Category Archives: event

Are You LinkedIn Call

LinkedIn has become an important tool for business. Currently, LinkedIn has over 70 million members in more than 200 countries around the globe. Are you using LinkedIn to make the most of your business or are you missing out.

Learn more what LinkedIn is and how it can help your career at this webinar.

Price of admission? Just let us know your LinkedIn question. What do you want to know about LinkedIn? Enter your question in the form below and check your email for the date and time of the call.

Fast Company Influence Project

I was intrigued when I heard about Fast Company Influence Project, the Six Degrees of Separation project and how we are so tightly connected. As I meet more people, I find the world feels smaller and smaller. It seems like distances are shrinking.

Fast Company just started the Influence Project to create a visual representation of how we are all connected. Check it out the Influence Project and see how we are all one big worldwide family.

You might be surprised at how influential you really are!
Writing Spider
Creative Commons License photo credit: Fatback[Dale]

Blog 30 Day Challenge is On

Today, June 1, 2010 is Day 1 of the Blog 30 Day Challenge. My goal is to post 30 new blog postings here over the month of June. Inspired by Connie Green, I accepted the first Blog 30 Day Challenge in April. I had fun, learned a few tips and met interesting bloggers from around the world. I decided to participate in the new challenge as a way to stretch outside my comfort zone and learn more about blogging.

Web 3.0
Creative Commons License photo credit: videocrab

Over the past two years I started two blogs. I am learning more about working with WordPress blogs and I’ll be sharing this experience with you on this site in the near future. You will see changes to the look and feel of this blog also.

What do you to stretch outside your comfort zone? Where do you look for inspiration and information?

To find other bloggers who have joined the Blog 30 day challenge, search Twitter for hash tag #blog30

Thank You for Your Service

Thank you to all the men and women who served our county in the military. Your bravery ensures our freedom to live as we do. Especially for those who made the ultimate sacrifice, we keep you in our thoughts.

Meet a few Pearl Harbor Survivors I was fortunate to interview:
Herb Weatherwax
Bill Temple
Stan Reynolds

Dave Davenport
Robert Ruffato
Mal Middlesworth

Flag and balloons
Creative Commons License photo credit: quinn.anya
Several organizations are working to document the stories of our veterans. Learn more about these stories from our veterans.

Social Networking Class July 2010

New summer social networking for business classes added to our summer schedule. Check out these sessions in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago. These sessions are designed for business owners and employees who want to leverage the power of social networking tools to gain market share. Learn how you can rank higher in Google and other search engine results without paying for these hits. See how you can use these tools to build relationships and community with your current and potential customers.

  • Blogging Basics – 7/12/2010 Students will need access to a web based email account (Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, etc) to participate in this class.
  • I’m LinkedIn, Now What – 7/19/2010 Create a free LinkedIn.com account before class
  • Facebook for Business – 7/26/2010  Create a free Facebook.com account before class

Register early as these sessions have been selling out. Contact Elgin Community College for information on class fees, dates, times and locations. For information on upcoming classes and other events visit our website events page.

Autumn Social Networking Class Elgin ECC

The Autumn Social Networking schedule at Elgin Community College is here. This series called “Small Business Evenings” will be in Streamwood, Illinois. The classes are a joint partnership between Elgin Community College, Illinois Small Business Development Center and Village of Streamwood.

Limited seating available for these session. The last series of classes sold out. If you are interested in attending, do not wait to register.

CSS 310 Tweet for Profit
People are looking for your business on Twitter. Are you there to talk with them? Learn how to make the most of this micro-blogging tool. Create a free Twitter account before the class starts.
300 67693   7-9PM    9/1/10   $69.00

CSS 313 Facebook for Small Business
Learn how to leverage connections to build relationships for business. Learn about group and fan pages and more. Create a free Facebook account before the class.
300 67692    7-9PM   9/8/10   $69.00

CSS 311 Blogging Basics Small Business
Curious about blogging but you do not know where to start? In this session you will create your own blog and post your first online message. NOTE: To participate in the session, you’ll need access to a web based email account such as Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail, etc.
300 67690    7-9PM    9/15/10     $69.00

CSS 312 I Am Linkedin, Now What?
In this session learn how to build effective connections, get recommendations, get introduced to others, find customers and partners, use groups and stay in touch with other potential contacts. Create a free LinkedIn account before the class starts.
300 67691    7-9PM   9/22/10      $69.00

Registration

For more information and registration, contact Elgin Community College.

  • Online – Small Business Development category
  • In Person at the Main Campus
  • By Phone Call 847-622-3036

Need a Speaker for Your Event?

Is your group looking for a keynote speaker for your upcoming professional, community or corporate event?

April is available to speak for corporations, associations, public seminars and events and industry-specific trainings. Topics can be customized.

  • Social networking strategies
  • Building your brand
  • Finding passion in your life
  • Volunteering
  • Mentoring
  • Accountability groups

Hear what attendees are saying about April’s presentations http://bit.ly/April_Speaks. For booking information call 414.502.7745.

Last Minute Social Networking Class Openings at Shah Center

Are you a McHenry County business interested in social networking? Are you hearing all the buzz from your fellow business owners who have attended these sessions at the Shah Center and are now using social networking to attract new business?

We have a couple of open spots for the social networking classes at the Shah Center in McHenry. These new sessions on Facebook, Twitter and blogs were just added to the schedule as the previous sessions sold out in record time.

Designed with a business focus, these classes focus on attracting prospects, increasing Google search results, building relationships and making your business top of mind for local consumers.

facebook
Creative Commons License photo credit: rafeejewell

If you are interested in these sessions, do not wait to sign up. Seating is very limited. Each student is assigned their own workstation in this new computer lab.

  • May 5
  • May 10
  • May 17

For additional information and registration for these classes, contact the Shah Center directly by phone at (815) 455-6098.

Other class titles are available later this summer. Sign up for my newsletter so you do not miss out.
See our events page for a full calendar.

Shah Center McHenry

I am going to let you in on the best kept secret in McHenry County: the Shah Center. If you are part of a for profit business in McHenry County, I encourage you to find out more about the center and how your business can benefit from their services.

The Shah Center offers workshops, seminars, assessment and on-site, customized workforce training to help your business stay ahead of the competition.

As an adjunct teacher for the site, I have the pleasure of teaching social networking classes (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and blogs) in their new technology class rooms. Each student has their own work station for hands on learning. In these sessions, local businesses learn how to use social networking sites to build relationships, identify partners and connect with loyal customers.

The Shah Center is located at 4100 W. Shamrock Lane in McHenry, Illinois 60050.

You can find out more information at

www.shahcenter.mchenry.edu

Phone: (815) 455–8593

Email: shahcenter@mchenry.edu
See our events page for a full calendar of our upcoming classes.

Interview with the Author

When D’vorah Lansky asked be to be a guest on Relationship Marketing Cafe, I jumped at the chance. On Monday April 28, 2010 I was a guest of relationship marketing expert D’vorah Lansky on her podcast The Blog Station.

Back when D’vorah initally launched her podcast, I was honored to be her first guest on the show. Two years later, I was delighted to be invited back for a repeat visit. As a guest, I am in good company. Industry experts from around the country have been guests on the show.

D’vorah and I initially met through a LinkedIn discussion group. We traded emails back and forth before moving our conversation to the telephone. Over the years we developed a mutually beneficial business relationship. D’vorah is a co-author in the “Ignite Your Passion” book.

Do not worry if you missed the call. You can listen to the recorded session for tips on how to grow your business.
D’vorah Lansky of The Blog Station interviews author April M. Williams.

The Blog Station with host D’vorah Lansky