Moving from “Buzz” to “Business”: Social Commerce Camp DC Is Coming Up

Why bother with PR?

One of the things that yours truly focuses on in her, er my, “day job” is the business use of public relations – or, in other words, why bother with “PR” if it’s not going to impact business indicators? Far too often, I see and hear people assuming the raison d’être of “PR” is to “create buzz.”

I won’t belabor the point here but in a nutshell, it’s not. Effective PR is designed – and implemented – with a view to helping an organization achieve its business objectives. In other words, it really is about managing the relationships between an organization and its “publics,” and thus impacting the bottom line.

Which is why I’m excited to be a part of Social Commerce Camp DC this weekend (Saturday, Feb. 20); a free educational event that is geared towards small businesses and entrepreneurs who want to grow their businesses and are looking for the tools to get them started.

Now, it’s a half-day event so no, you won’t be writing an encyclopedia on small business after attending, but what you should definitely walk away with is an understanding of how to use “social” to jumpstart your business (or kick it into high gear). And yes, PR is a part of that, and that’s what I’ll be focusing on.

Here’s the agenda

• 8 – 9 am:  Continental breakfast , registration and networking
• 9 – 9:45 am: Social Media 101 for Small Business, with Shashi Bellamkonda , Social Media Swami, Network Solutions
• 10 – 10:45 am: Creating a Killer Social User Experience with your e-Commerce Site, with Steve Fisher, browncoatsmovie.com
• 10.45 – 11.15 am:  Check your Twitter account/ blogging time
• 11:15 am to 12 noon: PR Tips and Best Practices for Small Business – Shonali Burke (me!)

Major props to the sponsors: Mayer Brown, Network Solutions, Kikscore and  MyBusinessAssistant.com.

Will I see you there? Remember, it’s free, so come on out. You can register here.

Image: Daniel Broche, Creative Commons

Cross-posted from Women Grow Business, of which I am editor.

Filed under Public Relations, Speaking, Women Grow Business | Tags: ecommerce, effective pr, pr, Public Relations, social commerce, social commerce camp DC, Speaking, Women Grow Business | Comment (1)