684 million visitors yearly by 2008.Facebook—500 million + registered usersMySpace—300 million registered usersYouTube—One Billion views per day (2009)Twitter—105 million+ registered usersLinkedIn—75 million + registered users– more than 12 million small business usersNing—80 million + monthly visitors, 70,000 paying subscribers

Just to name a few!

Why Would I Use Social Media ?Your customers are there!

Market your product/sell your productCommunicate with clients

Establish yourself as an expertEducate/answer questionsShow products or services

Find out what is being said about your company, product or services

Other benefits?

Before Jumping in—Have a Plan!

Have you heard this before?

Include social media strategies within your marketing plan.

First Ask Yourself These Questions:

Who is your target market?How does your target use social media?Are you willing to commit the time?How will you measure success?

If you can answer these questions, then you are on your way to developing a social media strategy/plan.

How Do I Begin?

Choose an online name Photo or avatarProfile detailsContact info

Business Email Account

Now What?

Choose one or two social media networks in the beginning.Listen, observe, learnParticipate: engage with othersShare or contributeRespondBe first person, not thirdBe open and honestDon’t make it all about you!Provide a consistent presence—make a schedule

Social Media Core

Blogs and/or websites can be considered a primary core for your social media presence.

Benefits:

Centralizes a brand’s digital presenceMost valuable social media profile you have!Integral to community buildingControl the flow of your audience to your different social media sites

Social Media Core

Blog Benefits:Blogs are easy to managePublish instantlyDialogue with visitorsBecome a thought leader or expertMore personable

Website Benefits: Site domain is owned by you!Data obtained by your site provides invaluable insight (Can use Google Analytics to track activity). Much more in-depth info.

Wyoming Entrepreneur website http://www.wyomingentrepreneur.biz

Bloghttp://wyomingentrepreneur.typepad.com/blog/

Ninghttp://wyendotbiz.ning.com/

Ning

Website

TypepadBlog

WyomingEntrepreneur

Facebook

Twitter

Flickr

YouTube

LinkedIn

SecondLifeSlideshare

PitchEngine

Digg

ConstantContact

Google Tools

Skype

GoToMeeting

WebEX

Foursquare

Basecamp

Social Media Map

This Will Take Time!

Patience! Patience! Patience!

If you only want to go to one place for resources about Digital information:

http://alltop.com/

Questions?

Thank You!

Debbie Gorskidebk@uwyo.edu

This presentation will be available on slideshare:http://www.slideshare.net/wyendotbiz/newsfeed