We’ve done a webinar or two before, but this will be the first time one of us has been webcast live in streaming video glory, and we’re pretty psyched. This session is primarily being promoted for New Hampshire audiences, but the information applies to businesses wherever they may be. Hope to “see” you there!

Gilford, NH (2/12/10) - With more than 330,000 NH residents on Facebook and 350 million overall, a billion YouTube streams being played every single day, and the US government asking Twitter to delay scheduled downtime because of its vital role in crisis communication across the world, it’s very clear – social media platforms are here to stay. In fact, social media channels are rapidly becoming some of the most preferred methods of communicating important information.

But do you know how to maximize social media’s use for business purposes? Learn how during “New Mediums/New Messages – How Social Media is Transforming Communication,” the free NH BizCast webinar slated for Wednesday, February 17th from noon-1 p.m EST. It will be broadcast live online at www.NHEconomy.com.

“It’s not enough these days to rely on traditional communications and advertising vehicles,” said New Hampshire Division of Economic Development Interim Director Roy Duddy. “To keep pace, you really need to learn how to reach new audiences via social networking.”

“New Mediums/New Messages – How Social Media is Transforming Communication” is a Social Media Crash Course, covering trends, fears, and success stories, and exploring how they relate to the potential and power businesses and organizations have today. Offered by the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development, the February 17th BizCast will feature Allen Voivod, co-owner of Epiphanies, Inc.

Allen and his wife/business partner Lani have been featured widely in the media, including the NH Union Leader, Forbes.com, NH Business Review, Blog Talk Radio, NHPR, and New Hampshire Today. As founding members of the International Social Media Association, they have delivered presentations for the NH High Technology Council, Women Inspiring Women, and the American Society for Training and Development, among many other groups.

As is the case with all NH BizCasts, the webcast will be hosted live at the Comfort Inn (71 Hall Street) in Concord and will feature a live audience.

For more information and to attend the BizCast, visit www.NHEconomy.com. Those planning on participating in the live audience at the Comfort Inn are asked to pre-register by contacting Leslie Sherman at (603) 271-2591 or leslie.sherman@dred.state.nh.us.

About Epiphanies, Inc.
As Certified Social Media Strategists and Certified Inbound Marketing Professionals, Lani and Allen Voivod share powerful social marketing & success strategies through speaking, workshops, customized training programs, and consulting. Their company, Epiphanies, Inc., trains teams, crafts strategies, and serves as long-term success partners for a handful of global brands, industries, and mission-driven organizations. To find out how they can help your business boost visibility, community, competitive edge, memberships, and profits, become a Fan of Epiphanies, Inc. at http://facebook.com/AhaYourself and drop them a line on their Wall, or email facebook [at] EpiphaniesInc [dot] 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 network, access resources, and support the efforts that make NH one of the “Most Livable States” in the nation, become a Fan at http://facebook.com/NoBullBusiness.

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This entry was posted on Friday, February 12th, 2010 at 12:46 pm and is filed under "A-Ha!" Events, 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.

Note: This’ll be going out through the awesome PR.com distribution service tomorrow, but you’re getting the early look here…we’d love to hear your comments and any other predictions you may have about how the social media industry will change (or change other industries). Please share!

Do you think the evolution of social media defies prediction? The truth is, social media’s explosion in 2009 shares common traits with general business trends and the growth of the Internet itself.

For entrepreneurs, global brand teams, and key players in mission-driven organizations, heeding the signs of what’s ahead becomes the difference between survival and extinction. To help these professionals as they begin a brand-new year of opportunity, social marketing and success strategies firm Epiphanies, Inc. is sharing five trend-infused predictions for how social media will affect the business world in 2010.

1. “You” Goes Social

In 1997, business thought leader Tom Peters unleashed the concept of personal branding — “The Brand Called You” — to a new generation of daring doers. In 2009, Best Buy made headlines by requiring applicants for a senior marketing position to have a Twitter account with 250 Followers to qualify.

In the blogosphere, arguments ensued over that number. Still, the point is clear: The future of “The Brand Called You” is social. In fact, more than 80% of professional recruiters plan to use social media platforms to screen job applicants, and also source “passive” candidates - people who would consider a better offer from a different company.

Bottom line: Employees and entrepreneurs alike will discover, on a widespread level, their social media presence and social networks make or break their professional fates.

2. SSO Steals the Show

Back in the heady days of Web 1.0, a whole new industry cropped up around Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Gaming Google became a billion-dollar business, and they fought back with ever-changing algorithms. The only way to win over the long run was to consistently add information-rich, keyword-relevant content to your website

It works the same way inside social media platforms, too, with Social Search Optimization (SSO). As it becomes ever more important to be found inside Facebook and LinkedIn, and since Google and Bing are now aggressively indexing social media platforms, content continues its reign as king of the online realm.

Bottom line: Because social activity and relevant content inform search engine results, SSO trumps SEO with authority.

3. Professional Standards Proliferate

Traditional marketing agencies have clued in to corporate interest in social media. Whether they add it as an in-house service or partner with a third party, these agencies know they have to offer social media services to stay competitive.

But how does anyone know who’s reputable, and who just hung out a shingle? To answer this as an industry, social media is going the way of other serious vocations. Certification programs are coming online, from Hubspot’s Inbound Marketing University to the International Social Media Association’s (ISMA) various designations for professionals and virtual assistants. Other programs, like Social Media Magic University, provide niche training, and brick-and-mortar colleges now offer social media coursework.

Bottom line: Social media education and accreditation will be a significant factor in 2010 hiring and outsourcing decisions.

4. Business-to-business (B2B) Gets It

As a rule, businesses that sell to consumers (B2C) adopt new communication tools before the B2B world does. Until now, B2B has been resistant to social media, but in 2010, the B2B world will get over their reluctance and start embracing it.

There have been enough success stories to make it happen. Avaya sourcing a $250K sale through Twitter. Serena Software reporting cost savings with its “Facebook Friday” network building. Blendtec’s “Will It Blend?” YouTube videos tied to a 700% sales jump. There’s no point in taking a “wait and see” approach anymore.

Bottom line: With 92% of B2B buyers using the Internet for their purchasing research, and social media ever more critical to being found online, B2B adoption will accelerate.

5. Networks Consolidate

Social media companies may not have found the right money-making business model yet, but the life cycle pattern looks very familiar: Introduction, Growth, Maturity, and Decline. In 2010, social media will officially shift from Growth to Maturity.

Minor microblogging sites are disappearing. Facebook adoption continues to accelerate, squeezing out smaller sites. Only 1/5th of all custom Ning sites were active earlier in 2009. Maturity is coming, and it’ll reveal its full force very soon.

Bottom line: Wikipedia currently lists 173 “major active social networking websites” (excluding dating websites). Expect this number to drop significantly in 2010.

With 2010 upon us, any fears of the new world of social media, of the loss of control, and of criticism need to be set purposefully aside or addressed head-on. More than anything else, it’s essential to take action now in the social arena. There’s simply too much to lose, and countless opportunities to gain.
About Epiphanies, Inc.
As Certified Social Media Strategists and Certified Inbound Marketing Professionals, Lani and Allen Voivod share powerful social marketing & success strategies through speaking, workshops, customized training programs, and consulting. Their company, Epiphanies, Inc., trains teams, crafts strategies, and serves as long-term success partners for a handful of global brands, industries, and mission-driven organizations. To find out how they can help your business boost visibility, community, competitive edge, memberships, and profits, become a Fan of Epiphanies, Inc. at http://facebook.com/AhaYourself and drop them a line on their Wall, or email facebook [at] EpiphaniesInc [dot] com.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 30th, 2009 at 11:35 am and is filed under 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.

Lani and Allen Voivod, co-owners and Content Lovers of NH-based social marketing and success strategies firm Epiphanies, Inc., announced they have become Certified Social Media Strategists, through the world’s first professional certification program designed for social media marketing practitioners.

The designation was granted by the International Social Media Association (ISMA), an organization whose worldwide mission is to connect, engage, and educate individuals on social media. ISMA provides the must-have information professionals need to use social media as a highly effective, affordable marketing and relationship-building strategy.

The organization is led by President Mari Smith from San Diego, CA, and Executive Director Mark Eldridge of New Hampshire. Eldridge earned his own Social Media Strategist certification while working with Smith to build ISMA, which has ramped up to nearly 1,000 members across three continents since its October 2009 launch.

“It’s a fantastic honor to be among the first 40 Certified Social Media Strategists in the world,” said Lani Voivod. “These platforms are evolving so fast, it’s no wonder even the most savvy business people get overwhelmed by it. Luckily, the ISMA certification program helps these professionals identify trusted social media success partners, so they can stay focus on what they already do best while getting the information and direction they need to move forward in this ever-changing realm.”

In addition to earning the Certified Social Media Strategist designation, the Voivods have also been asked to serve as founding members of ISMA, and collaborate on training and development for the organization’s members.

“In 2009, we conducted the ‘Mastering Twitter’ module for the second class going through ISMA’s certification program,” said Allen Voivod. “We were also interviewed for a teleseminar on creating powerful content for social media platforms, and look forward to having more fun with these training and certification sessions for ISMA and its members in 2010.”

This caps a whirlwind year for the Voivods and their six-year-old company. Having been called “NH’s social marketing gurus” by the Communications and Legislative Director of the state’s Division of Economic Development (DED) and helping the Division get their acclaimed “No Bull Blog” up and thriving, the Voivods also designed and delivered the first “A-Ha!” Social Media Business Summit in June, sponsored by PSNH, DED, and the “Stay, Work, and Play” initiative. Additionally, they were asked to serve for two months in the Amoskeag Business Incubator’s and Union Leader’s “Ask the Expert” series.

The Voivods’ singular style and expertise have made them sought-after speakers and presenters.  The American Society for Training and Development, Women Inspiring Women, and the Farm Bureau Federation are just a few of the groups and organizations they’ve taught and inspired in 2009 alone.

About Epiphanies, Inc.
Possibly the only corporation ever born out of a love letter, Lani and Allen Voivod share powerful social marketing & success strategies through speaking, workshops, customized training programs, and consulting. Their company, Epiphanies, Inc., trains teams, crafts strategies, and serves as long-term success partners for a handful of global brands, industries, and mission-driven organizations aiming to boost visibility, community, competitive edge, memberships, and profits. To learn more, and get practical tips, advice, and strategies for your own social media success, become a fan of Epiphanies, Inc. at http://facebook.com/AhaYourself.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 at 12:11 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.

Earlier this year, we designed and delivered the “A-Ha!” NH Social Media Business Summit, a day-long event especially for 100 entrepreneurs, global brand players, and passionate professionals in mission-driven organizations. It was sponsored by the state’s Division of Economic Development, PSNH (the state’s largest public utility, which also hosted the event at Energy Park), and the Stay-Work-Play initiative (tied closely to the University System of New Hampshire, with a goal of creating opportunities to retain more of the state’s college graduates).

Here in NH, social media is blossoming. And yet, there are many folks out there allowing themselves to be overwhelmed at best, or aggressively saying what a waste of time they think it is at worst. The Summit was intended to reach both parties and introduce social media to them in a non-threatening, value-oriented way.

To continue in support of that mission, you’ll find another Web 2.0 platform being utilized here on the “A-Ha!” blog - Slideshare. Think of it as YouTube for PowerPoint.

Below is the presentation file from the first session of the “A-Ha!” NH Social Media Business Summit, Beyond the Hype: A No-Nonsense Introduction to Social Media’s Real Power and Promise for NH Businesses (Especially in This Untamed Economic Environment).

Slideshare not only allows you to post your presentations, but to sync up audio narrations of those presentations into what they call “slidecasts.” Though this one isn’t one of our slidecasts (yet), we have others on our Slideshare page. Come on over and check out the scene!

P.S. We used slidecasts to create the webinar-style tutorials that form the foundation of our Social Media Kick Start Virtual Boot Camp, too.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, October 22nd, 2009 at 8:56 pm and is filed under 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.

Earlier this month, I had the chance to talk about the usefulness of Twitter for hotels to the general manager of one national chain’s location here in New Hampshire. In doing a bit of research, I found a number of links to great articles about social media marketing strategy for hotels (thank you ever and always, Google).

After parsing through pages of results, I thought I’d share some of the most useful ones here, in case you or someone you know is in the hospitality industry and considering using Twitter to boost competitive edge, explode visibility, expand reach, and ultimately increase revenues from reservations and event bookings.

(And this serves as a good blogging tip, too. If you have to do research for something in your business that could help a number of other folks - clients, prospects, partners, vendors, etc. - and is worth you being found for online, then put it up on your blog!)

In no particular order…

Hotels That Twitter and Twitter Well

You’re Still Not Twittering, Are You?

When Hotel Chains Use Twitter - Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3

Twitter Starter Pack for Hotels (28.5 Users to Follow)

Hyatt Announces Twitter Concierge Service

Hotels and Twitter - Why Some Succeed and Others Fail

Content: The Key to Online Hotel Bookings

Twitter to Your Hotel’s Advantage

Plus a bonus 9th - our own 37 Easy Ways to Boost Biz Visibility, Revenue, & Results With Twitter

And hey! Even if you’re not in the hospitality industry, check a few of these links out. Why, you may ask? Because that’s how inspiration strikes. Cribbing from what’s working for other folks, looking at best practices, and getting fresh ideas from different industries is a great way to revitalize your own marketing and get the results you want and deserve.

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This entry was posted on Friday, September 25th, 2009 at 10:15 am and is filed under 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.

(Psst: Grab your seat in the Social Media Kick Start Virtual Boot Camp mentioned in release by September 30th, and you save $100 off your ticket to ride. Sweet deal, eh?)

Laconia, NH, September 24, 2009 –(PR.com)– With about half of all Americans on social networks, the glass is either half-empty or half-full. 50% the country has embraced these new tools, using them in their work and lives with increasing confidence and skill.

And the other 50%? They include entrepreneurs, corporate professionals, and key players in mission-driven organizations, who haven’t been ready to adopt these platforms into their marketing activities. Some don’t see the value. Others can’t see when they’d fit it in to their routine. And still others don’t know how to use them in a way that serves their message, mission, and vision.

To help success-minded professionals in that “other” 50%, social marketing firm Epiphanies, Inc. is offering a free audio program, “The 6-Step Social Media Kick Start: How to Get More Leads, Clients, and Results (and Have a BLAST Doing It).” It’s an hour-long digital recording (MP3), available for immediate download at http://www.EpiphaniesInc.com/SocialMediaKickStart.php.

“We created this audio to help make it easy for professionals to move forward in the social media realm with confidence, without the headaches and hassles,” says Lani Voivod, co-owner and Content Lover at Epiphanies, Inc. “Instead of plowing through with jargon and technical advice, we share which four social media platforms are most critical for businesses and organizations to stay relevant and competitive in this global market, and why.”

Lani, along with her business partner Allen Voivod, reveal the #1 Rule, #1 Truth, and #1 Success Strategy for using social media. They also share their own shortcuts for saving hours a day while remaining active on multiple social media sites, and how the six steps became the model for their six-week Social Media Kick Start Virtual Boot Camp, which they’re running for the second time beginning October 5th, 2009.

“The previous Boot Camp attendees included both entrepreneurs at the start-up stage and experienced business owners, plus representatives of non-profit organizations and academic institutions,” notes Allen Voivod. “We’re thrilled to have designed a program that’s proven useful across so many different situations, and look forward to seeing another diverse group of professionals in the Boot Camp starting next month.”

The married business owners have been featured speakers, presenters, and panelists throughout their home state of New Hampshire in 2009, at such events as the New England Professional Development Conference, Small Business Day at the State House, and the Governor’s Conference on Volunteerism. In June, they were sponsored by Public Service of New Hampshire, the NH Division of Economic Development, and the “Stay, Work, Play” Initiative to design and deliver the “A-Ha!” Social Media Business Summit for 100 attendees. They even had the distinction of being the first experts to serve for two months in a row in the “Ask the Expert” spotlight for the Union Leader, the state’s largest newspaper, and the Amoskeag Business Incubator, this past July and August.

“Our goal is to help as many determined folks as possible get out of social media overwhelm,” says Lani. “Whether they get their feet wet with our 60-minute audio program, or take the plunge in our six-week Boot Camp, we aim to make it as easy, painless, and fun as we can.”

Business owners, marketing professionals, and key players at mission-driven organizations can learn more about the Boot Camp, including the webinar-style learning modules, micro-guides, checklists, and templates they’ll receive in the six-week Program, at the same link where they can download the audio program for free: http://www.EpiphaniesInc.com/SocialMediaKickStart.php.

About Epiphanies, Inc.
Lani & Allen Voivod, the Content Lovers of Epiphanies, Inc., help entrepreneurs, global brands, and mission-driven organizations learn and use social marketing and success strategies to boost visibility, community, competitive edge, and profits through workshops, speaking, and consulting. Get their free 6-Step Social Media Kick Start audio program, designed to help savvy professionals get a convenient, no-nonsense overview of how to put social media tools and platforms to work for their own goals, vision, and careers, at http://www.EpiphaniesInc.com/SocialMediaKickStart.php.

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This entry was posted on Friday, September 25th, 2009 at 1:57 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.

It was so nice, they asked us to do it twice! The Amoskeag Business Incubator (ABI) is turning their “Ask the Expert” series into a summer of social media success, and we’re honored to once again have the opportunity to spread the social marketing gospel in a targeted, powerful, practical way. We hope it’s inspirational, too, but hey, people really need to hear about RESULTS these days…

…so the focus of the August article is “10 Ways NH Businesses Are Using Social Media Successfully and Strategically.” (The ideas apply just as well outside of NH, too!) The July article, “Social Media 101: Breaking It Down for the Busy NH Professional,” focused on getting past the hype surrounding social media, explaining why it’s crucial for businesses to start embracing it, debunking myths about what you can and can’t do on social media platforms, showing what results are possible, and drawing the parallels between social marketing strategy and traditional marketing strategy.

The new article deepens the conversation. Businesses are using social media platforms in ways the creators of these platforms never anticipated. Twitter started as the means to share mundane yet relationship-building personal details between friends. Facebook started as a way for college kids to connect and share online. Most, if not all, social media tools started by being adopted for personal use, then evolved as professionals began to see their business-boosting value and potential. So the new article expands on the idea of “what’s possible” with social media.

The article has been published on the ABI’s site, in the Union Leader, NH’s largest newspaper, and we’re sharing it here with you as well!

10 Ways NH Businesses Are Using Social Media Successfully and Strategically

“So what’s changed in the world of social media since we last met?”

That’s the question John Herman poses to his Epping High School Media Literacy class every time they meet. It’s also the question he posed to more than 75 attendees at July’s NH Social Media Breakfast - where “social media experts and newbies alike come together to eat, meet, share, and learn” at venues across the state.

Herman says there’s no shortage of answers - even on a daily basis. That’s how fast the world of social media changes. Creators and founders of social media platforms get caught off-guard by the changes, too, including the variety of ways these tools are put to use in the business world.

Does the social media realm really deserve this kind of intense scrutiny for those of us living and working in the Granite State?

You be the judge.

What follows are 10 examples of how New Hampshire businesses and organizations of varying shapes, sizes, and industries use social media platforms to advance their objectives. While new national and international examples are cited in Herman’s class (as well as everywhere you turn in mainstream traditional and online media), fellow business owners and passionate professionals are experimenting and succeeding right in our own backyard, and results are rolling in.

Here’s the scoop:

1. Improve SEO. PaladinID in Laconia creates custom bar-coding and product identification solutions. Owner Dana Ritchie says that after just eight months of blogging, his website comes up on the first page of Google search results for his industry keywords - and often within the top 2-3 spots.

2. Extend reach. Artist Stacey Lucas of VeggieArtGirl.com opened up a new boutique in Holderness last month. She’s active on social networks, and recently told us this story: “Someone from Florida found me on Twitter, saw my shop posting, was on vacation in NH, stopped into my little ol’ boutique, and bought three of my custom signs. Ding! Crazy Twitter success!” Meanwhile, Facebook and Lucas’ blog are helping promote workshops and events, and showcasing her work as well as her unique “swirly” personal brand and creative flair.

3. Recruit talent. Bedford-based Jittergram has used social media to find talented people to grow its mobile marketing business. Brookline’s Frank Mulcahy, currently the New England Regional Sales Manager for Microsoft Advertising, was recruited by the Facebook team through his LinkedIn profile back in 2005. Epping High School’s Herman teaches his students that what they include in their social networking profiles can open or close doors of opportunity for them as they prepare for college and the working world. The point: Who you are and how you present yourself online has become part and parcel of the employee screening process.

4. Expand networks. Leslie Sturgeon, founder of Women Inspiring Women (WIW) and the SBA’s 2009 Women in Business Champion for NH, looks at social media very strategically. Not only is she using it to build her membership, event attendance, and revenue (WIW has grown to three chapters in 2009, each with monthly paid events), she’s also expanding her mission, and vision - “bringing cool chicks together for empowerment, education, self-improvement, development and a whole lot of fun” - globally through Facebook and Twitter. What’s more, Sturgeon is now using her ever-evolving professional and social networking skills to help the Newfound Region Chamber of Commerce build their membership and might.

5. Leverage resources. Like many companies, agencies, and organizations the world over, NH’s Division of Economic Development had been posting a wealth of information in a newsroom on their website. Unfortunately, the massive amount of content wasn’t getting indexed by search engines. Yikes! In addition, a good chunk of time was lost emailing this same information separately out to economic development practitioners, key business leaders, media, and more. By adding a blog to their site, their updates are now search-engine friendly, enhancing their Content Kingdom, automatically emailed to their constituents, and posted into their newly created presences on Facebook and Twitter. Eliminate redundancy, save resources, invite connections, spark conversations, and improve results? You bet.

6. Increase sales. We can speak to this one from personal experience. There are a few ways to increase sales, including: 1) Get new clients; 2) Sell more to existing clients; and 3) Increase the average price of your transactions. Thanks to social media, we’ve done all three this year - and we were able to double our hourly consulting rate and land five new and high-profile speaking engagements in five months to boot.

7. Build word-of-mouth. Squam Lakes Science Center in Holderness started their Facebook Fan Page in early May 2009. Two months later, more than 400 people have become Fans. One of the often-ignored secrets of successfully building a social media following is to promote your presence with your other marketing touches. The Science Center promoted their Facebook Fan page inside their print and email newsletters, and are now giving their most online-savvy constituents the tools and forums to be living testimonials and voluntary viral marketing folks for them.

8. Inform communities. PSNH was no stranger to social media, with content on both YouTube and Flickr. But when they used Twitter for emergency communication during the December 2008 ice storm, their social media profile skyrocketed. Nearly 2,000 people started following PSNH, and - more importantly - the following didn’t drop off after the storm had passed. Now, PSNH is using their social outlets to talk about everything from wind farms to osprey hatchings, adding a new dimension to their brand and values.

9. Ride waves. Who could have ever guessed an Amazon product review, with tongue planted firmly in cheek, could spawn a cult phenomenon? Yet that’s exactly what happened with Three Wolf Moon, a T-shirt made and sold by Keene’s The Mountain. One reviewer claimed the shirt had magical powers “with the ladies,” and others followed suit in increasingly silly ways. These antics drove the T-shirt to the top of Amazon’s apparel store and social bookmarking site Digg. The folks at The Mountain then rode the wave by concocting an equally absurd creation myth. Monks dyed the shirts, eagles dipped them in the Atlantic Ocean, and “Pegacorns (Unicorn-Pegasus Hybrids)” delivered them. The upshot? Sales at the rate of more than 100 per hour, according to a May 27<SUP>th</SUP> report from ABC News.

10. Spread inspiration. During the 2008 Democratic Primary, Manchester makeup artist Kriss Soterion made Hillary Clinton look so good, rumors started spreading about whether Clinton had undergone cosmetic surgery. Nope! The founder of Kriss Cosmetics, Soterion has used this opportunity to build a following on Facebook, blog for Yahoo!, and parlay her appearances on Inside Edition and Access Hollywood to turn makeup lessons into inspirational events and become a motivational speaker.

That’s your ten ways right there, but we can’t resist adding a bonus 11th. Because social networking is such a hot topic, the media is always on the lookout for interesting stories to share with their audience. This article, apart from being an educational resource for readers, is also a bona fide media opportunity.

And because the ten businesses and organizations highlighted above have been active on social media platforms - at all points on the learning curve - they put themselves in a position to receive greater exposure because of their efforts.

So that’s the bonus 11th way NH businesses are using social media - to boost visibility. Sometimes, all you have to do to get added media attention and PR is to be in the game in the first place.

So tell us…

Has anything changed in YOUR world of social media since you started reading this article?

If any of the above examples blow your mind, inspire action, or change your thinking about how fast you’re going to adopt your own social media strategies and launch your own online empires, please chime in with a comment on this blog post!

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 4th, 2009 at 11:41 am and is filed under 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.

Summary: Participation in social networks continues to grow at a frenetic pace in 2009, and success-minded professionals are hungry for short cuts, straight-shooting advice, and results for their efforts. To meet that need, social marketing firm Epiphanies, Inc. is hosting a free teleclass, “The 6-Step Social Media Kick Start: How to Get More Leads, Clients, and Results (and Have a BLAST Doing It),” Wed. July 15th, 2009 at 1pm EST. Register at http://www.EpiphaniesInc.com/SocialMediaKickStart.php.

LACONIA, NH, July 14^th, 2009  - Participation in social networks continues to grow at a frenetic pace in 2009. Facebook, at well over 300 million members is on track to triple in size this year, for example, and Twitter is growing more than five times faster than Facebook.

But as ever more entrepreneurs, corporate professionals, and key players in mission-driven organizations fold social media tools and platforms into their marketing activities, they find it’s not easy to get great results right from the start.

To help these success-minded professionals, social marketing firm Epiphanies, Inc. is hosting a free teleclass, “The 6-Step Social Media Kick Start: How to Get More Leads, Clients, and Results (and Have a BLAST Doing It).” The live call takes place Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 at 1pm EST, and the registration form with event details is online at http://www.EpiphaniesInc.com/SocialMediaKickStart.php.

“On this highly-focused teleclass, we’ll share critical success strategies for social media, from mindset to time management and measurement,” says Lani Voivod, co-owner and Content Lover at Epiphanies, Inc. “Those are the foundational aspects that can make or break your social media marketing efforts.”

Lani, along with her husband and business partner Allen Voivod, will reveal the social media tools necessary for businesses to boost visibility, expand reach, outshine competitors, and get tangible results from their efforts. The teleclass is also an info-rich sneak peek of their six-week Social Media Kick Start Virtual Boot Camp, which begins July 20th.

“One older platform is especially important right now, to serve as the hub of your social media presence,” Allen says. “Another site has basically become a second Internet, entirely beyond the reach of the major search engines, and it’s an 800 lb. gorilla you can’t afford to ignore.

“Those make up two of the four elements we like to call your ‘Social Media Starter Kit.’ Without these tools in place, you and your business Will get left behind in 2010 and beyond.”

On June 15th, the Voivods designed and delivered the first annual “A-Ha!” NH Social Media Business Summit for 100 New Hampshire professionals from the private and public sectors, and they say this free preview class underscores key information presented at that day-long event.

“Last month’s live Summit introduced people to the potential of social networking, discussed strategic social marketing concepts, and debunked the myth that social media can’t be measured,” Lani says. “Now, we’re drilling down into core principles, to reach and serve professionals worldwide so they can move forward in their social media journey with confidence and clarity.”

The “The 6-Step Social Media Kick Start” teleseminar will be recorded, and a digital copy of the recording will be available to anyone who registers for it with their name and email address at http://www.EpiphaniesInc.com/SocialMediaKickStart.php.

About Epiphanies, Inc.
Lani & Allen Voivod, the Content Lovers of Epiphanies, Inc., help entrepreneurs, global brands, 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, Press 'n Such, Social Marketing | No Comments »

This entry was posted on Monday, July 13th, 2009 at 5:03 pm and is filed under "A-Ha!" Events, 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’re proud and grateful to announce that we’re the featured experts for July AND August for the Amoskeag Business Incubator and Manchester Union Leader’s on-line “Ask-the-Expert” series. (So cool!)

The jist is, there’s an interactive, web-based environment where questions may be asked and answered on various business topics that change each month as new experts are introduced. Experts contribute an article on a specific business topic. Readers ask questions of the featured expert, and answers to selected questions are posted and available on the website for future reference.

The Union Leader introduced us to its audience in both their print and online editions - Ask the Expert: Got ’social media overload?’ - a little over a week ago, and the Amoskeag Business Incubator also posted our first article - Social Media 101: Breaking It Down for the Busy NH Professional - on their site. We just got word today that they’ve emailed it to their subscribers, too, and have offered it as a handout to attendees of a small biz financing event hosted by U.S. Senator and former NH governor Jeanne Shaheen. (Wow, thanks ABI and especially Michele Petersen for making this possible!)

So as the questions come pouring in, we’re going to do our best to share answers to some of the most popular queries here on the “A-Ha!” Blog.

Here’s one question answered today:

“I want to get involved with the social media opportunities, but I’m wondering if I’ll have the time to keep active on all the sites. I’m a small business owner and don’t have money in the budget to hire someone to do it for me. Is there an easy way to it all the sites at once with one update?”

And here’s our reply, which we’ll be republishing soon as “Top 3 Time-saving Tips for Staying Active on Social Media Sites” via our article distribution service (www.AhaArticles.com), in the Inciter ezine (sign up at www.AhaSuccessKit.com, or get a subscription with your free Twitter Special Report), and in our “Inciter Articles” blog post category…because we LOVE to leverage content!

Staying active on multiple social media sites is a challenge we all have as small business owners. We’ve even been asked to help bigger organizations like the state’s Division of Economic Development to eliminate redundancy and streamline their social media efforts.

The good news is, there are quite a few ways to LEVERAGE your time and content in social media.

RSS feeds are key.

“RSS” stands for “Really Simple Syndication.” Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and many other social sites automatically generate RSS feeds. For example, if you have a blog (we use and recommend WordPress), you can use its RSS feed to send your blog posts to other sites (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) and even to your email subscriber list automatically. In other words, you set it up once and forget about it.

Using a syndication service is another time-saving method.

Websites like http://Ping.fm or http://www.hellotxt.com (yes, that’s “text” without the “e”), are one-stop shops for sending status updates to multiple social networking platforms.

And if you’re on the move a lot or you simply don’t like to be tied down to your computer, using Twitter as your quick ‘n easy content launcher may be the way to go. You can send fast, painless content shots - messages, links, exchanges with other professionals - via your cell phone, smart mobile device, or computer, and use your “tweets” to update your presence on other social platforms.

Finally, while you may not have the budget to hire an employee, there are affordable alternatives.

Virtual Assistants - entrepreneurs who provide professional administrative, technical, or creative (social) assistance to clients from a remote location - can be hired for specialized services, for as little as 5 hours per month, for $20-$60 per hour. You can also find freelancers through services like oDesk.com or eLance.com, for $5-$20 per hour.

Thanks for your question. Whether you spend an hour a day or an hour per week on your social media presence, it’s an ongoing learning process. As you start to see results and get more comfortable, you’ll know how best to budget your time and resources.

Good luck with your business!

Posted in Press 'n Such, Social Marketing | No Comments »

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 at 1:55 pm and is filed under 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.

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.