Mortgage Company Teaches the Value of Social Media to Local Business Owners

Share, don't shout. And don't expect using social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter to grow your business overnight.

Those were some of the lessons local business owners learned at a presentation on utilizing social media at   Tuesday morning. The event which was organized by the was conducted by Shalimar Albanese of the Shamrock Financial Corporation.

Albanese started the presentation by promising those in attendance a "deep-dive into the fundamentals [of social media]." Fundamentals which included an understanding that "social media is a supplement to the core of your business."

She set a realistic tone and encouraged long-term patience to those looking to experience the benefits of social media.

"It's going to take about six months to see a return from your involvement with social media," she said. "If you post something today, don't be surprised if you're not swamped with calls by Friday."

Audience members were brought up-to-speed as to how sites like Twitter and Facebook can make their businesses in the eyes of potential clients. Albanese pointed to a slide which stated that "Social Media is the New Cocktail Party."

"The great thing about connecting through social media is that you're not constricted to time and space," Albanese said. "It's the new cocktail party, because the ultimate goal of social media is to start a conversation."

Audience members also got a lesson in online etiquette, as well. Albanese stressed the importance of knowing potential clients' "credibility triggers" so as not to offend them. The "Share, Don't Shout!" slide addressed the subtle ways businesses can use social media without coming across as brash or desperate.

"You shouldn't be secret agents," Albanese said. "You're running a business and you want to to be upfront about that, but you don't want to slam people over the head with what you do."

Those in attendance were grateful for the crash-course they received.

John Migliaccio, owner of Riverside's , said he learned a lot from Shamrock Financial's presentation.

"I learned the power of this," he said. "I also learned that it's not rocket science and that you have to stay with it."

Migliaccio plans to hire a group of young tech savvy professionals this summer to help his weight-loss centers reach the most people.

Shamrock Financial originally aimed its educational presentations on social media toward real estate agents. With the help of the , it was the company's first presentation to a diverse group of businesses.

Albanese recognized what Shamrock Financial gains from doing presentations in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

"No other mortgage company is doing this," she said. "The people who take advantage of this will potentially become our fans on social media, and that's obviously good for us."

Albanese added: "This is about networking and gaining referrals. The more people network through social media, the better we all do."