"Social Media" is a term that is getting a lot of attention. The tools are usually free but require a significant investment of time. How can these tools help you in your business? Are there success stories? What goals need to be set? How best to manage the time spent? This session will answer these questions and more. By the end of the afternoon you'll be ready to connect with your customers on their turf and to gain new customers.

1. Welcome to the CPCUG E&C SIG Washington DC Event 19th Sept 2009 How To Get Business With Social Media Shashi Bellamkonda Register for the first-ever GrowSmartBiz Conference! A Premier Networking Event for Entrepreneurs - SEPT 29, 2009 | Washington, D.C Details: http:// growsmartbusiness.com /small-business-conference

2. How To Get Business With Social Media Shashi Bellamkonda CPCUG E&C SIG - Washington DC -19th Sept 2009

3. Hi ! I am Shashi Bellamkonda (@shashib) Head of Social Media Strategy at Network Solutions ( Unique title Social Media Swami) I am the Network Solutions listening post in the Social Media Helped Network Solutions win 2008 SNCR Excellence in New Communications Award for Online Reputation Management 2009 a Gold Quill Award of Excellence in Social Media from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). Speaker - `How to Sell Social Media to Your Boss' and 'Social Media Tools for Small Business at SXSW, IABC, Affiliate summit and others

4. Today’s Discussion Social media background Strategy Useful Tools Q&A

5. Online Tools Used by Small Business Network Solutions – University of Maryland Small Business Success index http://growsmartbusiness.com

6. Majority of Web users participate in Social Networks This year, 59% of active Web users—those with access at least every other day—reported having a Social Networking profile Source:http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1007232

7. It’s not going away, it’s becoming more prominent Social Networking has been the global consumer phenomenon of 2008. 1 Two-thirds of the world’s Internet population visit a social network or blogging site and almost 10% of all internet time. 1 Facebook added its 300 millionth user in 2009. If Facebook were a country, it would be the fourth-largest in the world after China, India, the US. From January to March 2009, people ages 26 to 44 made up the fastest-growing segment of the US Facebook population 2 1 http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/nielsen_globalfaces_mar09.pdf 2 http:// www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R =1007034

8. What Skeptics Say About Social Media ? No way to measure? Is there any ROI? All these will pass They are not mainstream, nobody pays attention to them We cannot not control the message, lack of consistency, danger of going haywire Not effective and measureable Photo Credit : http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonnygoldstein/2546693421/

9. Social Media for Small Business Small Business can utilize social media to level the playing field against bigger, stronger competitors. Connect with Customers and Community Improve chances of being found online – more results Manage your brand and reputation online Get more referrals and customers

10. Your audience is everywhere

11. Business use of Twitter http://venturebeat.com/2008/12/15/twitter-has-made-dell-1-million-in-revenue/

12. Even chips have their own page !

13. Network Solutions Swami’s - 3 Word Mantra Photo: courtesy: http://flickr.com/photos/metrojp/92038203/ LISTEN PARTICIPATE Photo Courtesy: http://flickr.com/photos/redcarpet/50339009/ CONTRIBUTE Photo Courtesy: http://flickr.com/photos/presta/129832836/

14. Listening Tools Google Alerts Twitter Friendfeed Technorati BackType Buzzlogic BuzzMonitor SM2 by Techrigy.com Radian 6

15. Participate :Comments, conversations & Guest Posts Blogs Media Podcasts Answers Forums and Niche Social Networks Video

16. Contribute Tell your story Make videos of your expertise Talk about your employees Share exciting events/news Rohit Bhargava’s says in “ Personality Not included” to follow UAT formula – UNIQUE, AUTHENTIC, TALKABLE

17. Social Networks Facebook Create Business Pages Post to your wall Add links to profile Post on network Myspace LinkedIn Update your profile Answer questions

18. Facebook Profile Page

19. LinkedIn Profile Answers Groups

20. User Reviews Take Ownership of your listing Encourage customers to review Thank and respond to reviewers

21. Opportunity to listen, participate and contribute in one place 140 characters is hard Tool connecting humans Recommend products Provide feedback Discuss ideas Get Customer Service Reply to all the people who @ you Retweet or tweet interesting links Join conversations 3 tweets a day keeps the doctor away

22. Press Release Your story can now be headline news Use free press release services Pitchengine.com Pr.com PRlog.com i-newswire.com Prleap.com 24-7pressrelease.com Make your own Newsroom

23. Blogging Basics: Reasons to Blog Help others with your knowledge Improve Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Gain Visibility as a Thought Leader Conversations with your audience Crisis Management Customer Service Share Company Announcements

24. Multi media Flickr Youtube LiveStream ustream.tv TubeMogul Seesmic Oovoo And hundreds of others

25. Social Bookmarking Del.ico.us Stumbleupon Furl Ma.gnolia Blogmarks Simpy Popurls

26. Social aggregators Digg Mashable Reddit Easy to submit to multiple social bookmarking and aggregators AddThis ShareThis AddtoAny

27. Document Share Slideshare.net Docstoc.com Scribd.com

28. 4 Point Social Media Strategy Brand / Reputation Management Connecting with Customers Community Outreach Get new business

29. Network Solutions Strategy : Changing Perceptions First Half 2008: Approximately 60 percent of Network Solutions social media conversations negative Perception of Network Solutions as domain registrar only Changing perception become critical for long term health

30. Planned Approach Listen and engage customers directly Online At conferences General participation Respond to feedback, calls for help and knowledge Build positive equity through valuable content Community member

31. Twitter Conversations Reply to all the people who @ you Retweet or tweet interesting links People like conversation 3 tweets a day keeps the doctor away

32. Built online relationships offline

33. Results : Online Positive Reputation Grows Network Solutions won the Society of New Media Communications and Research Award for Corporate Online Reputation Management 2009 a Gold Quill Award of Excellence in Social Media from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).

34. What Does the Future Hold More community engagement Events Online monitoring Content: Seeking to help small businesses, web companies during recession Smart Business Success Index : GrowSmartBusiness.com Continued blogging with new voices Expanded offerings Women Grow Business Webinar Small Business Conference

35. Training other advocates Social Media Twitter Blogging Bookmarking

36. Your Social Media Plan Setup Alerts Join and setup profiles in 3 social networks 15-20 minutes a day tracing the alerts and responding Choose 3 blogs on your field to read and comment Converse, don’t sell Answer questions and become an expert in your niche on LinkedIn 2 hours a week - Learn and write about the products you promote Measure your efforts How many times were you mentioned How many people read your posts Inbounds links Are your customers evangelizing Attend one local event a month| Ask for help from the community if you need it

37. A Premier Networking Event for Entrepreneurs - The first-ever GrowSmartBiz Conference! Register with the code POSTCARD to receive $100 off your ticket ! SEPT 29, 2009 | Washington, D.C. Keynote by Chris Anderson, editor-in-chief of Wired Magazine and author of The Long Tail and Free Register Today: www.tinyurl.com/gsbiz Follow us on Twitter: @Growsmartbiz Proven strategies for growth despite the current economy Executable, cost-effective ways to market your businesses Advice for securing small business financing Free domain, free business plan software, and more! Conference Highlights:

38. Questions ? Shashi Bellamkonda [email_address] Twitter: @shashib Small Business Success Index : http://www.GrowSmartBusiness.com Network Solutions Blog : http://blog.networksolutions.com Web Community Network : http://www.LinkTogether.com Small Business Network : http://www.MySolutionSpot.com Women Entrepreneurs : http:// www.WomenGrowBusiness.com