Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "social media"

The Sacramento Press is hiring: Social Media intern

2012-02-06T20:22:03Z

We are currently seeking a highly motivated social media intern for Agency M at The Sacramento Press.

About the position:

The Social Media Intern will have a large role in maintaining and updating our clients' social media accounts, gathering data for regular reports, and helping with strategy. You will be expected to understand the in's and out's of every social media platform we use, and be able to think strategically and apply that understanding.

You are the ideal candidate if you can work independently and as a team member, if you have the drive to go above and beyond what you've been asked, you are creative and love to write, you are "social", you are constantly exploring new possibilities, you are an excellent researcher and you are very responsible.

Your responsibilities will include:

Maintaining and updating client social media accounts
Crafting original content for distribution on client's social media platforms
Live streaming video, tweeting and posting photos at local events
Promoting events on all event sites and across all social media platforms
Gathering data and creating monthly reports for each client
Working with clients to meet their expectations
Photo and video editing

This is a 16-week internship. We want to see you in the office 10 hours a week plus occasional events.

Please apply with the materials listed below:

i. A brief cover letter explaining why you would like this position.
ii. Your resume or the link to your LinkedIn profile.
iii. Links to the social media sites you use.
iv. Anything else that's creative and shows a bit about who you are.

Send to chris.brune@sacramentopress.com.

I Have a Website and a Facebook Page, Am I a "Social Business"?

2012-02-01T19:51:15Z

We’re all aware of social media and the impact it has had on how we market our service or product and value to customers. The ability to deliver real-time marketing messages, at low or no cost via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social platforms has enticed businesses to embrace social technology for a large percentage of their outreach endeavors, and has changed the entire marketing and advertising landscape.

Today, most businesses have done the work to embrace and brand themselves via social media. As a result of this shift, savvy companies are applying their social media technology and experience to streamline many of their internal programs and optimize organizational transparency. This evolution is what is known as Social Business. The Social Media Examiner reports “Social business is not a trend; it’s a forced evolution. A social business deals with the internal transformation of an organization and addresses key factors such as organizational dynamics, culture, internal communications, governance, training, employee activation and much more.”

“Organizations need to get smarter, acquire new technologies, intelligence, talent and motivation to become more open and transparent. They need to create processes and establish governance models that protect the organization, yet empower their employees.”

By investing in and applying social media to the business structure, internal and customer communications are eased, and equally important, visible by key departments within the organization. Employees are enabled to chat freely and quickly with each other, management, and key departments. Customer and product issues are responded to and resolved immediately before they become problematic. Marketing and Development teams gain valuable insight from internal teams and customers.

The ultimate result of adapting social business technology is cost savings. A social business sees impressive reductions in time to market, greater product development success, increased productivity, as well as improved customer and employee satisfaction.

How can your business streamline communications and processes utilizing social networking technology? What communities can you activate to become raving fans of your products or services? What do you need to know to become a social business?

C7group is proud to present the 2012 Business Thought Leadership Webcast Series featuring foremost experts with leading perspectives about the social tools, technology and changing workflow in business today. Registration is FREE.

2012 BUSINESS THOUGHT LEADERSHIP WEBCAST SERIES FEATURED PRESENTERS (AS OF FEB 1, 2012):

Jason Falls, Founder, Social Media Explorer
February 7, 2012 – 10:00 a.m. PST
Moving the Needle: Using Social Media to Advance Your Business
Jason Falls will discuss developing a strategic plan for social media, case studies of companies using social media for business purposes and tying the “conversation” with the “conversion”.

Euan Semple, Director, Voice and euansemple.com
Thursday, February 23 – 3:00 p.m. PST
The New “Business as Usual”
Euan Semple will talk about about driving business by leveraging social media to change culture, re-design workflow and grow profit.

Halelly Azulay, CEO, TalentGrow
Tuesday, March 6 – 9:00 a.m. PST
Social Learning and Employee Development
Halelly Azulay will discuss the realities of employee development, leveraging social networking and media for learner-driven, learner-generated learning

Jon Ferrara, CEO, Nimble
Wednesday, March 21 – 10:00 a.m. PST
Social Media and Sales Relationships
Jon Ferrara will offer tips about how to work as an effective team by tracking and managing contacts, prospects, and activities. Specifically, how to maximize marketing impact, make more revenue in less time and the benefits of unified communication.

You can Register at www.learnsocialbusiness.com.

Do you have thoughts or questions you’d like our featured presenters to answer? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter @C7group!

You can also email learn@c7group.com if you have a request or recommendation for thought leaders that should be a part of the 2012 Business Thought Leadership Webcast Series.

Disclosure: I am a marketing consultant for C7 Group.

Ending homelessness in Sacramento with better social business workflow – C7group to provide Sacramento Steps Forward with consulting services

2011-12-30T03:54:58Z

Sacramento Steps Forward is a non-profit tasked with a critical mission of ending homeless in Sacramento by 2020, serving as a national example of how to end chronic homelessness. Beginning in January 2012, C7group will partner with Sacramento Steps Forward staff and volunteers to implement social business strategy and tactics for their organization.

Social media technology increases the number of communication channels available to listen and respond to the community and social business procedures often improve workflow processes. For Sacramento Steps Forward, social business integration plays a dynamic role to fulfill their mission and communicate internally and externally to staff, volunteers, donors, community resource partners and the homeless community.

“The audiences that we need to reach are vast and varied and the information we need to share is often time sensitive,” said Ben Burton, Executive Director, Sacramento Steps Forward. “We are pleased to partner with C7group who understands social media tools and applications, but also brings the knowledge of the business culture and workflow changes required to integrate social technology throughout our organization,” added Burton.

Sacramento Steps Forward has planned Sacramento Homeless Connect the last four years, and partners with other several community agencies that offer assistance to the many aspects of homelessness, including the partnership with Volunteers of America to operate the Winter Sanctuary program. Visit Sacramento Steps Forward.org for more information about their mission and a full list of their community partners.

C7group is transforming the services marketplace by helping organizations realize the potential of their business from a “customers and people first” perspective. C7group integrates strategy with social business technology and workflow practices to provide clients with a complete, integrated custom business solution. C7group’s goal is to help business ensure a sustainable model for business culture and work-style for the social, digital age. For more information about C7group, visit www.C7group.com.

Disclosure: I am the Vice President, Communications at C7group.

Social Media Best Practices for Charities draws crowd

2011-11-15T15:26:09Z

The Urban Hive was filled with nearly 100 representatives from local charities and non-profits at the Sacramento Social Media Club’s “Social Media Best Practices for Charities” last Tuesday.

The event, hosted by Clay Nutting, director of Concepts 4 Charity and account executive for 3Fold Communications, inspired attendees to use social media outlets, such as Twitter, Facebook and Youtube to spread their message, raise funds and increase public awareness of their cause in order to promote social change.

Panelist Julie Bornhoeft, director of development and community relations for WEAVE, Inc., advised the audience that beginning to use social media is quite simple – you must have a presence, be genuine and have a goal. Panelist Misty Avila, eAdvocacy coordinator for Aspiration Tech agreed.

“When you’re a person online, you get why you’re online. When you’re an organization online, you have to have a goal,” Avila said. “If you don’t have a goal, it’s not a problem, but how do you know if what you’re doing is working?”

When organizations develop social media goals, often their focus is on their number of followers. Panelist Chris Brune, director of creative services at Macer Media (Sacramento Press), for the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services, said focusing on that is a mistake.

“The quantifiable measure is often how many followers you have. I hate that. Dislike,” Brune said. “We’re saying it’s quality not quantity that matters.”

For panelist Kate Towson, Americorps VISTA with Sacramento Steps Forward, said her main priority in social media use is sharing.
After recently learning the beauty of retweeting and sharing the material of others, Towson said she now shares what other people are talking about and they share what she’s discussing.

“When you congratulate your partners on the work they do, it really reflects well on your agency,” Towson said. “It would come back to me, because folks would share what I’m talking about. It’s definitely karma right there.”

Although it may seem intimidating to begin social media, Brune said you just have to jump in.

“You can’t break Twitter – just start your conversation with whoever it is that will listen,” Brune said. “If you have an inkling of faith in social media, I think you should just go for it. It’s really that simple. You just have to start.”

In an effort to help charities begin or improve their social media presence, the Sacramento Social Media club is hosting a social media tune-up workshop tonight at the Urban Hive from 6-to-8 p.m. At the tune up, 20 local charities will be matched with marketing practitioners and agencies for one-on-one reviews.

For more information about tonight’s tune up, email smcsacto@gmail.com. To see more from the Social Media Best Practices for Charities panel, check out the Sacramento Social Media Club’s Ustream page to view the video.

###

About the Social Media Club: The Sacramento Social Media Club was founded in March 2009 by local social media activists. Its monthly events bring together journalists, publishers, students, communicators and other interested collaborators to facilitate discussions about the key issues facing our society as technologies transform the way we connect, communicate, collaborate and relate. The Social Media Club’s primary mission is to promote media literacy and standard technologies, encourage ethical behavior and share best practices. To find out more, join their groups on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

About the author: Brittany Wesely is the Associate Community Benefit Health Specialist for Kaiser Permanente, and a member of the all-volunteer leadership team for the Sacramento Social Media Club. Follow her on Twitter @brittanywesely.

Sacramento Social Media Club to host 'Best Practices for Charities'

2011-11-04T15:29:28Z

Through their use of Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and other social media tools, many local charities have spread their message, raised funds and increased public awareness of their cause in order to promote social change. In the hopes of spreading their stories and inspiring other philanthropic organizations to do the same, four local charities will be conducting a panel discussion at the Sacramento Social Media Club’s “Social Media Best Practices for Charities” on Tuesday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Urban Hive.

Moderated by Clay Nutting, director of Concepts 4 Charity and account executive for 3Fold Communications, the event will include panelists: Kate Towson, Americorps VISTA with Sacramento Steps Foward; Julie Bornhoeft, director of development and community relations for WEAVE, Inc.; Misty Avila, eAdvocacy coordinator for Aspiration Tech; and Chris Brune, director of creative services at Macer Media (Sacramento Press), for the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services.

The event will stream live on Ustream starting at 7 p.m., and can be followed on Twitter by using the hashtag #SMCSAC. The event is free, but donations will be accepted on behalf of the Sacramento Food Bank and the River City Food Bank. Donations up to $500 will be matched by CGI as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility Program.

In addition to panel, the Sacramento Social Media Club will be hosting a social media tune-up workshop on Tuesday, Nov. 15 from 6-to-8 p.m. at the Urban Hive. At the tune up, charities will be matched up with marketing practitioners and agencies for one-on-one reviews of their social media platforms, with specific recommendations on improvements after the consultation. In order to participate, charities must RSVP in advance.

The Urban Hive is located at 1931 H St., Sacramento, 95811. Space is limited for both events. Click here to RSVP for the Social Media Best Practices for Charities panel. To RSVP for the social media tune up, email smcsacto@gmail.com.

###

Marketing is Not Enough: Social Media 3.0

2011-11-01T22:23:31Z

It’s time for business to overcome the fractured, narrow view of social media as only a marketing channel or a public relations campaign. Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and LinkedIn have taught us the value of social networking platforms on a global scale. Businesses fueled by the hype and the excitement to "get online" and drive sales have created a "tools-first, strategy later," environment. The result? Some success stories and just as many social media disasters.

In order to avoid this tool trap, businesses need to get latest information about how to maximize processes, analytics and tools available to get ready (systemic social business strategy), aim (integrated methodology), and to fire (take action) using social technology in productive and profitable ways. To that end, C7group is hosting a session at the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce on December 9, 2011 addressing this topic. This session will transform the vision for business leadership from using social media tools to understanding how social business will:

Reduce time in meetings and duplicated tasks
Increase sales, customer satisfaction and customer retention
Improve employee collaboration

Topics Covered and Questions Answered:

Does your business need social media or not? What is the difference between social business and social marketing?
Where do we invest? How do we measure?
What are internal and external communities?
Do we need them?
What is social media policy?
How do we implement guidance and governance for social business? How do we avoid a social media crisis?
Where does mobile technology fit?
How do we choose from the thousands of social technology tools and platforms available?
Change is constant. How do we decide what makes sense now?

In the era of social business, external marketing will always play a role, but it's the tip of the iceberg. Moving forward, the true opportunity is about scaling and operationalizing social technology as an integrated layer that's woven into the fabric of business.

Agenda:

8:00 am - Networking and Continental Breakfast
9:00 am - Program Begins
11:30 am - Networking Lunch
12:30 pm - Program Resumes
2:30 pm - Wrap up Q&A

Presenters and Speakers:
Jeff Marmins, Founder and Managing Partner of C7group. A management consulting firm specializing in social business strategy. Jeff works with companies to engage and communicate with customers and employees through the use of social software, community platforms, and other emerging web and mobile technologies. He is one of the original pioneers in helping to apply web technologies to solve business problems. He is a founding Director of the Social Media Club, Sacramento Chapter. Having applied social technologies in business since their invention, the news media seeks him out regularly for his insights. The Business Journal, Sacramento Bee, FOX, ABC, CBS, NBC, trade magazines and newsletters have featured or quoted Jeff as a social networking and technology thought leader.

Additional speaker announcements pending confirmation.

Disclosure: I am the Vice President, Communications at C7group.

Restaurants Are Hungry for Your Business; Social Media is Their Platter

2011-08-14T23:19:56Z

Let’s face it; those of us that use social networking sites are pretty much addicted. Whether you are connected through Facebook or Twitter—or both—you have a pretty good idea of what’s going on around town. Businesses that have been paying attention for the past two plus years are aware of this phenomenon and have leveraged social media to broaden their reach to potential customers. Restaurateurs are no different.

On Tuesday, the Social Media Club, Sacramento (@SMCSac) hosted the “Dining Social: Restaurants & Social Media” at The Urban Hive in midtown to discuss how local restaurants are using social media and the impact it has had on their business. Ashlee Gadd (@AshleeGadd), PR Manager for The Citizen Hotel and Grange, moderated the panel which included local restaurateurs, social media managers, and a representative from Yelp,

The discussion got off to a speedy start exploring which platforms each panelist mostly used, and the consensus was without surprise, Twitter and Facebook. The major differences panelists found in using these two social networks is that with Facebook, most fans have actually been to the restaurant and show more of a true consumer following, while many Twitter followers have never been to the restaurant but may be interested in upcoming events or specials. Karyn Wong, owner of Chick-fil-A in Arden Fair (@cfaArdenFair) mentioned that they have had a positive reaction by using deals on Foursquare. Although not every restaurant uses the deals, many of the panelists agreed that Foursquare has had a positive impact on their business.

When the topic of half off/daily deals arose, Andrea Lepore, co-owner of Hot Italian (@HotItalianPizza) was quick to point out that they have never used a daily deal, and don’t plan to. Some feel it devalues the image of the restaurant while others feel it gets the word out about the business. When addressing how social media played a role in each company’s overall marketing strategy, Gina Funk Nelson, Social Media Manager for Selland Group, which includes Selland’s Market-Cafe, Ella Dining & Bar and The Kitchen Restaurant (@SellandFamily), said they have pulled back on radio advertisements and other traditional marketing strategies due to the long term outreach and engagement strategy of social media. Other panelists have done the same. While balance is still needed between multiple channels, social media may seem to have the upper hand.

While not everyone may use Yelp to rate and review their dining experience, there are many Sacramentans that use it on a regular basis. Mike Costello, owner of the recently closed Brew It Up (@brewitup_sacto) noted that reviews appeared to only be written by those who had an extreme positive or negative experience, but not those in between. Alex Lane, Sacramento Community Manager for Yelp (@yelpsacramento), said that 83% of reviews are positive and the negative reviews are a reflection of overselling and bad experiences. A way to combat those negative reviews is for the restaurants to respond and examine the situation to see if it can be resolved and maybe even turn out a new positive review. While it’s difficult to imagine a restaurant could only have one type of review, most of the panelists agreed that every review should be used as potentially constructive criticism, and not be taken personally. Whether that’s actually done, is up to the restaurant.

Mona Romero, Social Media Director of The Sacramento Press (@SacramentoPress) said that Facebook ads have proved beneficial for the restaurants she works with. She recommends paying the minimum ad fee in the beginning and see where it gets you adjusting, if needed. She suggested using Google Alerts and the Twitter search bar to see what consumers are saying about your restaurant.

There is no doubt that operating a restaurant in a down economy can be difficult—and quite frustrating. What these local Sacramento restaurateurs have taught us is that connecting with the community through social media can not only increase sales, but it can build relationships as well. Social media is not an exact science and it does take time and finesse to really leverage it, but it can be extremely beneficial nonetheless.

In the traditional Social Media Club Sacramento fashion, panelists and attendees continued the conversation after the moderated discussion ended, enjoying food and wine from local businesses. David Cole from James David Cellars (@jamesdavidwine) poured wine and Chick-Fil-A and Hot Italian supplied the appetizers.

The next Social Media Club event will be on September 13th discussing LinkedIn for Business held at Drexel University.

If you would like to learn more about social media and its impact on various topics and industries, visit the Sacramento Social Media Club on Facebook or Twitter.

Disclosure: Kelsey Jacoby is on the Leadership Team for Social Media Club Sacramento

Twitter co-founder to help introduce Perspectives’ new format

2011-07-22T00:03:19Z

A speaker lineup to include Twitter co-founder Biz Stone kicks off the new format for Perspectives 2011, offering more businesspeople the opportunity to attend the region’s premier annual speakers forum.

“As with so many things these days, it’s not business as usual,” said Sacramento Metro Chamber Vice Chair of Events and Sponsorships Kathy McKim of AT&T. “We wiped the slate clean and started over—re-designing a program from the ground up that will meet the needs of more businesspeople and provide a greater networking and educational experience. We are especially thrilled to have Biz Stone in our lineup this year for this reason.”

Over the last decade, Stone has been instrumental in crafting the new world of social media. Best known as co-founder of Twitter, Stone started off as an Internet entrepreneur, went on to work for Google and is now an advisor on AOL’s philanthropic strategy.

Named one of the “Most Influential People in the World” by TIME and “Entrepreneur of the Decade” by Inc., Stone has now co-founded The Obvious Corporation with long-time collaborators Evan Williams and Jason Goldman to focus on building systems to help people work together to improve the world. The next Perspectives speaker will be announced July 28.

Produced by the Metro Chamber, Perspectives is set for Friday, Sept 23 at the Sacramento Convention Center. The event will run 8 a.m. to noon, immediately following the VIP sponsor breakfast. Power Lunch opportunities at participating member restaurants will be available to all attendees following the program.

“Responding to members’ requests, we’ve compressed the event to a half-day, with three speakers in the lineup,” McKim explained. “This way, individuals don’t have to lose an entire day out of the office. In addition, a new pricing structure brings the cost of attending down.” Individual Perspectives tickets start at just $99.

Perspectives continues to offer exclusive opportunities for hosting prospects, clients and employees in a VIP setting. Sponsor packages start at $2,500 and can include a pre-event networking reception attended by Perspective speakers and a day-of VIP breakfast. “Businesses who need networking and hosting opportunities will find a Perspectives sponsorship level to fit their needs,” McKim said.

Since its founding in 1995, Perspectives has hosted more than 90 of the world’s most influential individuals who share their personal views on world affairs and current events. Past speakers include Condoleezza Rice, Mikhail Gorbachev, Guy Kawasaki, John Glenn, Margaret Thatcher, Sugar Ray Leonard and Elizabeth Dole.

For more details and purchase tickets, visit metrochamber.org/perspectives or call 916-444-1919.

Disclosure: Hal Silliman is communications director for the Sacramento Metro Chamber.

Brands are listening to Mommy Bloggers, are you?

2011-07-07T23:26:47Z

What or whom are you influenced by when you are looking for a new product? It might be commercials, television shows, or maybe if you are like millions of other people around the world, you are influenced by bloggers. Gone are the days when you only read ads in the Sunday newspaper, or watch commercials on the television. Today many of us are being swayed commercially by social media, the internet, and other digital mediums.

In fact, according to Marketing Charts.com, nearly 50% of blog readers say they purchase products mentioned in the blogs they read on a daily basis. That is quite powerful when you put it in perspective. So what about here locally? What kind of power and influence do bloggers, in particular mommy bloggers--tech savvy, create your own opportunity, kind of moms--have over the Capital City?

Nichole, a mommy blogger with inthesesmallmoments.com says she’s had readers share with her that they bought items she mentioned on her blog and goes on to say, "When I write about a product on my blog, it is a product that I believe in and use myself.” It is safe to say, that in general, readers of blogs trust the author’s insight and opinion and therefore those authors can and DO influence the purchasing habits of like-minded consumers.

Dr. Melissa Arca, author of Confessions of a Dr. Mom, uses her blog to provide helpful parenting tips and children’s health advice to her readers. Nikki Medoro, reporter for KFBK and mom extraordinaire, uses her blog, Mama On The Mic, to talk about the trials and triumphs of mommyhood, as well as the balancing act she faces as a working mom. Marketing professionals consider these moms to be key influencers of consumer purchases. Companies that typically turn to mom bloggers for advertising include toy makers, makers of children’s apparel and accessories, packaged food companies, and even car makers. This circle of women can help shape what kinds of products other mothers are buying and because of that influence, corporations are seeking the power of the mommy blogger to promote their products.

Business owners and marketers, don’t count these ladies out, as they are an integral segment of social media and when approached properly, can offer better results than many other marketing techniques out there.

If you are interested in learning more about this phenomenon, Social Media Club Sacramento (SMCSac) is hosting a mommy blogger panel discussion on July 12 from 6:30-9:00 pm at The Urban Hive in Sacramento. The panel, moderated by Meghan Phillips, principle and marketing director for The Honey Agency, features the bloggers from these popular blogs: Confessions of a Dr. Mom, From Dates to Diapers, Momma On The Mic, Raising CEO Kids, and Read Between the Limes. “While this discussion will certainly appeal to moms and parents,” explained Laura Good, executive director of SMCSac, “it will also be an informative session for businesses who have not yet tapped into the marketing potential of mommy blogger influence.” For more information on this free event, visit the event registration page, Social Media and Motherhood in Sacramento

Disclosure: Erin Haight is a freelance journalist and a volunteer for Social Media Club Sacramento

Local businesses 'Like' Advanced Facebook for Business workshop

2011-06-21T07:29:15Z

93% of all American ~~adults~~ adult internet users are now on Facebook. While this is not a surprising statistic for anyone that has fielded a friend request from their mom, aunt or even grandpa, it does make it harder for small businesses to ignore Facebook as a platform to engage their target demographic. The argument that a business targets an older or less tech savvy demo than Facebook users just doesn’t hold water any longer.

Businesses without a Facebook presence are not just passing up a valuable opportunity to engage their customers, provide customer service, and gain new consumers; they're falling behind. But just being on Facebook and setting up a business page isn’t enough. A Facebook presence must be maintained and used strategically to add real value to your brand.

Enter Josh Unfried speaker at The Social Media Club of Sacramento's recent workshop, “Advanced Facebook for Business”. Unfried, the CEO of WindFarm Online Marketing, spent almost two hours teaching SMCSac members, many of whom run or work for local businesses, how to take their Facebook presence to the next level. In addition to the obvious benefits of improving customer connections, staying top of mind, driving sales through promotions and increasing visibility, Unfried asserts that Facebook is now allowing businesses to "transform customer service into marketing".

"Everyone is now able to watch how you handle a complaint, or answer a question," points out Unfried. "For those that give great customer service this is a tremendous opportunity. For those that don't, the consequences can be equally negative."

Once Unfried covered the benefits and FAQs of using Facebook, the advanced tips started to fly. Even those in the room who had seemed relatively smug about their Facebook skills were soon scrawling notes and asking in depth questions. Unfried walked through the steps of setting up a business page, not because most hadn't already done it, but because, he wagered, not all of them had done it as well as they could have. A few lesser known gems:

Facebook Business Account: Facebook generally requires users to have a personal profile in order to create a Facebook Business page. However, if you have no desire to ever have a personal Facebook profile and would like to manage a Facebook Business page only, it IS possible to create a Facebook Business Account, which does not require a personal Facebook profile.
'Tell Your Fans' feature: If you've created a new Facebook business page and are ready to start accruing 'likes' you can make sure all your current and loyal customers know about your page. Simply use the Tell Your Fans feature to upload a .csv file of your email database. From there you can do an email blast to your current contacts making them aware of your Facebook page and asking them to 'Like' your business.
Launch your page with a variety of content: before you 'Tell your fans' or share the page with your friends, make sure they don't see a blank or boring page when they get there. Videos and photos are the most engaging pieces of content a page can have. Make sure before you market the page you've already posted a mix of text, links, videos, and photos to make your page interesting when new users arrive.

Once the page is set up and ready to go, its time for the most important tool your Facebook page offers: engagement with your fans. Unfried spent a fair amount of time reiterating that engagement is key to successful Facebook marketing efforts. Increased engagement with your fans not only endears your brand to those you're engaging with, it keeps your posts higher in their news feed. The 'Top News' feed posts are ranked by which posts users are interacting with most. An engaged discussion with many comments and likes will keep your brand at the top of your 'fans' news feeds for much longer than it might otherwise.

"Does this inform? Does it inspire? Does it entertain? Does it connect?" he asks. "Ask yourself this before you post from your page."

And don't discount the "magic of randomness". Unfried shared an example of a client that is family dentist in Roseville. The most popular post shared on their wall was simply, "What color is your toothbrush?" Something about the question proved to be irresistible to the dentist's fans. The dentist was able to stay top of mind for each of their Facebook fans as they read and debated toothbrush colors. That single post allowed the dentist to remain at the top of the Top News feed for several days.

Tidbits such as these just scratch the surface of the (over) 90 minute presentation. Workshop attendees were so engaged, that as
Unfried noticed his time running low with some great content still to cover, the audience urged him to continue past his allotted time in order to glean more Facebook wisdom. When one member asked how to convert a personal profile to a business page, Unfried directed those interested to his detailed blog post on the subject, as it was more than time allowed.

Other topics covered in the workshop included growing your Facebook presence, Facebook ads, engaging other businesses, connecting Facebook to your website and more. To see Josh Unfried's Advanced Facebook for Business presentation in its entirety watch the archived UStream.

This 80 person event, which included food provided by Ten 22, beverages by Chic-fil-a, and prizes from the Sacramento Business Journal, was open to members of the SMCS and the general public. SMCSac simply requested a $10 donation to help the club continue to organize events and workshops about various social media topics. For more information about upcoming Social Media Club, Sacramento events, follow @SMCSac on Twitter. To attend the July 12th SMCSac event, register for Social Media & Motherhood on Eventbrite.com.

Disclosure: Megan Emmerling is a member of Social Media Club of Sacramento

Twitter, trunk of the tree for #HereWeBuild

2011-06-10T07:12:58Z

What began with an adult beverage and a frustrated Twitter post quickly led to a series of grassroots efforts to keep the Kings in Sacramento.

Radio personality Carmichael Dave, founder of #HereWeBuild, was relaxing in his backyard when he discovered that the Anaheim City Council had voted to pursue efforts to bring the Sacramento Kings to Anaheim.

“I thought this is frustrating and I’m ticked off and I want to let people know,” Carmichael Dave said. “So I tweeted out, ‘Carmichael Dave votes one-to-nothing to issue $200 into a fund to build a new arena. Whose with me?’”

Then the explosion happened which soon resulted in the HereWeBuild, HereWeStay and SacDeflated.com campaigns, and their spinoff campaigns HereWeSit and HereWePurple.

Founders of the movements spoke Thursday evening at the Sacramento Social Media Club #HereWeMeme event at The Citizen Hotel in Sacramento.

“Meme is basically a trend associated with something happening on the internet,” Laura Good, executive director of the club, said. “We wanted this event to focus on just that.”

Approximately 150 social media enthusiasts and Kings fans attended the event where they heard the stories of the major contributors to the campaigns, and learned how to apply similar strategies.

“We were just a bunch of regular people who saw what was happening and wanted to do something,” Carmichael Dave said.

Event panelist and blogger James Ham said the success of their campaigns couldn’t have been accomplished without the efforts of everyone involved.

“No matter what we did, we did it together,” Ham said. “We didn’t model our plan after anything, we just knew something bad was going to happen if we didn’t do something.”

With the help of their efforts leveraging on blogs, digital billboards and Twitter, enough public pressure was built in the community to result in the Kings staying in Sacramento for another year.

Matt Graham, marketing and fleet director for Jiffy Lube, followed the progression of Carmichael Dave’s tweets and the many pledges by the community in the first few hours. Graham quickly knew he had to act, pledging to be a major financial contributor to the HereWeBuild campaign.

“I felt that (pledging) was the only way to continue the voice and the passion of the efforts,” Graham said. “While we acted nimble and quickly, we were not prepared. But sometimes you just need to react, so that’s what we did.”

To watch the video of the event, visit http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/15279047.

###

About the author: Brittany Wesely is a member of the all-volunteer leadership team for the Sacramento Social Media Club. To find out more about her, visit her website or follow her on Twitter @brittanywesely.

Social media biz success: All a function of brute force

2011-06-03T14:40:02Z

98 percent of the people using social media do not know what they are doing, but the 2 percent who do know what they are doing are rapidly expanding their businesses and making money.

That’s the message from, Patrick Schwerdtfeger, an author and new media marketing guru, who spoke this week to a group of about 40 small business people at the Sacramento Speakers Network.

“Most people practice trial and error and fail their way to Success,” Schwerdtfeger says. The ground floor method is to attempt campaigns, and see what happens.”

Schwerdtfeger, 40, a native of Ottawa, Canada now based in the Bay Area, spoke to the group the very day his new book – titled “Marketing Shortcuts for the Self Employed: Leverage Resources, Establish Online Credibility & Crush your Competition – came off the presses.

Wearing a navy blue suit, light blue tie and an engaging ear-to-ear grin, he wowed the standing-room only crowd at the Doubletree Hotel with stories of companies or individuals who did something unique in the “raging river” of social media that went viral and drew thousands of eyeballs to their product or project.

Schwerdtfeger singled out campaigns where people did fairly simple things that earned attention. The first was a case study on the new Wizardly World of Harry Potter Theme Park. The vice president of media marketing of Universal Orlando Resorts invited seven bloggers, who all write for Harry Potter fans, to an exclusive on-line midnight preview of the theme park. The seven bloggers wrote about the park and lots of their followers re-posted their stories on their own blogs, Facebook pages or tweeted about it on Twitter. Within 24 hours the “exclusive” scoop for seven fan bloggers grew to over 350 million.

Bringing it home, he suggested that business owners build their online identity via a blog and connect that blog to Facebook, LinkedIn, and other sites. Nobody will be listening unless your content is shared. There are thousands of article directories to link your blog to. If blogging becomes too boring, record a podcast and post your idea to iTunes, then after that post several videos where you are demonstrating what you are remarkably good at and post the link to YouTube. Schwerdtfeger credits the numerous videos linked to his blog as the interface that brought About.com and then eventually Wiley to agree to publish his book.

“Learn to demonstrate your expertise in the midst of a raging river,” he says. The river being the infinite number of conversations going on in Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and other popular social media networks.

He also pointed out other examples, Dave Carroll, a musician from Nebraska who got ticked off when United Airlines baggage handlers broke his beloved Taylor Guitar and then the company refused to accept responsibility. He wrote a song about it then posted it to YouTube “United Breaks Guitars” – which has been viewed 10, 467,000 times.

Another inexpensive way to increase awareness and build expertise is to provide a free pdf e-book on your site. He pointed to Dr. Helaine Smith’s blog. She provides a free eBook on her blog called “Healthy Mouth, Healthy Sex.” Providing something free gives an incentive for readers to come to your site. You can even place a limited time offer like a 10 percent discount for services if people provide comments on your Facebook.

Another example is Naked Pizza in New Orleans who gave 10 percent discount to customers ordered a pizza by tweeting Naked Pizza.

As for reverse marketing, Jet Blue he says has people doing searches on their competition finding people unhappy with their current airline service, and tweets a response providing a slightly better alternative in real time.

Overall, social media networking provides the ability for your product to expand the frame. For instance if you are selling wine jelly, it’s not just about selling wine jelly. It’s about selling the benefits and privileges that goes with buying that product. On Facebook, you can offer a tour of the winery where that wine jelly is made, provide pairings, options for other uses for the product, and then take photos of the participants who may agree to be tagged so they can share the product with their friends on Facebook. At that point, it’s not just wine jelly. It is an experience to be shared.

Robert P. Weaver, a Folsom CPA, was inspired by the lecture and plans to “provide useful content to his site.”

While members of the audience reacted enthusiastically to Schwerdtfeger’s presentation, some were not sure how his lessons would apply to their businesses.

“It’s a great idea but probably not for me,” Colleen Watters, a Roseville attorney who specializes in estate planning.

Others like, Susan Rueppel, already practice some of Schwerdtfeger’s tips and are eager to utilize more.
Rueppel, who describes herself as a “chief intuition officer” of her Midtown business devoted to helping people and firms “create a bigger vision and have a clear path forward.”

Sacramento Speaker Network regularly meets on the first Wednesday of the month with the next meeting is July 6 at 6:30pm at the Doubletree Hotel. The speaker will be Donna Hartley, a DC-10 plane crash survivor.

What is Social Networking Really Worth?

2011-05-28T00:47:29Z

Mark Bean, the managing director of C7, and Josh Hilliker, the director of social media at Intel-GE Care Innovations, sat on a panel moderated by 3Fold’s Gordon Fowler to discuss whether or not social media’s return on investment (ROI) is measurable. Turns out, it is.

As was revealed over the course of their discussion, there’s a plethora of tools out there for everyone to track just how effective their social media presence is. There are a lot of dated measurements (i.e. number of clicks or time on site), but they don’t quite carry over into social networking very well. Some of the newer tools include Hootsuite and Tweetdeck for the smaller businesses, or Radian 6 and Crimson Hexagon for the bigger brands and enterprises, and everybody who’s anybody uses Google Analytics. Regardless of whether your business is big or small, the fact of the matter is that different people will want to track different metrics based on what their overall goals are.

For example, let’s say you wanted to see if your social media presence was getting you more sales. You would have to track the amount of money and/or time you’re investing in your online networking, and simultaneously track the amount of sales your accruing, then compare the numbers to see if there is an increase in sales or not. If the increase in sales is unsubstantial or nonexistent, then maybe social media isn’t the right marketing tool for you!

If you find yourself in a lost-cause situation, the whole panel agreed that you should own up to your mistakes. Be open, transparent, and completely honest with the people who actually did invest time and effort in your endeavors. If you do that, you have the potential to mend what damage you’ve done, and maybe even come out on top.

But how do you measure whether or not you’ve come out on top? It’s true that not all of the benefits social media offers can be directly linked to financial gain. A lot of the benefits lie in the idea that you’re building a brand while simultaneously building a strong relationship with your customers. The goal in many cases is not necessarily higher sales, but greater interaction between you and your fans. Hilliker explained the 90:9:1 rule: 90% of your followers are just lurking about, 9% will pop in and contribute every now and again, and 1% are super-evangelist-advocates for your cause. Success can be found by moving some lurkers into that top 10%, and getting real conversations going.

Conversations are fantastic for helping out your brand, but at the end of the day marketing is about whether or not a dollar changed hands, says Fowler. Let’s face it; social media is not the end-all-be-all of marketing techniques. It certainly can play an integral role in connecting with your fans and broadening your base, but it should be part of a larger strategy. Just because social media offers a lot of promise doesn’t mean you should completely abandon the pursuit of more traditional techniques; there are probably some pretty good reasons why such successful brands still use them. But as Bean points out, "Twitter is like the new dial tone" - you're expected to be there.

Click here to watch the whole Sacramento Social Media Club panel discussion.

Is Social Media Making the World a Better Place?

2011-05-16T16:37:02Z

UC Davis law professor Anupam Chander spoke to a large crowd at the California Museum on Tuesday, April 19th about the role social media has played in the recent uprisings around the globe, and how it could be a key player in making the world better.

Just prior to the professor taking the stage, a wonderful meet-and-greet was held in the lobby of the museum. Politicos, business leaders, media experts, teachers and others chatted over mouth-watering hors’doeuvres provided by Blue Prynt and wine provided by Grace Patriot Wines. Professor Chander was there to discuss a new paper that he had recently published called Googling Freedom. His presentation came in three parts: (1) is social media even related to the uprisings or is it just hype; (2) the two possible futures of the internet; and (3) the responsibilities of internet-based companies moving as they expand.

A writer at Mother Jones once said, “Twitter bears about as much responsibility for the Egyptian uprising as George Soros, Mrs. O’leary’s cow, and the flying spaghetti monster.” However, Martin Luther was able to fully vet his concerns on a singular piece of parchment, subsequently creating an entire religion with the use of the printing press (an early communications technology). And when there have been rumors of rebellion, dictators have commonly flipped the internet “kill switch” in the hopes of quelling their peoples. Now there are a multitude of options undermining the efficacy of “kill switches,” and social media platforms can still reach the rest of the world despite these efforts. Just the idea that the internet is one of the first things targeted at the beginning of a rebellion should be indication enough that it plays a key role in removing a dictator from power.

As Professor Chander sees it, there are two potential ways this internet expansion can go: the perfection of a “surveillance state” or the perfection of a “global sphere of rational discourse.” The first option, while possible, is looking more and more unlikely. Social media is pushing the world toward option two, where everyone everywhere has access to real-time on-the-ground information from around the world. This has been the case in several instances in the recent past, and hopefully will continue and expand as we move forward.

As the companies who run these websites move forward, what should be the guiding principle of their business strategies? In the past, it has been the maximization of shareholder wealth. Companies are increasingly worried about their public image in an age of increased transparency, and so the at-all-costs method of increasing wealth may not work for much longer. Now companies are more likely to be moralistic in their decision-making, and make efforts to be seen as improving the communities in which they operate. Not to worry, shareholders – you’re still number one, but society will now come in at a much closer second place.

Professor Chander closed with some Q&A, and then, as is the tradition of the Sacramento Social Media Club, a door prize raffle was held. Door prizes are donated by local businesses and organizations and the prizes included free California Museum annual memberships and Jiffylube gift certificates.

The Social Media Club will be hosting their next event this Tuesday, May 17th at The Urban Hive beginning at 6:30 pm. "Social Media ROI: Is it Measurable?" will feature a panel of social media experts who will weigh in on best practices and new methods of measurement. For more information or to register for this event, click here.

About Sacramento Social Media Club
The Sacramento chapter of the Social Media Club is part of an international organization of more than 100 active chapters around the globe hosting conversations that explore key issues facing our society as technologies transform the way we connect, communicate, collaborate and relate to each other. Founded in April of 2009, Sacramento Social Media Club (SMCSac) has become the centerpiece for regional gatherings surrounding the subject of social media. SMCSac is devoted to expanding media literacy, sharing lessons among social media practitioners, encouraging adoption of industry standards and promoting ethical practices though discussion and actions. Additional information about the Sacramento Chapter and upcoming events is available at http://www.facebook.com/SMCSAC.

Downtown businesses paint the town purple to support the Kings

2011-04-22T01:12:06Z

Downtown businesses are getting in on the underground social media campaign #HereWePurple. They’re supporting the Sacramento Kings while the NBA is in town through displays, specials, deals, freebies and more.

The social media campaign #HereWePurple has encouraged Sacramento to show support for the Kings by “painting the town purple” today while the NBA is in town meeting with local business leaders. The facebook event encourages residents to wear purple, sport a Kings jersey, put sign in your windows and cars, put up flags, wear your purple jewelry or whatever you've got all day long.

“We've been watching the campaign on Twitter and wanted to get our downtown businesses to encourage Sacramentans to get involved” said Lisa Martinez, DSP Director of Marketing and Outreach. "We've been overwhelmed by how many downtown businesses were willing to support the team and offer specials to residents to do the same.”

A number of downtown businesses have answered the call, most offering specials, deals or freebies. Additionally, many of businesses have created outward displays of support as well through lighting, uniforms, napkins, balloons; even logos and websites are turning purple.

Offers from downtown businesses include:

Mayahuel / Special: Purple Margaritas / Display: Purple balloons outside for support
Esquire Imax / Special: Free Popcorn to patrons in purple
Grange & The Citizen Hotel / Special: Kings Preservation Cocktail featuring local 209 gin, preserved grape jam, Dolin Blanc, and lemon / Display: Purple lighting in the windows
Ten22 / Special: Purple Reign Cocktail: Gin, cranberry juice, blue curacao, sweet & sour and lemon-lime soda / Display: logo with a purple border, and Ten22 Power Point presentation
3 Fires Lounge & The Residence Inn / Free scoop of purple ice cream for patrons in purple / Display: Employees dressed in Purple
Ella Dining Room & Bar / Happy Hour all day for patrons in purple – ½ price cocktails, $5 wines
Sheraton Grand Hotel/ Special: $1 Purple Sangria with Purchase of an Entrée / Display: Windows lit with purple lights, Purple napkins in Morgans Restaurant.
de Vere’s Irish Pub / Special: $4 “Kings Hooters” (purple hooter shooters) til close
The Melting Pot / Special: $5 “Kingsberry” Margaritas (Blackberry Margaritas)
Strings Express / Special: Free Cheesy Garlic Bread for patrons in purple
Chocolate Fish Coffee / Special: Free Slam Dunk Freespro (double shot of Espresso) to patrons in purple

In addition, the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Downtown Sacramento Partnership have created window displays to support Sacramento’s team. The US Bank Building, Memorial Auditorium, Ziggurat Building will join the Sheraton and Citizen Hotel in displaying purple lighting on their buildings. To stay abreast of new downtown deals and updates for the "Here We Purple" campaign, follow Downtown Sacramento Partnership on Twitter: @DowntownSac.

Disclosure: Megan Emmerling is Marketing Manager for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership.

Beta no more

2011-04-21T18:39:43Z

It’s been nearly two and half years since we launched The Sacramento Press, and today we released a few changes (more than just the temporary purple color), one of which is removing the beta stamp from our navigation.

What is a beta stamp, you ask? Well, since you can no longer see it on our site, I grabbed this screenshot of what it used to look like.

Beta generally indicates that a company is still working out the kinks in their core product. But we finally are happy to say we feel pretty happy with what we have, so no more beta!

Does this mean we stop working on new features? Absolutely not. We will in fact bring new and increasingly cool features to The Sacramento Press over the course of this year and beyond.

To that point our co-founder and VP of technology Joel Rosenberg has assembled this quick overview of what else will see changed on our site as of today.

---

Highlighting the Comments of an Article's Author

An article author's comments will now stand out in the conversation. This allows readers to quickly know when the writer may be providing greater detail, correcting a mistake, or just jumping into the action.

No more "107 Weeks Ago"

We're changing how we show the age of comments and articles in search results and lists. Currently, we show how old an article is in terms of minutes, hours, days, and weeks. Now we'll be removing weeks, adding months and showing the year and month an article or comment was published if it's more than a year old.

Facebook and Twitter links

We now promote our official Facebook and Twitter account at the top of every page.

Curated front page RSS feeds

We're adding RSS feeds for all laid-out front pages (and tag pages). This allows us to have a feed that represents curated content that is changed daily. We can give these feeds to third parties knowing that spammy or offensive articles won't show up and surprise us.

Trimming down RSS entries when things change

When we have to fix a typo in an article or when a user updates his comment, some RSS readers will often add a new entry instead of updating the old one. This change will help RSS software see changes as updates to old entries, not new entries.

---

So there you go, lots of new stuff to play with. In the coming weeks, look for even more changes such as video and audio on our homepage and even more exciting features.

UC Davis Professor to give 'Social Media & Social Uprising' lecture at The California Museum

2011-04-15T05:17:03Z

In the past several years, social media has played an ever growing role in calling for, organizing, and executing social uprisings and upheaval around the globe. Increasingly, these uprisings are bringing about significant social change in not only their country of origin but amongst those involved via social media channels. In contrast, some countries are dealing with unrest and the threat of uprisings by locking down Internet access and jailing citizens for sharing certain information online.

The Social Media Club of Sacramento (SMCSac) makes a monthly habit of examining the various ways social media is impacting our everyday interactions, culture, and society at large. The club has partnered with the California Museum to explore the fascinating topic of the role of Twitter, Facebook, Google, and other social media channels in bringing about global social change. Their upcoming event, Social Media and Social Uprising, will be held Tuesday, April 19th at the California Museum on 10th & O streets. Featuring keynote speaker Professor Anupam Chander, a leading scholar in the law of globalization and digitization at the UC Davis School of Law, SMCSac will explore how social media paves the way for citizens to shift from 'friends' to revolutionaries.

In his keynote address, Professor Chander plans to touch on topics that range from the role social media plays in unfree societies, to the corporate social responsibility of companies like Google and Facebook. After the talk, the discussion will be opened to the audience for a Q&A with Professor Chander. Audience members can discuss these topics further, or explore how these insights can be applied to their lives, community, and understanding of global social issues.

The museum gallery will open at 5:30pm, and the evening will commence at 6pm with a wine and appetizer reception hosted by Grace Patriot Wines and the new downtown restaurant Blue Prynt. Professor Chander will begin his keynote address around 7pm, with discussion and networking to follow.

Advance tickets are recommended and can be purchased online. If available, tickets may also be purchased at the door on Tuesday. For more information on the Social Media and Social Uprising event, Professor Anupam Chander, the California Museum, or SMCSac, visit the event website or call (916) 653-7524.

Disclosure: Megan Emmerling is a member of the Social Media Club, Sacramento

Social Media Club's Sacramento chapter hosts "Blogging for Business" workshop

2011-03-28T23:20:30Z

So, your business has a website. Then you heard that blogs are the thing that every website needs to helps your business connect with customers. So, now your website has a blog... and you have no idea what to do with it. Enter Jennifer Bourn, owner of Bourn Creative and the guest speaker at the Social Media Club, Sacramento (SMCS) workshop, "Blogging for Business". The workshop, held at Drexel University in Downtown Sacramento on March 24th, aimed to help small business owners and other business bloggers ensure the rewards reaped through their blog is worthy of the time spent.

There is no question that blogging, whether for business or pleasure, requires a significant investment of time to be done right. Time alone however, does not a successful blog make. How do you know which platform to use? What are plugins and why are there so many of them? How can you tell which tools are adding to your blog and which are detracting... or worse, distracting your customers from making purchases or connecting with your message? And once you get your blog all set up, what do you write about?

In an intensive 90 minute workshop Bourn spelled out the how-tos, recommendations, and best practices to make a business blog successful. She began by clarifying the goal of business blogs, because many business owners launch blogs without being clear on what they're using the blog to accomplish. The goals of any business blog should be to posisition your company and brand, communicate with your customers, educate your market and showcase your expertise in your field, and to make a personal connection with your readers.

"People don't want to connect with a cold brand," explained Bourn, "they want to connect with the people at the company."

Its the humanity shown through your posts that encourage readers to return or subscribe to your blog. Finding ways to make your posts personal, memorable, and emotional will allow customers and readers to not only connect with your brand, but with you as a blogger. When you connect to customers on a personal, human level trust and loyalty can be gained.

In addition to compelling, personalized content, Bourn stressed the importance of paying attention to the design elements of your blog. "Look at your sidebar [and think], 'How does this bring value to my users?'" Bourn points out that a date based archive system in the sidebar, while often used, is practically useless to your readers, "What does this tell them other than you posted content at some point that month? Delete it."

Other items to remove from your sidebar? Any links that may distract your potential customer from spending money on your site, or lead them away from your blog, including Twitter or Facebook scolls, avatars, and boxes. Bourn points out that we spend so much energy on our social media sites trying to get people to our blog for more content and the chance to convert to a sale. Why, once they get there, would we try to send them away from your focused content back to the world of social media?

These tips were just a tip of the iceberg of expertise shared during the interactive workshop. Attendees were encouraged to bring their laptops to follow along and live tweet the event. The 50 person event, which included food provided by Paesano's, was open to members of the SMCS and the general public. SMCS simply requested a $10 donation to help the club continue to organize events and workshops about various social meda topics.

For more tips on blogging and business, visit the Bourn Creative blog on their website. For more information about upcoming Social Media Club, Sacramento events, follow @SMCSac on Twitter.

Disclosure: Megan Emmerling is a member of the Social Media Club, Sacramento.

A reveler's guide to the de Vere's St. Patricks Day Party in the Park

2011-03-16T19:00:30Z

The weather forecast for Thursday is clear and sunny and Sacramento is counting down the hours to this year's biggest St. Patrick’s Day party.

The de Vere’s Party in the Park kicks off at 10 a.m. on Thursday March 17th at Cesar Chavez Plaza in Downtown Sacramento for 12 hours of St. Patrick’s Day festivities, music, pipes, dancers, food, and drinks. 9th street between I and J streets will be closed to traffic beginning at 5 am to make room for all of the St. Patrick's Day festivities happening in the park. The street will reopen to traffic after midnight.

Advance ticket sales for the Party in the Park available at deveresderules.com end at 11:30 a.m. on March 16, but tickets are available for purchase at the door on Thursday. Party proceeds will benefit Maryhouse, a daytime women and children’s homeless shelter at Loaves and Fishes. You can also purchase raffle tickets to win a trip for two to Ireland for $1 either online via the "Tickets" link at deveresderules.com or on site during the Party in the Park.

Good Eats
Stop by the Party in the Park during your lunch to purchase your ticket to the event and pick up some good eats. Downtown restaurants including de Vere’s Irish Pub, Grange, Café Soliel, Tuli Bistro, and Shady Lady will be serving up great food with menus ranging from pizza, pulled pork sliders, corned beef, and beer brats. Ins and outs are allowed up until 2:00pm, allowing downtown workers the opportunity to take a long lunch at the park, have some wonderful food, and catch Nine 8ths Irish at 11:30am, and Irish Dancers at 1:30pm. Just make sure you leave the park before 2:00pm if you want to gain re-entry later in the afternoon or after work!

Live Entertainment
Live entertainment will rock the park throughout the day featuring traditional Irish entertainment from the Kennelly School Irish Dancers and Sacramento Firefighters Pipes and Drums. 106.5 The Buzz and Radio 94.7 will be on site all day, with appearances by Andy Hawk of Jaime White Mornings on The Buzz, and Casey & Alicia from Radio 94.7. Live musical performances begin at 11:30 am with Nine 8ths Irish, and continue through the day with Whiskey & Stitches at 2:30 pm and the Black-Eyed Dempseys at 4:30 pm. Headliner and San Francisco U2 tribute band, Zoo Station takes the stage at 7:30 pm.

Getting around
If you’re planning to party in the park, make sure you plan ahead to get home safe by having a designated driver, taking public transit, or spending the night Downtown.

Party-goers have a variety of transit options available for the event. The DSP has partnered with Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates (SABA) to provide complimentary bike valet service at the Party in the Park. For those driving to the event, a discounted parking rate of $5 after 5 p.m. is available at the City Hall Garage located at 10th and I streets.

Last Call Sacramento will also be onsite to prevent buzzed and drink drivers from getting on the road. The local company will provide complimentary safe rides for event attendees and their cars courtesy of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership.

Local hotels are also offering special discounts on St. Patrick’s Day for party goers. The Hyatt Regency Sacramento is offering a $99 rate on March 17 with promo code “BFFE Rate Plan.” The Citizen Hotel is offering rooms for $109/night online using promo code “CLOVER” for stays March 16-20.

Keep the Party Going
If your evening isn't over at 10pm when the de Vere's St. Patrick's Day Party in the Park comes to a close, there are a variety of St. Patrick's parties continuing into the wee hours. The de Vere's Pub Party will continue til last call, and is within walking distance. Buy your tickets in advance at sacstpats.com to make sure you can get in after the Party in the Park. Events at Brew it Up!, Gallaghers, Dive Bar, Vive!, Parlare, and District 30 are also very close by. If you're ready for fourth meal, de Vere's has got you covered for amazing Irish food, and Wayside Noodles, Ambrosia Cafe, Pizza Rock, and Cafeteria 15L are all close by and open late with delicious grub to fill your belly.

For more event details, visit deveresderules.com. or sacstpats.com Don’t forget, the Downtown Sacramento Partnership (@DowntownSac) be tweeting live from the park all day on Thursday. Follow the conversation on Twitter by searching the hashtag #SacStPats.

Disclosure: Megan Emmerling is the Marketing Manger for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership.

FOX40 Reporter Plays Cruel Prank On Kings Fans Through Twitter

2011-03-10T08:25:07Z

Since it was first reported on radio station KFBK in January, the city has been waiting on pins and needles for an announcement from the National Basketball Association or the Maloof Family surrounding the fate of the much beloved Sacramento Kings.

Two months have passed since KFBK's Rob McAllister reported the Maloofs were debating whether or not to move the Kings to Anaheim -- news that upset Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson and put plans on building a new arena within the city in limbo.

The game of "Will they, won't they?" has been unbearable between city officials, sports fans and the talking heads of Sacramento television and radio, but it seemed as if an answer had finally arrived ~~Thursday~~ Wednesday evening from a news organization that touts itself as the leader in sports news.

Veteran sports director Jim Crandell with FOX affiliate KTXL sent out a tweet around 9pm ~~Thursday~~ Wednesday that had many Kings fans fearing the worse.

"Coming up in my show at 10PM, David Stern makes the announcement no Kings (fan) wants to hear," Crandell tweeted.

~~Thursday's~~ Wednesday's late night newscast on KTXL opened with Crandell saying he "felt everybody's pain," then playing an archival clip from 1985 in which NBA commissioner David Stern announced the arrival of the Kings from Kansas City ~~Louisville~~ to Sacramento.

The clip was followed by Crandell introducing a clip of "another announcement" in which Stern's original words were dubbed over by a FOX40 photographer, this time making it appear as if Stern was sending the Kings to Anaheim.

"If you don't laugh, you'll cry," Crandell said after the doctored video played.

Not the announcement most were expecting to hear.

"You know what the Kings mean to us," Juan Primo wrote on Twitter following the prank. "This isn't the time to be 'cute and lighthearted.'"

"You seriously owe the city an apology for that BS you pulled tonight," a Twitter user by the name of "LocalStreetHero" wrote.

Crandell seemed to shrug off the criticism following the late night newscast.

"You are one mad dude," Crandell wrote to an angry Twitter follower. "Sorry you got so upset. Thankfully, most people took it in the spirit it was intended."

Crandell has served as KTXL's sports director since 1984 and is one of Sacramento's most-veteran news personalities.

---

Matthew Keys is a freelance journalist and former online news producer for KTXL FOX40 Sacramento. He can be reached at mail@matthewkeys.net.

Social Networking "In-Real-Life"

2011-02-21T02:19:12Z

Social media enthusiasts from around the city gathered Tuesday night at The Urban Hive for the Sacramento Social Media Club Relationships and Social Media presentation.

With Valentine's Day just behind us and the ever-increasing role of social networking in our day-to-day lives, relationships via the online frontier was a timely topic for discussion. Four speakers headlined the evening, and the audience was filled with some of Sacramento's most active facebookers and tweeps.

Up first at the podium was independent marketing consultant Paul Ardoin, who discussed facebook privacy settings and how to manage them. "facebook is a for-profit entity; every decision facebook makes on your privacy, they are thinking not about you, but about their revenue stream." Paul suggests checking your facebook privacy settings regularly to make sure they're still to your liking. He also recommends creating friends lists to take advantage of facebook privacy granules, especially if you have a boss who likes to critique your facebook activity.

Lanette Capellas, Staffing Director for The Agate Group, then discussed social media from an HR perspective. Layoffs are increasingly due to social networking negligence, and an overzealous willingness to share. One of her main points: think before you post. Is venting about a bad day at work worth losing your job over? Lanette thinks not, and most are likely to agree. If your fingertips get the better of you and you end up saying something you regret, thank goodness you took Paul's advice and already divvied up the permissions on your friends list.

Feel like your friends list isn't long enough to divvy up? Not to worry, "strangers are friendships waiting to happen," says Laura Good, executive director of Social Media Club Sacramento. Sacramento twitter use is ranked fourth in the nation. Utilize that to your advantage and engage people on social networks in order to realize the real-world potential of a virtual friendship. You can also use hashtags (e.g. #smcsac or #sacbeerweek) to find events going on around town. Laura also recommended MeetUp and Couchsurfing for connecting with like-minded people in town

If you just spent Valentines Day hopping from venue to venue and you still couldn't find your sweetheart, maybe an online dating site should be your next stop. MetroSpark.net is a locally based internet dating site that provides personally tailored classes to help your outward presentation match your inner self. Amar Dhariwal, founder and current CEO of the site, also discussed an array of other online dating sites and even the new generation of mobile dating apps that include geolocators for singles out on the town.

The night concluded with a raffle; the prizes included tickets to B Street Theater, Esquire IMAX, the Sacramento Zoo, California Lecture Series, de Vere's St. Patrick's Day in the Park, and the Sacramento Kings vs Clippers game. Food and beverages provided by Chick-Fil-A Arden Fair and The Sacramento Press made the after party all the better. You may watch the video of the presentation on the Sacramento Social Media Club's uSteam channel. “Like” their Facebook page to stay tuned in for information on future events. The club is also active on Twitter.

Last week to vote for local agencies to win $10K grant from Sutter Health

2011-02-11T18:43:28Z

To celebrate its 10th year of community benefit funding, Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento (SMCS) will award one of its community partners an additional $10,000 grant for 2011. The winner will be determined through online voting that will close on February 16. The Downtown Sacramento Partnership (DSP) and 16 other local agencies are using social media to help garner the votes they need to win the additional grant money.

"If the DSP is fortunate enough to be granted the additional funding, our organization plans to use it to fund homeless and youth outreach,” said Ryan Loofbourrow, DSP community services director, “Mental illness is one of the leading causes of homelessness. We would love the opportunity to use the $10,000 bonus grant to assist the most vulnerable of our homeless population in gaining access to care and treatment.”

Website visitors can help the DSP win the additional funding by voting at www.smcscommunityvote.com for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership’s vision statement. The 140-character statement illustrates how each agency is changing the world by improving or saving lives and contributing to our community. The DSP’s vision statement reads, “DSP leads the way in homeless & youth street outreach, making a difference by restoring the heart of our city by first rebuilding lives of the lost & forgotten.”

“Our Street outreach team believes that finding housing for the homeless and positive opportunities for our youth is an investment in our community’s future,” explained DSP Executive Director Michael Ault, “We have the people and the ability but we need funding to help open those doors to success.”

Other agencies receiving grants from SMCS and vying for the $10,000 bonus grant include Stanford Settlement, River City Food Bank, People Reaching Out, Society for the Blind, Sacramento ACT, WEAVE, Cottage Housing, Francis House, Loaves & Fishes, St. John's Shelter Program, Women's Empowerment, Center for Community Health and Well-Being, SPIRIT Project, The Effort, Sacramento Self Help Housing and Cover the Kids.

"No matter which agency wins, the real winner is the Sacramento community, "said Lisa Martinez, DSP director of marketing and outreach, "There is a lot of great work being done in our city by these organizations every day, and we are proud that our community services department is among them."

Disclosure: Megan Emmerling is the Marketing Manager for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership

Locals Keep Fitness Resolutions Through Social Media

2011-01-14T00:42:25Z

Losing weight and getting into shape often top the lists of New Year's resolutions Americans attempt to commit to annually, and that resolution is met with the advice that a plan that combines diet and exercise is the best way to achieve or maintain desired results.

But diet and exercise alone isn't enough of a plan to keep an individual committed to getting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. From everyman Jared Fogle to supermodel Cindy Crawford, the presence of a supportive community played an integral role as a third element toward goals that incorporate losing weight, getting fit and staying healthy.

"Getting weight loss support from family, friends and sometimes even professionals is important if you want long term results," wrote Men's Total Fitness editor Travis van Slooten. "By letting your friends and family know that you want to lose weight and get into shape, they can get in your corner and help…your chances for success in attaining your weight loss goals."

Fitness is a booming business -- experts say the business of keeping fit and healthy is expected to grow 27% larger by 2016. The rapid growth of technology is allowing fitness professionals to connect individuals looking to lose weight and get healthier both with their practice and with a supportive community.

Gina Garcia, creator of Sacramento's "Yoga in the Park" program, says social media websites like Facebook play an integral role in allowing participants to keep in touch with her and her community.

"Having that channel of connection 24/7 is invaluable," Garcia said. "We take the winter months off, but Facebook allows us to stay connected with our Yoga community, even when we are not practicing together."

Technology has also given birth to a boom of programs and "apps" for mobile devices like the iPhone and iPad. Apps such as "Lose It!" allow an individual to share nutrition tips and recipes with other friends who also have the app.

The advent of apps and social media websites help keep a person motivated, both by promoting rigorous exercise and nutrition "check-ins" and by maintaining a relationship with a community of people who seek similar, or often the same, goals.

Garcia will be lending her expertise on how social media keeps her community connected and motivated at the Social Media Club, Sacramento's "Fitness and Social Media" event on Tuesday, January 18th at the Urban Hive. Other panelists include "Eat Like A Champ" instructor Curtis Schurkamp, "Midtown Strength & Conditioning" co-owner Tara Getty, "Mama Bootcamp" founder Lorri Ann Code and "California Family Fitness" marketing coordinator Mallor Arcuri. Additional panelists may be announced on the group's Twitter page.

The event is open to the public with online registration. A $10 donation is asked at the doors, which open at 6:30pm.

---

Matthew Keys is a freelance journalist. He can be found on Twitter or e-mailed at mail@matthewkeys.net.

Sacramento Facebookers racing to win $100,000 grant to fight hunger

2010-12-30T03:50:47Z

As part of its 2010 Holiday campaign focused on fighting hunger, Walmart launched a Facebook campaign that invites fans to select the communities that will receive $1.5 million in grants. By visiting the campaign website and "liking" a community via their Facebook account, people influence which communities will receive the funds. The community with the most "likes" will receive $1 million to fight hunger; the next 5 highest scoring communities will receive $100,000 each.

Why is this news? Because Sacramento is in now in 6th place which earns a $100,000 grant! With less than 48 hours remaining in the race, Sacramento's social media influencers are campaigning to keep Sacramento in 6th place or better.

Using social networking tools like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, the word is spreading rapidly throughout the region. An event on Facebook has even been created to help people tell all of their Facebook friends about the campaign.

Unlike other social media campaigns that only focus on raising awareness about issues, this campaign awards grant money to the top 7 regions. Fresno, which has a significant lead over all the other regions, is likely to win the $1 million grant and Bakersfield and Sacramento are currently in 5th & 6th place which earns grant awards of $100,000 each. However, Sacramento, Grand Rapids and Charleston are running a very tight race, currently in 6th, 7th & 8th places respectively. Sacramento will need to increase its social media efforts to hold 6th place.

Sacramento Press readers can help the campaign by visiting the website and "liking" our region. Anyone who has a Facebook account can participate. There is no charge to "Like" or vote; just click on the community of your choice. You do not need to "Like" Walmart in order to participate The campaign ends on 12/31/2010 at midnight EST.

Facebook page shines light on Midtown bike thefts

2010-11-29T08:10:32Z

Midtown resident Sheila Wages treasured her brand-new bicycle – a seven-speed cruiser her boyfriend had put a lot of effort into picking out for her. She kept it in her back yard, from where it was stolen in August.

Wages started a Facebook page for stolen Midtown bicycles within the next couple of days.

“It started out as a joke,” she said, adding that the Facebook page has since taken on a life of its own, where users will post details of their stolen bikes and possible places to look out for them.

“When my bike was first stolen, I didn’t realize what an epidemic (bike theft) was,” Wages said. “You’ve got to lock them up and take them inside if you can.”

According to Wages, one of the posters on the Facebook page had locked a bike up to a tree, which thieves cut down to steal the bike.

“I didn’t know how serious it would be when I started it,” Wages said of the Facebook page. “At the time, I was just messing around and posting pics and info.”

Recently, the site, which currently has more than 230 friends, started seeing a lot more activity, and Wages said she is considering starting a Facebook Groups page as well as a photo gallery of stolen bicycles, and generally working as something of a virtual neighborhood watch program.

“It might take quite a bit of work,” she said. “I’m open to suggestions on what people would like to see.”

Midtown resident Caitlin Mee had a bicycle stolen several years ago, and she takes every precaution to keep her current bicycle from being stolen.

“I had a big, heavy beach cruiser I left locked up at a Midtown business when I was living in Natomas,” she said.

The shop was broken into, and her bike was stolen. She said it had been given to her by her dad, and it had sentimental value.

“I really would like to still have it,” she said.

Her current bicycle used to belong to her grandfather, and she said she rides it to Davis for exercise, but she is always afraid it will be stolen.

“I don’t take it anywhere unless I can keep it in my sight,” she said. “It’s the most frustrating thing. This is a lot of people’s mode of transportation. It’s like getting your car stolen.”

Mee said she likes the “whole neighborhood watch feel” of the Facebook page, and she thinks it’s a good way to spread awareness of the problem and help serve as a deterrent to would-be thieves.

“I still haven’t given up hope on finding my bike,” she said.

Wages and Mee both filed police reports when their bicycles were stolen, and Mee said she is frustrated with the lack of police investigation into the issue.

Sacramento Police Department spokesman Sgt. Norm Leong said Sacramento has high levels of crime, and other crimes such as murder, felony assault, auto theft and robberies take priority.

He added, however, that police do what they can to stop the crimes, and the department uses “bait” bikes to catch thieves as well as public outreach to help owners protect their property.

“We had thefts happening at sheds in East Sac, and we took a proactive approach,” Leong said. “We went out and showed people their bike’s serial number and did engravings for them.”

Leong said that filing a police report without knowing the bicycle’s serial number or being able to provide a description that makes a bicycle unique makes it very difficult for police to solve the crimes.

Serial numbers are typically located on the bottom of the bicycle’s frame and can be read when the bike is turned upside down, he said.

When cyclists are stopped by police, officers run the serial numbers through computers the same way license plates are during a vehicle stop. If the serial number shows it is stolen, police contact the rightful owner.

“We get a lot of people saying, ‘I know it’s my bike,’ but if they can’t prove it, there’s nothing we can do,” Leong said.

Check back next week with The Sacramento Press for an upcoming article on ways to protect your bicycle from theft and what to do if your bicycle is stolen.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Agriculture is Going from Analog to Digital, and UC Davis is Showing them How

2010-11-23T21:06:21Z

Saturday’s AgNewMedia Conference at the University of California, Davis, taught farmers the importance of social media and how to use it to further their goals. The conference was a product of academics like Anne King, Patricia Bailey, and Melissa Jordan along with a non-stop team realizing there was a disconnect in communication in the agricultural industry.

Social Media Revolution - You Tube Video

As a well versed social media maven, and a 3rd generation citrus farmer, I believe there's a separation I'm finding with farmers abilities to communicate what their seeing to their consumers, they have so much information but not the tools to deliver it. This conference began bridging the gap, and filling the distance between the farmer and the consumer. Now not every farmer is going to run out an create a Facebook page, or Twitter account but this conference provided the tools to consider it, and acknowledge the growing technology movement in an industry that is mainly analog.

There used to be what media types call "Gatekeepers" these are they people that would determine if the story, content, or information was worth any attention. These people could be found in TV, Radio, and most print media; the excitement of social media is the removal from this constricting world of "Gatekeepers" and tell your own story. This information is vital for the family farmers that make up the very small percentage left of an industry that is dominated by corporate agriculture. Through organizations like AgChat Foundation and KnowaCaliforniaFarmer.com small farms are able to speak out and speak up for different types of farming, the benefits of family farming and where you can attain their goods. This is a huge deal to most farmers that feel there are fewer and fewer options available outside of the corporate machine, and gives them back lost autonomy over their own business and families legacy.

Another great new feature of this conference was the youth embracing the farm. Along with all the other generations and ages trying to find their way in this new media for Agriculture, there is a whole new generation coming up trying to make their way as well, the 14-24 year's old. Usually only 4H or FFA are the options, but to give and new, sexy exciting twist on Aggies is ILoveFarmers.org this non-profit has been organized to embrace, engage and invigorate a whole new generation of farmers, and they are very clever in their approach. With a whole product line based around their tattoo looking design the buzz is getting started even outside their target audience.

For those farmers out there past the first stages of social media and trying to take a new road to capture their audience there are videos like the one below and have made a clever edge to their product, which has already over 1,000,000 views.

Yeo Valley Advert - Official Video- You Tube

From tips like video blogging needing to be kept under 1-2 minuets, to acknowledging that the future of social media is actually mobile media were given among many others. Applications like Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, QR (Quick Response Codes) and Groupon are all embracing a growing mobile world, and this is where the farmer should be looking now. QR codes could be the newest and most revolutionary part of the industry, as they are a special barcode, which when scanned by a smartphone application would lead the user to wealth of product information in a matter of seconds.

One thing that Jason Shoultz of America's Heartland, spoke to was the notion that contained, and controlled messages will always lack transparency, and the more bureaucracy on the farm, non-profit, or organization the more complications will come in creating a message to share with your followers. This can be something that so many people give to little credit to, the "upper management" is so worried about what negative message will leak out that they are very wary of social media, and when they baby-step into it everything is overly controlled.

Jeff Fowle of AgChat Foundation has some very concise remarks to be said on making the message, "There is no main glove that encompass all, we need farmers of all types from sustainable to traditional, organic to GMO to come together, we may not all agree, but there is no one glove that encompasses agriculture. We need to make CA, and the U.S aware of the farmers in the field that feed America, and the world." "Be genuine, be honest, and kind in your messages to the public."

There were great breakout sessions including: Delivering a positive message, Engaging your audience, Evaluating effectiveness, Niche marketing, Providing useful information for policy makers, Just getting started with use of social media, Share Your Story, Using visual media, Writing an initial story, Working with multiple commodities. With such a great conference put together it made me wonder why it took so long, so I spoke to Dr. Anne King, Professor in the Department of Animal Science at UC Davis. "It's something that I've been thinking about for 2 years, it need to happen and finally we just formed a committee and made it happen, as everything was coming together we even had people walking onto the committee they were so excited about what we were doing."

Some final take-home points that Jim Morris from the California Rice Commission said were

1. Pinpoint your message, and your auidence
2. Speak in their language
3. Be prolific and proactive
4. Have sound science back up your claims
5. Brevity - be brief
6. Gain third party support
7. Be Real - genuine
8. Maintain other outreach - story pitches, personal interaction, responsive
9. Don't over engage - too much information isn't good
10. Remember this is a "Game Changer"

Sister and brother filmmakers work to make second film in Placerville – Utilize new fundraising site for grassroots artists

2010-11-03T17:38:43Z

Honored at film festivals nationwide, the independently produced and locally filmed “Elsa Letterseed,” has far exceeded its modest beginnings.

Gathering up no-longer-needed clothes, books and other items collecting dust in closets, Northern California sister and brother duo Sarah C. Kreutz and Paul A. Kreutz funded their first film project’s tiny budget on garage sales.

Over the course of two years, the funds needed were raised while filming took place in Placerville over three-day weekends.

“Garage sales are probably not the most conventional way to fund a film, but we were eager to get the project off the ground, and the timing was right. We had to get creative to raise money,” Sarah Kreutz said.

Six years later, the Kreutzes are gearing up to make their second film – a ghost story called “Gardner & Wells.” Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s philosophy “You can get an audience worried terribly without any violence,” Sarah Kreutz said she wants to make a “classic gothic ghost story.”

“I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that I want to see a ‘frightening’ movie, but I don’t want to see blood and gore,” Sarah Kreutz said.

As with the first film, the Kreutzes have chosen Placerville, a town with many of its own ghost stories, to be the filming site. Sarah Kreutz said independent filmmaking in the Sacramento region is unique: “People here are not jaded by movie-making. The process is still fresh and exciting to them. From acquiring locations to getting permits, most everyone is so very helpful.”

But when it comes to funding this project, the Kreutzes are going a different direction this time around. Like many grassroots artists, they are utilizing social media and the threshold-based pledge website kickstarter.com.

Kickstarter facilitates the gathering of funds to back a variety of creative arts projects through a new type of fundraising platform dubbed “crowdfunding.” The project creator determines a target minimum of funds and a deadline by which the funds must be raised. People who want to support artistic endeavors pledge whatever amount they choose.

If the project creator’s target amount is not reached by the set deadline, no money is collected or distributed. According to the Kickstarter website, the “all-or-nothing” funding approach involves less risk for everyone involved and motivates people to work to get their projects funded.

"We know there’s a chance we will run up against the deadline to fund the project, but we want to spread the word about our feature film to a large audience because we know this is a fun ghost story they'll want to see. This was the way to do that,” Sarah Kreutz said.

To date, more than 3,000 projects have been funded through Kickstarter. One example of local success: In September, Walking Spanish, a Sacramento-based independent rock band, funded its second album by raising $10,405 – 104% of its goal.

The Kreutzes need to raise $12,500 to subsidize the creation of “Gardner & Wells.” They’ve raised 91 percent of their goal and have 11 days left to raise the remaining $1,045. Their deadline is 4:56 p.m. Nov. 14.

“I grew up watching spooky movies and love watching ghost stories on a rainy afternoon, but there are very few modern stories available. I really believe there is a huge audience out there hungry for what we want to give them: a classic gothic ghost story,” Sarah Kreutz said.

For more information on “Gardner & Wells,” click here. To learn more about Kickstarter, visit kickstarter.com.

An Evening with David Plouffe a Very Timely Start to California Lectures New Season

2010-09-15T19:46:37Z

California Lectures opened its 2010-2011 Season Monday night with what was billed as a special event, “An Evening with David Plouffe in conversation with Dan Morain.”

The timing of this lecture could not have been better. With the 2010 midterm elections having become so contentious and being looked at as a referendum on President Barack Obama’s first two years in office, eyes are back on Plouffe to see if he can continue his success he had in helping get Obama elected in the first place.

David Plouffe along with political strategist David Axelrod are credited with “creating and executing” the “blueprint” the got Obama elected. He published “The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama's Historic Victory” on Nov. 3, 2009. The book is an inside view on the strategy that he and Axelrod used to get Obama elected.

During the interview, Plouffe demonstrated how articulate and focused he is. An insight he shared was how difficult it has become to reach, educate and influence voters.

Television and other traditional media were some of his examples. Television and radio traditionally were the means to reach the majority of voters, along with print media. Today, large numbers of voters and potential voters never watch television, listen to radio or read print newspapers. They are connected to the outside world for their news and entertainment through computers and the Internet. He stressed how every social media, emphasizing every, must be employed to reach voters and, more importantly, potential voters.

The use of social media went beyond getting votes for Obama. It was also hugely successful in securing funding for the campaign. Instead of focusing on large donations from fewer sources, it focused on using social media to find huge numbers of individuals willing to donate smaller amounts of money. This was greatly successful. Richard Wolfffe of the Daily Beast states that Plouffe helped amass $750 million in campaign funds for Obama.

Plouffe talked about how politics have been part of his life since childhood. His favorite board game when he was a kid was “Landslide!” He dropped out of college in 1990 to work for Senator Tom Harkin’s re-election campaign. After Obama’s election he went back and completed his degree.

In regards to the midterm elections, he referred to his “now is not the time for bed-wetting" statement after the party lost the Massachusetts Senate election. He reiterated what he had stated in a UPI article: “This will be a tough election for our party and for many Republican incumbents as well. Instead of fearing what may happen, let's prove that we have more than just the brains to govern – that we have the guts to govern."

Dan Morain did a good job with his questions for Plouffe. The questions led Plouffe to speak about the kind of things that were of interest to most of the audience.

Morain is new to The Sacramento Bee, having become a senior editor, columnist and member of the editorial board in January. He has had a long and diverse career in covering politics with the Los Angeles Times, including the 2008 elections.

One of the interesting asides last night was the makeup of the audience. There are two distinct but not mutually exclusive groups that make up the California Lectures audiences. One is the series subscribers who enjoy the diversity of presenters. The other group is made up of those drawn to a specific presenter.

While there were a large number of the latter Monday night, what was interesting was the number of young people in the audience. Lots of college age people, high-school students and even younger audience members were in attendance. Many kids were with parents. Lots of these kids looked like they were on date night. It is encouraging to see so many young people interested in politics, and credit must be given to Plouffe for having contributed to this.

Next up:
Michelle Norris, National Public Radio host of “All Things Considered” and author “The Grace of Silence” (September 2010)
Oct. 6 at the Crest Theatre
Tickets are $30, but students with ID get in for $15

Art & Social Media was the Topic at the last SMCSac panel event

2010-07-28T03:14:53Z

The Sacramento Social Media Club (SMCSac) held another successful panel and networking event last week, this time focusing on “The Art of Social Media." Four area artists--all working in different media--and an artist’s representative discussed their uses of social media platforms to further their art and their careers. Participating were Jen Stewart of Jen Stewart Photography; Eben Burgoon, co-creator of Eben07 webcomic; Marianne Bland, visual artist and manager of SactoMetro Etsy Street Team; Veronica Delgado, owner of Vera Icon PR; and Jeff Musser, visual artist and blogger.

The evening began and ended with active networking sessions, fostered by a selection of artisan pizza (from Hot Italian Pizza & Panini Bar), and various hard ciders (from Two Rivers Cider). In between the socializing and eating was a panel discussion so jam-packed with information that those LiveTweeting the event couldn’t keep up. For an excellent overview, go to Michelle Ponto’s writeup on News10.net. This Sacramento Press article will try to give you some idea of the depth of the conversation, as well as providing links to some of the sites the panelists discussed.

Julie Berge, Program Director of SMCSac, met with the panelists the week before the event for the express purpose of getting to the heart of their potential offerings. Her questions bear out the success of her mission. She began the discussion by saying, “At last week’s meeting, someone stated, ‘the more you know an artist, the more you love their art’, and that started the theme of the evening: ways in which connecting with the public and with collectors enhance both the creative and the merchandising experience.

Jen Stewart discussed how her social media presence on her blog, Facebook, and Twitter, in which she shares personal information, has created opportunities for her photography. “You create a relationship with the people who read you and that can lead to business. Maybe the bride has never heard of you, but her grandma has.” The result, says Stewart, is the connection becomes personal and the recommendation carries more weight.

Eben Burgoon talked about how he uses Twitter to bring his comic characters to life. They each have their own Twitter handles and that works to creates their own personalities. In addition, Burgoon urges all artists contemplating a web presence to buy their url even before they’re ready to go on-line. “Branding is crucial” in Web 2.0, he said, and you’d hate to find your brand name was already taken by someone else.

Marianne Bland, as the manager of Sacramento’s Etsy community, was able to extend the conversation to the use of social media to network with your art community. Etsy is not only an international online marketplace for buying and selling handmade goods, it’s also an online community on its own. That enables buyers and sellers to interact on a personal level. Even more, however, it facilitates dialogue and relationships between artists who usually work alone.

Bland also spoke to ways in which she works to create content on her blog that enhances her connections with her collectors. She and Jeff Musser both use their blogs to showcase works in progress. That creates the sense that the blog reader is a part of the creative process of the artist, and that works to build the collector’s relationship with the artist.

Building that relationship was also important to Veronica Delgado, who is an artists’ representative. “When someone is buying your artwork,” she said, “they are making an investment in you.” It’s important, therefore, to create that space where the relationship can take place. Delgado urges artists just starting out to get a Facebook page, set up an Album and put photos of their work on it. “Then you can send an email to all your collectors that you’re on Facebook.”

The other thing all the panelists agreed on was the importance of spending time nurturing your social media connections. Blog posts must have content and Tweets must do more than promote. Art, after all, no matter the medium is a communication between artist and collector, a relationship that goes two ways.

Next month-- Tuesday, August 17--the SMCSac evening panel event will look at Sports and Social Media.

Some of the sites the panelists mentioned were:

Marianne Bland:

Etsy.com
BluDomain.com is a good template website provider & host with an image-heavy focus
MOO.com is a great place for artists to get business cards. They have mini cards that are half the size of business cards, $20 for 100, but you can upload up to 100 different images if you want.

 Eben Burgoon

Artist Porfolio Sharing:  DeviantArt - art community site for artists to display work and have it shared with the online community (http://www.deviantart.com)

  For cartoonists/illustrators looking to get a start on the web:  Webcomics. ( http://www.webcomics.com  )

The Webcomic List Forums:  (http://www.thewebcomiclist.com/forums/  )

ComicPress 2.9 - a wordpress theme built specifically to display sequential art ( http://comicpress.org/)

  Copyright Theft Watchdogs:  You Thought We Wouldn't Notice  A blog about copyright and design theft, notably busted Hot Topics thefts of late. ( http://youthoughtwewouldntnotice.com/blog3)

Jen Stewart

BigFolio: our website template designer (http://www.bigfolio.com) Also their SmallFolio option that can allow your site to be viewed on an iPhone (http://www.smallfolio.com/smallfolio.html)

Photographers forums:
OSP: ( http://www.opensourcephoto.net/forum/) free
DWF: (http://www.digitalweddingforum.com/) membership required
I Love Photography Forum: (http://ilovephotography.com/forums/index.php?act=idx) both free and paid membership options

Social Media Helps Sacramento Art Scene

2010-07-17T18:29:58Z

Social media has opened a virtual toolbox of resources for artists of all media. Fine artists as well as craftspeople are using Facebook, Twitter, Etsy, and the like to connect with other artists, exchange feedback, share their work with a larger audience, and sell their art.

The Sacramento Social Media Club (SMCSac) is helping local artists further that conversation at a free event on Tuesday, July 20, 6:30-8:30 pm, at the Urban Hive. Called “The Art of Socia Media: How Local Artists, Curators, & Collectors Get Creative with Social Media,” it will feature Eben Burgoon, co-creator of Ebon07 webcomic; Jen Stewart, of Jen Stuart Photography; Marianne Bland, visual artist and manager of Sacto Metro Etsy Street Team; Veronica Delgado of Vera Icon PR; and Jeff Musser, visual artist. Moderator Julie Berge will lead the panel in their discussion of topics such as:

● Niche, online artist communities like Etsy, MyArtSpace.com and d’ART
● Virtual galleries like Flickr and Dripbook
● Twitter tips for connecting and collaborating with fans and collectors
● The benefits of artful blogging

In addition to the informational part of the evening, The Art of Social Media is also a networking event, bringing all of those interested in the local art scene together with food and drink, both before the panel and continuing the conversation after. The event is free and open to the public. SMCSac asks, however, that you register with Eventbrite so that they have an accurate count for the complementary food and beverages.

SMCSac is devoted to expanding social media literacy and sharing best practices among social media practitioners across all disciplines. With Sacramento being home to a thriving and diverse art scene, SMCSac hopes “The Art of Social Media” will serve as a catalyst to its continued growth. Jane Gassner is a member of the Leadership Team of SMCSac.

River Cats Facebook account gets hacked

2010-07-09T03:27:37Z

Sacramento River Cats fans may have noticed something different about their favorite baseball team’s Facebook page.

On June 30, the River Cats minor league baseball team’s Facebook fan page and profile were hacked into and then deleted.

The River Cats were not aware the account was hacked until they received an e-mail from Facebook saying the account had been deactivated.

Although the Facebook profile was recovered, the River Cats relaunched a new fan page Tuesday night.

Nick Lozito, coordinator of media relations in interactive media for the River Cats, said he contacted Facebook to let them know of the issue last week and received a response that said they will "look into it." After a follow-up email from Lozito, Facebook has yet to respond with an update. Lozito said they did not want to wait for Facebook and took matters into their own hands by relaunching the page.

Lozito said there were around 6,000 fans that “liked” the River Cats on Facebook before it got deleted. As of press time, there were 435 fans.

“Now we’re just looking to restart the process of reaching out to our fans,” Lozito said. “We have a chance to start over.”

Media relations for the River Cats has no idea who may have hacked into their pages.

The River Cats plan to increase their security with this new page to the best of their ability.

“All you really have is your password — make sure that’s secure. With social media, it’s not your own entity,” Lozito said. "There are millions of other customers...you have to understand that going into it. You have to be on your toes and ready to adapt."

He hopes that fans will re-add the Facebook pages to their profile.

"We know that there are fans out there that want to join us,” he said. “We had thousands. The problem is the reconnecting process. It’s tough. A lot of people will say, ‘Hey,I’m already a friend of that. I don’t need to re-add that.’ ”

The fan page contains features that are not available elsewhere including post-home game highlights, team interviews and trivia. Promotions, such as half-off Gold Rush seats, have driven more traffic to the page in the past, Lozito said.

The River Cats have been using Facebook as a way to reach out to fans since the 2009 season and have not had any issues until last week’s incident.

To check out the new Facebook fan page, visit Facebook.com/sacramentorivercats.

Social Media Rocks

2010-06-11T21:40:19Z

And it’s definitely going to be rocking next Tuesday evening when the Social Media Club of Sacramento (SMCSac) presents their next free event at the Urban Hive. The very fitting subtitle for a panel discussion? “How Social Media is Changing the Tune of Sacramento’s Music Scene.”

Our city has long had a vibrant music scene, and social media is changing the way people interact with it. Sites like Pandora, Last.fm, YouTube, iLike, and YourSpins put the users at the helm, allowing them to rate, distribute, and even remix music. SMCSac has planned an evening geared towards helping local bands and musicians leverage social media tools from production to promotion.

The panelists for Social Media Rocks are some of the leading lights in the Sacramento music scene, including

Clay Nutting, whose Concerts 4 Charity have produced more than 100 events over the past ten years with the aim of fostering a healthy independent music and arts community in Sacramento. http://claynutting.wordpress.com/.
Jerry Perry is a legend in the Sacramento music scene, He has been producing music events in Sacramento for nearly 30 years at venues such as Vortex and Cattle Club. He produces some 200 live shows in our area every year, including the popular Friday Night Concerts in the Park. http://www.facebook.com/jerryperrypresents
TAIS, which stands for Truth Arises in Search, is a hip hop artist and emcee whose group, Righteous Movement, has toured for six years using their music to advocate self awareness and the quest for personal truth through music. Touching on everything from careless partying to American political thought, TAIS leads the quest on the search for truth. http://www.taismusic.com

However, SMCSac is not planning an evening merely to talk about music. Following the panel discussion, DJ Rob Fatal, will be at the turntable providing sounds to complement the continuing conversations. In addition, sponsor Urban Hive is featuring "Portraits: 32 Singers, 32 Songs," a double disc compilation that is being produced by Off The Air, along with an art exhibit featuring the individual portraits of each songwriter by Nine by 9 Photography.

As with all Sacramento Social Media Club events, there is no cost to participate, but please register in advance at Eventbrite http://socialmediarocks.eventbrite.com/ as an accurate head count is needed for the appetizers and drinks that will be provided. The Urban Hive is located at 1931 H Street in Midtown. Check-in begins at 6:30 pm and the evening will go to 10 pm.

The Social Media Club brings together journalists, publishers, communications professional, artists, amateur media creators, citizen journalists, teachers, students, tool makers, and other interested collaborator. The Sacramento chapter was founded in March of 2009 by local users of social media. Jane Gassner is a member of the Leadership Committee of the Sacramento chapter.

The Job Search According to Facebook and Twitter

2010-05-25T20:08:57Z

It was testimony to the tenuous state of the Sacramento job market that a full house attended the Sacramento Social Media Club’s May event, “Putting Social Media to Work: leveraging social networking tools to find and fill jobs.” The panel discussion, held at the Urban Hive last week, featured four local professionals speaking of their experiences and expertise using social media to implement and accelerate job searches.

The overall message of the four speakers was that social media--Twitter, Facebook and the like--have the potential to vastly broaden the parameters of a job and/or employee search.

Speaking from one side of the hiring table was Curt Cetraro, CEO of ConnectPoint Search Group, a local recruiting firm that enables companies to establish an employment brand in social media, track applicants, and increase internal recruiting efficiencies. Curt uses his expertise in that regard by offering a free seminar series to help job seekers increase their job effectiveness, and he brought a number of elements of that series to the discussion Tuesday night. He spoke of the need to target one’s goal in the search as well as the ways social media can be used while you’re still employed to research what you want to do next.

On the other side of the hiring table was Natalie Paulsen, Director of Business Development for 3Fold Communications. Although she loved the job she had, Natalie saw a greater future in social media and wanted to work for a company that was effectively using it. So she quit her job and applied her well-honed face-to-face networking skills to social media in finding a new one. “I targeted the companies that I was interested in and then applied networking principles to Facebook and Twitter.” She friended the decisionmakers at those companies and over time established a connection with them. By the time Natalie interviewed with the prospective companies, she had established her identity and her persona with them. “They knew who I was and they were happy to see me,” she says.

Christina Rogers is a career counselor and owner of Angeles Career Consulting, LLC. One of the aspects of using social media to find work that she discussed came from the workbooks, guides, and curriculum that she has developed for schools throughout California. Specifically, Christina spoke to the issues inherent in presenting oneself online as a job seeker. “Your followers and friends are your network. Ask them for their opinion of your social media presence. What does your brand look like?”

The fourth member of the panel was Helen Scully, president of Scully Career Associates, a Nationally Certified Career Counselor and corporate trainer as well as the author of Elevations®, an online career assessment tool. Helen advised job seekers to not target the latest trend in employment, but to go for one’s passion. “To find your future, you are the most reliable element in your job search...and that requires analyzing your social media presence so that it is in sync with your job search.”

The panelists spoke of how best to come across while using social media. Helen Scully, who tweets from @careertests where she sharies tips regarding jobs, career changes and the workplace, talked of the importance of creating a consistent voice on all your social media forays. Natalie Paulsen echoed that, “You can create a personality in 140 characters. My personality on-line is pretty much who I am.”

As far as what not to do when using social media tools in the job search arena, Curt Cetraro had this to say: “Keep your social media presence current. When you don’t update your Facebook page, for example, that raises questions about you in the employers mind that you don’t want them to have.” And Helen Scully added, “Don’t sit on the side of the swimming pool. People don’t think they know enough to qualify for a particular job and that’s often a big mistake. Jump in.”

The monthly events that the Sacramento Social Media Club presents are part informational and part networking. To that end, in addition to socializing over light refreshments before and after the panel, there was a SMCSac Tweetup Afterparty at the Lounge ON20. Next month's topic will be Social Media and Music.

photo credits: April Irene Fredrikson

My First Visit to Sacramento Press!

2010-05-25T03:59:35Z

As a social activist in support of humane rights I first heard about Sacramento Press online via Twitter. Twitter itself has become more and more of a relevant form of social media and is now utilized by many. Social media online will play more and more of a major source of news, information and knowledge as time goes by and has greatly influenced the global culture.

I believe it is important for there to be a real alternative to the relatively liberal Sacramento Bee and remember the old racist Sacramento Union, Now local news in Sacramento is dominated by the Sacramento Bee, though the Sacramento News & Review helps to coverage local news and other issues. So I hope that Sacramento Press grows, develops and expands as time goes by in order to offer a real alternative to corporate dominated mainstream media. It is what it is. A free unchained free press and access to the news is essential for any real democracy in order to create a better informed citizentry.

The other week I got an Email about a Sacramento Press Workshop for May 26. My former Sac City instructor, Doug Herndon, was scheduled to teach a workshop titled Interviewing Techniques. Herndon is an English and journalism professor at Sacramento City College and adviser to the college's newspaper, The Express. I once took a class called Writing for Publication by him that helped me in my creative writing. He is a great open-minded teacher. However, due to the weather and personal circumstances that day i could not make it to the workshop.

So it was that I was inspired to this morning to go visit the Sacramento Press Office located at 431 I St., Suite 107 in the Amtrak station in the same building complex as Starbucks. I should of brough a copy of my Email with me. I walked around the Amtrak station looking for the office, took a few pictures and finally found the Sacra Press Office. However, no one was there from staff, except a few laborers. One told me that the crew did not usually get in until around 11 AM but the office was wide open for anyone to walk in. I took a few pixs and am including a collage for folks to check out. I hope to return soon to visit and talk to staff. I want to help make Sacramento Press a better user-friendly experience for all of us.

Chris Little’s Social Skills Will Beat Cohn

2010-05-20T15:12:05Z

I was truly fascinated by Stephen Gillis’ article “City Council Candidates Use Facebook to Connect With Community” today. In my view, as someone working with Social Media daily, I would say Steve Cohn is not using Social Media as an effective part of his campaign.

On the other hand, Chris Little has 716 fans on his Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Elect-Chris-Little/216446910449?ref=ts) to Cohn’s 214. Because Little has been so diligent in using his Facebook and Twitter accounts as a communications vehicle to voters, he has made up ground on a 16 year career politician in just 5 months. The result is nearly 1000 lawn signs being displayed on individual yards throughout District 3.

Ms. Ramirez of Cohn's campaign is quoted, “When you look at the City Council race, community is very important. Facebook helps strengthen those ties.” Cohn uses Facebook and just sparingly at that. It is the sign of someone out of touch with the new media.

Little uses Facebook as an effective strategy of connecting with voters. He has done an excellent job of connecting with and keeping them through his use of Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare. Little grasps the concept of Social Media in addition to traditional campaigning. He initiates conversations with and among voters whose link is the connection he provides. Now, that is "social" media.

Using Social Media To Find A Job and an Employee

2010-05-13T19:13:18Z

Unemployment and job-seeking are still the number one issue in Sacramento and that’s the impetus behind The Sacramento Social Media Club’s panel discussion, “Putting Social Media to Work: Leveraging social networking tools to find and fill jobs” at the Urban Hive on Tuesday, May 18. The speakers represent a number of perspectives on exploring the tools that job seekers and recruiters alike are using to connect with each other via social media.

Curt Cetraro is the CEO of ConnectPoint Search Group, a Sacramento region recruiting firm that provides Direct Placement, Contract Staffing, and Recruitment Process Outsourcing, enabling companies to use social media to increase recruitment efficiency and reduce costs. Curt has offered seminars to job seekers in the region on ways to increase their job search effectiveness.
Christina Rogers, MS NCC, is the owner of Angeles Career Consulting, LLC, a business that guides clients in their career development plans, including the challenges of transitions and advancement and the use of social media.
Helen Scully, MS NCC, president of Scully Career Associates, Inc. established in 1990, is a Nationally Certified Career Counselor, career coach and corporate trainer. Helen is the author of Elevations®, an online career assessment at www.ElevateYourCareer.com. She tweets from @careertests sharing knowledge and tips regarding jobs, career changes and the workplace.
Natalie Paulsen is the Director of Business Development at Sacramento marketing firm, 3fold Communications. While experimenting with the popular social networking tool, Twitter, Natalie realized it could be used to identify a local business that was not only using social media, but using it well.

The focus of the event will be from both the employer’s and the job-seekers perspective. Personal branding and online reputation management tips for job seekers will be presented as well as real stories from real people who landed their dream job using social media. In addition, strategies of identifying and recruiting top talent using social media will be covered.

Since in-person networking is a crucial aspect of the job search, the Sacramento Media Club provides light refreshments from 6:30-7:00 for socializing in the Registration period prior to the panel. There is no cost to participate in the event; however, attendees are asked to register at Eventbrite in advance, so that there will be an accurate head count for refreshments. Following the event, which will wrap-up at 8:30 pm, all attendess are invited to attend a No-host Social Media Club Tweetup at the Lounge on 20.

The Law & Social Media: what you missed at SMCSac's April meeting

2010-04-28T18:30:13Z

The Sacramento Social Media Club (SMCSac) held their April meeting at The Urban Hive featuring a trio of experts discussing social media and the law. Formally titled “The Web of Justice,” some forty plus lawyers, law students and those just interested in the topic gathered to hear individual presentations, followed by a question and answer period. Jeff Marmins, Executive Director of the SMCSac, was the MC for the evening, welcoming the crowd, before introducing the three speakers.

Jonathan G. Steinis a litigator whose law practice handles a variety of cases from personal injury to debt-collection. It is as a blogger, however, that Mr. Stein comes by his social media expertise. He contributes commentary and/blogs for California Debt Blog, California Personal Injury and Insurance Blog, California State Bar and LawGuru.com.

From these blogs come about 95% of his work, Mr. Stein estimates, and he uses them and other social media for both branding and marketing. He explained to the audience how he has carefully crafted and maintained his image so as to appeal to his target audience. In addition to blogging, Mr. Stein is also an active participant on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Avvo, a social media organization of lawyers.

In addition to branding, Mr. Stein uses social media for marketing. “It is,” he says, “a great way to find clients.” And, he adds, an excellent client research tool.

Kate Fitz practiced law for several years before becoming a reference librarian at the Sacramento Public Law Library. She is an active social media user on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Second Life. So well-versed in social media is Ms. Fitz that she has, since 2008, taught a course called “Web 2.0 for Lawyers.” It was from that course that she pulled her talk for SMCSac on Social Media for Research and Investigation. She introduced the audience to several techniques for using Twitter as a search tool as well as Spokeo.com (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spokeo), a social media aggregator that draws information from a number of different sources.

According to Ms. Fitz, anywhere that people gather on-line--YouTube, Flickr, Meetup.com--is a ripe area for doing legal research. More and more, she said, “social media is being used for investigation and discovery in law suits.” However, she warned that the specific requirements that enable a piece of evidence to be admissible must be maintained.

Sharon Lovell, the third speaker of the evening, is a law student who can be found on Twitter, Facebook and her blog, NoReins Girl. Her topic was “Managing Your OnLine Identity,” and she spoke to those who are at the beginning of their legal careers or their social media experience. “The law is a profession with high ethical standards,” she said. “Your online image and social networking usage should conform to those expectations.”

To that end, Ms. Lovell reminded the audience that they must presume anything put online will exist somewhere online forever. Things can be taken out of context and questionable photos or disrespectful comments can haunt a person for a very long time. Coordinating one’s intended image with one’s online persona is paramount in a field such as “the law where presentation counts.”

Finally, Mr. Stein returned to the podium to discuss liability issues. As an active member of a number of organizations including Consumer Attorneys of California, Association Trial Lawyers of America and California Young Lawyers Association, he underscores the need for transparency when posting. For example, he uses a researcher to ghost write some of his blog posts and he attributes them to her. In addition, when he has a guest post, it is clearly marked as such. “You are responsible for anything you post,” he reminded the audience, and that is something he also tells his clients.

Following the question and answer period--and the raffle (always a SMCSac high point!)--the speakers and the audience had conversation and crudites, fresh fruit and cheesecake while talking informally. The evening ended with a heartfelt thank you to the sponsors, The Sacramento Press and The Urban Hive, and a reminder that next month our topic will be Social Media and Employment.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SOCIAL MEDIA SOCIETY LAUNCH PARTY 3-23-2010 AT MIX DOWNTOWN IN SACRAMENTO

2010-03-29T22:47:36Z

The Northern California Social Media Society is a new organization that aims to provide its members “access to a broad ecosystem of support to help you grow your business, enhance your leadership, and expand your impact as a socially responsible business leader.”

Its launch party was held last Tuesday at Mix Downtown’s rooftop location at 16th and L streets. It was a sunny, comfortable setting for the introduction of the media society as well as good conversation among the enthusiastic attendees, who enjoyed light refreshments and raffle prizes donated by the leadership team and fans.

The team includes Nicole France of Buzz Sense Media, Beth Diebels of A Social Media Group, Peri R. Re of Re-Invent Marketing, Joseph Yocca of Capitol Venture LLC, and Bryan Srabian, social media consultant for the San Francisco Giants.

France described the organization as an educational and networking resource that provides practical information to help businesses use social media. The organization plans to serve all of Northern California.

Standard membership is $99.95 per year, with a limited number of discount memberships for those who sign up at http://norcalsocialmediasociety.org and use discount code XBRMKFZJ.

Membership includes unlimited access to the Members Only section of NCSMC’s web site, members-only forum discussions, an online member directory, a members-only edition of the quarterly newsletter, a monthly e-newsletter, a research lab, seminar and conference opportunities, invitations to local gatherings and partner events, educational discounts, teleseminars and webinars. The group also plans an expo and convention.

Monthly meetings will be held at The L Wine Lounge, 1801 L St., sponsor of NCSMC.

Disclosure: The author of this story is a member of the Social Media Society but does not benefit financially from any funds raised.

Intermediate Google workshop Dec. 15

2009-12-10T19:10:49Z

Thanks to all of you who came to the Media Panel at the Urban Hive Wednesday night!

We have another engaging event scheduled for next week. Jeff Marmins, who taught our last Facebook workshop, will be leading the Google event titled, "Get Google in your Social Media Mix." Jeff is the creator of Social Media Path and partnership director of Social Media Club Sacramento.

The event will be at the Sacramento Press office Dec. 15 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Jeff will discuss how to condense all of the social media sites you post to into one application on Google, successfully use RSS feeds and answer your specific questions.

This workshop is designed for intermediate Google users. If you'd like a beginner workshop, please email journalism@sacramentopress.com and if there are enough people, we can put together a separate beginner workshop.

Our office is located at 431 I St., Suite 107 in the Amtrak station. We are in the same building complex as Starbucks. If you are facing Starbucks, go around the building to the left and you'll see our Sac Press sign out front.

We recommend you find parking on the street, bike or take light rail, as the Amtrak parking lot charges $1.50 per half hour and we cannot cover the cost of parking. If you take light rail, we will give you two passes when you get here - one to cover your trip here and one to cover your trip back.

Please RSVP by emailing journalism@sacramentopress.com.

If you have any trouble finding our office, you can give us a call at (916) 443-5403.

Thanks, and we hope to see you there.

Ask the Readers... What do you want from local small businesses on social media?

2009-12-04T22:24:33Z

There have been recent reports online regarding the use of social media by small businesses. As fast as social media has gained in popularity, businesses have expanded their use of it. It appears as though most social media users are okay with this.

Many businesses have given it a try while others have found too difficult a platform. Some local perspective about Sacramento Press readers and thieir expectations on social media would be valuable to the local business community. Please, share your perspective with us.

What do you like from the small businesses you follow?

Who locally is doing a great job using social networking?

What advice do you have for those considering getting into the game?

Perhaps you dislike businesses butting into your social life. Tell us about that too.

Creating the social in social media - Social Media Weekend

2009-11-29T02:22:23Z

Twitterature, Twitterverse, Twibe, Tweetaholic and Twitterhea were some of the noteworthy word clusters mentioned by the New Oxford American Dictionary committee while choosing its 2009 Word of the Year. With this new dialect, it should come as no surprise that Sacramento TweetUps (social events that allow Twitter users to meet in real life) are drawing crowds of more than a hundred people.

Earlier this month, an entire weekend was dedicated to social media.

Alejandro Reyes created and organized Sacramento's first two-day Social Media Weekend at the University of Phoenix in Natomas, Nov. 6 and 7. Bloggers, financial strategists, real estate agents, non-profits, online business owners and librarians flocked to attend.

Reyes was inspired by the South by Southwest and BlogWorld expos but wanted to create a local and more affordable version.

"I just figured, why don't we create something like this in our backyard and give people an opportunity to save money and meet other locals, as well as learn from people on a local level that are using social media at a high level?" he said.

Some of the speakers included Jessica Smith, vice president of Fleishman-Hillard and creator of jessicaknows.com, Rachel and Sarah Campbell of TwinSoup, CJ Alvarado of Bayside Church, and Josh Unfried of momfaves.com.

Suzanne Phan from News10 was an attendee on Friday, and blogger Christine Young and Reyes did a live chat on News10's website.

Questions from the audience dominated the conversations for each panel and speaker. Many of the attendees had little experience with the social media tools discussed.

Real estate agent Stephanie Brinkworth, was eager to see what she could do to help her firm.

"It's all new to me," she said. "I really liked Josh (Unfried). I was motivated to start my own blog (after hearing him talk)," I went home yesterday and did research. I looked up Wordpress and the different designs and templates of blogs."

Representatives from the Ronald McDonald House, inmycommunity.com and the Sacramento Law Library came hoping to increase their online presence and get more involved with social media.

One of the speakers who got a great response was Gordon Fowler, president and CEO of 3Fold Communications. He spoke on generational use of social media.

More than just connecting online, Fowler emphasized the value of making connections period.

"I see people jumping on the social media bandwagon because they feel like they have to, and forgetting that, at its core, social media is about relationships built on effective communication," he said. "If new learners are ineffective in understanding how to communicate inter-generationally, they will not be effective communicating and building relationships through social media.

"People need to chill out and thoughtfully discover their 'social media personality.' Be authentic, be transparent and have some fun."

Reyes is already planning the next Social Media Weekend in March 2010.

Gary Pilapil, a creative director who has attended other social media events, said he liked this particular one because it was local, with no one from out of state.

"It's refreshing to meet like-minded people that want to help Sacramento grow," Pilapil said.

Interested in seeing the Twittersphere in action? A TweetUp in conjunction with Sacramento's branch of Social Media Club is scheduled for Dec. 17.

Here are some of the tweets that were sent out during Social Media Weekend (click links to visit an individual's Twitter page):

@thisaac If you realize you've screwed up, own up to it as quickly as possible… –@JessicaKnows #socialmediaweekend

@pdteam Don't use social media as a weapon. –@JessicaKnows #socialmediaweekend

@kennypratt #socialmediaweekend PR Panel: both PR professionls and Journalists still learning to use Twitter to find and place stories

@susancarraretto RT @successfool: "Social Media elevates word of mouth to a viral level" @JoshUnfried

@jeffmarmins want to extend reach online? give before you expect to receive. promote others via @sierrafriend #socialmediaweekend

@jeffmarmins we only advertise businesses we authentically use or would recommend #socialmediaweekend @YoungMommy @TwinSoup

@JackieDotson Really high quality stuff at #socialmediaweekend I'm impressed that everyone is emphasizing the importance of relationships in social media.

@meghanwood Per @TwinSoup: 'you will always have negative comments! So.. Just delete them.' LOVE IT!!! I so agree #socialmediaweekend

To see the complete schedule and list of speakers for Social Media Weekend, visit socialmediaweekend.com.

Niche TweetUps—There’s One For Every Interest

2009-11-24T06:58:41Z

Have you been to a TweetUp? They come in every size and shape and there is nearly one for every interest! A TweetUp is a social event that is promoted and organized on Twitter.

“It's basically a place to meet and network with people in the Sacramento area who use Twitter,” said Alejandro Reyes, co-organizer of #SacTweetUp, a monthly networking mixer that regularly attracts over 100 attendees. “We wanted to create an atmosphere where people using Twitter could connect on a much deeper level, build new relationships, and have a lot of fun.”

#SacTweetUps usually occur in the evening at a downtown or midtown hot spot; but what if big crowds or night life venues aren’t your thing? For those who prefer smaller groups or a different venue or focus, the Sacramento region has much to offer.

“Niche TweetUps, like the #ZooTweetUp we had in October and our upcoming #HikeTweetUp, are a great way to bring folks with similar interests together in a fun setting,” commented Jim Hoglund, co-organizer of the upcoming #HikeTweetUp. “I've always found that meeting an online friend in person has made for a richer connection online and often times a friendship beyond that of the digital realm.”

Outdoor TweetUps: Next Saturday, November 28, the first #HikeTweetUp is happening at Hidden Falls Regional Park in Auburn. This TweetUp features a leisurely 3 mile round trip hike to Hidden Falls followed by a late lunch at Awful Annies. The group is meeting in the parking lot at Hidden Falls at 11:00 a.m. For more details or to register to attend, check out the event on Facebook.

Holiday TweetUps: On Thursday, December 17, Sacramento “tweeps” will gather for the first annual #HoliTweetUp at The Park Ultra Lounge in downtown from 6 pm to 9 pm. This festive TweetUp is co-hosted by SacTweetUp and the Social Media Club Sacramento. Attendees will eat drink and be merry and all will be entered into a raffle for prizes supplied by the hosting organizations and their sponsors. Register to attend this free event at holitweetup.eventbrite.com.

Family Friendly TweetUps: In October, The Sacramento Zoo hosted its second #ZooTweetUp (the first was in June). Attracting about 25 participants, this event featured half-price admission to the Zoo. The event kicked off with complementary refreshments and Zoo Crafts for the kids at a private party in the Discovery Room. Attendees enjoyed a free ride on the Conservation Carousel, an Animal Encounter in the Amphitheater, and animal enrichment talks with the Ring-tailed Lemurs, Ground Hornbills and the Spotted Hyena. As a special treat, attendees were invited to check out the new Giraffe Observation Deck, which is scheduled to open on President's Day weekend next year as part of the newly renovated exhibit.

"#ZooTweetUps are a fun and casual way to meet animal lovers and Zoo supporters, explained Jamie Wilson, Web Development Coordinator and official Tweeter for the Sacramento Zoo. “We talked about social media & Twitter app--I always learn something new! The Zoo Tweetup brought out lots of families, but even more adults without kids. Even though we are a family-friendly venue, the TweetUp reminded people the Zoo really is fun for all ages."

Generation Specific TweetUps: On November 12, the first ever #GeezerTweetUp happened at Scarlet’s Saloon in Folsom. The term “Geezer” was used tongue in cheek—this event was for anyone born before 1970. The group considers itself “tech geezers” because most of them graduated from High School before personal computers were invented. About 30 people who remember the 70s because they lived through them—not because they saw “That 70s Show” --gathered to enjoy a drink and to meet interesting people with shared life experiences.

“The #GeezerTweetUp is a great example for the social part of social media--groups of people who connect on-line are able to meet in person and develop stronger relationships,” commented Jim Pelley, Creative Director at Laughter Works Seminars and co-organizer. “It's also good for local business; Scarlet's offered to host the event, and in the process found some new customers.”

all Photos of #VinoTweetUp by John Onate

Wine Tweet Ups: In July, three wineries came together at the L Wine Lounge in midtown to host a #VinoTweetUp. For a nominal charge, attendees enjoyed appetizers and were able to sample wines from James David Cellars, MAS Wine Company, and Radee Wine.

“Not only have I developed relationships and exposure from participating in TweetUps, but have really had a great time at each and everyone,” said David Cole, Proprietor at James David Cellars. “At the #VinoTweetUp I meet Sarah Campbell of Twinsoup.com and have now worked with her and her sister Rachel on their Stiletto Crawl events around Sacramento and Roseville, each of which sold out and were a ton of fun to do!”

Arts & Entertainment Patron TweetUps: In May, The Sacramento Press, in conjunction with Social Media Club Sacramento and Capsity Offices, hosted a TweetUp that featured belly dancing from Red Tent Belly Dance, performance art from Phoenix Gallery, wine tasting from MAS Wine and James David Cellars, break dancing from Capitol Roots Dance Studio, chalk drawing from Chalk it Up! artists, a presentation from the Sacramento Opera, and music from DJ Reason.

“We wanted to host a TweetUp to meet our Twitter followers. It became an ‘Arts TweetUp’ when we noticed how many people in our Twittersphere are artistically amazing! A definite highlight was when the Capitol Roots dancers managed to get our Managing Editor, David Watts Barton, to join them and show off his dance moves,” reports Mona Romero, Social Media Lead at the Sacramento Press

Other TweetUps: In addition to the monthly #SacTweetUp, other organizations have also hosted more generally focused networking mixer TweetUps. In February, the first ever Sacramento TweetUp was organized by Ricardo Robles of Capsity Offices and Andy Arnott of AdCause and hosted by Pangaea Café. About 30 people, including me, attended this inaugural event which set the stage for future Sacramento TweetUps. “It is an event that businesses can participate in as well as regular people to network and meet in person,” said Robles. In August, The Urban Hive in partnership with Sacramento365, hosted an #Only2DegreesTweetUp which featured wine tasting by James David Cellars and a presentation on social media by @Only2Degrees. While most of these TweetUps have happened in Sacramento, in March #SacTweetUp hosted an event at The Boxing Donkey in Roseville.

Have you organized or participated in a TweetUp in the Sacramento region that is not listed above? Let us know about it in the article conversation section below. Not finding a TweetUp that fits your niche? Organize one! All you need is a Twitter account to spread the word. It’s a great way to make new friends with shared interest.

Twitter tip: The # designation--called a hashtag-- is a Twiitter practice that helps people to categorize tweets about certain topics. For example #sactweeup, #holitweetup and #hiketweetup are tags the organizers and attendees use in their tweets about the event.

Social Media for the Social Good—Non-profits Explore New Methods of Outreach

2009-11-20T04:17:59Z

Three local non-profit organizations were featured in a Sacramento Social Media Club panel on Tuesday evening hosted by the Sacramento State College of Continuing Education. The panel included Celia Cortez, Projects and Event Manager for the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Jordan Blair, Board Member for River City Food Bank; and Jon Benorden, Program Coordinator for the Center for AIDS Research, Education and Service (CARES). Lesley Miller, Media Director for 3Fold Communication, also sat on the panel. Moderator Josh Morgan, principal at Morgan/Dorado and program director for the Sacramento Social Media Club, focused the discussion on how non-profits are using social media to educate, engage, and build lasting relationships with their communities.

Facebook was the unanimous point of entry into social media for all three organizations. Cortez said the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber selected Facebook because it was the most popular platform among their member organizations; Blair choose Facebook for River City Food Bank because it is the platform upon which he spends the most time. “Facebook provides an easy way for people to connect with causes and non-profits thanks to its one-click ‘become a fan’ feature, “commented Morgan. River City Food Bank, where many of their long-term contributors are past retirement age, is finding that Facebook helps them to engage with the next generation of donors. However some of their loyal supporters are stepping out into social media as well; an 85 year old volunteer joined Facebook just so he could “friend” the River city Food Bank. Benorden said that their “old school” supporters are beginning to mesh with the new people they’ve engaged through their group & page on Facebook but that CARES still has a long way to go.

Both the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and CARES are also using Twitter to promote their organizations and causes. Miller said 3Fold encourages their clients to cross post on multiple social media platforms to increase the traffic among all the sites. For example, use Twitter to remind people the organization is on Facebook or create an event on Yelp and ask people to write a review. I frequently use Twitter to drive traffic to SARTA.org’s website or LinkedIn group where more detailed membership and event information is available.

CARES created both a group page and a fan page for its campaign “Are You the Difference” which strives to eliminate new cases of HIV in the Sacramento region by 2015. Benorden plans to expand the campaign to include other platforms like Flickr and YouTube. On YouTube, CARES wants to personalize and promote their campaign by featuring user generated videos about how individuals can be or are the difference in eliminating new cases of HIV.

The biggest challenge for all of the organizations is finding the time to manage and maintain their social media accounts. Cortez shared that she uses cross posting tools to lessen the amount of time she spends managing each platform the Hispanic Chamber employs. Tweetdeck, Hootsuite and Seesmic were mentioned as free services for managing multiple accounts and platforms and Radian6 was recommended as a new professional service for this purpose. Benorden prefers to uniquely post to Facebook and Twitter to keep variety in the CARES messages, but he sticks to a common theme. Blair, who in addition to his responsibilities as a board member of the River City Food Bank works a full time job, schedules time on his weekly calendar to tend to his social media chores. When asked if a volunteer could handle the job, the general consensus among the panelists was that most volunteers and interns do not have enough depth or experience with the organization or its causes to determine social media platform content or to respond to questions and remarks received by followers and friends on the sites. For CARES, sensitivity to and experience with HIV/AIDS is a must for anyone representing the organization on its social media platforms.

The panel wrapped up with a discussion on event promotion using Facebook ads and other tools. All of the organizations are considering using Facebook ads and River City Food Bank has budgeted money for this purpose next year. Benorden pointed out that even if no one clicks through an “Are You the Difference” ad, if enough information is included about the campaign, there is value in people seeing the ad multiple times. Miller said 3Fold advises their clients to put nearly as much energy into post event promotion as they do pre event. Blair followed this advice after a recent River City Food Bank fundraiser, uploading event photos long into the night. The post event promotion is a valuable investment in the success of future events and helps those who attend feel more part of the organization—especially if they are featured in a photo!

After the panel ended, participants informally exchanged ideas on how they are using social media and also had a chance to meet the panelists and ask more questions. The event was live tweeted by volunteer Ira Cohen on behalf of @SMCSac using the hashtag #smcsac. The venue provided by Sacramento State College of Continuing Education is well equipped for meetings and seminars and the Senior Program Coordinator, Toni Ramirez shared that the college is considering offering courses on social media in the future.

Social Media Club, an international non-profit organization, brings together journalists, publishers, communications professionals, artists, amateur media creators, citizen journalists, teachers, students, tool makers, and other interested collaborators. The Sacramento chapter was founded in March of 2009 by local users of social media. Free events are normally held on the third Tuesday of each month, but in December, the group is planning a Holiday Party or “holitweetup” in partnership with SacTweetUp on December 10 at Hot Italian in midtown. In January, the normal schedule of monthly panels will resume. For information about the Sacramento Social Media Club and its events, join their groups on Facebook and LinkedIn and follow them on Twitter.

Photgraphs by Marie Young Photography. For more photos of this event visit her Facebook Page

Sacramento Social Media Club Leadership Team:

Julie Berge, Angela D'Arcy, Laura Good, Suzanne Hopkins, Ronnie Ledesma, Jeff Marmins, Josh Morgan

Finding God on Facebook

2009-11-16T19:42:28Z

Some say God is everywhere but last month, we discovered that social media is everywhere too—even in our churches! On October 20, 2009, the Sacramento Social Media Club held a panel discussion on the use of social media by local churches. The event, “Pray for Social Media”, was hosted by The Sacramento Press, and was moderated by Jeff Marmins of Social Media Path and partnership director for the Sacramento Social Media Club. Panelists included Josh Trevino from the Parish Council of St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church in Roseville; Robert Mees, Director of Evangelism at Sierra Baptist Church in Pioneer in Amador County and CJ Alvarado, Director of Communications and Technology at Bayside Church in Granite Bay.

I was posting live tweets during the event, and was joined by several other tweeting guests in reaching over 50,000 followers on Twitter (Sacramento Social Media club uses the hashtag #smcsac to live tweet all of our events).

In what could have been subtitled “Finding God on Facebook,” panelists agreed that the most active use of social media in their churches is individual members connecting with each other on Facebook which allows them to share more about lives than they could from the pew. Members, they said, are using Facebook to build a stronger internal community.

While none of the churches represented reported having an official social media strategy yet, Bayside Church developed and implemented a campaign to introduce their staff of about 75 people to Web 2.0. Alvarado, their communications and technology director, is charged with the church’s presence online, which primarily centers on their website and “listening” to online dialogue to “improve the church experience.” Mees, from Sierra Baptist Church, said that “internal relationships are growing organically on Facebook”, and Trevino said that at St. Anna, "the church blog is the most effective social media tool being used."

Where the speakers differed most was on the issue of how to use social media for outreach and evangelism. Both Alvarado and Trevino said that face-to-face dialogue is essential. “The single best way to evangelize is through the example of a life lived,” said Trevino. Alvarado commented that there is not a big difference in how he approaches evangelism in person versus online--“It’s always permission based.” Mees articulated a vision for using social media to be present in more lives. “In a world where church members either have no significant relationships outside the church, or segregate their Christian and non-Christian friends,” he said, “all of their friends, churched and unchurched, wind up as their friends on Facebook, followers on Twitter, and contacts on LinkedIn.” All three panelists agreed that spiritual dialogue was important, but Mees was a strong proponent of using of social media to initiate that discussion. Mees said "social media is an effective tool in building relationships that enable spiritual discussions to take place both online and off."

Following the moderated panel discussion, the audience was invited to ask questions. Several wondered if any of the congregations have people tweeting in church. Alvarado answered that Bayside has experimented with tweeting and texting during conferences but not during church service. A question about how the churches monitor their congregation’s online activity led to a discussion about how church youth have embraced Web 2.0. Mees shared that the teens in his church bring their computers and use Google to check facts during youth bible study. The teens are also using Facebook groups to communicate events and to “go deeper” using the discussion features.

After the official program ended, many of the attendees stayed to engage the panelists in additional questions and discussions. There was a tremendous amount of passion around the topic of using social media to share the message of the churches. At my small church, Grace Fellowship Church of San Andreas, we recently created a Facebook Page. We are hoping this outreach tool helps us to better connect with our community. How is your church using social media?

Social Media Club brings together journalists, publishers, communications professionals, artists, amateur media creators, citizen journalists, teachers, students, tool makers, and other interested collaborators. The Sacramento chapter was founded in March of 2009 by local users of social media. Free events are held on the third Tuesday of each month. "Social Media for the Social Good" is the topic of the November 17 event hosted by Sacramento State College of Continuing Education from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Local non profits River City Food Bank, CARES and the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will share how they are using social media to educate, engage, and build lasting relationships with their communities. For information about the Sacramento Social Media Club, join their groups on Facebook and LinkedIn and follow them on Twitter.

About the author: Laura Good is a member of the all volunteer leadership team for Sacramento Social Media Club. Follow her on Twitter at @goodlaura. She is also director of programs and operations for SARTA.

Welcome to The Sacramento Press Journalism Open!

2009-09-16T00:14:43Z

We're so glad you're interested in The Sacramento Press Journalism Open! Not only can you win some great prizes, you can also have an effect on your community and gain some skills in the bargain! Contributing to our site is quick and easy - we can show you everything you need to know to take the act of making journalism into your own hands!

I'm David Watts Barton, the managing editor of The Sacramento Press, our area's top hyper-local, citizen-written news website, where we focus on up-close, in-depth coverage of neighborhoods like yours. We aim to spread the traditional habits of good journalism - accuracy, fairness and a diversity of opinion - across the Web. We do it with a mix of professional and amateur writing from around the community.

We're hosting this contest because we want you to join us! The future of journalism may depend on you: Your ideas, your questions, and the answers you find will increase the amount of good, local information you and your fellow citizens need to make informed decisions, whether it's about city government or where to go for entertainment. And once you've asked the questions you want answered, we want you to write for The Sacramento Press - because citizens like you are The Sacramento Press!

This contest is a pro-am, where writers of all skill levels and points of view are welcome to write about what you know and about what interests you.

We urge you to think small: The blighted vacant lot on your street, the business person you patronize, the leader you admire, the trend you abhor, the community group you support, the artist living above you, the band rehearsing next door. What don't you understand about your neighborhood? What's great about it? What's changing? These questions will lead you to more questions, questions will lead you to people you don't know, and people will lead you to stories that need to be told.

We're here to help: In addition to providing the platform to publish, we also offer copy editing and workshops on various aspects of journalism, from interview techniques to the use of social media. We will do everything we can to help you create the best journalism you can!

And don't forget the prizes! For more on that and on how to enter your work in The Sacramento Press Journalism Open, read on!

Join us in the first Sacramento Press Journalism Open. And remember, we are here to help you commit the best acts of journalism you can! Contact us at The Sacramento Press: To utilize our free copy editing, simply e-mail your story to journalism@sacramentopress.com and we'll send the edited version back to you. Colleen Belcher, journalism support manager, is at colleen@sacramentopress.com. Managing editor David Watts Barton is at david@sacramentopress.com.

Prizes

Journalism as a profession has taken its lumps lately, but there's still money to be made, especially if you win one of the many prizes offered in The Sacramento Press Journalism Open!

Our Grand Prize winner will enjoy a weekend for two at The Village at Squaw Valley and a meal for two at world famous PlumpJack restaurant. We'll even throw in $50 for gas money!

Our contest's first-place winner will get $500 and an original portrait of themselves by Wall Street Journal sketch artist Noli Novak; second place receives $250 and third through fifth places, $100.

All winners, including the 10 additional winners in the more specific categories below, will win a Sacramento Press journalism kit that includes an Olympus digital recorder, a bio-degradable pen, a reporter's notebook and a stylish Sacramento Press T-shirt.

Winners will be announced on Monday, Nov. 16, 2009.

How to Enter

Simply go to the top of this page and click the "Sign Up" button and follow the prompts. You will be asked for information and to sign off on our terms of use agreement. After you are signed up, click the "Write" button at the top of the page and start writing!

We suggest that you write your story in a separate writing application and then, when you've finished and had it copy edited, cut and paste it into our site.

We encourage you to take advantage of our free copy editing before you post your article. To get your story copy edited, e-mail it to journalism@sacramentopress.com.

Important: Every story you enter/post on the site must be tagged "Open2009" in the tag section. Just write those words in the space provided.

Hit "Publish" and you have posted your first story on The Sacramento Press. You've also been entered in The Sacramento Press Journalism Open!

Categories & Criteria for Judging

Entries will be judged by our editorial staff, and that judgment will be subjective. But we will be using criteria for what we think good journalism is. Among those criteria are:

Accuracy: Facts, spelling and quotes should be correct. Double-check everything and use your computer’s spell check.
Writing style: Writing should be clear, concise and enjoyable.
Local focus: Stories should be set in Sacramento, Yolo, Placer or El Dorado counties.
Sourcing: Include a minimum of two living, breathing sources in your story. Aim to include different perspectives. Wikipedia, about.com, press releases and book or newspaper excerpts are not acceptable sources.
Impact: Your story will also be judged on how readers react in the conversation on The Sacramento Press, as well as how it is received in the real world.

Stories can be any length, but they must be original non-fiction about the Sacramento area.

Stories may not be re-posts from blogs or other publications, print or online.

Ten additional prizes will be awarded to stories that succeed in various areas, as judged by our staff of professional journalists:

Best lede (opening paragraph)
Most original story idea
Best-researched article
Best "get" (unusual story or difficult-to-get interview)
Most widely read story
Most community interaction (in conversation section)
Best headline
Best quote
Best use of the Storyline feature
Best accompanying photos

All entries will be eligible for all these categories, as well as the top prizes.

Rules

To be eligible, stories must be posted on the site, by you, between 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 1, 2009 and 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 31, 2009. We will help you post from Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009 at 10 a.m. through 6 p.m. until Friday, Oct. 30, 2009; you may come to our office during weekday business hours (M-F, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) to post on our computers. You may enter as many different stories as you like, but please enter/post each story only once! Make sure to tag it "Open2009" in the tag section or it will not be counted as a submission. There is no charge to enter. We will shred and recycle any entries that come in on dead trees - we're an online newspaper! Again, you must post the story yourself.

Entries will be judged by The Sacramento Press' editorial department. Decisions will be final.

We want you to win! We offer copy editing and advice on reporting. There will be a workshop on Oct. 13 to help answer your questions. Be careful that you're happy with what you've written; once it is published on the site, it cannot be modified.

You must live in one of our four home counties, and be at least 18 years of age.

Sacramento Social Media Club Hosts Crime Fighters for Online Safety Forum

2009-08-20T07:00:23Z

Police converged on a ballroom in a downtown hotel Tuesday night, but there wasn’t a crime in progress. “Social Crime” was the topic of Tuesday evening’s Sacramento Social Media Club event hosted by The Citizen Hotel in Downtown Sacramento. Representatives from local law enforcement shared how their organizations are using social media tools to prevent crime, improve community outreach, and even take down predators.

Josh Morgan of Morgan/Dorado Public Relations and programming director for the Sacramento Social Media Club presented a “101” on Facebook Privacy. He explained how Friends Lists on Facebook can be used to limit information connections can see on your profile. Josh, for example, uses a list called “Not People” for businesses he “friends” and excludes that list from seeing family photos and other personal information. More information about Facebook Privacy settings is available at Facebook’s Help Center and Josh's presentation is available on SlideShare.

Detective James Carden of the Fairfield Police Department introduced the “#1 Friend“ program which recommends that children, tweens and teens “friend” the Fairfield Police Department on MySpace and set them as their #1 Friend. Adding the Fairfield Police Department as #1 Friend lets visitors to the child's page know that parents are involved and monitoring their child's online activity and that this family has a direct link to the police department and will report any inappropriate or unwanted contact. Read more about the #1 Friend program on the Cops 2.0 blog site. Detective Carden also shared a “true crime” story about luring a predator to a fake MySpace account which resulted in an arrest.

Mike Belcher, Director of the University of the Pacific’s Public Safety Department, explained how his department uses social media tools, including Facebook and Twitter, to improve student safety and to enhance community outreach. Pacific is only one of two private universities in California with sworn police officers. Social networking and communication sites like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace are used to monitor student events, share information on crime prevention, and stop inaccurate rumors on campus by providing timely accurate information. Recently, the department began using Nixle, a free service that allows subscribers to receive trusted, up-to-the-minute neighborhood information from local police departments, city and municipal governments, and their local agencies through SMS, web, and email distribution.

Social Media Club brings together journalists, publishers, communications professionals, artists, amateur media creators, citizen journalists, teachers, students, tool makers, and other interested collaborators. The Sacramento chapter was founded in March of 2009 by local users of social media. Events are held on the Third Tuesday of each month. Social Media in the Classroom is the topic for the September 15 event hosted by The Urban Hive in Midtown Sacramento from 6:30-8:30 p.m.. The keynote speaker is Steve Hargadon, Elluminate's Social Learning Consultant, the director of the K12 Open Technologies Initiative at the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), and the founder of the Classroom 2.0 social network. For information about the Sacramento Social Media Club, join their groups on Facebook or LinkedIn and follow them on Twitter.

About the author: Laura Good is a member of the all volunteer leadership team for Sacramento Social Media Club. Follow her on Twitter at @goodlaura.

An evening of wine flights meets Twitter: Vino Tweet Up

2009-07-27T17:21:40Z

Twitter has become a common and powerful tool, if not essential, to reach and communicate with customers for many businesses. I, as founder of Radee Wine, Inc., a start-up wine importer and marketer, also use Twitter to talk about our wines and to learn about customers and other players in the industry.

While Twitter gives tremendous access to information about business and people, there is nothing like meeting those behind the profile photos in person. This Tuesday, owners of three wine companies, James David Cellars, MAS Wine Company, and Radee Wine will gather and showcase the wines at Sacramento’s first Vino Tweet Up at L Wine Lounge in Midtown Sacramento. What makes this event interesting is that the three companies, all based in the Sacramento area, are unique and distinctive and the wines are top notch.

James David Cellars' passion is to produce wines that complement and drive conversation. Their wine is about relationships – relationship to family, friends and community.

What comes next is a cutting edge packaging technology: wine in a keg. MAS Wine Company offers its award-winning wine in a patented, German-engineered Mini Tank. A nitrogen gas chamber in the tank eliminates the air, preventing oxidization. This environmentally friendly reusable tank keeps wine fresh for 60 days and can be refilled.

Finally, in tasting Radee Wine, you would experience something completely different. Fine dessert wine made from exotic tropical fruit in Thailand. As Darrell Corti put it in Corti Brothers’ July newsletter, "these are real 'vins de glacière,' freezer wines, since the fresh fruit juices that make them are merely partially frozen, removing a percentage of fruit water."

The owners are also different in nationalities. David Cole, proprietor of James David, is Californian. Julian Slee, co‐founder and CFO of MAS Wine Company, is Australian. I am from Japan.

With different backgrounds and each unique product, we have something in common: passion to produce top-quality flavorful wines.

The Vino Tweetup will include appetizers from L Wine Lounge with a $15 ticket. L Wine Lounge offers rustic and creative food from local fresh produce. Its executive chef, Ame Harrington won first place at Raley’s Grape Escape Chef Challenge in June.

This event will offer an opportunity to learn more about three new wine companies, and their wines, in addition to enjoying the flights of six different varietals and food.

The event is not limited to Twitter users. Even if you have not heard of Twitter, or if you are a skeptic of Twitter, you are still invited to join our evening. As Ricardo Robles, co‐organizer of Vino Tweetup, says, "…the event will be professionally entertaining and full with business to business and business to consumer connections."

The event detail:
Date: Tuesday, July 28th
Time: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Ticket Price: $15
Tickets are purchased online at http://vinotweetup.eventbrite.com

Making Video Social featuring Justin.TV

2009-06-12T19:58:07Z

SACRAMENTO, CA–June 11, 2009–Online video–and its increasing value as a powerful social media tool–will be discussed at the next Sacramento Social Media Club event, Making Video Social, scheduled Tuesday, June 16, 2009 from 6:30 – 8:30 at Peppers.TV in Mather, CA.

What do the following three things have in common: Tiger Woods, Domino's Pizza and Airplane Passenger Safety Briefings? They've all used video to communicate in the world of social media.

The free event, sponsored by Peppers.TV and Photographer Link, will include discussions led by Evan Solomon of Justin.tv and Mike Henderson from Twelve Horses. Discussions will cover:

* Effective strategies for incorporating live video into the marketing mix
* Gaps in the real time web that video fills and other mediums miss
* Examples of compelling live video usage in social media
* 10 easy tips to shooting better video
* Successful client case studies

There is no cost to participate, but we request that attendees register for the event online at: http://smcsac0616.eventbrite.com/. Space is limited, so those interested in participating are encouraged to RSVP today.

For those not able to join the discussion in person, the event will be streamed live online at http://www.ustream.tv/smc-sac. Online viewers will be able to pose questions to the panelists just like the on-site participants.

Speaker Information:

Evan Solomon, Justin.tv

Evan is the Vice President of Marketing at Justin.tv , the largest live video on the Web with over 500,000 broadcasters and 40 million monthly users. His responsibilities include user acquisition, business development, product direction and communications. Before joining Justin.tv Evan was a Senior Associate at SutherlandGold, a boutique PR firm focused on consumer technology startups. At SutherlandGold he worked with Xobni, Scribd and other venture-funded startups.

Evan has a Finance degree from the Stern Undergraduate School of Business at New York University.

Mike Henderson, Twelve Horses

Mike Henderson, an Account Executive at Twelve Horses, a full service interactive agency, will share his hands-on experience successfully integrating podcasts and video into social media and brand development campaigns. Mike will share proven case studies and his use of video for several clients including Alpine Meadows.

The Sacramento Press gives away two ipod shuffles this week

2009-06-06T21:38:15Z

The Sacramento Press is giving away two ipod shuffles.

Here are the rules of the game.

1. Read the article on the Crocker Art Museum's new wing by Suzanne Hurt posted here on sacramentopress.com 06/05/09.

2. Join the conversation by posting a comment on the article.

3. Invite your friends who are not yet community contributers to sign up for sacramentopress.com [free]. You can use email, phone calls, twitter, facebook or any other social network to ask people to sign up and to vote for you. The votes can be from any community contributer new or old but recruiting helps. One vote per community contributer.

4. Now ask them post a comment in the same article and use your sacramentopress.com screen name at the end of the comment.
Example: I have taken my kids to the Crocker Art Museum for years and I feel it is an important part of there cultural development. [Matt Kennedy]
Matt Kennedy just got a vote.

5. The person who gets the most votes wins two ipod shuffles. One for you and one for a very happy friend.

6. Contest begins 06/06/09 and ends 06/12/09 @ noon. The winner will be announced on sacramentopress.com

The Sacramento Press to hold its first Tweetup Thursday night

2009-05-28T02:12:11Z

Hoping to meet more people and bring them to our office as well as support social media, we at The Sacramento Press will be holding our first Tweetup this Thursday, May 28, from 6 - 8 p.m.

We were very lucky to team up with Ricardo Robles, from Capsity Offices, Ronnie Ledesma, from Sacramento Social Media Club and Darby Flynn, from Chalk it Up! to connect with all sorts of artists and local businesses.

Thursday evening will be filled with belly dancing from Red Tent Belly Dance, performance art from Phoenix Gallery, wine tasting from MAS Wine and James David Cellars, break dancing from Capitol Roots Dance Studio, chalk drawing from Chalk it Up! artists, a presentation from the Sacramento Opera, music from DJ Reason and photography on our very own red couch.

Everyone who is participating in this Tweetup is on Twitter, and we thought it would be great to get creative and have them do what they do best all in one place, for everyone to enjoy.

You don't need to be on Twitter to attend this event, however, we will have computers available to sign up for an account if you're interested.

Our office has wi-fi available, so the active tweeters can take twit pics or tweet about the events of the Tweetup as they are happening.

To RSVP for the Tweetup, please visit this link.

Here's to a fantastic event Thursday night!

Government 2.0 Panel features Schwarzenegger New Media Director

2009-04-18T15:58:49Z

The Sacramento Chapter of the Social Media Club is hosting a Government 2.0 panel discussion.

The panel will answer questions on how local government leaders and community activists are effectively incorporating Web 2.0 and social media technologies into their organizations. We'll consider the benefits of developing a social media strategy and share ideas and solutions to help participants deal with the unique challenges and potential obstacles that arise when trying to integrate these new technologies within government agencies.

The free event, sponsored by Morgan/Dorado Public Relations, LLC, is Tuesday, April 21, 2009, 6:30pm - 8:30pm at 2804 Gateway Oaks Drive, Sacramento, CA. There is no cost to participate, but we request that attendees register online at http://smcsac.eventbrite.com/. Space is limited, so please secure your attendance by submitting your RSVP today.

Scheduled Panel Participants Include:

Rob Quigley is a Sacramento website developer who specializes in creation & management of political, government, and non-profit websites. He currently serves as the New Media Director for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and has worked on several recent political campaigns as a consultant for Bill Simon and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Rob is on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Bryan Merica founded ID Media; co-founded Fox and Hounds Daily, a blog covering business and politics in California; and will serve as a “founding professor” for the soon-to-be-launched National Institute of Politics, an online educational resource for communications and political consultants. Before starting ID Media, he worked as a senior strategist for enterprise software, management consulting and startup technology companies. You can follow him on Twitter or find him on Linkedin.

Marilyn Clark is the Manager of Online Communications and Services at the California Public Employees' Retirement System where she oversees web communications strategy and user experience design for all CalPERS web products and services. She is also a member of the Federal Web Managers Council's Social Media Subcouncil. The Social Media Subcouncil is a group of government web managers at the federal, state, and local levels bringing together social media best practices and other resources for the benefit of government agencies. You can follow her on Twitter or find her on LinkedIn.

Social Media Club Sacramento holds its first meeting

2009-03-06T07:43:30Z

"Twitterpated" took on a new meaning as the Social Media Club Sacramento convened for their first meeting on Thursday night.

Around 35 people gathered from all different backgrounds to discuss social media and meet the original founders, Kristie Wells and Chris Heuer.

According to their Facebook group, Social Media Club strives to "bring together journalists, publishers, communications professionals, artists, amateur media creators, citizen journalists, teachers, students, tool makers, and other interested collaborators. Essentially the people who create and consume media who have an interest in seeing the ‘media industry’ evolve for everyone’s benefit."

After beverages and snacks were served, Heuer gave a presentation and fielded questions from the audience on barriers people had faced when trying to introduce social media like Twitter and Facebook into the workplace.

Participants also discussed branding oneself through their online presence and what was and was not appropriate conduct online.

Heuer and Wells are from San Francisco, but travel to cities around the country to help launch new Social Media Clubs.

Jeff Marmins, Ronnie Ledesma, Sallie Boorman and Josh Morgan are the proponents behind the Sacramento chapter of Social Media Club.

The group plans to hold monthly Social Media Club gatherings and have participants walk away with something new after each meetup, whether it be related to media or networking.

For more information on Social Media Club Sacramento and to learn when the next meeting will be, visit their Facebook page or see the original Social Media Club's page.

Editorial: Facebook and community

2009-02-03T03:00:44Z

Jill Duman's column "My View: We need more than Facebook 'friendship'" in The Sacramento Bee today is scary. However, the online comments below the story are encouraging. Link here.

I am having trouble actually putting together a proper response, but I will try.

The thrust of the column is that Facebook cannot replace real friendships and community. That could have made for a fine column. Unfortunately, she uses most of her column to demean those who participate in social networks while dismissing the community these networks foster. Hint: facebook does not replace friendship, it supplements. Facebook is a tool.

Here are a few choice cuts with some of my responses:

"[Facebook] apparently is the grown-up equivalent of asking everyone you know to sign your yearbook. It's Facebook, and it gives people with too little to do (or a lot of work to avoid) a way of creating a personal billboard in cyberspace."

Nice way to start the discussion, demean the people who use online social networking services. Oh, by the way, Jill has a profile on linkedin.com.

The notion that a service like facebook is the equivalent of yearbook signing makes me a little sick. Hundreds of software engineers toil to build something special just so that she can spit on their work. I guess newspapers are just like toilet paper that you can read?

"I suppose there are advantages to using Facebook. It's certainly a good networking tool for the thousands of us who are unemployed or underemployed. It's a way to keep track of family bloodlines and avoid inadvertent intermarrying."

More of the same demeaning. Thanks for the solid insights. She goes on:

"It allows us all to quickly check in and skim headlines from the lives of people wanting to maintain us as friends – here a great job; there a wonderful apartment in the big city; across the country, a new baby."

This is where I find the column takes a turn for the scary. She clearly realizes, through her sarcasm, that Facebook is delivering important news people care about. This is the kind of thing newspapers should stand up and notice! This is the kind of thing newspapers ought to emulate! Instead of celebrating personal and local news, Jill dismisses it. I honestly fear that this kind of thinking is rattling around inside The Bee.

I want our local newspaper to survive and thrive. This is my plea to stop this kind of madness. Facebook is a tool. It is not a community, it is a tool for community building. It is a way to deliver news and information. It is a way to allow for responsiveness and multi-dimensional conversation. Facebook is not your enemy, it is a tool.

Please use it to drive readership and inform young people about local news. Please use it to get feedback from your readers and create rich conversations. Do not print things that demean 95% of young people who graduated college in the last few years. Please stop putting down the readers and writers of the next century. Make an honest effort at this and fight back. Do not fade into the sunset and then blame fantastic services like facebook while you willingly disconnect with the future contributors who want to make Sacramento better.

"I guess what is troubling about all this cybercontact is that it creates the illusion of community without the commitment. Facebook will allow two dozen former friends to reconnect, but will they really do more than exchange e-mail addresses? Will they watch each other's children grow up? Could you really call a long-lost Facebook friend with a dissolving marriage, a positive biopsy or an imploding mortgage?"

I have to say, the answer to all those questions is: YES! I do not want to get into personal details, but reconnecting with someone from high school on MySapce led me to a wonderful and fulfilling relationship with my girlfriend. When someone gets sick or is getting divorced, Facebook can bring so much love from friends. Then those people can go meet up in person.

I suppose if by using Facebook I abdicated my right to actually go see people in person then the column would make some sense, but that is hogwash. Facebook friending is not about relieving you of your duties as a friend, family member, or community member. All it does is allow for a richer relationship with more communication. It is a supplement, not a substitute. People love real community. Online social networking is built on the idea that people love community.

"In a real community, you meet over common ground – the bike path, the dog park, the PTA meeting. You share interests and concerns. And most important, you respond. You're the back-up baby-sitter or kid pick-up. You have the needed hammer, wrench or phone number.

"You'll pick up your neighbor's newspaper when they're on vacation. You'll buy Girl Scout cookies or Boy Scout popcorn. And when someone dies, you'll bring a casserole, go to the funeral and hug the bereaved."

Real communities can benefit using tools like Facebook:

create support for the bike path and organize an event on Facebook to keep it clean once a month.
create a dog park group to pressure local government to add the second gate that is so sorely needed
take the PTA online so that parents who cannot attend can watch a video uploaded to facebook of the meeting and respond with comments below
ask your friends for a recommendation of a baby sitter or see who has time to help watch the little ones (same with pick-up, hammer, or wrench)
The Girl Scouts would make a killing selling their cookies using a facebook application
these days when someone young dies many times their MySpace page becomes a living memorial to that person

Whew! You all get the idea.

One final time: Facebook is a tool. Real communities and real friends communicate and interact in absolutely vital, engaging ways using social networks. You don't have to use them or like them, but please do not attack those of us who do. And if you work for The Bee please ask your editor to respond and distance yourselves from this kind of mentality.

By the way, I have a feeling the column will make it onto The Sacramento Press facebook page.