Workshops to Help Small Businesses Manage Social Media

The impact of social media and its uses for non profits will the subject of an in-depth three-part workshop series offered by the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce.

"Social media has always been a key component of One Simple Wish's success,” said Danielle Gletow, founder and executive director of Ewing-based One Simple Wish. “It is an incredible way to keep our supporters informed of the great work we are doing every day and has been a leading factor in why we continue to receive more than 70% of our donations online.”

Examples of social media platforms include: email, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Foursquare and Instagram.

“Social media is a no cost option for organizations to market themselves and control their message.  It is a great way for organizations to connect and engage people in the community, attract donors and volunteers while building relationships,” said Jodi Inverso, vice president brand management and communications, United Way of Greater Mercer County in Lawrence. “With 100,000 tweets sent per minute and 684,478 pieces of content shared on Facebook per minute it is a simple method of communication that is here to stay. With a little training and practice you will be on the road to success in no time.”

The Non Profit Development Series, which is open to Chamber members and non members, will cover three specific target areas to help businesses maximize their digital efforts. The sessions well be led by social branding expert David Yunghans, Constant Contact's Philadelphia-area regional development director.

Mr. Yunghans has more than 40 years of marketing experience with 20 of those years spent at DuPont. He is also a marketing and customer service professor at Stockton College.

“At The Historical Society of Princeton, new social media avenues help us get the word out quickly,” said Erin Dougherty, executive director, Historical Society of Princeton. “There is always something new to learn about crafting the best message for your target audience which is why this workshop series will be beneficial for all our colleagues.”

In the first session on Oct. 24, “Using Social Media to Create Brand Awareness,” attendees will realize the importance of social media and how it has changed the communication landscape. Another key concern of social media—finding or creating quality, meaningful content—will also be discussed.

“How or Why Your Email Doesn’t Get Opened” is the second session, on Nov. 20, will discuss e-marketing best practices with real-world examples of good and bad emails and why or why not they worked. Measuring the effectiveness of a message and learning simple tweaks to ineffective emails will be key tools for learners. Finally, tying company emails to social media efforts will be simplified.

In the final session of the series on Dec. 11, attendees will move from increased brand awareness to driving donations and leveraging PayPal donations in addition to a glimpse of what is next in the world of social media from a brand leader.

All sessions will begin at 8 a.m. at the Nassau Club in Princeton. The first two sessions will end at 10:30 a.m.; the third will conclude at 11:30 a.m.

Registration is $20 per session for chamber members and $25 for non chamber members and includes a full breakfast can be done online at www.princetonchamber.org. Member attendees who wish to participate in all three sessions pay $40, non members pay $50, and upon completion of the third session will have a celebratory networking luncheon at the club immediately following.

The Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce is a membership organization committed to promoting business growth within the Princeton Region and surrounding areas. With more than 1,700 individual contacts and more than 880 Member companies, the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce membership is primarily focused in five central New Jersey counties and stretches as far as New York, Philadelphia and Canada.

For more information, contact Vikki Hurley-Schubert at (609) 924-1776, ext. 100, Vikki@princetonchamber.org or visit www.princetonchamber.org.