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Social Media Breakfast | Chicago is an event where moderators lead small-group discussions over breakfast on a series of social media topics.

While the moderator will lead the discussion, the goal of breaking into small groups is to encourage everyone to participate by debating, asking questions, and contributing to the conversation. The event is open to marketers, publishers, educators and anyone else hoping to gain a better understanding of social media.

Topics of Discussion:

Make Your Social Media Accountable
Marcus Tewksbury, Director of Customer Intelligence, Alterian

What do social media and TV have in common?

Nothing! Yet that’s exactly how most of us approach it. I promise you, if your primary concern is launching a fan page, expanding your Twitter base, or producing a viral video all in the name of growing impressions you are bound to fail.  If you want to be successful with social media it begins with understanding it’s an addressable, two way channel that demands a different approach. Who are you?

Social Media and SEO Strategies
John Fairley, Director of Web Services and Social Media, Walker Sands Communications

SEO & Social Media are overlapping methods that can be used together to drive highly targeted visitors to your website. Understanding how to take advantage of Social Media to enhance your SEO, can help give you an edge over the competition. Our discussions will focus on how you can take advantage of Blogging, Micro blogging, Social Bookmarking, Profiles, Video, RSS and more to help grow your business.

How to Build Brand Awareness and Business with Social Media
Catherine Merritt, P.R. Coordinator, Morton’s The Steakhouse

Catherine will lead a discussion on methods for utilizing social media outlets (specifically Twitter and Facebook) to increase brand awareness and customer engagement and in turn, increase business. Using Morton’s as a case study, Catherine will share best practices to increase your organization’s presence on social media outlets in a beneficial way that engages in the conversation and doesn’t try to dictate it.

Creating Social Media Content for Small Businesses
Mark E Goodman, Owner, e-Conversation Solutions, Inc

Creating a continual dialogue for social media is a challenge.  Unlike brochures and websites, social media consumes content at a rapid rate.  How can a business create a flow of events/discussion points that will work across various media, while at the same time, be consistent with the vision/mission of the company? How can SEO be leveraged as a tool to both drive traffic and create content.

Online Community Building
Brad Flora, Founder, WindyCitizen.com

Building an active online community is how you can take your social media marketing to the next level.  It’s not just good enough to have active profiles anymore.  Now you need customers and a community that participate, engage, and promote your efforts.  Discussions will focus on how to build an online community from scratch, as well as creative techniques to keep your current community engaged to expand your brand and business.

Agenda:

7:30 AM - 8:00 AM
Registration, pre-event networking and breakfast courtesy of Alterian SM2

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Small group discussions

• Registration is mandatory for this event. Youl'l be asked to select your preferred topic of discussion (listed above) during the registration process.
• Space is limited. Tickets are allocated on a first come, first served basis
• WiFi will be available
• Registration will close at 4:00 PM on Monday, January 25, 2009
• The Twitter hashtag for this event will be #SMBchicago

About The Moderators:

Marcus Tewksbury, @tewksbum
Director of Customer Intelligence, Alterian

http://www.alteriansm2.com

Marcus is a respected author, speaker, and thought leader on optimizing marketing organizations to most efficiently, and effectively create value added experiences for high worth customers; a process that he has termed Customer Relationship Marketing, or CRM(arketing).

John Fairley, @johnfairley
Director of Web Services and Social Media, Walker Sands Communications

http://www.walkersands.com/

Since 1995, John has been developing web sites for start-ups and small-to-medium-sized businesses, has built up extensive SEO knowledge, and has a passion for forwarding brands through social media,

Catherine Merritt, @MerrittPR
P.R. Coordinator, Morton’s The Steakhouse

http://www.mortons.com

As the P.R. coordinator for Morton’s The Steakhouse, Catherine manages more than 40 P.R. firms representing all 76 Morton's steakhouses worldwide. Catherine has also implemented all aspects of Morton’s social media presence. With a strong understanding of how to utilize social media from a business standpoint, Catherine has participated in panels and conferences about utilizing social media to help drive business and create brand awareness.

Mark E Goodman, @SCOREchicago
Owner, e-Conversation Solutions, Inc

http://www.scorechicago.org
http://www.e-conversation.com

Mark currently has a consulting business focused around using video and social media to create an e-conversation. He is also a volunteer for SCORE Chicago, where he serves as Workshop Chair. Mark has an MBA and an MA in Radio/TV/Film.

Brad Flora, @bradflora
Founder, WindyCitizen.com

http://www.windycitizen.com

Brad Flora is founder of WindyCitizen.com, a web service that lets people share their favorite Chicago news and events with their friends and neighbors. He is a Chicago-based journalist and web developer who has written for Slate Magazine, the Carnegie Corporation and seveal Chicago-area publications. Prior to founding Windy Citizen, he edited the Chicago Methods Reporter, a web site that won no awards but helped a lot of people score jobs. He lives in Old Town with an ever-rotating cast of characters discovered on Craigslist.



About Social Media Breakfast:
In 2007, Bryan Person launched the breakfast series in Boston, and it has since spread to over 25 cities throughout the United States and abroad. Social Media Breakfast | Chicago was founded in August 2009 by Craig Bagdon, Scott Bishop and Mike Pilarz.

About Alterian:
Alterian is one of the world’s leading providers of web content management, campaign management, e-mail marketing, social media monitoring and web analytics software solutions. From single marketing solution to a fully integrated marketing platform, Alterian helps organizations achieve greater marketing performance by moving from mass marketing to individual engagement irrespective of channel.

SM2 is a real-time social media monitoring and analysis solution that helps organizations listen, measure and engage with their audiences. Tracking online conversations, reviews and positive/negative sentiments on brands, clients, competitors and partners equips organizations to gain a competitive edge in online marketing. For more information, please visit: www.alterian-social-media.com or follow @AlterianSM2.

About SCORE Chicago:
SCORE is a nonprofit association dedicated to entrepreneur education and the formation, growth and success of small business nationwide.

SCORE has 389 chapters in locations throughout the United States and its territories, with 10,500 volunteers nationwide. Local chapters provide free counseling and low-cost workshops in their communities. Both working and retired executives and business owners donate their time and expertise as business counselors. SCORE was founded in 1964.

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