SDSBDC’s “GrowBiz” Conference San Diego for Small Business Owners Recap Part I: Speaker Insights
August 21st, 2012by Jenn
Wow! I had a wonderful time at the San Diego Small Business Development Center (SDSBDC) “GrowBiz” Conference on Friday, August 17th. As a presenter, I served as 1 of 3 panelists in the “Kicking up Social Media” session sharing “the hottest tips and tricks that get your customers’ attention to market your product and services”.
The questions we received from the 60 or so smart small business owners and representatives were impressive:
- There are so many sites to consider … Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, and more. Which sites do I need to be on?
- How do I integrate SEO in my social media strategy?
- How do I optimize my website and social media presence for search engines without spending thousands of dollars?
- Where do I find content?
- How do I measure success? What tools can I use?
- Who should be doing my social media?
- How do I optimize my videos for YouTube?
- What does a typical social media budget look like? How much should I spend?
- So, your stats about “increased Facebook following to 40,000 followers in less than 6 months” (referring to SiteLab success metrics I shared) are impressive, but what does that translate to in sales?
…and more!
The biggest concern amongst the small business owners I spoke to is that they were unsure where to start and how much they should be spending. The best piece of advice I can offer is don’t bite off more than you can chew. The first step is to find out where your customers (and your competitors’ customers) are and start there. It’s better to post kick-ass content on one or two sites than half-ass content on twelve.
Also, to answer the gentleman’s question about social media driving sales … that’s where you come in. Social media, when coupled with your other sales efforts like email, online and offline event marketing – a good website or even direct mail can help convert leads into customers. However, social media can’t do it alone. You have to provide the experience you promise.
You can download the handout I shared at the conference with “10×10 Tips for Finding and Optimizing Social Media Content” Enjoy!
Also, I want to give a shout-out to the following small business owners and conference organizers I was inspired by on Friday:
- Blake Del Hoyo – Marketing Specialist, San Diego and Imperial SBDC Regional Network – Girl, you did an amazing job organizing! Follow Blake on Twitter.
- Michelle Burkart, MBA – Chief Results Officer for Th!Inkbusiness – Best. Moderator. Ever! Check out the Th!nkbusiness website.
- Paul Waithaka – Strategic Management & Marketing Specialist Consultant at SBDC San Diego & Imperial Regional Network – This guy was in 3 places at once … always ready to help! Connect with Paul on LinkedIn.
- Anna from OTRGirls.com – Can’t wait to see more of you and your business! Sign up to be the first to know.
- Walter Maksimow Jr of GetBows.com – Looking forward to seeing your new look! Bows, bows, bows on GetBows.com.
- Caz Taylor of BizVid Communications – Fellow panelist full of charisma, Caz had a lot of insightful tips on integrating video with your social media strategy. Visit the BizVid website.
- Marika Szoke of Captain Email – Fellow panelist who shared insight into how to make social media and email work together for success. Sign up for a Captain Email training course.
- Darnell Holloway of Yelp – Darnell was a co-presenter in the Industry Trends – Learn What’s New! session. His “killer app” prediction through 2014 was “Focus on Local!”. Follow Darnell on Twitter here.
- Kelly Flint from Constant Contact – You should definitely attend 1 of her speaking events. A lady with smarts about all things email and social! Follow her on Twitter.
About San Diego Small Business Development Center (SDSBDC): The SBDC is a leading provider of consulting services and workshops for small businesses in San Diego. We have the knowledge and resources to help you build and maintain a successful business. The SBDC is dedicated to increasing the economic vitality of the community by helping small businesses and entrepreneurs build a foundation for SUCCESS! Our Center staff and consultants are here to assist in answering your business questions along with providing many resources that can help you start and/or expand your business.
