SCORE’s Workshop is About Social Networking for
Business -- Learn How to Increase Sales on a Limited Budget

Social networking on Websites such as Facebook, MySpace and YouTube is more than a gathering of Generation Y youths making connections for their next date. It has also emerged as an efficient way for business-to-business communication, keeping in touch with customers and gaining new ones. Additionally, it is cost-effective and the results can be immediate.

The burgeoning phenomenon has become so prolific that every aspiring businessperson should consider learning the skills to make social networking part of his or her toolkit. That is why SCORE, “Counselors to America’s Small Business” is presenting a workshop called, “Using Social Media to Market your Business.” It will be presented on May 12 in downtown Atlanta.

The workshop leader is Matthew Francis, the CEO of Norcross-based InterScape, Inc. It provides software and web-based solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. Francis will explain how you can make Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and other social media work for you. The company’s Website is www.interscapeinc.com.

Facebook “has over 63 million active users and that doubles every 6 months,” according to Jim Gustafson, director of business development for Artist Advocate Magazine. “You can't afford not to know how to use this powerful social media medium.” The magazine’s mission is to help artists market their work on a limited budget. “Facebook is another way to create visibility for you and your art,” he says.

Meanwhile Twitter is exploding in popularity among businesspersons who want to send short, timely information of breaking news to a like-minded group of subscribers. Commonly called “microblogging,” you can share information with your customers and attract new ones in the process. It is also a way to disseminate information to large groups. Twitter limits each “tweet” to 140-characters.

To contrast Twitter’s message-size limitation, and its attraction for social members, another microblogging service called “Yammer,” has emerged. It is a similar to Twitter but designed exclusively for businesses. Furthermore, Yammer’s message size is unlimited and attachments are allowed. It is an efficient way for companies to communicate with its entire staff.

CORE’s workshop will cover how you can get started using the online social media for your business. It will profile the basics of using Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin. Francis, the workshop leader, will talk about using these services to reach the largest number of potential buyers for your products or services. The presentation will include how you can use blogging and forums to gain exposure for your company.

The workshop is an essential event for everyone that is looking for an efficient, cost-effective method of increasing their sales.