Courier Times on Social Media

I was awakened by the phone ringing. I cleared my throat and tried to make it sound like I was long awake. “Hello this is Donna!” I croaked.
“When you come by for dinner, I want an autograph!” said my mother, laughing.
“Huh?!”
“You’re in the paper! There’s a article all about Social Net Media… or whatever it is you do and YOU are mentioned!”

It all came back to me. There was a guy, John Anatasi from the Courier Times, at my To Tweet Or Not To Tweet presentation. I assumed he was there to learn more about Social Media but Kim Bloemker who coordinated the event said she was certain he was there to report it. I remember jokingly saying, “I hate to think what the article will say, maybe something like: “Donna Serdula bumped into the projector twice and continuously tripped over the word viral.”

I am happy to report an article was written and it didn’t once make mention of my clumsiness! It’s a really nice article and I am so pleased! You can check it out in this Sunday’s Courier Times, Money section, page 12. Or you can read it online, Social Networking Sites Good for Business.

Social Networking Sites Good for Business

By: JOHN ANASTASI
Bucks County Courier Times

It’s a way to connect with new customers, communicate with a target market, and increase sales, advises a speaker at a business technology forum.

It wasn’t all that long ago that people were wondering whether setting up e-mail accounts and Web sites for their businesses would be worth the trouble.

Today, business owners are asking the same questions about social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Just as it was then, the answer today is “yes,” according Donna Serdula, of Northampton-based DonnaTechDesigns.

Serdula told professionals at a Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce Business Technology Forum Friday that there are definitely ways businesses can use the medium to connect with new customers, communicate with their target markets, and increase sales.

“Social media is conversation that takes place on the Internet 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” said Serdula. “Word of mouth is taking off at a much faster pace than before.”

Twitter allows users to submit short, concise text-message style posts, or “Tweets” that are published at twitter.com

and can be viewed by all but are specifically aimed at members of a network of “followers” the users collect.

Facebook, the fastest-growing social network in the world, allows users to build Internet pages to share information, photographs, and activity updates while allowing their “friends” to comment on virtually everything they post.

LinkedIn is a social network that caters to professionals. While online, users can post resumes, share their work history and build a list of contacts who can post professional recommendations for each other.

Serdula told the forum’s participants not to spread themselves too thin by trying to maintain a presence on every social networking site. Instead, she encouraged them to find out where their customers are hanging out.

“If your audience is on Facebook, why are you Tweeting?” she asked rhetorically.

She said Twitter users tend to skew young and male; Facebook boasts a larger percentage of women; and the average LinkedIn member is slightly older and better paid than the other two sites.

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Once businesses figure out where they should focus their efforts, they should start expanding their networks.

“Don’t get the impression that if you build it, they will come,” Serdula said. “Start telling people. Put it on your business card: Follow me on Facebook or Twitter. We are so miniscule in this ocean. We have to splash really hard.”

Even larger companies do that, she said.

For example, Reedman Toll Auto World in Middletown advertises its Facebook page on customer invoices.

Companies can use social networking to talk about their products and services, find out what their customers are thinking and gather feedback.

“There’s always going to be someone who’s unhappy. Even if you’re not there, unfortunately things are still being said, so wouldn’t you rather be there to see it and respond?” said Serdula, who added it would be worse if one of the company’s competitors saw it and responded.

William Blacker, of Home Instead Senior Care in Middletown, uses LinkedIn. He acknowledged the importance of keeping up with the times, but worried that businesses could use a slickly produced social media presence to make the company look more-reputable and more professional than it really is.

“I’m a fish out of water with this,” he said. “I want to learn more because it is what is. But I think it gives the opportunity for companies that don’t have a lot of substance behind what they do to really create a following.”

Serdula responded that companies can be dishonest on their pages, but the good news is that customers’ ability to comment on the business using the social media sites can expose such dishonesty.

Following Serdula’s presentation, Bucks First Federal Credit Union’s Gary Balakoff walked participants through Twitter’s Web site and showed them how to register and use the service.

The credit union uses social media sites to aim a new financial literacy initiative – Project Flipside – straight at young people.

“The best advice I can give is that social media should complement what you’re already doing,” he said. “It shouldn’t replace it.”

January 10, 2010 02:47 AM

My favorite part is where he quotes me saying, “Start telling people. Put it on your business card: Follow me on Facebook or Twitter. We are so miniscule in this ocean. We have to splash really hard.” That little remark was said totally off the cuff and once it was out of my mouth I remember thinking, that’s pretty cool, I’ll have to remember it; but looking around, no one seemed to think it was as clever as I did… so I am really happy Mr. Anatasi caught it and felt it was worth repeating!

Thank you John Anatasi for reporting on the presentation and thank you Bucks County Courier Times for printing it! I appreciate it!