SCORE teams up with social media pros to teach local businesses how to grow – even in this economy

July 22, 2011 - PRLog -- SCORE Minnesota teams up with social media pros to teach local businesses how to grow – even in this economy

The Aug. 10 SCORE Social Media Boot Camp II is the largest fundraising event of the year for SCORE Minnesota, a resource partner of the Small Business Administration

Minneapolis, MN, [July 22, 2011] — Ten social media pros will voluntarily share their expertise during a daylong social media boot camp on Aug. 10 – all in the name of helping Minnesota small businesses prosper and grow.

More than 200 small business owners and marketing professionals and 50 SCORE volunteer mentors from across Minnesota and western Wisconsin are expected to attend this event, which serves as the largest fundraiser for SCORE Minnesota. Tickets range from $124-$149, after a $25 discount available until July 30. Proceeds will help SCORE Minnesota and its six chapters to provide entrepreneurs, start ups and small businesses with confidential business counseling services at no charge.

The SCORE Social Media Boot Camp II is set for Wednesday, Aug. 10 from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Minneapolis North Crowne Plaza Hotel, 2200 Freeway Blvd, Minneapolis, MN.  Registration and details are available at http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=...

The knowledge exchange starts with an 8 a.m. registration and continental networking breakfast. The keynote address, from Aaron Weiche, Vice President at Spyder Trap Online Marketing, sets the tone for the day’s intense learning sessions.

Throughout the day, attendees will learn to build their social media strategy. Morning sessions set the stage; a series of nine afternoon breakout sessions allows attendees to create a custom social media boot camp. An optional networking session afterward provides time to meet the speakers and network with other business owners and marketers to find out what’s working for them.

In addition to Weiche, Boot Camp II social media professional speakers include Gary Braley, Braley Consulting Services; Karen Emanuelson, Reciprocate LLC; BreAnna Fisher, SMC Pros; Tai Goodwin, TaiGoodwin.com; Lisa Hendrickson, Call That Girl; Kate-Madonna Hindes, Girl Meets Geek; Pamela Muldoon, Next Stage Business Radio Network; Dustin Thompson, 2020Tek; and Mike Sasso, RJM Consulting Group, LLC. They will present topics ranging from the importance of keywords and how to write effective online content to time management tips and maximizing the return on investment – all with the goal of growing a small business.

This is the second annual SCORE Social Media Boot Camp and is designed for business owners, marketing professionals and anyone responsible for social media efforts in their organization.

“The upcoming SCORE Social Media Boot Camp II is only a few weeks away. This is a session that should not be missed by anyone interested in enhancing their marketing efforts and growing their business," said Loren Herbst, District Director for SCORE Minnesota. “All presenters have expertise and experience in the areas they address. Come on Aug. 10 for a day full of new ideas that can move your business to the next level.”

Admission includes all sessions and materials, a continental breakfast, lunch, snacks, a special edition of "Online Marketing for Dummies" provided by event sponsor Deluxe Corporation and the e-book, “Call That Girl's Guide to Social Media.” Other event sponsors include Anderson Multimedia; Angie’s Creative; Magic Brad; MainStreet Chamber; MediaMAX Events and Expos, Inc.; Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal; Minuteman Press – Bloomington; MySynergy Café; Peter Brehm and Associates, PSC; Reciprocate LLC; SPEDCO; The Peter McClellan Show; TruPerception; and Wells Fargo.
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SCORE Minnesota is part of the national nonprofit SCORE Association. Since 1964 SCORE has helped more than 8.5 million aspiring entrepreneurs.  Each year SCORE nationally provides small business mentoring and workshops to more than 600,000 new and growing small businesses across the U.S.  More than 13,000 business experts volunteer as mentors in more than 350 chapters serving local communities.
 
At SCORE Minnesota more than 400 volunteers and mentors, each with years of real-world business experience, provide free and confidential mentoring to start-ups and established businesses in the St. Paul, Minneapolis, St. Cloud, Rochester, Red Wing, South Metro, western Wisconsin, and the Lake Superior Region.

As a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), SCORE operates in cooperation with the SBA to provide entrepreneurs with information vital to their success, including counsel on financing options, business planning, marketing strategies, product development and more. For more information about SCORE and about starting or operating a small business, go to www.SCORE.org.  Additional information may also be found at www.facebook.com/scoreminnesota or www.twitter.com/scoreminnesota.

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Reciprocate offers customized, one-on-one and group social media and marketing training. Most organizations can learn to be effective on social media platforms in just a few sessions, saving hours of struggling on their own.