This document provides an overview of social media and how businesses can leverage various social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter and blogs to connect with customers and promote their business. It discusses why social media is important now and how businesses need to adapt to changes in how customers interact and find information online. The document provides tips on starting a blog, using Twitter, creating videos and audio to engage customers and become recognized as a thought leader in your industry. It emphasizes the importance of monitoring what is said about your business online and participating in social media conversations.

1. 5W/25 Partner Training Partners Webcast Series “Focused on Growing your Business” www.mssmallbiz.com/training

2. Social Media 101Defining and Understanding How to Connect with Your Clients and Colleagues Using the Latest Technologies Stuart R. Crawford VP, Business Development Bulletproof InfoTech

3. Insert Poll Click what social networking/media sites you use today Facebook LinkedIn Youtube Twitter Blogs Other

4. Introduction to social mediaWhat is social media? Is social media ready for business? Is business ready for social media? The pace of change Can you keep up? Where do you start? Feeling just a bit overwhelmed?

6. The Information Age

8. Remember this… Information is a commodity If you search hard enough, someone has posted something online for free Information we previously charged for! Everything is free! Don’t believe me, just do a bing search for “setting up a computer network” We need to change and change to survive!

9. It is not a technology…It is a way of being! Haven’t we been doing this all along Telephone Letters Interaction between people Rumor mills Coffee clubs Email Hasn’t the tools just become more sophisticated?

10. Do you think you are in control? “You can’t take something off of the Internet. That’s like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.” Joe Ragan, Newsradio As quoted in “Groundswell” by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff

11. Managing the porous wallKeeping on top of what is said Internal communications External communications What is being said How to keep on top of it Tips and Tricks

12. What is being said about you?How do you keep on top of things? Why is monitoring your business online important? What are others saying about you? What are your employees saying? Why is monitoring your business important?

13. What resources are available?Put into action immediately We can you start Blogs Twitter LinkedIn YouTube Blogtalkradio Others What is working and what is not? This is where your peers can help

14. Should you start a blog?What would you say? Why a blog, what is so important about blogging? Many industry thought leaders blog daily They are viewed as an expert Communicate with clients and prospects What is working and what is not? What are your competitors doing? What are they not doing?

15. Getting recognizedThe thought leader in you is born Talk about everything around you Build a following Offer real advice Build relationships Follow events Add commentary Act as if… Demonstrate daily - you are a leader

16. Become viralStart the spread of you Interesting stuff is spread Make your information easy to share Be interesting Have you thought about video What about audio Pictures say a thousand words

17. Life can be shared in 140 charactersIs Twitter in you? Start the viral spreading Share interesting stories and ideas Promote others, clients, colleagues Engage with your community “It’s 140 characters... If you need a ghostwriter for that, I feel sorry for you.” @The_Real_Shaq, New York Times, March 26, 2009 When Stars Twitter, a Ghost May Be Lurking

18. Business and Community using Twitter

19. What is on the horizonThe only thing for sure this year is change will happen What can you do now? What can you do tomorrow? What about your marketing plan? Have you considered your peers Where do your clients fit in? What can you do to promote them?

20. Each of us is a teacherWe also need to educate Are you? Ready to embrace the old, new and future Can you talk about the tools? Can you coach your clients? Being a recognized expert on the tools Sharing your knowledge The time for real leadership is now!

21. Answer questions and provide valueBlogs and LinkedIn – More than just networking! Do you have a blog? Is it a sales tool? Is it an educational tool? Are you attracting the perfect clients? Linkedin Who is in your network? Are you answering questions? Where do you hangout?

22. What is hotStuff you must do now! Just when you felt overloaded From Press Release to Social Media Release Video, Video, Video Be your own Radio Star! Can you create social media games? What can you do differently than the competitor Who dares wins Better is not always better

23. You control your own PRWe are all our own media outlet Create and distribute your own press releases prlog.org pitchengine.com wireservice.ca Leverage social media to distribute what you do new solutions new products new clients

24. Online radio Do you have a face for radio? Online radio is freeand fun Reach new audiences Share easily with your clients Promote your partners and your clients Start small and work your way up Blogtalkradio.com

26. Poll What are you going to do next? Start Blogging Create a linkedIn account Use Twitter to promote your business Create a YouTube channel Host your own radio show Nothing at all other

27. QuestionsFollow me on Twitter, LinkedIn… www.facebook.com/stuart.crawford.calgary.computer.service www.linkedin.com/in/stuartcrawford www.twitter.com/scrawforditm www.twitter.com/bulletproofIT www.twitter.com/calgarybusiness

28. Q & A

29. © 2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries. The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.