The eagerness of Toledo’s business professionals to delve into the world of social media and online marketing drew social media expert Jason Falls, of Louisville, Ky., to host his first Exploring Social Media Business Summit May 18 at the Toledo Hilton hotel.

The seminar is the first of its kind in Toledo.

“We typically have to go to Detroit for social media stuff,” said organizer and Toledo-based social media strategist Allen Mireles. “We’ve never really had anything of this caliber.”

The summit will attempt to cover everything people need to be effective in building their business’ online presence from digital marketing experts including Falls, Mireles, Joe Pulizzi, Erik Deckers, Chris Baggott and more, Mireles said.

“Every single one of these folks I’ve seen talk and I know they’re going to deliver value,” Falls said.

Allen Mireles

Falls said the seminar will give businessmen and women a much deeper understanding of what content strategy is, why it’s so important and how to be confident that developing a content platform for their business is possible.

“The progression to how we’re doing business is moving online. How a business is represented is really, really valuable,” Mireles said. “They want their sites to come up early in searches but they don’t understand that their social networks are part of the equation.”

Mireles said the speakers and activities at the seminar will help businesses that are already active social media users and those who are just curious to learn how to create a successful online presence.

“In addition to meeting each other and networks, they are going to get a chance to hear from some really top-notch  national speakers who can help them understand how to do it right,” Mireles said.

Another way that the seminar can help businesses, Mireles said, is by helping those that have already branched out into the social network world make real-time connections.

“It’s good to have a strong network of people you really connect with but then you want to take it to the next step. Meeting face-to-face — that’s how you make relationships that stand the test of time,” she said. “You get to know what they can do for you, then you see where you have something you can offer.”

Mireles said some companies struggle early on with social media marketing because it becomes more complicated than anticipated or they just don’t feel they have the time to keep it updated.

“The good news is that there are tools that one can use that can help spread the message and people that will help you,” she said.

Falls

Everyone who buys a ticket receives a one month free membership to Falls’ professional website, www.exploringsocialmedia.com. The website acts as a learning community and resource center for businesses and individuals involving their company in social media.

“It has good resources for people who want to learn more without a big budget,” Mireles said. “We have a lot of business that don’t have an online presence yet.

“My sense is that it is incredibly important and the world is morphing. If you don’t jump in, you stand to get left behind.”

Falls said that although the seminar is the first of its kind that he’s done, he’s given talks on similar topics that received overwhelmingly positive results.

“My philosophy is kill ’em with value. I want to smother people with value,” Falls said.

If nothing else, he says, people will leave the seminar with 30 days of free assistance with their social marketing questions and a place to further explore where social media can take them.

“The whole premise of the site is that you come there, you ask your questions and we answer them. We’ve got a concentration of digital marketing experts there. We’re going to give you an answer and a link to something we’ve already built that also explains it for you,” Falls said.

Registration costs $249. Early bird pricing, available through May 4, is $199. Public Relations Society of America members and Advertising Club of Toledo members receive an additional $50 off if registered by May 4 for a total fee of $149.

On the web: visit www.exploringsocialmedia.com and click on links for more information.

Tags: Allen Mireles, Chris Baggott, Erik Deckers, Exploring Social Media Business Summit, Jason Falls, Joe Pulizzi

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 28th, 2011 at 3:47 pm and is filed under Featured, I Scream Social, Opinion, Social Media, Technology, Toledo Business Link.
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