1. Beverly D. King Social Media Strategist www.netconnectgroup.com Social Media 101 Event Planning Excellence for the Next Decade March 23, 2010 Knoxville Convention Center

2. After this session you will be able to: ► Name the top three social media sites. ► Identify the keys to social media marketing success. ► Utilize social media to market, manage and improve events. Today’s Objectives NetConnect Group Knoxville, Tennessee March 23, 2010 What will be the most important thing you take away from today’s session?

3. Social Media Fast Facts Social media is growing at a faster pace than any technology trend in the past 30 years. You Tube (or Facebook, depending on the day) is the second most used online website in the world. Social media does not replace live events or other traditional marketing methods. It enhances! Someone else will engage your customers if you do not. Don't get left behind. Your customers are looking for interaction, not static ads. 47% of individuals say social media sites influence their decisions. The fastest growing segment on Facebook is the 55-65 year old female. 96% of Gen Y’ers belong to a social network. In 2009 Boston College stopped distributing email addresses to incoming freshmen. 54% of bloggers and Tweeters post daily. Tuesdays and Thursdays are the most active social media days. Social media has overtaken porn as the #1 activity on the web. NetConnect Group Knoxville, Tennessee March 23, 2010

4. Someone else will engage your customers if you do not.

5. NetConnect Group Knoxville, Tennessee March 23, 2010 Someone else will engage your customers if you do not.

6. Top 3 Social Media Sites Quick Explanations (Thanks to Wikipedia) LinkedIn is a business-oriented social networking site. Founded in December 2002 and launched in May 2003, it is mainly used for professional networking. As of 11 February 2010, LinkedIn had more than 60 million registered users, spanning more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook with his college roommates while he was a student at Harvard University. The website's membership was initially limited by the founders to Harvard students, but was expanded to other colleges in the Boston area. It later expanded further to include any university student, then high school students, and, finally, to anyone aged 13 and over. The website currently has more than 400 million active users worldwide. Twitter is a free social networking and micro blogging service that enables its users to send and read messages known as tweets. Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters displayed on the author's profile page and delivered to the author's subscribers who are known as followers. Since its creation in 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Twitter has gained notability and popularity worldwide. NetConnect Group Knoxville, Tennessee March 23, 2010

7. ► Define your goals ► Develop a marketing plan for your organization to maximize your return on investment ► Update on a frequent basis ► Encourage discussion and participation ► Don't sound like a press release ► Commitment to answer questions ► Know your audience’s preferences Keys to Social Media Marketing Success NetConnect Group Knoxville, Tennessee March 23, 2010

8. Update on a frequent basis

9. NetConnect Group Knoxville, Tennessee March 23, 2010 Update on a frequent basis

10. Using Social Media to Market, Manage and Improve Events Advantages – Engage interested parties, increase attendance and identify future leaders. Use Social Media to engage your target audience before, during and AFTER the event. This will extend the life of the meeting or event and add value. Social media is more than Facebook and Twitter. Blogging, podcasts, You Tube videos are all methods to reach your audience. NetConnect Group Knoxville, Tennessee March 23, 2010

11. Using Facebook to Promote Meetings/Events NetConnect Group Knoxville, Tennessee March 23, 2010

12. PPC = Pay Per Click

13. NetConnect Group Knoxville, Tennessee March 23, 2010 Using Twitter to Promote Meetings/Events A HASHTAG is like a keyword assigned to your unique event or industry. Assign a HASHTAG to your event. MPI’s recent meeting was designated as #MD10. Encourage all to utilize the HASHTAG in their updates regarding the meeting. A HASHTAG will extend the life of your meeting beyond the closing dinner. Register your HASHTAG at hashtag.org. A HASHTAG can be assigned to each session. Ask your speakers to contribute to the pre- and post- conference conversation and use the HASHTAG that is specific for their presentation.

14. NetConnect Group Knoxville, Tennessee March 23, 2010

15. Social Media Marketing Principals 1. Use social marketing principles to guide ALL of your marketing. 2. Use social media tools for outreach, inreach, news and conversation – NOT promotion. 3. Make it a part of your business culture. 4. Reflect your audience and engage them. 5. Your events are a catalyst for relationships: Nurture your community. 6. Use the 4 C’s to design experiences: Creatively Connect, Converse and Collaborate. NetConnect Group Knoxville, Tennessee March 23, 2010

16. Tales of Caution Volatile Issues: Dog Breeders Right-to-Life Politics Fur Handguns

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18. Application for iPhones, Blackberries and Droids From the foursquare website: People use foursquare to "check-in", which is a way of telling us your whereabouts. When you check-in someplace, we'll tell your friends where they can find you and recommend places to go & things to do nearby. People check-in at all kind of places - cafes, bars, restaurants, parks, homes, offices. You'll find that as your friends use foursquare to check-in, you'll start learning more about the places they frequent. Not only is it a great way to meet up with nearby friends, but you'll also start to learn about their favorite spots and the new places they discover.

19. NetConnect Group Knoxville, Tennessee March 23, 2010 There’s an app for that!

20. NetConnect Group Knoxville, Tennessee March 23, 2010

21. What is the most important thing you take away from today’s session?

22. "We'll never substitute for all face-to-face interaction, but there are alternatives..... affordable solutions.“ Joel Makower, Executive Editor, GreenBiz.com NetConnect Group Knoxville, Tennessee March 23, 2010

23. ► Select the most appropriate social networking sites for your organization so that you don’t waste time and money. ► Define goals and develop a marketing plan for your business to maximize your ROI and increase profits. ► Establish and maintain exposure on the top three social sites and the top emerging niche sites so you attract new prospects and clients. ► Reduce overall marketing expenses. We are committed to bringing you a consistently high level of service and be an indispensable asset to your organization’s media team. Let us customize a plan for your organization. NetConnect Group Knoxville, Tennessee March 23, 2010

24. www.netconnectgroup.com P. O. Box 249 Pleasant View, TN 37146 NetConnect Group Knoxville, Tennessee March 23, 2010