PR and marketing

Measuring the value of social media with Tracey Brown

With growing numbers of Australian businesses using social media, the need to measure the effectiveness of social media activity is becoming increasingly important.

Surprisingly, many businesses do not measure the effectiveness of their social media activity, or they’re unsure what to measure or where to start.

Tracey will discuss the importance of measuring social media activity by looking into how success can be defined and measured using simple tools.

She will explain how to get the most out of your social media measurement tools, how to measure the success of a social media campaign and what the future holds for social media measurement.

About Tracey:
Tracey Brown has worked in online for over 15 years, from Westpac eBusiness, to co-founding Tipping Point in Sydney, before moving to London as Head of Digital for Schroders. She also held a global online CRM role for Vodafone Group.

Now back in Sydney, Tracey co-founded eMarketingConnected in December 2010.

Her breadth of experience ranges from online strategy, strategic email marketing, social media strategy, benchmarking and optimisation strategies, to user experience definition and content strategy.

Tracey has delivered workshops and training programmes in USA, Asia, Sth Africa, UK & Europe. She also conducts events and workshops for clients and members.

Tracey’s company eMarketingConnected has recently produced a comprehensive report on the social media activities of Australia’s 500 largest organisations, ‘How the Largest Australian brands use Social Media’. The company has also produced other reports such as ‘Why The Largest Australian Retailers Are Losing The Online Battle’ and ‘How Are Australian Brands Using Facebook’.

Twitter: @traceybrown74

Please note: This month's Social Media Women is being held on the FIRST Tuesday of the month as the second Tuesday falls too close to Easter.

A not to be missed event - learn about the importance of measuring your social media activity by using simply tools.

LUCKY DOOR PRIZE - You could win a corporate headshot session from Polly Street valued at $385! This includes: 30 to 45 Minutes on location photo session, an online preview gallery to select your favourite shots, 3 Edited and retouched high res image files.

Register now for our April event at http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1933221317

Date: Tuesday 3 April 2012 (First week in April)
Time: 6:00pm - 8:30pm
Venue: The Supper Club at the Oxford Hotel,
134 Oxford St, Darlinghurst.
(Enter the Oxford St side of the hotel and walk up the stairs. Metered parking is a few steps away on Bourke St, $1.10 per hour)

Meet amazing women as well as discussing the ever changing world of social media.

Website & Ecommerce - Set-up and beyond: tips, trends and ideas with Nancy Georges "The Retail Miss Fix-it"

Most Australian households now have the internet, which means Australian retailers have an easy path into their customers’ homes.

Online presence, e-commerce and social media are now necessary in every retailer’s marketing strategy. Websites and online stores are no longer optional extras – they are a vital necessity.

Technology is driving business more than ever. Nancy will give you the information to get you started in the world that we are now operating in.

Websites and online stores are essential for EVERY business. There are so many options and decisions to be made, which makes it harder to get started. Once you have the cart, you need to ensure it is future proof.

Your online store needs to be an extension of your existing fabulous customer service, so what questions do you need to ask yourself? Shopping cart format sorted? What about the payment gateways and options available to you? What is the best one for your needs? Integrating your website into your social media & offline activity? (which is as important as the site itself!) - what are the "do's & don'ts"?

Nancy will discuss her own experiences with a wide range of products and services.

About Nancy Georges:
Nancy, "The Retail Miss Fix-it", is a Retail Strategist and owner of Magnolia Solutions, offering retail marketing consultancy, strategy and solutions.

She has over 20 years industry experience; in-store management, customer service, product development, manufacturing, wholesaling and marketing. Evolving from a wholesaling business - Paper Magnolia - she moved to marketing support & consulting.

She has built her own websites and online stores, as well as publishing her first printed book and e-book. Her knowledge and references are all from her own first hand experiences.

Working with retailers, wholesalers, brands & manufacturers to navigate the ‘new world’; Nancy strategically integrates and implements sound retail practices with websites, e-commerce and social media. Nancy is one of the Social Media Women founders.

Nancy contributes insightful retail and marketing articles to trade magazines and websites, and is often asked to provide comment for newspapers and radio.

Nancy has just released her new book “7 Powerful Ways to Boost Retail Profits in Any Economic Climate” to help retailers identify the foundation they need to ensure a profitable retail store and business in today’s economic climate. Retailers need the information and support so that they can adapt and navigate the new retail climate.

Nancy is a speaker at industry conferences and events as well as holding seminars focused on retail and the transition actions needed to navigate the ‘new world’.

Follow her on Twitter: @NancyGeorges

A not to be missed event - learn the ins and outs of websites, online stores and offline integration.

Register now for our March event here.

Date: Tuesday 13 March 2012
Time: 6:00pm - 8:30pm
Venue: The Supper Club at the Oxford Hotel,
134 Oxford St, Darlinghurst.
(Enter the Oxford St side of the hotel and walk up the stairs. Metered parking is a few steps away on Bourke St, $1.10 per hour)

Once upon a time, in a non-digital world, people met in real life and got to know each other as people rather than as brands. Business and branding were an extension of a person but they didn't make a person.

Today everyone is, in one way or another, digitally branded. Whether it is through Facebook, Twitter, a blog or LinkedIn, your personality and your brand - in both colour and design - are online for all to see.

So what happens when you meet your friends and contacts in real life? Does your personality in real life match the experience people have of you online? In real life do you reveal another (better or maybe worse) aspect of yourself? How do you live up to the expectations that have been created by you online?

Mariette Rups-Donnelly will share with you some tips, tricks and techniques to make sure that when you meet your contacts in real life you live up to every expectation and perception that they have of you.

Mariette will explain that in order for your physical being to compliment your digital one, you must first understand that people have created perceptions of you because of what you put out there both in branding and online presence.

When you understand that, then you can actively work to make sure your real life presence is just as strong.

About Mariette Rups-Donnelly:
Mariette has taken her years of experience as a leading actor and teacher of actors and combined it with an astute business understanding to create programs that go to the core of presence, presentation skills and business performance.

Through her company, Powerhouse Presentation, she runs a wide variety of one on one programs and customised workshops for small business owners, professional speakers, executives and corporations.

As a professional speaker and MC she is becoming more and more aware of the disconnection between people's online presence and their 'In Real Life' presence and performance.

She draws her expertise from a 34-year career as an Actor/Singer/Dancer and 26 years of teaching in some of Australia's leading acting institutions.

Her professional acting work is both national and international and includes theatre, television, film and cabaret with leading roles in A Chorus Line, Annie, Big River, Company, The Seagull, Hamlet, Emerald City, Away, among many others, and the title role in Evita, twice.

With her experience both in the performance world and the business world she has a wealth of knowledge to share.

A not to be missed event - learn how to match your real life presence to your online presence.

Register here for our September event.

Date:      Tuesday 13 September 2011
Time:      6:00pm - 8:30pm
Venue:   The Supper Club at the Oxford Hotel,
                134 Oxford St, Darlinghurst.
(Enter the Oxford St side of the hotel and walk up the stairs. Metered parking is a few steps away on Bourke St, $1.10 per hour)

Enter the draw to win LUCKY DOOR PRIZES, simply by attending!

Meet amazing women as well as discussing the ever changing world of social media.

The open discussion about social media is one of the best parts of the event. So bring your social media questions for the group to answer.

Social Media Women is all about inspiration, collaboration, supporting each other and growing. Join the community:

• Become a fan and check out the launch photos and post comments on Facebook
• See, subscribe and view the guest list on SocialMediaWomen.posterous.com
• Join and start discussions on LinkedIn
• Visit the official Social Media Women Site
• Follow us on Twitter @SocialMediaWomn

Starting any business can be challenging. Practical advice based on experience helps save time, energy and money and a free program that helps support a start-up is the cherry on the cake!

Catherine Eibner will share her tips and advice for entrepreneurs on starting a business.

Catherine runs the Microsoft BizSpark program in Australia. BizSpark is a free program specifically designed by Microsoft to help early stage technical companies really hit the ground running during the first three years of business - a time when resources are low, cash is strapped and challenges are plentiful.

Catherine will explain how BizSpark works and how she learnt her lessons the hard way and in turn hopefully she will save you from experiencing some of the stress, insanity, health issues and money losses she experienced!
 
Catherine Eibner - Developer Evangelist (Startups): Partner and Customer Innovation Team

Catherine is responsible for the Microsoft BizSpark program in Australia. BizSpark is designed to fast track the success of early stage technology companies by offering software, support and opportunities to increase visibility.

Catherine joined Microsoft in 2008 as a Dynamics Developer Evangelist to build the local Dynamics Developer Community. She is particularly passionate about supporting and encouraging other women in IT and is involved with the GeekGirlBlogs.com site.

Twitter: @ceibner
Blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/ceibner

A not to be missed event - learn how to start a new business properly!

Register here for our July event.

Date:      Tuesday 12 July 2011
Time:      6:00pm - 8:30pm
Venue:   The Supper Club at the Oxford Hotel,
                134 Oxford St, Darlinghurst.
(Enter the Oxford St side of the hotel and walk up the stairs. Metered parking is a few steps away on Bourke St, $1.10 per hour)

Enter the draw to win LUCKY DOOR PRIZES simply by attending!

Meet amazing women as well as discussing the ever changing world of social media.

The open discussion about social media is one of the best parts of the event. So bring your social media questions for the group to answer.

Macquarie University’s flagship Women, Management & Work Conference on 28-29 July 2011 will inspire women to take the next step by utilising and building on their signature strengths to become influential leaders.

Leading women speakers will focus on strategies to achieve higher levels of women in leadership roles throughout Australia. The conference will share practical tips and tools to facilitate career progress and success.

The two-day conference is in its 23rd year and conference co-director Melanie O’Connor said, “This year we are aiming to ignite discussion and encourage women looking to make their mark in the leadership stakes to act on their strengths.”

“Debate continues to circulate around management circles as women start taking more positive and active leadership roles. But it isn’t enough. We need to ensure that the corporate landscape continues to change for the better.”

“Although we have recently seen some increases in the numbers of women in senior management roles and CEO positions, the numbers are still too small to get excited about,” said Ms O’Connor.

According to research conducted by Macquarie University’s Faculty of Business and Economics’ Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency Census 2010, women are still underrepresented within key decision maker roles within Australia. The Australian Institute of Company Directors reported that in 2010 women made up about 25 percent of board appointments in Australia, but it slipped to 11 percent for the top 200 companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.

These findings highlight that few significant changes have occurred in the business landscape to address why capable women are still prevented from contributing at high levels of business.

“It is clear that we still have a long way to go to fully integrate talented women into leadership roles. We hope that this conference will continue to spark the conversations needed to make cultural change a reality,” said Ms O’Connor.

Women, Management & Work: Ignite Your Strengths conference will consist of presentations and workshops with expert speakers from diverse backgrounds and industry sectors. Each section of the conference has been specifically developed to provide practical and relevant advice on negotiation, communication, mentoring and career development.

Topics to be discussed over the two days include what the future of leadership will look like and how women fit into this concept, as well as tips on how to fast track your strengths to become an influential leader.

Date: 28 and 29 July 2011, 9am – 5pm
Where: Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, 61-101 Phillip St, Sydney
For more information, program details & registration: www.lmsf.mq.edu.au/womenandleadership
Fee: $2,300


Conference speakers available to be interviewed include:
Melanie O’Connor, Managing Director, The Academy Network
Conference spokesperson. Melanie is highly regarded for her work in advising corporations in the development of talent management and capability strategies, and is considered by many to be one of the foremost advisers in this field in Australia.

Lynelle Briggs, CEO, Medicare Australia
Topic: Leadership Success Stories. Lynelle became CEO of Medicare in 2009. She has 30 years experience in the Australian Public Service. In 2004 she was appointed Australian Public Service Commissioner.

Anna Booth, Board Director & Policy Developer
Topic: The Future of Leadership. An executive director of CoSolve, a non-executive director of Industry Holdings Pty Ltd and a non- executive chair of Slater & Gordon.  Anna is a specialist in workplace relations, training and managing workplace change for positive outcomes.

Margy Osmond, CEO, Australian National Retail Association (ANRA)
Topic: The Future of Leadership. Margy is the inaugural CEO of ANRA which was established in 2006. She sits on the Boards of the Australian Sports Commission, the Bell Shakespeare Company and the Retail Employee’s Superannuation Trust.

Mara Olekalns, Professor of Management – Negotiations and Deputy Dean (Academic), Melbourne Business School
Topic: The art of negotiation: Strategies for success. Mara’s expertise is within the fields of negotiation and conflict resolution. Her research focuses on communication processes in negotiation. Mara has published in leading international management, psychology and communications journals.

Helen Conway, Director, Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency
Topic: Leadership Success Stories. Helen’s appointment as Director of EOWA comes after many years of experience in the top tiers of the corporate sector, including General Counsel, Company Secretary and the General Manager of the office of the CEO at Caltex Group and Senior Judicial Member of the NSW Equal Opportunity Tribunal.

-ends-

Women At Work Australia online community:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/womenatworkoz #WWMC
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WomenatWorkOz
Blog: http://womenatworkoz.posterous.com/

Never edited a Wikipedia page? You are not alone! Did you know only 13% of contributors to Wikipedia are women?

Women should actively add to the collected knowledge of the information age embodied in Wikipedia. Suzanne Francis from Collective Action will be discussing the campaign Women for Wikipedia which provides an environment for women to share their experiences with Wikipedia in an enthusiastic and engaged community.

Suzanne will discuss Wikipedia and offer a guide about how to contribute to Wikipedia and even create your own page.

Women for Wikipedia is a way that every open source group in Australia can introduce the concepts of free and open software to a general audience and also while at it, do something to address the gender imbalance that characterises both this community and, obviously, the Wikipedia knowledge base.

A not to be missed event - help us celebrate the centenary of International Women's Day, and Social Media Women's 1st anniversary!

To follow the campaign on Twitter follow #women4wikipedia and join in the weekly Twitter Chat Monday nights 8pm AEST (Melbourne-Canberra-Sydney); 7pm Brisbane; 7.30pm Adelaide; 5pm AWST Perth/WA; 9am UTC/GMT.

Register now for our March event at http://socialmediawomenmarch.eventbrite.com/

Date:      Tuesday 8 March 2011
Time:      6:00pm - 8:30pm
Venue:   The Supper Club at the Oxford Hotel,
               134 Oxford St, Darlinghurst.
(Enter the Oxford St side of the hotel and walk up the stairs. Metered parking is a few steps away on Bourke St, $1.10 per hour)

Enter the draw to win LUCKY DOOR PRIZES, simply by attending!

Meet amazing women as well as discussing the ever changing world of social media.

The open discussion about social media is one of the best parts of the event. So bring your social media questions for the group to answer.

Social Media Women is all about inspiration, collaboration, supporting each other and growing. Join the community:

• Become a fan and check out the launch photos and post comments on Facebook
• See, subscribe and view the guest list on www.SocialMediaWomen.posterous.com
• Join and start discussions on LinkedIn
• Visit the official Social Media Women Site
• Follow us on Twitter @SocialMediaWomn
• Send us upcoming media events that might be of interest to other women to our Social Media Women Email.