Facebook & Twitter for SMBs?

….. you’re joking right? 

James (Jim) Buckingham, MA ODE (Open U, UK)

james.buckingham@zu.ac.aeSenior Education Technology Specialist

Zayed University  

presented28 March 2010Tamakkan Abu Dhabi, UAE

Intro duction - who am I to be doing this?

Education

explore use of IT in Education

look to business / non profit sectors for ideas

i.e. professional networking via use of Twitter / LinkedIn

Education Technologist / Educator

Intro duction - who am I to be doing this?

Business

recognize importance of innovation

be lean … mean .. & innovative

Education Technologist / Educator

Business survival now ?

Biz

Current Business trends involving tech?

Manyika, J., Roberts, R., & Sprague, K. (2007, December), McKinsey Quarterly - Business Technology - Infrastructure..

8 business technology trends to watch

use consumers as innovators

converse with your customer

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19% use Twitter as a service channel

26% post tweets about areas of expertise

39% keep a blog

54% monitor feedback about their business

57% use sites like LinkedIn to build network

69% post status updates & articles of interest

75% have company page on Facebook / LinkedIN

DIYSEO. (2010, March 11). INFOGRAPHIC: Ice Cream Social. DIYSEO. Retrieved March 29, 2010, from http://blog.diyseo.com/2010/03/infographic-ice-cream-social

What’s the attraction? Statistics

• + 400,000,000 users (source? Facebook - Press Room statistics, 2010)

• + 800,000 users in the UAE (source? Emirates Business 24/7, Social Media, Sept 2009)

What’s the attraction? From a consumer’s perspective

• easy to use / connect / share w/ others• 24/7 connection w/ others worldwide• user control = user centered• it's FREE

What’s the attraction? From a business’ perspective

• ease to use• ease to access a target market • helps build credibility / brand quickly• ubiquitous (i.e. via smartphone)• all of that a low or no cost

What’s the attraction? Statistics

+ 40% growth rate • dramatic increase in the use of Twitter in the UAE (Emirates Business, Social Media, Sept 2009)

What’s the attraction? From a consumer’s perspective

• easy to use / connect / share w/ others• 24/7 connection w/ others worldwide• user control = user centered• growing list of applications / uses • it's FREE

What’s the attraction? From a business’ perspective

• ease to use• ease to converse with customers

• listening / engaging / tweeting • ubiquitous (i.e. via smartphone)• all of that a low or no cost

Examples

• Golden Nights Pizza • (Orlando, Florida, USA)

• CoolHaus (Los Angeles, California, USA)

• Threadless (Chicago, Illinois, USA)

• Wild Peeta (Dubai, UAE)

Golden Nights Coolhaus Wild Peeta

Examples

website

Coolhaus Wild Peeta

Examples

Golden Nights

Examples

Coolhaus Wild Peeta Golden Nights

Facebook

Examples

Coolhaus Wild Peeta Golden Nights

Examples

Coolhaus Wild Peeta Golden Nights

Examples

Coolhaus Wild Peeta Golden Nights

noteables?• uses everything

• coupons• special offers• video doc

• order online from Facebook

Examples

Coolhaus Wild Peeta Golden Nights

Examples

Coolhaus Wild Peeta Golden Nights

Examples

Coolhaus Wild Peeta Golden Nights

Examples

Coolhaus Wild Peeta Golden Nights

Examples

Coolhaus Wild Peeta Golden Nights

Twitter

Examples

Coolhaus Wild Peeta Golden Nights

Twitter

Examples

Coolhaus Wild Peeta Golden Nights

noteables?• 8,059 followers

• inform followers of their truck's current location with Twitter• invite local musicians to perform at their truck locations

• franchising • just opened in Brazil & Italy

Examples

Coolhaus Wild Peeta Golden Nights

Examples

Coolhaus Wild Peeta Golden Nights

Examples

Coolhaus Wild Peeta Golden Nights

Examples

Coolhaus Wild Peeta Golden Nights

Examples

Coolhaus Wild Peeta Golden Nights

Examples

Coolhaus Wild Peeta Golden Nights

noteables?• have invited customers to present new ideas for reinventing the shawarma

(via Twitter)

Follow up

Contact

Resources

Possible Course

References

Follow up

Resources

Tamakkan page• Facebook

• why bother?

• Twitter• how to get started with Twitter in your business• http://tamakkan.ning.com/video

• set of videos on how to use twitter in business

Follow up

Possible Course • pros / cons of using social media• strategies used• practical “how to” methods for realizing social media for your business (Facebook & Twitter)

• listen• dialogue• market

Follow up

References• to be posted on my blog

http://jamesbuckingham.net

Follow up

Follow me

• tweet me – @buckinsand• comment on my blog – http://jamesbuckingham.net