In recognition of the growing importance of social media marketing to the success of businesses large and small, the NH Division of Economic Development, in coordination with social marketing and success strategies firm Epiphanies, Inc., Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH), and the “Stay, Work & Play” initiative, will host the first annual “A-Ha!” NH Social Media Business Summit at PSNH, 780 North Commercial Street, Manchester, on Monday, June 15th from 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

The event, which is sponsored by PSNH and geared towards entrepreneurs, marketing professionals, business owners, and companies of all sizes and industries, is designed to support the Division’s broader mission: To retain and help expand existing New Hampshire businesses, and to attract new companies to the income-tax-free state.

“Social marketing isn’t just a buzzword or a fad. It’s the way that more and more savvy business professionals are choosing to communicate,” says Steve Boucher, Communications & Legislative Director for the NH Division of Economic Development. “If you’ve never tweeted or posted a photo of your new product on your Facebook account, you’re missing a valuable, low cost marketing opportunity.”

Sessions for the event include:

« Beyond the Hype: A No-nonsense Introduction to Social Media’s Real Power and Promise for NH Businesses (Especially in This Untamed Economic Environment)

« 7 Powerful Ways to Use Social Media Right Now to Boost Visibility, Cultivate Relationships, Outshine Competitors, and Get Results

« Yes, It Can Be Measured! How to Tell If Your Social Marketing Efforts Are Delivering Results

« Social Marketing Success Stories: Panel Discussion with Q & A

Workshop sessions will be presented/moderated by Lani & Allen Voivod, co-owners of Epiphanies, Inc., whom Boucher calls the Division’s “social marketing gurus,” with other featured speakers to be announced. Outgoing University System of New Hampshire Chancellor Stephen Reno will deliver opening remarks, and there will be a facilitated networking lunch as well.

As a special gift to New Hampshire’s business community, admission is free. However, there are only 100 slots available, so early registration is strongly suggested. To register, go to www.AhaNH.com. For more information, call Epiphanies, Inc. at (603) 524-5248.

About Public Service of New Hampshire
PSNH is New Hampshire’s largest electric utility, generating and distributing clean electricity for more than 490,000 homes and businesses in an environmentally friendly manner. Each year, PSNH supports dozens of forest protection, energy conservation, and environmental organizations through both financial contributions and generous employee volunteerism. PSNH is proud of its commitment to the environment and willingness to create innovative solutions to environmental issues. To learn more, visit http://www.PSNH.com.

About the NH Division of Economic Development
The New Hampshire Division of Economic Development, comprised of the New Hampshire Business Resource Center and the International Trade Resource Center, offer resources to enhance the economic activities of the state through business attraction outreach, in-state business expansion efforts, and facilitation of government and international sales. To find out more about why New Hampshire’s low business tax burden and sales and income-tax free tradition makes it the “Most Livable State” in the nation, visit http://www.NHEconomy.com, or check out their new “No Bull” Business Blog at http://blog.NHEconomy.com.

About Epiphanies, Inc.
Lani & Allen Voivod, the Content Lovers of Epiphanies, Inc., help imperfect-preneurs, multi-million-dollar businesses, and mission-driven organizations learn and use social marketing and success strategies to boost visibility, community, competitive edge, and profits. Get their FREE 19-page Special Report, “37 Easy Ways to Boost Biz Visibility, Revenue, & Results With Twitter,” at www.EpiphaniesInc.com/twitter.

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Posted in "A-Ha!" Events, "A-Ha!" NH, Press 'n Such, Social Marketing | 1 Comment »

This entry was posted on Friday, May 22nd, 2009 at 1:05 am and is filed under "A-Ha!" Events, "A-Ha!" NH, Press 'n Such, Social Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

We wanted to give NH microbiz owners the head’s up about this event, because we’ve been part of the 2007 and 2008 editions of this annual training day, and it’s always been tremendously beneficial. We’re certain this one will, be, too! Read on to learn more.

Howard Brodsky of CCA Global Partners will be the featured speaker at MicroCredit-NH’s “Entrepreneurial Exchange 2009: Connecting Tools, Techniques and Talents.” The annual small business training conference will be held on Thursday, May 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at SERESC, 29 Commerce Way, Bedford. Register here!

This year’s Entrepreneurial Exchange will focus on the effective use of technology to market businesses. Presentations will cover integrated marketing approaches, including sales, blogging, social and e-marketing.

Brodsky got his start in his family’s business, Dean’s Carpet in Manchester, after earning an economics degree from Wesleyan University. Dean’s quickly grew into one of the largest carpet stores in New England, but Brodsky had a still-larger vision.

The co-founder, chairman and co-chief executive officer of CCA Global Partners will be inducted with Alan Greenberg into the Cooperative Hall of Fame on May 6 in a formal ceremony in Washington, D.C. They are being honored for their vision 25 years ago of empowering and enriching entrepreneurs by creating a floor covering cooperative that would bring to owners of small businesses some of the market advantages that national chains enjoy.

Today, CCA is one of the largest cooperatives in the U.S., with 14 independent businesses in four countries and over 3,600 locations producing annual sales of $10.2 billion. And the business model that Brodsky and Greenberg developed – which includes ethical and environmental responsibility, along with sustainability and growth – has been adapted to numerous industries, markets and countries.

Following Brodsky’s address, Entrepreneurial Exchange attendees will turn their attention to the day’s featured workshop presenters: Christine Halvorson of Halvorson New Media, a blogging consultant who specializes in social media strategies, and Stephanie Jacques, Realtor and blogger for The Masiello Group, who conducts Social Media Marketing classes and workshops through Keene State College and the Hannah Grimes Center.

“Howard Brodsky’s story is one that every person with an entrepreneurial heartbeat should hear,” said MicroCredit-NH Director David Hamel of the keynote speaker. “And if you’ve been wondering what this new world of social media has to do with your business, you won’t want to miss what our two presenters have to offer.”

Pre-registration is required. Fee is $55 ($45 for MicroCredit-NH members) and includes the price of lunch and refreshments. To register or for more information, visit www.microcreditnh.org’s registration service, or call MicroCredit-NH at (800) 769-3482.

MicroCredit-NH is a program of the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund, Inc., a statewide non-profit organization headquartered in Concord. To accomplish its mission of increasing the income and economic stability of microbusinesses and the self-employed, MicroCredit-NH provides business development programming, loan capital up to $15,000, and expanded marketing and networking opportunities. MicroCredit-NH delivers its services through local business groups of self-employed individuals and small business owners.

Since program inception in 1996, MicroCredit-NH has loaned more than $1 million to New Hampshire’s entrepreneurs. MicroCredit-NH is generously supported by the Citizens Bank Foundation, NH Community Development Finance Authority, the Community Development Block Grant Program, the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, among others, and is endorsed by all New Hampshire County Commissions.

Posted in Microenterprises R Us, Social Marketing, Tools to "A-Ha Yourself!" | No Comments »

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 21st, 2009 at 1:02 pm and is filed under Microenterprises R Us, Social Marketing, Tools to "A-Ha Yourself!". You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

If you haven’t yet heard about the Action Success Summit, well, you’re in for a treat.

Hosted by Sheila Buyukacar of the International MasterMind Action Group, it’s “a multi-expert, multi-day tele-summit designed for entrepreneurs ready to put the ACTION into their IDEAS!”

Now that’s a concept we can get behind.

The particular filter Sheila has asked all her guests to work through is to be sure that in whatever we present to you, Faithful Reader, we “take the guess work out of your decision making and connect you with the knowledge and skills needed by you and “your” expert team to turn your ideas into a working, tangible capability.”

Our session in this event is called “Marketing…Bah Humbug!  Creating a “Down ‘n Dirty”  Marketing Strategy You’ll Love and Profit From!” It’ll be an hour teleseminar, and in it you’ll learn:

• Common problems entrepreneurs face or create for themselves when creating/implementing a marketing strategy
• Why you REALLY need a marketing strategy…and why a business plan by itself isn’t enough
• The “must-have” elements of a marketing strategy (and some of the “should haves” too)

You’ve gotta sign up at the link above to get the call-in details for our session, happening today at 11am Eastern, as well as the other awesome sessions. I’m not kidding about “awesome,” either. Beth Schneider of Process Prodigy is another one of the speakers, and I can vouch for her awesomeness personally. I’ve also listened to an interview with newsletter guru Jim Palmer in the last year, and liked him a lot, too.

I can’t speak to the rest, only because I haven’t had the pleasure of connecting with any of them before. But by the looks of things, Sheila’s put together a great roster of peeps, and for Pete’s sake, it’s a FREE event. So go sign up! Go on now!

Posted in "A-Ha!" Events, Fun With Marketing, Masterminding | No Comments »

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 19th, 2009 at 9:30 am and is filed under "A-Ha!" Events, Fun With Marketing, Masterminding. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

As we’ve been presenting social media marketing programs this year in teleclasses, workshops, seminars, and so forth, one of the common themes in asking for training help is to make things simple…non-techie…to handhold and provide lots of support. That kind of social media marketing training hasn’t been available in NH as far as we know, but it’s what we keep hearing from program attendees that they want.

So we created it. Here’s the scoop:

Epiphanies, Inc.’s 90-Day Social Media Marketing Training Program is designed to help NH entrepreneurs, passionate professionals, thought leaders, and key members of mission-driven teams determined to boost visibility, gain competitive edge, build community, drive leads, and connect with Fans and Followers, as well as potential clients, customers, and strategic partners for their businesses or organizations and on behalf of the people they serve.

The information and format will be customized to suit the needs of the participants. Plan on 60-90 minutes of “formal” content and training during our live Mastermind Meetings (How to best use Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, blogging, RSS feeds, social bookmarking, etc. are among some of the most popular topics requested.)

Then, during the second half of our live meetings, the focus will be on facilitating strategic hot seats, brainstorming, planning, and deciding on which ACTION STEPS to take to best serve your business goals.

The group teleconferences (which will be recorded for your convenience) will assure accountability while fielding questions, sharing best practices, staying connected and on track, and discussing other specific ideas that come up.

Since our top goals are to facilitate your social media marketing experience, customize strategies, and track RESULTS, participants receive 1) a simple Kick Start Guide, 2) an Intake Survey, and 3) a Planning Cheat Sheet before our first meeting, so we all make sure we get right to the business of advancing your goals.

By saying “Yes!” to this Program, you’ll receive:

• 3 live, 3-hour Group Mastermind Meetings at our Laconia office
  Tuesdays, 6/23, 7/28, 8/25, 10am-1pm (lunch provided)
• 3 Monthly Group teleconferences (time tbd)
• 2  1-on-1 Strategy Sessions by phone or at our Laconia office, you can use anytime in ‘09

Your investment:

• OPTION #1 (3-Pay Option): $447 per month for 3 months, or
• OPTION #2 (Pay in Full w/ Discount): Just $997 if paid in full by Thursday June 18th, 2009 (a 25% savings)

Whichever option you choose, please take action by Thursday, June 18th, 2009. We know this is comparatively short notice, and thank you in advance for your understanding. We have a full schedule of events and client projects during the next few weeks, and need to know participants are committed to the Program so we can plan accordingly.

Again, it’s first come, first served, so don’t put it off. You’ll save a whole lot of time, effort, and money for you, your biz, and/or your organization by drastically shortening your learning curve with this carefully-crafted, support-driven opportunity.

To reserve your seat in this one-of-a-kind Program, choose the option above that works for you, and by all means shoot us an email that says: “Great news! I’ve taken action to fast-track my social marketing success!”

Posted in "A-Ha!" NH, Fun With Marketing, Masterminding, Social Marketing | 1 Comment »

This entry was posted on Monday, May 18th, 2009 at 2:39 pm and is filed under "A-Ha!" NH, Fun With Marketing, Masterminding, Social Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Today I’m sharing an article from a gal I had the good fortune to meet in person at Ali Brown’s Online Success Blueprint Workshop last November, Sherri Garrity.

As “Chief Corporate Fugitive” and President of Make It Count Communications, Sherri’s mission is to help non-profits improve their fundraising reach and results, and to “to empower anyone whose willing to take the first step to becoming a Corporate Fugitive.” (Don’t you just love it?!)

I found the article especially helpful because Allen and I have been talking a lot lately about how owning your own biz is the ultimate personal growth tool, which we first heard from James “The Info Product Guy” Roche.

Thanks for the article, Sherri, and good luck with your new jogging adventures!

This morning I celebrated a personal milestone. You see, although I am a fairly active person and like to golf, take dance class, and ride my bike I have never been “into” sports.

So you can imagine my family and friends’ surprise when I signed up to run at 5:30 a.m. a few times a week.

Today was the first day, and when I arrived I immediately sized up the other women in the group. I knew that a few of them were seasoned distance runners, from their conversation with the leader. About a third said they run regularly, for exercise, and the rest were like me, totally inexperienced and probably feeling a little unsure.

We started with a one kilometer run just to “warm up” followed by another four kilometers. I completed three and had to walk a portion of it.

All I was thinking was I didn’t want to finish last! When my shins started to feel like they were on fire, I was tempted to quit. Thoughts of “what were you thinking” came to mind. It would have been very easy to deke off the trail and drop in at my friend Wendy’s house.

But I didn’t, and instead of feeling like a loser, now I am celebrating the good feeling that I accomplished the first steps in what will be a longer and sometimes painful process. I was the last to finish, but not by much, and instead of feeling self conscious and comparing myself to those that did better than me, I crossed the end of the trail with a big smile for showing up and not quitting.

Originally, I was going to send out a different article today. But this experience got me thinking about how much our mindset and prior conditioning shows up when we are challenged, feeling less than competent, and getting out of our comfort zone.

Quitting a job and starting a business, and then growing and advancing it takes a lot of courage and determination.

We underestimate how much our self-labels and tendency to compare to others can undermine us.

Through coaching and working hard to improve my own skills, I realized that no one is born a wildly successful entrepreneur and that often feeling incompetent or uncomfortable is just a sign that you are encountering something you just haven’t learned how to do yet. [emphasis added :)]

Separating the label, for example, “I’m not an athlete”, or “I’m not a marketing person”, from the act of learning a new skill, is a perspective that has really helped me.

In business there are many skills we need to learn and master. Not all of them will come easily. Here are five tips:

Recognize but don’t be identified by your limitations - We all have things we are good at, and things we are not. The more in tune you are with your own weak spots, the more you can work with them instead of against them.

Know you are not the only one -Everyone struggles, although our individual struggles are different. If you don’t participate in a networking or mastermind group, or other forum, consider getting involved. It’s amazing how lifted up you can feel when you know that others are going through challenges too.

Stretch yourself - Putting yourself in situations where you are a little uncomfortable is how you grow. Doing the same things, the same way, is not going to get you different results. You have to be willing to try new things.

Make yourself accountable in the way that works for you - If you know you are less strong and therefore less likely to work on a certain aspect of your business, find a way to make sure you do. This is the number one reason that people hire coaches and join mastermind groups. The aspect of public commitment and a shared promise to show up is a very effective way to hold yourself accountable. Others may find they need a different form of support like setting goals and rewarding themselves for completion.

Change your attitude - If you can accept challenge and approach learning with an “I just don’t know how to do this yet” attitude, you can see that nothing is insurmountable. Put yourself in a position of power, rather than negatively labelling yourself. When you do something, focus on your achievement and celebrate ALL wins, no matter how seemingly small.

As for me, I am fairly sure I will not run a marathon, but I will succeed at my own goal. Coffee at 6:30 anyone?

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Sherri Garrity is the Chief Corporate Fugitive and creator of the Five Keys Success System™ for ex-corporate employees and aspiring entrepreneurs who want to break free from the confines of their corporate experience and unlock their business potential for greater personal freedom and prosperity. The Corporate Fugitive system demystifies the business of setting up, managing, marketing and growing a successful entrepreneurial adventure. Visit www.corporatefugitive.com for free tips on how to unlock the business in you.

Posted in Lessons Learned | 1 Comment »

This entry was posted on Saturday, May 16th, 2009 at 9:43 am and is filed under Lessons Learned. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

(Little side note: The official press release about this goes live on PR.com, our fave go-to press release service, at 5/14/09 8am ET. The scoop: A free 19-page Special Report on Twitter helps CEOs, Online Media Producers, Marketing & PR Professionals, Brand Strategists, Coaches, Consultants, Imperfect-preneurs, Small Business Owners, Non-profits, and Thought Leaders tap into the power of social media marketing, at www.EpiphanesInc.com/twitter.)

LACONIA, NH (5/14/09) - Still think “tweeting” is a bird call? Afraid anything involving Twitter is a waste of time and resources for your business, brand, or practice? A free 19-page Special Report shows how companies large and small can create real, relevant, and profitable business opportunities with Web 2.0’s fastest-growing social network.

Epiphanies, Inc., a social marketing & success strategies firm with clients across the US and Canada, has released 37 Easy Ways to Boost Biz Visibility, Revenue, & Results With Twitter, now available for download at www.EpiphaniesInc.com/twitter.

“Tools like Twitter are available - for free! - to radically and strategically leverage your resources, catapult your competitive edge, and create revenue streams where none existed before,” says Lani Voivod, co-owner of Epiphanies, Inc. “We’ve created this Special Report because clients, partners, and attendees at workshops and presentations have been asking us about Twitter and how to make it worth their while.”

Twitter is the fastest-growing social networking site out there. In fact, Nielsen NetView reports a whopping 1,382 percent growth rate in Twitter’s unique visitors from February 2008 to February 2009, and Compete.com noted a “incredible” jump of 38.6% from April 2009 alone.

Still, many marketing professionals, as well as entrepreneurs seeking to promote their products and services, have questions about how and whether Twitter is right for them and their businesses.

“The questions we get about Twitter seem to fall into three categories,” says Allen Voivod, Epiphanies co-owner. “People want to know how to a) use it effectively, b) integrate it into their current marketing efforts, and c) do it without a huge time investment.

“We created this Special Report to address the concerns of these professionals, and show how powerful a communications tool Twitter can be,” Voivod adds. “Especially in this environment, where marketing budgets are tightening and traditional marketing channels are becoming less effective.”

The 19-page Special Report reveals five keys points to understanding why Twitter is an invaluable marketing powerhouse, plus 37 targeted methods to advance and build expert status, power up networking efforts, enhance communications and PR, use tips and tricks of the Twitter trade, and “Work Your Twitter Mojo.”

About Epiphanies, Inc.
Lani & Allen Voivod, The Content Lovers of Epiphanies, Inc., help imperfect-preneurs and multi-million-dollar businesses learn and use social marketing and success strategies to boost visibility, community, competitive edge, and profits. Get their FREE 19-page Special Report, “37 Easy Ways to Boost Biz Visibility, Revenue, & Results With Twitter,” at www.EpiphaniesInc.com/twitter.

Posted in Press 'n Such | 3 Comments »

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 14th, 2009 at 12:05 am and is filed under Press 'n Such. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Our friend Lisa Steadman, relationship coach extraordinaire and best selling author, has a brand new book coming out today that will seriously rock your world if you’re going through a breakup or struggling to heal and move on from past heartbreak.

It’s called  It’s A Breakup, Not A Breakdown The Workbook: A 21 Day Action Plan To Plot Your Revenge, Spoil Yourself, And Find Out How Good Life Is Without Him.

Awesome title, isn’t it? We laughed out loud when we read it.  ;) 

Based on her private coaching practice working with women as they heal their hearts and reinvent their futures, this interactive workbook includes daily exercises and worksheets to help you:

• Find an amazing support system to accelerate your recovery
• Grieve like a widow so you can feel your pain without judging it
• Let yourself off the hook for letting some guy treat you so poorly
• Incorporate healthy and nurturing behavior into your new daily routine
• Understand why The Big Breakup is more excruciating and more exquisite than any breakup you’ll ever go through
• Identify and release any fears that may be holding you back
• Get clear about why your relationship ended, why it’s for the best, and what you really want in life and love

And so much more!

When you follow Lisa’s customized 21 day recovery action plan, you’ll heal your heart in record time. Plus, you’ll get clearer about what you’ll no longer put up with in life and love, identify your core values, and create a vision of the future that is oh-so-fabulous!

Lisa is offering her brand new workbook along with a bundle of incredible bonus gifts worth 100 times the investment — and you can have it ALL for less than $16!

But to get the workbook AND bonus gifts, you must act now. She’s only making this offer for the first 24 hours. And when you see the valuable bonuses she’s offering (from other phenomenal coaches, healers, and experts), you’ll know this is an irresistible offer.

To get all the juicy details, go here:

www.ItsaBreakupNotaBreakdownWorkbook.com

Lisa’s offering these bonuses with the hopes of cracking Amazon.com’s coveted Top 100 Bestsellers list. Her first book is already a well-deserved best seller, and on a personal note, we’d love to see it happen again. So go ahead, help a talented, remarkable, powerfully authentic sistah out and heal your heart while you’re at it.

–Lani & Allen

Posted in Gotta Reads | No Comments »

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 13th, 2009 at 10:37 am and is filed under Gotta Reads. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Life’s been pretty, er, robust, here at Epiphanies, Inc. and at the Voivod Ranch.

Finessing the balance of married life, parenting, childcare, and school vacation with accelerated business growth, deepening client relationships, a boost in high-quality networking gigs, and a steady stream of dynamic meetings with extraordinary business leaders throughout New Hampshire is a fascinating high wire act and daily thrill ride, to say the least.

(Thank goodness we have Tivo to catch the final episodes of American Idol, The Biggest Loser, and Jack Bauer’s 24!)

Amidst all the hullabaloo, we’ve been remiss at sharing one gigantic bit of news that’s going to completely change the course of our lives and business as we know it:

We have been accepted as charter members (fewer than 50 around the globe!)

of the Mentor With Mari Social Marketing Protege Program!!!

This six-month learning and mastermind intensive will earn us the designation of being Certified Social Marketing Specialists from Mari Smith, the woman Fast Company calls “The Pied Piper of the online world,” and one of Twitter’s most respected and influential superstars.

Mari has designed a radical, ultra-progressive program that’s pulled out all the stops. If you’ve ever been on her blog, follow her on Twitter, visited her Facebook Page, seen any of her tutorials and videos, listened to her on teleclasses, or seen her on stage at one of her many high-profile speaking engagements, you know she’s a benevolent, whip-smart walking encyclopedia of social media knowledge and application.

We met Mari in person for the first time at Ali Brown’s Online Success Blueprint Workshop event in November 2008, where she wowed the audience with her presentation and a bold statement: “Ask me anything about Facebook. I know the answers.” Facebook goes so deep, it was amazing to hear someone so wildly confident - and we know she was telling the truth.

What we love most about Mari is she truly practices what she preaches as Relationship Marketing Specialist. She GIVES, GIVES, GIVES information, insight, and good vibes all around, while staying in touch with the molten-hot center of the social media universe so she can help businesses tap into the power of these vital tools and communication channels.

Our first 2-hour immersion pow-wow happens today at 1pm ET, and we’re about to mainline coffee and gingko biloba like nobody’s business. Stay tuned, as we report from inside the trenches here and on Twitter.

Follow us: @AllenVoivod and @LaniVoivod, and follow the whole group’s adventure by way of the #MWM hashtag.

Posted in Dances With Gurus, Entrepreneur Diaries, Social Marketing | No Comments »

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 6th, 2009 at 9:36 am and is filed under Dances With Gurus, Entrepreneur Diaries, Social Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.