Social Media Strategy for Your Small-Medium Business – 4 of 4

The video discussion by Simplex-IT’s Lunchinar above talks about how to use the social media to an advantage in the promotion, feedback and for obtaining success in any business  that is catering for your local customers. The video advises that the use of Google search engines such as Google Places and Google Local is advantageous. This can be achievable by including the company’s information in the search engine while the headline page of the business has to be associated with the most recent social network such as blogs and twitter.

The video equally enumerates that the best way to deal with customers experience as the owner of the business is by spotlighting your business project , product and services by twenty percent and conversely spending the remaining eighty percent in listening and responding. Typical of this  can be illustrated in a situation in which  the business owner subscribes to “Google Alert” in other to have access to every review and comment customers make on the business owners product or services rendered.

Meaning of Web 2.0

The video describes Web 2.0 as an interface for sharing information, focussing on users, interoperability and collaborates with the world wide web (WWW) or internet. That is social software’s like Flickr – photos, video de ling (creative commons), the tenets for interconnectivity also things like collaboration, mobility, bogs wikis, RSS e.t.c.

Reference:

Kort, (2012). Web 2.0 definition. Retrieved 30 September, 2013, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9ZBPhkoJVY

Group one Interview Prepartion questions for Case study – Chris Procter

On the 30 of September, 2013, my group members and I met at maxuell canteen over a cup of coffee and brain stormed on some relevant questions for our Case study – Chris Procter.  Every team member contributed wisely and suggestions were made as to how we will round off the interview with Chris. It was really a thing of joy working as a group and sharing different ideas as we prepared the interview questions for Chris Procter.

Below is a summary of some of the questions we finalized with as a draft to use for our interview the next day.

GROUP ONE – CASE STUDY INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

• What is the biggest project you have participated in?
• What are the challenges you encountered in the course of the project and how were you able to overcome them?
• What motivates and drives you in the course of embarking on the several projects you undertook?
• In the course of undertaking your projects, what criteria’s and performance objectives do you consider important before accepting to undertake the projects you have participated in?
• What are the main reasons for establishing the Unite business?
• What performance measures do you employ to ascertain that the objectives of Unite business are being met?
• Embarking on a project undertaking is not an easy task. How do you balance/manage being an academia and a project manager?

Basics of Online Advertising Promotion (Netsertive Webinar feedback)

Tim McLain discusses that as an advertiser there is great need to use diverse mediums in marketing ones business like billboard effect which is one of the greatest medium of advertising. Tim McLain as well explains that the basic motion of any advertisement is based on the impressions made on the adverts using a wide range of sources including search engines, internet yellow pages, newspapers, magazines, internet social network, store circular email promotion or coupons as well as all possible areas where customers will definitely read, look or come in contact with.

Tim McLain, further described that the adaptation and the ability to succeed in your business presently lies online since about 97% people usually use the internet for research. Hence there exist an increase with internet media/discovery while alternatively the use of traditional media has declined greatly. “Even if you do not sell online, you must be discover-able online” said Tim McLain. Therefore, the webinar affirms that online advertisement is essential to keep up to date with the trends in the current online global business world.

Reference:

McLain, T. (2012). Basics of Online Advertising Promotion Retrieved 29 September,2013 from www.tmclain@netsertive.com and  http://www.netsertive.com

Launching Your 2013 Social Media Marketing Strategy With A Bang (Webinar feedback)

The webinar describes how to use trends like movies, events, holiday seasons e.t.c to launch marketing strategies. The webinar went further to explain how social media has become a vital tool for both small and medium sized businesses as various competitors use that to out rage others form the business market. According to Zachmangum, “Social media needs time and experience” hence if you do not have it for your business then the webinar advices you work with those that have it.

Zachmangum mentions some strategic trends for instance;

• Email + social…
• multiphase cross promotion
• Automation (That is planning your year, month, week and day in advance)

Zachmangum, equally highlights some best practice strategy like;

• 10-14 days promotion period
• Generous give away
• Considering multiple winners
• Few steps required to enter
• Collection of email
• Incentives
• Requirement of “liking a page”

Zachmangum, as well summarizes the marketing strategy into two sections;

1. Having the right tools to create the promotions/applications
2. Having the smartness needed to ensure this application or promotion generates results

Consequently, weather small or meduim size business there is ample need for effective social media strategy, all organization should  ensure that the plan out the year in advance, plan out their seasons in advance and continuously run a monthly Facebook promotion. This guided principles will aid improve organizations social media strategy.

Reference:

Zachmangum (2013). Launching Your 2013 Social Media Marketing Strategy With A Bang. Retrieved 28 September, 2013 from www.grosoail.com

Introducing Chris Procter

Chris Procter

Meet Chris Procter,

Chris Procter is a senior lecturer at the University of Salford since 1991, teaching Project Management to MSc and BSc students.

He is the director of Employability for Salford Business School with the responsibility for managing student placements, including the ERDF funded UNITE with Business project supporting SMEs in the North West of England.

Summary of Camera Training Session With Dave and Bernie

Hello All,

On Thursday, 26th September, 2013 I actively participated in a practical camera training session with my team members at Media City by 11am as a preparation for the interview session we were to conduct with Chris Procter.

The camera session taught by Dave began with a practical description of the type of camera we were training with. Dave went into in-dept details of the various parts that makes up the camera and taught us how to couple the camera parts , there after we were taught how  to fix the camera properly on the camera stand to prevent a collapse during usage.

Dave, in addition enumerated the various functions of the camera for instance the lens, the clip microphone, the channels, the zoom in and zoom out buttons, the card reader segment the volume regulator, the main menu tab options and  exposed us to the entire operation of the camera for successful video production.

According to Dave, there are some factors responsible for an excellent video production example;

• Lighting source
• Environment
• Camera positioning
• Sound regulation e.t.c

The training continued with Bernie one of Dave’s colleague who introduced to us the sound system associated with the camera. Bernie taught us how to regulate the sound channels of the camera and microphone in other to either eliminate background noise, manage background noise, monitor location sound and ensure that the video recording is moderate (not too loud or low) .

However, the camera training activities was really fun, I was happy because I learnt how to couple and operate a camera for the first time in my life, We even conducted a preliminary interview with Bernie to ensure we understood the session and could be corrected on errors to avoid when conducting the upcoming interview with the case study of our assignment Chris Procter. Indeed I was confident and ready to embark on the interview session with our case study Chris Procter.

Thanks to Dave and Bernie for their excellent training session!

The pictures above displays my colleagues and I during the practical session.

Reference:

Dave and Bernie  (2013). Summary of Camera Training Session. Retired 26 September, 2013 from practical camera training session

Big Business Marketing on a Small Business Budget (Webinar feedback)

Jim Kukral explains how to do big business using web videos, social media like Flicker, Twitter, YouTube, B loggings, Linkedin e.t.c. Jim Kukral pin points that social media serves as a tool used to build a business brand, get business awareness and spread franchise of any business. According to Jim Kukral  “Emotion creates reaction” that is social media helps distribute business information by creating an emotion in someone which will in turn create a reaction in your customer.

Jim Kukral equally emphasises on the importance of videos which is used to spread a business message in ways words cannot, a simple video tells your customer more about your business. Jim Kukral affirms that YouTube is the second search platform after Google. Hence using social network like Flicker, Twitter, YouTube, B loggings, Linkedin e.t.c, web videos enables  any business embark on  huge marketing but with a small business budget.

Reference:

Kukral, J. (2011).  Attention! This Book Will Make You Money. Retrieved 24 September, 2013 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7M4RFQtDIg

Summary of Information Architecture Class with Maria Burke

Hello All,

Meet Maria Burke,

Today was a unique class with one of our lectures Maria Burke, a Reader in Digital Media and Business at the University of Salford on the module titled Information Architecture and E-commerce. The class was introduced to this interesting subject area and I learnt that the  concept of information architecture is associated with Richard Saul Wurman in 1975. I also had a clear definition of Information Architecture as the art and science of arranging, coordinating, naming website, resources and other software’s to enable them become accessible, flexible and satisfy the audience needs. I was equally privileged to hear of some key people involved in Information Architecture like Lou Rosenfeld and Peter Morville. Infact, the module lecturer Maria Burke made me to understand that Information Architecture is an area that is still fresh and I can further research on it by taking a topic on this area during my dissertation. Maria Burke, further highlighted some recent and current Job areas associated with Information Architecture for example;

• —Information Architect at PEARSON
• —Information Architect at IBM
• —Information Architect in London firm
• —https://sjobs.brassring.com/1033/ASP/TG/cim_jobdetail.asp?jobId=823072&partnerid=25297&sit
• —http://jobview.monster.co.uk/Information-Architect-–-IBM-InfoSphere-Teradata-SAP-Job-London-London-UK-117493953.aspx

The morning class session rounded off with an activity session in which Maria Burke shared us into three groups and asked us to brain storm into more details on Information Architecture. Every group selected a team member to summarize their views.

Below is a picture showing the activity session summary of group  members with Maria Burke.

A group team member explaining the groups’ detailed research
on Information Architecture with Maria Burke

Thus, the lecture can be concluded as being comprehensive and an area to explore on for further research.

A very big thank you to Maria Burke for the class information!

Reference:

Burke, M. (2013, September 24). Information Architecture and E-commerce module note taking explanation. Retrieved 24 September, 2013.

Enterprise 2.0 Video

Andrew McAfee summarises the emergence of Enterprise 2.0. Andrew McAfee, most importantly explains the recent use of Enterprise 2.0 as a social software involving web 2.0 which is now an essential tool in many organizations since it aids in solving challenges in the organisations. The discussion went further to enumerate what technology does in Governmental organization by illustrating that if an organisation wants to control the outcome, the organization needs to control the processes involved, a key example is the use of fast and comprehensive softwares (Enterpriser 2.0).

Reference:

McAfee, A. (2010) New Collaborative Tools for Government’s Toughest Challenges. Retrieved 23 September, 2013 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SD5SXgTEHRc