Tonight: Social Media 101 - Facebook privacy settings

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Tonight's Social Media Club Phoenix will be doing a deep-dive into the world of Facebook. The session is all about tips, trends, and tactics for winning Facebook marketing. Some really smart friends of mind are on the panel. If you're in Phoenix and are free tonight at 6:30, you should go.

Prior to that, I'll be once again hosting a Social Media 101 talk for those who are new to the field. It's a safe place to ask what you think might be silly questions. I try and keep the old-school pundits away from the meeting, as I want all you noobs to have your chance to get up to speed. Get a few "experts" in the room and it quickly devolves to an inside-baseball conversation that few beyond the inner circle cares about.

My topic tonight dovetails nicely with what you'll learn in the big room later. I'll be addressing Facebook privacy settings. They've been through some revisions recently. You should know what your sharing, to whom your sharing it with, and how to change things to better suit your needs. Facebook is a growing microcosm of activity. Knowing what is happening with the data you provide -- or maybe don't provide -- the service is a Good Thing.

My talk begins promptly at 5:30. We only have about 45 minutes before the troop starts to show up, so be there a little early so you don't miss anything. It's at the Jobing.com corporate offices near the Biltmore.

If you feel like staying for the full SMC meetup, go ahead. Or go home afterward. It's your choice. Both events are free. They are also highly attended, so come get a good seat!

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5 Best Social Media Tools for Business You're Not Using

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Tonight at Social Media Club the topic is a deep dive into blogging, a panel discussion lead by Chris Conrey. Prior to the main event, I'm once again hosting Social Media 101.

The Phoenix chapter of SMC has grown significantly in the last six months, and it's great to see people with a business-bent getting value out of the event. It's also become a lot more accessible to those new to the concepts, and I don't think I'm being too self-aggrandizing to say that the 101 classes I've been leading are contributing to that.

I think it's one of the best business-focused events taking place in Phoenix -- and it's totally free. The main event starts at 6:30p at the Jobing.com corporate offices (not the Stadium). But at 5:30, I'll be leading a short and hopefully interactive discussion about the 5 best social media tools for business you're probably not using. You already know about Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook. I use all three of those and they are great tools. But there are other tools I use in business that you should consider. They are:

• Flickr - A photo sharing service. If I can use photos to help promote my free audiobook business, you can probably copy my techniques to fit your business goals.
  
  
• SlideShare - Presentations with legs. I use this service to share my presentations with those who can't be there live. And also as a practice run before the real event!
  
  
• uStream.tv - Broadcast yourself. You may not be the next Oprah, but this tool lets you have an interactive video show with your dedicated audience.
  
  
• YouTube - The #2 search engine. The proliferation of video shows no signs of stopping. Savvy marketers will grab this fact and find ways to create new and compelling content.
  
  
• Google Reader - The best way to consume news. It's 2009. If you're still visiting websites to see what's new, you've missed the revolution. I'll get you back on track and save you valuable time.

Remember, this class is highly interactive and 100% free. Show up, have a seat, and get ready to ask some questions. We'll break at 6:15 so there's plenty of time to make it to the main SMCPhx event that starts at 6:30. See you then!

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Five Twitter Twooisms for Social Media 101

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I like Social Media Club Phoenix for a lot of reasons. Right now, I like it because it gives me a reason to make a blog post. Those have been light as of late. Sorry about that.

This Thursday, I've once again been asked to put on Social Media 101. Just like all the other times, this is the perfect chance to get some real-world, hands-on experience on topics that seem obvious to everyone but you. Asking questions of "social media experts" is sometimes daunting, especially when they are talking way over your head. We don't do that during the SM 101 portion of Social Media Club Phoenix. It's a safe place to get up to speed before the full meeting starts.

This week, I'm taking on Twitter. As if you couldn't tell by the topic. I'll cover these five things:

• Why it’s OK to Follow people you aren’t friends with
  
• Why yes, all those fields in your profile are important
  
• A picture is worth a thousand characters
  
• The evils of auto-DMs
  
• Desktop & mobile apps to keep you sane

Social Media 101 kicks off promptly at 5:30. We only have :45 minutes to roll through this stuff, as the full meeting starts at 6:30. So get there a bit early and be ready to go. I figure it'll take me half an hour to cover my stuff, leaving you 15 minutes to ask questions.

After we're done, Social Media Club Phoenix will be hosting a panel discussion called "Your Novice Is Showing". Sounds perfect. And those who attend SM101 will be less-novice than they were just an hour earlier.

See you at Jobing.com HQ!

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Social Media 101 part deux at SMC Phoenix

Well that went well. Last month, I debuted something new at Social Media Club Phoenix called "Social Media 101". The idea is simple and in-line with my objectives: make an easy in-road for those who are new to the concept of social media. When us "seasoned veterans" start tossing around buzzwords and leaving out annotations, it's a little off-putting for those on the outside or who are brand new. I'd like to change that.

Here's what Jeff has to say about the event I'm doing tonight:

Social Media 101

Before you jump in the social pool with both feet, you might want to test the waters. What are people saying about you? Where are they saying it? And what should you do when you find out? Find out the answers in 15 minutes. And come prepared with questions, as this is a beginner-friendly conversation.

The Social Media 101 session starts at 5:30 and is led by Evo Terra. It is entirely optional and you can just attend the main panel at 6:30 if you wish.

It's at Jobing.com's corporate offices near the Biltmore. See you there!

Mixing it up at Social Media Club Phoenix

Image by chuck-reynolds via Flickr

I've had a love/like relationship with SMC Phoenix for the last year. On one hand, I love the idea of getting social media enthusiasts together for the purpose of discussing social media. There are plenty of informal gatherings (e.g. #evfn, Gangplank, various Tweetups ...) happening all over the valley all the time. But those are more social gatherings that use social media rather than social media gatherings. The difference is subtle, but there.

In my experience, SMC aimed to do just that, but meetings all too quickly devolved into just another social gathering. A gathering of "usual suspects" who -- without actively trying -- created a nearly impenetrable wall for anyone who was new to the group. I blame no one for this. And I fully recognize that this may be my own misperception of reality. So there's no need to fill the comments with a bunch of "I disagree, Evo" statements.

Because this post is about the future. An unsure future, but a testable future.

Tonight, SMC Phoenix is trying a new direction. It may not be the direction from now on. Hence my use of the word testable. Current-coordinator Jeff Moriarty is tweaking the format and clarifying the scope. Enough to entice me back tonight for what I hope will be the first of many happy returns.

So if you've not been to SMC for a while, give it another shot. And if you're sitting on the sidelines wondering if it's for you, now is a great time to try. I hope to see you there.

Social Media Club Phoenix
Meets the 2nd Thursday of each month
from 6:30p - 8:00p
at Jobing.com headquarters (not the Arena)
4747 N. 22nd Street (between Indian School and Camelback)
Phoenix, Arizona