Tag Archives: McHenry County

Social Media Personalized

Social media marketing is challenging for small businesses in McHenry County. Just keeping up with Facebook changes is almost a full-time job. Did you know there assistance for businesses in McHenry County and it will not cost you an arm and a leg?Bring your Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest, FourSquare, YouTube, Twitter questions and more.

Check out the social media marketing programs offered at the Shah Center in McHenry just for small business owners. The Shah Center is a part of the Illinois Small Business Development Center.

Social Media Roundtable: A no-cost seminar to discuss the latest trends in social media marketing and share various approaches with your peers. A social media professional will help facilitate the discussion and be available for questions. There is no fee to attend, reservations required as seating is limited.

Social Media for Small Business: Do you have questions about social media? Want hands-on help? Bring your questions to our computer classroom and work with a social media expert. Learn new ways to reach and engage an online audience and boost your bottom line through the use technologies like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus. Cost: $30.

Consulting: The Shah Center consulting services are free to all clients, start-up entrepreneurs, owners and managers of businesses. We’ve helped businesses in our area attract customers, improve their operations, increase sales, and get financing. We can review your business plan before you talk to your banker to help you prepare. Use our research and contacts to strengthen your plan, improve your operations or develop your marketing and e-business strategies. Plus, we catalog and track all federal, state and local government business assistance programs. We offer counseling and seminars/workshops on these and other topics:

  • Business planning, people and other business management issues
  • Marketing and advertising
  • Finance and accounting, regulation and taxation
  • Production and operations, office automation and computer training
  • Business data analysis, technology and other issues necessary to promote business growth
  • Operational, project and strategic planning techniques

All classes are held at the Shah Center.  The McHenry County College Shah Center at 4100 W. Shamrock Lane in McHenry, near Centegra Hospital. For more information or to register, please contact the Illinois Small Business Development Center at (815) 455-6098 or sbdc at mchenry.edu.

For information on all of CyberLife Tutors presentations, workshops, classes and events visit our events calendar.

LinkedIn

9 Ways I Use Twitter and How You Can Too

How do I use Twitter? To keep up with what is happening. Here is why I am an active Twitter @aprilmwilliams user.

Lists: My business is in McHenry County, Illinois and many of my customers and fellow businesses are located here. Monitoring my McHenry County Twitter list keeps my informed on what’s happening locally.

News: Top trending stories appear in my Twitter feed real time. Politics, finance, weather and celebrity updates are instantly available.

Retweet: Many tweets I read will interest my followers. I retweet or repost these Twitter messages.

Jobs: Some companies only post job openings on Twitter. If a client is interested in a company, I recommend they find out if Twitter is one of the company’s recruiting tools.

Networking: Through Twitter, I develop new connections with others both locally and around the world. We share resources and encourage each other from near and far. It is especially fun to meet IRL (in real life) after communicating over Twitter for a time.

Search: When I am looking for information on a topic, I’ll use Twitter as a search tool. Tweets include keywords and hashtags (#) to group topics.

Learning: My industry, social media marketing, is constantly changing. I follow industry experts like @hubspot on Twitter to keep up with what’s new.

Communicate: Twitter is a just in time messaging system for my updates on upcoming workshops, classes and presentations.

Business: It is not uncommon for one of my Twitter followers to contact me for proposals which lead to coaching or s0cial media work. Business happens on Twitter.

Are you a Twitter user? How do you make Twitter work for you? Let us know in the comments!


LinkedIn Advanced for Professionals Hands On Training Course

Are you on LinkedIn, have dozens of connections  and thinking “Now what?” Wondering how to really used LinkedIn in your job search? Then this hands on class is for you. See how you can leverage your network to discover the hidden job market.
Learn how joining groups can benefit your career. Find out how to increase your chances of being found by recruiters. April M Williams demonstrates how to make the most of your LinkedIn profile. Students must already have a LinkedIn profile and know how to add connections.

“LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network and an important tool for careers. Patrons are interested in learning more about using LinkedIn while they are employed and during job transitions”, said Lisa Guidarini, MLS, Adult Program Coordinator Algonquin Area Public Library District. “Author April M. Williams is an active LinkedIn user and has seen the benefits for her career.”

These sessions held January 29 and February 5, 2012. A LinkedIn Basics class will be held January 15, 2012. The LinkedIn Advanced for Professionals class is one of the many career related services and programs offered by the Algonquin Library.

Check April M. Williams and CyberLife Tutors calendar for the most current schedule of events.

Connect with April M. Williams on LinkedIn.

April Williams
Speaker, Author, Executive Coach, Blogger
Mobile: 414.502.7745 Email: april@cyberlifetutors.com
 http://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilmwilliams
Where Are You Today Travel Blog
CyberLife Tutors

We shorten your learning curve

Getting Started With LinkedIn for Professionals at Algonquin Library

Learn the basics of using LinkedIn professionally and launch your career forward in 2012. LinkedIn is a recruiters first tool for finding job candidates. Whether you are currently looking for employment or not, it is important to have a LinkedIn profile.
Come out the Algonquin Main Library for this session with speaker, author and coach April M. Williams.
See the benefits of using Linkedin for professional networking. Determine if you are an active or passive candidate. Topics covered include basic account types, creating your profile, getting connected, and joining groups. We will cover researching companies and applying for jobs using LinkedIn tools.
“Our patrons are interested in learning more about social networking tools to help them connect with other professionals.” said Lisa Guidarini, MLS, Adult Program Coordinator Algonquin Area Public Library District. “This programs highlights the benefits of using LinkedIn to build an online network and stay connected. Author April M. Williams is a long time LinkedIn member who actively uses her LinkedIn connections and groups to benefit her career.”

This session is January 15, 2012 from 2-4PM. Contact the Algonquin Library to register for this session. Reach the Algonquin Library online or call 847.458.6060. The Algonquin Main Library is located at 2600 Harnish Dr. Algonquin, IL 60102.

Visit April M. Williams’ LinkedIn profile by clicking on the links below.

April M. Williams
Speaker, Author, Executive Coach, Blogger
Mobile: 414.502.7745 Email: april@cyberlifetutors.com
 http://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilmwilliams
Where Are You Today Travel Blog
CyberLife Tutors

We shorten your learning curve
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Social Media Classes at Shah Center McHenry County

Press Release: Illinois Small Business Development Center Classes for McHenry County

March 15, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Contact April M. Williams
CyberLife Tutors
(414) 502-7745

http://www.cyberlifetutors.com

SOCIAL MEDIA FOR BUSINESS CLASSES

Illinois Small Business Development Center and Cyberlife Tutors host Social Media classes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ALGONQUIN, ILLINOIS – March 15, 2011

Please join the Illinois Small Business Development Center and Cyberlife Tutors for an interactive, two part series on Social Media and how it applies to YOUR McHenry County business today.

This series is designed for those new to or curious about social media as a business building tool. Hosted by Illinois Small Business Development Center and April M. Williams of CyberLife Tutors, attendees will see how business can harness the power of free tools to target specific customers. Sessions cover LinkedIn and Facebook for your business. Mark your calendar for April 21 and 28, 2011 6:00 – 8:00 PM at the Shah Center, 4100 W. Shamrock Lane, McHenry, Illinois 60050. Cost is $30 per session. For registration or more information please contact Illinois Small Business Development Center at (815) 455-6098 or email sdbc@mchenry.edu .

“Understanding the keystrokes of how to harness and use social media is a key capability to operating effectively,” states ISBDC Director Mary Margaret Maule. ”These classes shorten your learning curve and reduce wasted time trying to learn yourself, self taught. Social media is the fastest growing form of marketing, most cost effective and flexible. Social media is a MUST have for all small businesses.”

See how other McHenry County businesses have grown their business using social media.

Scholl Construction Client Case Studies

C You At The Movies Client Case Studies

April M. Williams, a nationally recognized speaker, author, coach and blogger actively leverages the power of social networking tools. April is President of CyberLife Tutors and shows clients how to leverage their strengths to enhance their business. April published a book “Social Networking Throughout Your Career” and has been featured in major publications including the Wall Street Journal, Project Management Institute, Savvy, Business Journal and Nations Restaurant News.

April M. Williams teaches a Facebook for Business class at Shah Center
April M. Williams teaches a Facebook for Business class at Shah Center McHenry County

ABOUT CyberLife Tutors – Serving McHenry County, Northern Illinois and surrounding areas to promote business through low cost, high impact marketing, building relationships and driving results.

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Facebook McHenry County Daily News

Are you interested in McHenry County? Get the latest news in one place. The McHenry County Daily Paper published daily, brings you news from McHenry County businesses through their Facebook feeds.

Visit the McHenry County Business Daily Paper for your free subscription and keep up with the latest in McHenry County news. SEE SAMPLE BELOW.

Are you a McHenry County business or resident who wants to be included in the McHenry County news? Just use the words McHenry or McHenry County in your Facebook posts. We will add you to the list and your messages will appear on the McHenry County daily news.

Share Your Facebook Fan Page Here

I met many McHenry County business owners at the Facebook class I taught last night. This is the first of four social networking classes in the series at the Shah Center in McHenry. Next up are classes on Twitter, blogs and LinkedIn.

During the session, each participant set up a business page. One of the questions was “How do I get more Fans for my business page?”

CyberLife Tutors Facebook Business Page
LIKE our CyberLife Tutors Facebook Business Page

Here is one way to build you business page “LIKES”.

Click on “comments” at the top of this article and tell us the name of your Facebook business page so we can “LIKE” it. In “website” field, enter the link to your customize Facebook profile URL we created in class last night. My custom profile URL is http://www.facebook.com/aprilmwilliams.

Once you have more than 25 ‘LIKES’ on your business  page, you can create your custom Facebook vanity URL for your business page.  Go to http://www.facebook.com/username to select and set your URL.

I will be sharing more Facebook tips on our blog. Be sure you do not miss a article, sign up for our Enews and Updates in the box on the right side of the page.

Thanks for sharing. Please stop by our CyberLife Tutors Facebook page and add us to your page’s “favorites”.

C You At The Movies Client Case Studies

WHO THEY ARE

“C” You At The Movies was founded on the premise that entertainment provided from a movie theatre should not have to be constricted to the confines of an auditorium or the quality of a current feature. The five Northern Illinois locations in Antioch, Zion, McHenry and Libertyville include indoor and an outdoor theatre.

The “C” You At The Movies company mission states: “We realize that there exists a child in every one of our customers. It is our goal and privilege to help that child to smile during their visits with us and to keep them smiling long after the movie they came to see has ended.”

"C" You At The Movies
"C" You At The Movies

THE BUSINESS CHALLENGE

For “C” You At The Movies President Cynthia Kottke, the challenge has been to compete for their customer’s discretionary spending dollars. Her goal, to provide an entertaining, unique, family-friendly atmosphere, is standard from which all “C” You At The Movies’ ideas originate. 

The business challenge includes effectively communicating with customers and gaining immediate, actionable feedback. The company relied on traditional newspaper advertising to talk to their customers. They found the one way communication lacked the feedback they desired.

General Operations Director Scott Dehn attended CyberLife Tutors’ series of “Social Networking for Business” classes and learned how business can create relationships with customers. Scott created a strategy and began implementing the new knowledge.

CAMPAIGN RESULTS

Scott says, “We have been very successful with our Facebook and building fans. We recently crossed over 9,000 fans on our page! The “C” You At The Movies Facebook page is a forum for events and announcement. Customers visit our page to comment and talk about their experiences at our theaters.”

The site even functions as a customer service branch for questions on movie times, upcoming shows and favorite movies.

Scott turned one challenge into an opportunity. “Issues such as monitoring for, and deleting businesses using our page to simply advertise for themselves has been problematic. However, I have taken that as a possible opportunity to reach out to those companies and inquire as to whether they would be interested in advertising with us on-screen. Policing the posts and keeping them civil can sometimes be difficult as well. I try to keep our pages family-friendly as a reflection of what our company is all about.”

SOCIAL MEDIA BENEFITS

I would have to say that anything that encourages feedback in an interesting, creative way has been most successful. Asking for opinions has been very helpful in getting the snowball of communication rolling.

My goal for 2011 is to dive into the world of Twitter and see where that takes us. This has been so much fun. I really enjoy the social networking part of my job. The benefits to our business are much more immediate and personal than those of your standard newspaper advertisements.

CYBERLIFE TUTORS BENEFITS

Class lessons you provided have really helped me to establish a plan of attack in our social networking.

Scott said. “I created one Facebook page for each of our theatre locations as well as one for the C You At The Movies, Inc. company.  It is a total of 6 Facebook pages that collectively has earned over 10,000 “likes” at this point.“

SUMMARY

What is Scott’s advice to business owners?

“We have gained quite a following and it has been a lot of fun! I have some big plans to expand on this in 2011. Believe me, I tell everyone about the great experiences and benefits these classes have provided. I will let them know about the upcoming social networking class as well! I know many of them will be interested.”

Follow “C” You At The Movies on Facebook and Twitter.

Theatre Facebook Pages:

Mchenry Outdoor Flea Market
McHenry Outdoor Theatre
McHenry Theatre
Liberty Theatre
Dunes 1,2,3 Theatres
CYATM Antioch Downtown Theatre

Illinois Small Business Development Center Classes

Press Release: Illinois Small Business Development Center Classes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Contact April M. Williams
CyberLife Tutors
(414) 502-7745
april@cyberlifetutors.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
http://www.cyberlifetutors.com

SOCIAL MEDIA FOR BUSINESS SERIES

Illinois Small Business Development Center and Cyberlife Tutors host Social Media classes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ALGONQIUN, ILLINOIS – November 1, 2010

Please join the Illinois Small Business Development Center and Cyberlife Tutors for an interactive, four part series on Social Media and how it applies to YOUR McHenry County business today.

This series is designed for those new to or curious about social media as a business building tool. Hosted by Illinois Small Business Development Center and April M. Williams of CyberLife Tutors, attendees will see how business can harness the power of free tools to target specific customers. Sessions cover LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and blogs. Mark your calendar for February 2, 9, 16, 23, 2011 6:00 – 8:00 PM at the Shah Center, 4100 W. Shamrock Lane, McHenry, Illinois 60050. Cost is $30 per session or $100 for the series. For registration or more information please contact Illinois Small Business Development Center at (815) 455-6098 or email sdbc@mchenry.edu .

“Understanding the keystrokes of how to harness and use social media is a key capability to operating effectively,” states ISBDC Director Mary Margaret Maule. ”These classes shorten your learning curve and reduce wasted time trying to learn yourself, self taught. Social media is the fastest growing form of marketing, most cost effective and flexible. Social media is a MUST have for all small businesses.”

April M. Williams, a nationally recognized speaker, author, coach and blogger actively leverages the power of social networking tools. April is President of CyberLife Tutors and shows clients how to leverage their strengths to enhance their business. April published a book “Social Networking Throughout Your Career” and has been featured in major publications including the Wall Street Journal, Project Management Institute, Savvy, Business Journal and Nations Restaurant News.

ABOUT the CyberLife Tutors – Serving McHenry County, Northern Illinois and surrounding areas to promote business through low cost, high impact marketing, building relationships and driving results.

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<<<< Due to weather, this series will run February 9 – March 2. >>>>>

LinkedIn Iphone App

Algonquin Farmers Market

We live in McHenry County, Illinois and support our local business owners. Here is a video of our visit to shop with the vendors at the Algonquin Farmers Market.

Stop by the Algonquin Farmers Market any Thursday evening from 1 PM – 7 PM at the corners of Harrison & Washington Streets in the heart of beautiful historic downtown Algonquin. Plenty of free parking and a wide variety of vendors showcasing the best of McHenry County. The event runs now through September 30th.