How Businesses are Utilizing Social Media Platforms: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube

Wednesday, June 13, 2012 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM

Click Here to Register!

Fee: $30.00, payable at the workshop

Facebook:
*Create referrals and profitable engagement on your Business Facebook Page
*How to deal with negative Facebook Updates on your Business Page
*Run a Successful Facebook Contest
*Get the most out of Facebook's recent move to the new Timeline view
*Reporting

Pinterest:
*Demographics of Pinterest Users
*How to Use Pinterest for Business
*Best Industries for using Pinterest as a social media platform
*Do’s and Don’ts of using Pinterest

Twitter:
*Why is Twitter so popular?
*Why should I use Twitter for Business
*Twitter Mechanics - Tweet, ReTweet, and proper Hashtag (#) use
*Engaging your audience and increasing online referrals
*Power of List Building

Strategy:
*Birds of a Feather Strategy
*Stalking Dave Delaney Strategy

YouTube:
*Business Benefits of YouTube
*How YouTube Is Social
*YouTube Case studies
*Best Practices for YouTube marketing

Speaker(s): Jason Elkins and Mailynne Calvin from Transparent Social Media and Jeremy Scott from The Viral Orchard

Location

1480 Nashville Pike Gallatin, TN

To get here take the GAP Blvd entrance to Volunteer State Community College.  Then take your second entrance on the right into the parking lot and the Betty Gibson Building will be right in front of you.

I Know Who Has Your Money!

My three year-old, Ava, recently got a wallet for her purse.  Yes, she already has a purse.  Well, with a wallet, goes money.  And, she has already compiled quite the stash.  She even acquired enough cash to do a little lending.  Unfortunately, her lending standards could use some work.  For instance, if you smile at her, you get a quarter. A hug is worth a dollar.  And, you can expect a windfall for some milk and Goldfish.

However, the problem she is now running into is that she is low on funds, and she is none too happy about it.  She is on a collections war path!  “You have my money?” is now a commonly used phrase to our nine month-old, Lilly and to Phoebe, the family dog.  “Can I have it back, pwease?”  It usually works for her.

Unfortunately, several small business owners find themselves in the same predicament, especially this time of year.  Graphic designers, consultants, day cares, landscapers, manufacturers, pest control, accountants, etc. find themselves already playing catch up with customers who gladly took product or service for a promise to repay in the future.  So often the customers soon forget the gracious credit policy offered by the generous business owner.

So now that you know who has your money, it is now time to put that cash back in your pocket:

• Bill immediately.  A lot of businesses bill customers monthly, to keep things simple.  They offer 30 day terms to their customers.  In many cases, customers pay 45 – 60 days after they receive their invoice, and those are the customers that are paying on time.   Now consider this, business owners have to pay staff, vendors and taxes on time during the 45 - 60 day lag period. 

• Use a gadget that will allow you to run a credit card on the spot.  Several are now available, reliable, and cost effective.

https://squareup.com/

http://gopayment.com/

http://www.payanywhere.com/

• Consider using automatic drafts from the customer’s bank account through your bank. You can set up payments on a certain date or on a recurring basis. You will incur some costs to get this set up and may even incur costs each time the transaction occurs, however, it may be well worth it in the long run.

• Use an online bill payment service.  The easier it is for your customer, the quicker you will collect payment.

https://paymentnetwork.intuit.com/

https://www.paypal.com/

• Pick up the telephone.  Not text, Facebook, email, IM or carrier pigeon.  Call them and ask for a specific date you should expect payment in a polite, yet firm manner.

The TSBDC offers free and confidential one-on-one counseling for existing and start up small businesses. To register for go to http://www.tsbdc.org/.

Other contact information - Phone (615) 230-4780 www.volstate.edu/tsbdc

How to Make Sure Siri Can Find Your Site in Local Searches

Search Engine Land editor Danny Sullivan explains which sites small-business owners should be listed on in order to be found by Apple's popular assistant, Siri.

The TSBDC offers free and confidential one-on-one counseling for existing and start up small businesses. To register for go to http://www.tsbdc.org/.

Other contact information - Phone (615) 230-4780 www.volstate.edu/tsbdc

QuickBooks Workshop - May 17th

Thursday, May 17, 2012 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM

TSBDC @ Volunteer State Community College

Click Here to Register

This QuickBooks workshop is designed for basic users and small business owners that operate a for-profit business. Therefore the course description below is focused on that group of learners.

This workshop is in our computer lab in the Ramer Building, Room 175.

Speaker(s): Rachel McCrary - Greeno CPA

Fee: $ 25.00

Register for this event online

May Workshops

Starting a Small Business workshop of Volunteer State Community College's Tennessee Small Business Development Center, 3-5 p.m. Tuesday, May 8, 1480 Nashville Pike, Gallatin, TN in the Betty Gibson Hall, Gibson Conf Room 104. Registration is required. Reserve online. www.tsbdc.org. Free.

QuickBooks for Small Business Introduction workshop of Volunteer State Community College's Tennessee Small Business Development Center, 9-12 p.m. Thursday, May 17, 1480 Nashville Pike, Gallatin, TN in the Ramer Administrative Building, Room 175 Registration is required. Reserve online. www.tsbdc.org. $25, payable at the workshop.

5 Steps to Marketing Success workshop of Volunteer State Community College's Tennessee Small Business Development Center, 9-11 a.m. Tuesday, May 22, 1480 Nashville Pike, Gallatin, TN in the Betty Gibson Hall, Gibson Conf Room 104. Registration is required. Reserve online. www.tsbdc.org. Free.

Getting and Creating Loyal Clients for Your Business workshop of Volunteer State Community College's Tennessee Small Business Development Center, 9-11 a.m. Thursday, May 31, 1480 Nashville Pike, Gallatin, TN in the Betty Gibson Hall, Gibson Conf Room 104. Registration is required. Reserve online. www.tsbdc.org. Free.

IRS Small Business Tax workshop of Volunteer State Community College's Tennessee Small Business Development Center, 9-3:30 p.m. Friday, June 1, 1480 Nashville Pike, Gallatin, TN in the Betty Gibson Hall, Gibson Conf Room 104. Registration is required. Reserve online. www.tsbdc.org. Free.