Why did you decide to organize Startup Weekend in Detroit?
I don’t know that it was actually a conscious decision. I was able to attend part of Startup Weekend Ann Arbor, and had several friends who attended that event. When I came home, I started looking deeper into the Startup Weekend organization and reading up on the process to bring Startup Weekend to a particular city. I realized there was a voting process and saw that Detroit was already nominated, but only had 20 votes. To give you an idea of where we stood, we were behind Corvallis, Oregon.

I just thought that Detroit could really use this more than most places. There is so much bad news coming out of this city — especially when it comes to job losses and the overall economy. I thought an event like this would help bring out some of the area’s talent and help jumpstart small business development in the city and the region. It was also my hope to generate a few positive news stories as a result of the event.

Why is it important for the event to happen NOW?
Detroit, and the surrounding region, is facing some of the most challenging times in its history. The future of the economy in this region is going to depend on the ingenuity of individuals who can start small. Most of the new jobs being created in this economy are from small businesses. I believe that there are as many talented, skilled and passionate people in this city as any other, but we haven’t been so great at forming a really solid community around networking and innovation. Community is an essential ingredient to fostering the kind of supportive environment for new businesses to be able to thrive.

Who attends events like this?
Just about anybody with an idea or a skill or both is welcome to participate in this event. Usually Startup Weekend attracts people with deep technical/programming skills as well as design professionals, marketing and public relations professionals, project managers and venture capitalists. Most companies that have formed as a result of a Startup Weekend have been web-based, but there are many notable exceptions to this rule.

Can companies sponsor this initiative?
Yes, we are still looking for companies to help sponsor some of the costs of the event. Sponsorship packages are available. Companies interested in donating to offset costs, or providing swag to attendees should contact me.

Can we help get the word out about this event?
Yes! Please share this information with everyone you know. Add this event to your Facebook profile or Upcoming, and join our group on LinkedIn. Click on the ShareThis button at the bottom of this post and add it to Digg, Stumble or Delicious. Please feel free to reblog this post, or any of the other posts on this blog and link it back to http://detroit.startupweekend.com/.

How can I sign up?
The cost to attend is $40. Register to attend at http://detroitstartupweekend.eventbrite.com/

What should I bring?
What you bring is really up to you. Ideally, attendees should bring a laptop computer that can connect to the Internet via a wireless network. We will also need volunteers to supply extra extension cords and power strips to accommodate everyone’s electricity needs.

Who can I contact for more information on Startup Weekend Detroit?
Anyone interested in helping out or getting additional information may contact Shauna Nicholson, Brian Ambrozy, or I.

Shannon Paul (734) 968-9065 or shannonpaul5[at]gmail[dot]com
Shauna Nicholson (248) 722-2685 snicholson[at]biznetis[dot]net
Brian Ambrozy (586) 693-3509 brian[at]icrontic[dot]com

Shannon Paul blogs about Public Relations and Social Media, check it out at http://shannonpaul.wordpress.com

Brain Ambrozy is an editor and owner of the ultimate Detroit Tech online journal, check it out at http://icrontic.com

I was lucky enough to interview Roxanne Darling of Barefeet Studios about the upcoming Podcamp Hawaii. Roxanne knows a ton about using social media to promote businesses; her podcast, Beach Walks with Rox, has helped encourage tourism to Hawaii, where she lives and works.

In this interview, Roxanne tells me about Podcamp Hawaii, podcasting, and how to keep up even when we can’t be there. I even asked her about women in social media!

Here are the links mentioned in the video. Make sure to check them out. Each has a lot to offer!

Roxanne Darling www.barefeetstudios.com www.beachwalks.tv

Podcamp Hawaii Sponsors:
Hawaii Convention Center (hawaiiconvention.com)
WiFi Vendor: Pacific Direct Connect (pdchawaii.com)
Projection Presentation Technology (projection.com)
Road Runner  (roadrunner.com)

Christine Lu @christinelu http://thechinabusinessnetwork.com/

Eric Nakagawa icanhascheezburger.com

Beth Kanter @kanter

Social Media Club socialmediaworkshop.com

Shane Robinson @shane

Kyle Nishioka.com @madmarv

Judi Clark @judico

Biznet is leveraging social media and continuing to build relationships with our target markets. As a small business, Biznet operates primarily in the Southeast Michigan area. To leverage our market we talk share our expertise in a social setting, which has lead to a fantastic network.

In fact, we moderate a Detroit Tweetups Facebook group and have hosted a hugely successful tweetup; pictured is @nevrus and @kasey22b from the event! (If you’re not already following us on Twitter, feel free to follow some of our team members (@shaunabiznet, @stevebiznet, @kevinbiznet, @davebiznet, @benbiznet, & @mpiccinato).)

Other businesses are reaching out for our help doing the same. Whether it be geo-targeting, demographic targeting, or whatever the identified market, we’re creating strategies to help maximize time spent and ROI. After the strategies are complete (which usually takes a few days), we launch profiles and content to help introduce the client to their new markets. Then the fun starts with maintainance–conversations light up, media flies everywhere, connections are made!

Social media was being leveraged prior to our business application. Originally, I met a few rockstars through twitter (@terrybean @charliecurve and @tomcurve). We all met up for lunch at a skevie taco joint when the conversation turned to my skills. That conversation turned into an interview with the Biznet team and soon after, I started!

Biznet Internet Solutions, Biznetis.net
16-24 hours/week (in house)

Responsibilities:
The Marketing/Public Relations Intern Extraordinaire will be responsible for maintaining the online public face of multiple social media campaigns. She or he will also play a role in assisting the Marketing Manager in other online marketing initiatives, such as search engine marketing and web copywriting.

Requirements:

To Apply:
Email a letter to Shauna detailing why you’re interested in this position, along with a basic resume and social media profile links.

Engaging your social media network can be tricky; without proper planning, it can be even worse. The good news is that simply using the tools is free or relatively cheap; the bad news is that it’s hard to understand when you need to hire a strategist versus having your teen post on their favorite network.

WARNING: This post is inspired by Tanya Ferrall’s “4 Types of Social Media Marketers and the 1 You Never Read About”. I insist to, not only be the “one you never read about” but, offer some insight as to why this type is crucial to your ROI.

Questions to ask your social media marketer:

• Why social media? Like everything else you do for your business, you need to consider the business case for using social media. Without one, your campaign will be less effective and difficult to justify.
• How will we be measuring the ROI? At what point should you measure an ROI? Whether it’s qualitative or quantitative, you’ll need this information to ensure that expectations are met (or exceeded!).
• How do you identify the tools we will be using? If the marketer starts listing off the names of the social media tools (Facebook, blogs, podcasts, etc), a red flag should go up. This question will help you decide whether or not the marketer has a grasp on marketing as a whole. There are many out there focused too much on the tools, rather than why the tools are effective. Solid social media strategies start with identifying relationships, then pairing tools that will be most effective for each.
• What role will I (or a representative) be playing in this campaign? To keep a campaign genuine, you should at least have a “check in” point to ensure the correct communication is being relayed and a personality is kept fresh.
  
• What are my competitors/What is my industry currently doing in this area? Excuse me, but duh? If they don’t know, don’t hire them.
  
• What will I do to differentiate myself from my competitors? If it’s the same, forget it-unless you have a plan to do it better, more effectively, and easily translatable.
• How will this strategy compliment my existing advertising and public relations initiatives? Social media is most successful when the strategy compliments existing mediums. This is why half of Biznet’s (where I work) business is dependent upon supporting advertising and public relations agencies. In fact, social media is an extension of the two and should be handled accordingly.

Just because you’re unfamiliar with a certain marketing medium doesn’t mean you should trust everything you hear. Maintain the same rules for using these tools as you do for all things business, while being willing to understand the way they work. If you need help getting started with social media, developing a network, or engaging a network, follow the links!

Sometimes it’s hard to navigate just where to start when using social media tools, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, or Flickr. It’s always advisable a company “dips a toe in” before working with a social media strategist. It’s important to understand the nature of the network before starting to use the tools.

Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1. Ask and answer questions on a LinkedIn board.
2. Tag photos of recent events to your company and industry.
3. Write a guest blog on a topic in which you are expert.
4. Feature your next event online, invite your network.
5. Tweet about a new tool you’re using; ask for feedback.
6. Post links in your profile to other networks and sharing sites you’re on.
7. Podcast an interview with an expert on a topic in your industry.
8. Connect with those who have similar personal interests.
9. Host or sponsor a social media meet-up (in person events).
10. Use a wiki to construct your next proposal.

Keep in mind that everything you do in social media should be relationship based–never advertising. What’s something that helped you understand how to use these tools better? What great experience helped you grow your business?

As a member of Automation Alley’s social media subcommittee, I recently helped organize a teaching event on LinkedIn. Biznet’s Dave Biskner, Networked Inc’s Terry Bean and Interotext’s Beverly Cornell spoke business applications of LinkedIn. Ann Kucera (Baker College) is the subcommittee chair and moderated the event.

Listen to the Podcast:
Getting LinkedIn
(Thanks to Jeremiah (Portage Media) for producing the podcast)

When used the right way, LinkedIn and other social media tools can be leveraged for effective business use, including networking and research! Unfortunately, many users aren’t familiar with the tools or faux pas of such media types.

Here’s a few hints:

• Link to those who know you well and give/get recommendations
• Always personalize your inital requests to connect with a reference to how you know them
• Use message boards (such as LinkedIn’s Question & Answer board) to leverage your network

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Nulla lorem. Donec ac nunc. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Phasellus diam. In libero pede, rutrum eu, suscipit at, ullamcorper vel, lorem.

I’m a professional skimmer–and a believer that if the subject is REALLY important, then-and only then-it’ll be read. (I’ll read about how to better my business online, but will skim the Top 10 Strangest Lego Creations.) However, it’s important to use content for search optimization (SEO), so it shouldn’t be eliminated. In fact, there are a few ways you can make both (your readers and the search engines) happy.

1. Headline the important stuff. None of those ambiguous headlines, either. Plug in your keywords and make it start working for you.

2. Directly address your audience. If your prospect is Sarah Palin, mom of 5: make sure that’s obvious. Of course, if your prospect is Sarah Palin, republican VP runmate for 2008, that’s quite a different audience. Use direct language to specify your voice (rather than the general “women” (or whoever) blanket).

3. Link to supporting content. If I were blogging today about great web designers or a rockstar advertising agency, I’d make sure you had a place to get more information.

4. Include expert opinions, cite and link to them. I’m continuously looking for new ways to further develop my social media business strategies for clients. I use resources, such as Chris Brogan, and build on their information with my own research and thoughts. Seeding my thought there requires some citation, so sending the link love that way is not only appropriate, but provides a frame of reference.

5. Be concise. I’ve said it before, but I’ll (ironically) say it again. That’s all I’ll say about it, to be concise of course.

Technical communication is a chore for most people. For businesses, it’s an after thought–which hurts.

A large part of marketing is simplifying a product or service. This concept is web marketing’s best friend. In fact, I like it so much that I’m going to give you a few pointers in creating your own technical content.

1. Start-and stay-high level. Save the nitty gritty for the phone call or initial consult. You only need to communicate enough information to instigate this meeting. The tech speak is what you use to sell your product/service and establish yourself as an expert.

2. Use someone else’s words to guide your own. Ask a trusted existing customer to explain your product/service, in his/her own words to a prospect. It doesn’t have to literally be TO a prospect, but use that as a starting point. Take the (hopefully) simpler language and add it to your own rapport.

3. Consider what people are searching for initially. Your prospects aren’t looking for your product, they’re looking for a solution to their problem–they’re looking for the BENEFIT of your product. My favorite thing to remind clients of when they’re forming their marketing message is to remain benefits forward. Read more about how to position your product to best met your customers needs–and catch their attention.

Of course, this is my novice (non-graphic-designer) opinion, but I’ve yet to meet another designer who’s work I love so much. I think it’s a style preference…  She’s awesome to work with too (we’ve worked on a few projects together). Recently, Victoria rocked the design world. From her blog:

One of the authors of Graphic Design Referenced (a 400-page visual guide to the language, applications, and history of graphic design) contacted me for permission to use my work in his book! I am obviously pumped.

Congrats, Victoria. That’s an awesome honor!

Great marketing requires great design. Our trades are integral.

Stellar web copy will be bypassed without remarkable design;
remarkable design will be discredited without stellar copy.

Visit Victoria’s blog for more design love. You can also contact her for freelance work!