I am very excited to share that The Refinery at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest will host O.C.'s very first Orange County Social Media Summit on Friday, May 18, 2012. Over 300 people have RSVP'd to date and will draw in many more folks that are interested in learning, connecting and sharing with other social media advocates.

This event will be like no other event in Orange County. Social media pioneers will share business successes, personal growth, reports of increased web traffic, and scores of other benefits, from simply being present, and being themselves in social media.

The brains behind this event are the lovely @RochelleVeturis and @HaleyVeturis -- social media's sweethearts. A big heart-filled thank you for inviting me to participate as a panelist at the wonderful event. You can view all keynotes and panelists below. A shout out from the keynotes are also below for your viewing pleasure.

[Click to view more panelists.]

I  had the pleasure of speaking at The Institute for Women Entrepreneurs of Orange County last night with colleagues Kelly Weppler and Stephanie Pottick. The subject matter was how to Market, Brand and Protect your business. Is 2012 the year you will focus on strengthening your brand? Yes? Great! Read on.

I'll share below some golden nuggets from our presentation beginning with Kelly and her strategies on marketing a business.

1. Strategy Before Tactics - Without tactics, it is the slowest route to victory.
2. Identify your Ideal Client - Do they value you? Do they refer you? Are they profitable?
3. Define Your Core Difference - Identify and communicate this. Stand out from the competition.
4. What People Really Buy - Your unique service/product. Your unique process. Your unique guarantee. A solution to a problem.

As we moved on, the next segment was finding out how to build a memorable brand. This is where Design Action Studios, jumped in and helped our audience shape their brand image. Please feel free to watch the YouTube video below as I walk you through each point or read on for a quick run down.

1. Branding is What People Think About Your Company
2. It's about Storytelling - Take the opportunity to educate and interact with your audience. Build that emotional connection. This is a reflection on your brand's values and goals.
3. Have a Brand Game Plan - Put your vision into your brand. Your vision and purpose must be clear, because without it there is no association between what you say and what you do.
4. Colors Matter - What emotions do you want to evoke from your audience?
5. It's Important to Deliver Your Brand Story Online - You build brand awareness. You are able to use the two-way communication channel to connect and educate your audience.
6. Determine Which Social Channel is Best for Your Brand - LinkedIn? YouTube? Podcasts? Once you know your target audience, it will be easier to select the best social media network for you.

Last Thursday, Orange County was fortunate to welcome Brian Solis, one of the most prominent thought leaders and published authors in new media. Organized by Bryan Elliott of LinkedOC, the event was held at SEED People’s Market in Costa Mesa and welcomed 200 people.

Written by guest blogger: Debbie Miller

"Social Media Club is organized in various locations in the US for the purpose of sharing best practices, establishing ethics and standards and promoting media literacy around the emerging area of social media.” 
 

Last week, numerous members of the local social media community met to “reboot” the Social Media Club of Orange County (SMCOC) after months of dormancy. Led by SMCOC’s co-founder, Morgan Brown, the night commenced with some logistical background information on the Social Media Club as well as, specifically, the Orange County chapter.
 

Morgan then proceeded with a panel of highly-relevant players in the OC social networking sphere: Ted Nguyen of the Orange County Transportation Authority, Neal Schaffer of Windmill Networking and Bryan Elliott of LinkedOC. Ted, Neal and Bryan answered various questions from Morgan and the audience, providing great insight into current social media marketing trends.