Randy R Smith

How To Use Social Media To Promote Your Event

 

I can't take credit for these ideas - they were compiled from other emails, blogs, web-sites, conferences and conversations!

So here ya go...

  

1. Identify a hashtag for your conference.
A hashtag is a key word or abbreviation preceded by the hash or number symbol such as #EC10. Hashtags are adopted by event organizers to encourage conference participants to use in their tweets. Hashtags were created as a way to search and aggregate information on Twitter. More information on hashtags. 

2. Search to see if anyone else is using your hashtag using one of the tools listed below.
If not, list it with these same tools. There is not an official hashtag registration system. 

Tagalus – a user-defined dictionary of hashtags.
Define your hashtag by tweeting @Tagalus Define (list your hashtag) as: (definition of hashtag)

Example :

• @Tagalus Define #EC10 as EventCamp 2010, an unconference for event professionals.
• Response : @Twitteruser http://tagal.us/tag/EC10

Ask Tagalus if a hashtag is currently defined or being used. 

Example : 

• @Tagalus Define #EC10
• Response: @Twitteruser EC10 = EventCamp 2010, an unconference for event professionals according to CC 

Twubs – uses a wiki system to disseminate information on a hashtag. It has a special conference solution that creates a conference hub of all things related to your event: content tags, members and contributors, photos, related websites, RSS feeds, Tweetups and event schedules, and videos.

 It is currently free while in Beta. 

What The Hashtag – a user-editable encyclopedia for hashtags found on Twitter. Sign up for an account and register a hashtag. WTHashtag provides great analytics to track the past seven days’ use of hashtag, top contributors, number of RTs, percentage of tweets from top contributors, etc. Users can also print a transcript of tweets mentioning a hashtag from a specific time period. Great for note taking. 

3. Use the same abbreviation and hash symbol for Flickr photos and YouTube videos.
Ask attendees to tag their personal photos and videos and upload them to your Flickr and YouTube conference pages. 

 4. Promote the Twitter hashtag and Flickr, YouTube tags early and often.
Include it on all marketing material and event communications. 

5. Create a YouTube Conference page for videos created by staff and attendees.
Market early and often. 

6. Hold pre-conference social media contests and provide free registration, lodging and travel to winners.
Ask potential attendees to write a blog post, tweet a special code and or create a YouTube videos on why they want to attend the event.   

7. Create a Facebook Conference Page.
Tips for creating a great conference Facebook page. The difference between Facebook Groups and Facebook Pages for your nonprofit or conference. 12 Steps To Creating A Bootylicious Facebook Page. 

8. Create special short videos about conference speaker and location and upload to your conference YouTube page.
Embed these videos on your Facebook Conference Page, your conference Website and distribute via your email and social media marketing pages. Use Animoto to create slick videos using pictures and text. 

9. Create short, simple, YouTube videos explaining how to use Twitter, Flickr, YouTube and your conference eCommunity for your conference and event.  

10. Create a Twitter list of all your conference speakers that attendees can follow.
How to use and create Twitter lists post by Mashable. 

11. Provide a website widget of the Twitter hashtag that users can post on blogs, personal pages and websites.
Make a widget using TwitterFall, TwitterFountain, TweetGrid or Widgetbox.  

12. Create a conference speaker hub that aggregates RSS feeds of each speaker’s blog posts.
Many conference eCommunitites solutions have this feature built into their program for your conference Twitter feed, Facebook page and blog posts. If you are not using a conference eCommunity, consider iGoogle, Netvibes, Nomee, Pagecasts (a public version of Pageflakes), Twubs, Wakooz or other aggregator. 

13. Create a conference hub that aggregates all online information about your conference including a Twitter hashtag, Facebook page, conference and speaker blog posts, Flickr tagged photos, YouTube conference video page and more. Twubs provides a great conference solution for this or use one of the free features like iGoogle, Netvibes, Nomee, Pagecasts (a public version of Pageflakes), Wakooz or other aggregator. 

14. Create a LinkedIn Event and invite people to link it to their LinkedIn profile.
How to use LinkedIn Events. 

15. Create a Facebook Event to invite your organization page followers 

16. Create several conference badges that are hyperlinked to the conference website.
Badges can be placed on personal Facebook profiles and blogs. Badges can say things like I’m attending event x or I’m speaking at event x. 

17. Use a conference eCommunity.
Tips on how to choose a conference eCommunity. Several conference eCommunity options to consider.  

18. Set Google and Twitter alerts for the conference hashtag and name.
Monitor and listen to what others are saying about your conference. Respond as needed.  

19. Secure part of the general session room for a bloggers and Twitter hub.
Tips on how to create a successful Bloggers and Twitter hub.  

20. Invite specific industry influential bloggers to attend and provide free registration to them.
Contract with them to provide live blogging and tweeting in exchange for free conference registration. 

21. Create a daily electronic conference paper using Twitter hashtag at http://paper.li/.
Promote the paper daily via email, Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter. 

22. Create a Conference Slideshare page and post speaker PPTs there.  

23. When booking speakers, include a pre-conference Webinar, blog post, eNews article, Blogtalk Radio interview along with the face-to-face presentation in their contract.
This will extend the conference learning experience as well as market content and speakers to potential attendees. 

24. Make the conference a hybrid event and live stream general sessions to those who could not attend the face-to-face experience. 

25. Use social media press releases.
Tips on creating social media press release. 

 What are some other ways to use social media for your event that you would you add to the list?

Creating Creativity!

I just left a conference call where we discussed creativity. Here are my ten suggestions for creating creativity...

1. Creativity is work.The idea that being a creative genius happens while reclining in a mountain hideaway with the sun in your face and a drink in your hand is bull-hookey!  Doing anything worthwhile takes time…a lot of time…maybe even forever.  If you get anything, get this - 90% of what makes a successful person is that they gave 100% of their time and effort.

2. Creativity is originality. Don’t try to just stand out from the crowd; avoid crowds altogether. There’s no point trying to do the same thing as 250,000 other young hopefuls, waiting for a miracle.  When it comes to the way YOU need to do it, all existing business models are wrong.  Learn what you can but then write a new one.  Find your own way.

3. Sing in your own voice…loudly. This is really just a repeat of #2 but one worth repeating.  Be yourself.  A Picasso always looks like Picasso painted it. Hemingway reads like Hemingway. Beethoven sounds like a Beethoven. Part of being successfully creative is learning how to sing in nobody else’s voice but your own.

4. Give 100%  Singing in your own voice is one thing but singing loudly is something else entirely.  Anyone can sing in the shower but doing so in front of a karaoke crowd means you are totally committed.  Lose your inhibitions and fears.  Give 100% and sing loud.  Give your creativity all you got.  Lose the boundaries and NEVER say "it can't be done."  On the contrary, it can be done but not the way it's been proposed or done in the past.  For it to be done, you have to find a way to do it and then do it 100%.

5. Don’t seek approval.  The best way to get approval is not to need it. This is true in every aspect of life and love.  The minute you seek and/or need someone’s approval you have ceased to be creative and effective.

6. Brainstorm. Not requiring other’s approval does NOT mean you turn into a Tonto hating Lone Ranger.  The most creative people regularly schedule times where they can join a group of like-minded people who collectively brainstorm.

7. Learn to jot.  The Notepad app on my phone is first in line.  If you don’t have the app, always carry a voice recorder or you can go back to basics – a small notebook and a pen.  When that idea comes, say it or write it or type it.  IMMEDIATELY!  You will see that most of your ideas are weird but sooner or later there will be a flash of brilliance.  Make sure you record it.

8. Learn what releases you.  When you get stuck for ideas, do something that inspires you.  I read an article where one author would open a dictionary, randomly select a word and then try to formulate ideas incorporating this word.  A writer friend of mine goes for a walk.  Try it, a change of atmosphere is good for you and gentle exercise helps shake up the brain cells.  My personal suggestion – get a Harley!

9. Read. Read as much as you can about everything you can.  Books exercise your brain and give you inspiration.

10. Exercise your brain. If you don't exercise your brain, it will get flabby and useless. Exercise your brain by reading a lot (see #8), talking to clever people and disagreeing with people - arguing about politics (not who does the dishes!) can be a terrific way to give your brain cells a workout.  

Creativity isn't spontaneous or even easy.  It takes hard work to be creative and effective.  Save the relaxation for vacation.  Get to work and be creative.

Leadership Lessons From An 8 Yr. Old

I have an 8 year old! 

For many of you those words bring fear and trepidation into the depths of your very soul.  Those eight year old years forced you into therapy.  The memories are scary – they have all the makings of a Steven King novel.  I can see it now, “The Attack of the Eight Year Olds!”

For others, you just smiled.  You’re remembering the feel of a little hand in yours, recalling the words you never hear anymore, “Can I just sit with you?” 

Honestly, I’m somewhere in the middle.  There are good memories of hugs and fun, there are others (Christmas dinner, 2007!!!) that force me to repeat the mantra that has saved my life more than once, “Go to a happy place, go to a happy place…”

But there is one thing that is happening as my daughter grows old and makes me older.  I am learning from her.  These formative (the child) and formidable (the parent) years are teaching me as a leader and, more importantly, as a human being.

Yes, I know it’s my job to help Camryn learn and grow and hopefully, think way beyond any glass ceiling or box.  I’m trying my best to do that!  Honest!!!!  But something else is happening as I play parent, teacher and creative developer.  Somewhere along the line I became a student.  Something will be said or done in a moment of four year old frenzied activity that will be an “aha!” moment.  These are the times that still, small voice deep inside tells me to shut up and listen and learn. 

I trust that you’ll listen to that inner voice too.  It is speaking to you right now saying “listen and learn.”  Listen to the life and leadership lessons the children can teach us.  Listen to the wisdom of the young.  They haven’t been poisoned, prejudiced, or predisposed.  They just speak from the heart.  When they speak, listen.  You will learn something and you’ll be amazed.

These learning times happen to me all the time now because I’m looking for them.  And when these miracle moments of learning occur I drop to my knees, look Camryn equally in her eyes and tell her thanks.  She just made me a better leader and, more importantly, a better person.

Ten Tips for Life and Work

This article was posted in an in-flight magazine recently. Enjoy it and apply it, and watch transformation occur in your world.

1. Get the right people for the right job

A square peg will never fit in a round hole. So this is why we need to help ourselves and others to identify their strengths, and place them in a position where those strengths will only do one thing – and that is get stronger.

2. Be passionate about what you do

Passion is the driving force behind any successful venture. If you’ve lost your passion then either sell the business, or change your businesses direction, or simply change the way you see your business. You are in total control of the change that can occur in an instant.

3. Be completely customer-centric

The customer is the reason you have a business. So create raving fans by loving them, creating great moments for them, and by always saying ‘thank you’ to those who put money in your business bank account.

4. Ensure you constantly innovate

Innovation creates excitement, keeps you ahead of your competition, and breathes fresh life into everything you do. How do you innovate? Review those things you already do, and ask yourself the question, ‘How can we do this better?’

5. Learn from your mistakes and don’t give up

Mistakes will teach you your greatest lessons if you remain alert. And when you make a mistake and learn from it, then persist until you see your breakthrough. It will come.

6. Always set goals

Daily goals. Weekly goals. Monthly goals. Yearly goals. Five year goals. Ten year goals. Twenty year goals. Lifetime goals. Write them down. These will fill your life with constant faith and hope for a future of fulfilled goals.

7. Seek advice and mentoring

We will never know it all. That is why we must constantly surround ourselves with smarter people, and take notes furiously. Wise counsel will guide your steps and steer your journey.

8. Know and trust yourself

Never stop studying. Expose yourself to the cutting knowledge of experts. But in the midst of that trust your gut instinct. Your first impression in most cases will be the correct on. Trust yourself.

9. Get your marketing right

Test and measure. Test and measure. Test again and measure again. And never stop testing and never stop measuring every marketing strategy you implement – all the days you are in business.

10. Increase your workplace enjoyability

Work should be fun. Fill the space with passion and vision. Give your staff a stake in the projects that you embark upon. Don’t just have employees. Find the sharp ones and the ambitious ones, and draw out the entrepreneurial spirit that’s lurking below the surface – awaiting to burst forth.

Money! Say what???

I stopped by the bank today to cash a check and grab a handful of green lollipops – lunch for any good blogger.  While waiting in line I overheard a conversation between the two people behind me. One guy was telling another how to make a million from the $125 he was depositing.  Trust me, buying stock in payphones is probably not the way to go!

 

 

You know, when it comes to money, everyone has something to say.  Everybody has an opinion and these individual opinions are as different as those who have them.  From the adventurer who dabbles in high risk stocks to the miser that hides the last paycheck in the coffee can, the things people say about money and finance can be quite different.  But the bottom line is that everyone has something to say.

 

 

At the same time, personal finance can be one of the most difficult things to discuss because it’s just that - personal.  Our values, our emotions, our pride, our priorities – the way we handle our money says who we are and what we value and because of that, it can be difficult to talk about. However, many people have penned, typed and texted their thoughts and wisdom about finance.  From Benjamin Franklin to my Grandpa Fitting, people have given their wise (and not so wise!) opinions on money and in doing so have helped us learn a thing or two about this topic.

 

 Benjamin Franklin said, “A penny saved is a penny earned” and “Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”  One of Ben’s most meaningful financial quotes in my opinion is, “Contentment makes poor men rich; discontentment makes rich men poor.” Thomas Jefferson told us, “Never spend your money before you have it,” while A.A. Latimer made us smile when he said, “A budget is just a mathematical confirmation of your suspicions.”  Each of these quotes shows us a different way of looking at how we manage our money and provides us with some small lesson in finances.

 

 

So what quotes have mattered in your money management?  What historic figure, popular writer or loved relative has shed the most light on this potentially confusing topic for you?  What exactly did they say?  I would love to hear your thoughts and favorite finance sayings.  Comment away!

Chased By Lions?

Whenever he'd hear someone making excuses an old friend of mine used to quote an old proverb that went something like this, "Lazy people stay at home; they say a lion might get them if they go outside."  In his simple Virginia way, Roy was saying lazy people make excuses. I think Roy was right.

Making excuses is just a way to avoid expending energy.  It takes energy to deal with the consequences, energy to walk out that door and face the world, energy to deal with a kid walking down the wrong road, energy to not quit.  It takes energy to get and keep a job, energy to better yourself and energy to keep a positive outlook.  And sometimes, it's just easier to lay on the couch and watch television.

So my goal today is to have a "no excuse" day.  Wanna join me?  Let's do what we have to do, say what needs to be said and stop making excuses.  Get off the couch and face the world.  You'll find the lions are really not that hard to tame.

Learn From A Worm

In my spare time, I love to saunder on down to whatever section of town has the most construction going on to see the sights. It's a man thing and all that.

Actually, it's really the excavation that gets my attention. Watching the moving of dirt is enjoyable to me; second only to following the firetrucks to the source of the smoke.

When given the opportunity, you can find me and a small group of wannabe hard hats sitting on a dirt pile watching the latest hole being dug. While we marvel at the vision, planning and technology involved in dirt digging, I've found many life lessons in these excavation excursions.

For instance, let's talk about worms. You can't dig a hole or move a mound of dirt in New Jersey without encountering an annelid (Webster's fancy term for an earthworm). These lowly creatures are amazing and if you're willing to watch, they can teach you a lesson or two.

First, no matter how much dirt (or worse!) the construction guys pile on, the worm just keeps on keeping on. In fact, I can just hear the worm responding to the dirt now, "Is that all you got?"

Worm lesson #1: what they say doesn't matter. Cream rises to the top and so does scum - who you are will eventually speak louder than what they say.

Second, long after the noise of the contractor disappears, the worm will still be doing his job - inch by inch, never deterred.

Worm lesson #2: a few loud mouthed, ill intentioned construction dudes (or anyone else for that matter!) shouldn't deter you from your purpose and plans. Ignore them - they be on unemployment in 6 months!

Third, though ugly and unseen, the worm is a vital, actually critical part of the whole system. We need worms!

Worm lesson #3: What you do and who you are is actually more critical to the order of things than those who spend their time throwing dirt on you. Just keep on being you.

Actually, when it's all said and done, being a worm ain't so bad.

Gossip

Gossip's motto: You can't believe everything you hear, but you can repeat it.

Think Social Media Doesn’t Matter?

An Arbitron study released in April 2010 shows that at least half of those living in the United States have social media profiles.  And consumer use of social networking web sites is not a youth phenomenon.  While nearly eight in ten teens (78 percent) and 18 to 24s (77 percent) have personal profile pages, almost two-thirds of 25 to 34s (65 percent) and half of 35 to 44s (51 percent) also now have personal profile pages.  These pages are found on such sites as:

FACEBOOK - According to the Census Bureau’s population clock, as of August 8, 2010, there were 309.9 million people in the United States, of which 50.7% are woman and 49.3% are men.  According to checkfacebook.com, there are 128.9 million American’s who have Facebook accounts, of which 55.7% are woman and 44.3% are men.  Therefore, 41.6% of the U.S. population has a Facebook account today. The U.S. population also accounts for 26.4% of the global Facebook population.

TWITTER - While the Twitter population is about 17 million people, the Twitter crew is tuned in to brands like nowhere else on the social Web.  49% of monthly Twitter users follow brands or companies, compared to just 16% of social network users overall.  Put another way, Twitter users are 3 times more likely to follow brands than Facebook users.  Combined with their above average income and above average education, Twitter users’ propensity to interact with brands make them a huge potential source for Mass Influencers.

Lying Mirrors?

We all know mirrors don't lie...let's be thankful they also don't laugh!!