Actually, no, it isn’t.  Its real aim is to make “a bit of money” from it.

According to Anti PowerPoint Party’s website, the nefarious MS presentation software costs the Swiss economy $2.5 billion (US) annually in wasted time and miscommunication.  So from this perspective the party’s political cause is one of economic efficiency and business development.

But there is more to it that that.  The Anti PowerPoint Party’s founder and president – Matthias Poehm – is a public speaking trainer with a business and a book on the subject to promote.  Forming his party has gained him international publicity on his specialist subject.  And all for the relatively minor cost of registering his party with the relevant authorities.  Once the word was out, those kindly media people did the rest.  Nice.

I like to think of this as The Die Hard Strategy – using politics for the sake of business.  In the first and third films of the same name, two brothers posed as political terrorists while they tried to steal vast amounts of money for supposedly idealistic reasons.  In fact, the political posturing was bogus.  They just wanted the cash, thanks very much.  Who wouldn’t?

The inner evil genius in me appreciates this tactic.  It constitutes a fresh twist and turnaround in the usual plot-line, the real-life one where politicians use the economy to further their own personal and party power-base.  But, as my favorite films critic Mark Kermode would put it, “here’s the thing”.

Politics does not produce or create value.  Business does that.  They need us more than we need them.  They exist for us, not us for them.  So let’s use them for what they can do for us.  Let’s employ politics as part of our marketing strategy.  Maybe then politics can find a sufficient reason to exist.

So ask yourself this.  If you had to form a single-issue political party in order to promote your business interests, what would it be?

Here at Sensei, one of our services is to provide training is business writing as well as write, edit and proofread all types of business documentation.  We’re so passionate about good writing that we have even formed our own professional writer’s network called ScribeTribe.  We support the Clear English Campaign and hate jargon.

So maybe we could form a party called the Anti Business Speak Party (or the Anti BS Party!).  After all, according to the BBC again, spelling mistakes cost millions in lost online sales.  Workplace jargon ‘isolates staff’ according to Investors in People.  There are many good reasons to avoid business jargon and acronyms in communications.

So come on, comrades.  Put on your cloth caps and think of how you could use politics to advance the cause of your beloved business.

Image credit: geetesh.

Twitter

It makes sense that if you’re using Twitter already, you tweet information and links to events you’re running or helping to promote.

• Tweet often.  People who are online at 07:30am may not be online at 3pm, or 10pm. Experiment, to see which times get the best results.  You can measure this in simple ways, by engagament (i.e. Replies, Mentions and Retweets) or by using a URL shortener for example, such as Ow.ly (an URL shortener and link visit tracker).
• Experiment with different phrases.  As people expand the number of Twitter users they follow, things become unmanagable.  This is where tools such as Tweetkdeck and Hootsuite play a role in helping users filter tweets for keywords. As you might expect, not everyone follows the same keywords as may be obvious to you.
• If you’re not already on Twitter and open an account solely to promote a single event, don’t expect too many bookings.  People like to get to know you first.

Also, take a tour of Twitter for Business, to learn about other promotional tools.

Your Own Website

There is no better place to promote an event than your own website.

• Twitter aside (in our case), it is probably the source of the majority of visitors to your event booking page.
• Remember to use Google Analytics, or some other website statistics package, to record the source of all visits.

Facebook

We’ve already blogged How to Use Facebook to Promote an Event, but there’s no harm mentioning this again.  (Remember to come back once you’ve read this post.)

Eventbrite

The three best things about Eventbrite are:

Event invitation, booking, payment, reminder and notifcation management

OK, that’s five. But, this (almost free) application is worth its weight in handbags.  See Eventbrite pricing for further details.

• Automate sending of invitations, notifcations and reminders (including complimentary tickets) to a pre-existing list of contacts
• Take bookings – with multiple payment options – online

Tracking links

• Would you like to be able to see which online marketing effforts are sending most links to your booking page?
• Would you like to identify which affiliates are sharing your links more effectively than others?
• Would it help focus future marketing events if you could see which tracked links were ineffective?

Customisation

There are buckets of customisation options in Eventbrite.  One of my favourites is the facility to create ticket forms, widgets like this one, calendars and links to promote your event with a clean, professional look.

WhatsOnNI

Register and add your event (free) to WhatsOnNI.com.  Events are uploaded along with an image and approved on the same day.

Email Newsletter

Using a legitimate email contact list, sign up to Mailchimp today.  I’ve surveyed the best of the rest, and this is the one that was consistently easy to use and written with non-tecchies in mind.

Advantage NI

Advantage shares Northern Ireland news and events and has a Business Directory that you can add your details to.  Register with Advantage NI to being making use of the website’s promotional facilities.

InvestNI

NI Business Info is an InvestNI webiste where you can read crucial business information and view business events in Northern Ireland.  Register with NI Business Info, to begin accessing information and sharing events.

SyncNI

SyncNI publishes a Northern Ireland business calendar listing varying types of events, though its focus is business, technology, science and innovation.  Register with SyncNI (for free) to list business events, post news, share press releases and blog posts.

Addictive Creatives

Addictive Creatives lists news and Northern Ireland creative events.  Contact Addictive Creatives with details of your event.

LinkedIn Events

You can add LinkedIn Events as long as you already have a LinkedIn profile.  Like Facebook, you, attendees and other interested parties can add their name to the list.  You can also send invitations to anyone in your contact list.

Business Events Hub

The Business Events Hub Facebook page is added to regularly by business people sharing and promoting events.  As long as you already have a Facebook profile, you can Like the Page, then share links to events.

Before you begin, you may wish to read Profiles and Pages on Facebook: The Difference.  You will also need the event description, an image and a booking link ready to go. 

Add the Facebook Events app to your business page

Facebook Events is a Facebook application (tool) that will add a tab to your Page for adding and sharing events.

1. Navigate to https://www.facebook.com/apps/directory.php.
2. Type Events into the Search box (top left), and press Return.
3. From the results, click Events by Facebook.
4. Click Add to my Page (bottom left).

Add Facebook Events to your business page

You can get images from Flickr.  Ensure you read the rules before using anything available there.

• You can create a booking page from EventBrite (our recommendation) or EventElephant.  EventBrite allows for recurring events, multiple (automated) payment options and provides an excellent system for reminding and contacting attendees and tracking event links.  It truly is a one-stop-shop.  Pay close attention to EventBrite’s link tracking options; this will help you identify where the views and bookings come from.  You may find, for example, that sharing links on Twitter is the best place for views on your page, whereas Facebook is the best place for bookings.

To add an event:

1. Navigate to your Facebook Page.
2. Click Events on the left side of your page.
3. Click Create an Event (top right).
4. Click Add Event Photo, then Choose File and insert an appropriate photograph.
5. Enter the date and time of the event.
6. Enter the title of the event.
7. Enter the venue.
8. In the More Info field, paste a brief event description, including a booking or registration link, and contact information. Posting a Facebook event without a booking link agitates many online users; people expect to be able to find and event, read more information and book (all online).  Don’t be insanely inefficient, by asking them to print out and sign a booking form, enclosing a cheque!
9. Keep the guest list and non-admins options selected (our recommendation), and click Create Event.
10. The full details of the event are displayed.  Click I’m Attending (if appropriate).
11. Click Edit Event if any of the details are incorrect.  (This can be done at a later date.)
12. Click Update Fans of, to send a message to fans to let them know about the event.  (This can also be done at a later date.)  If you are Using Facebook As [Your Business Name], Facebook will prompt you to Continue as [Your Name]. Click this option and proceed. (This can also be done at a later date.)  Fill in a brief Subject and Message and click Attend.  Fans will receive a message to their Facebook Inbox, informing them of the event and providing them with a link to the event on Facebook, where they can also click I’m Attending, Maybe, or No.

Promoting Your Event

It is important to share the event after you have created it.  Remember, not everyone will see your link as soon as you post it.  Statistics show that the best times to share information like this are 6-8am; 11am; 3pm; 8pm onwards.  Feel free to share your link in multiple locations online.

1. Navigate to the event page and copy the URL (website address).  This may look like this: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=148869141844430.
2. Paste this URL anywhere you’d like to share the event.  It can be used in a Facebook status update (first click the link option), an email, a website or a document.  Don’t depend on Facebook for event promotion. It is only one of many tools that can help spread the word quickly.

If you have any queries, let me know. We’d also be delighted if you’d comment with your recommendations for event promotion via Facebook. 

Last night, I attended the second meeting of the Social Media Association for Business, at UUB.  Here are my thoughts on the evening.

What is the Social Media Association for Business?

The SMAB is a grassroots organisation that spontaneously germinated in the mind of our very own Martin Gilchrist of Gilchrist & Co Accountants, to bring together those who are interested in, knowledgeable about using social media tools, to assist organisations in Northern Ireland with their understanding and employment of social media as a marketing and networking tool.

Who was there?

Come along to the next one and meet them all!  I’m currently wracking my brain to see if I can remember all the new people I met.  Watch out, I’ll be trying to make contact next!

Social Media Association for Business Facebook Page

What is the current format?

1. Registration/Free Networking over tea/coffee
2. Welcome
3. Speaker
4. Questions to a Panel
5. Open Mic
6. Free Networking

Who spoke?

Tim McKane from Navajo Talk

Who sat on the panel?

Jon Paul Bruce from BizNet IIS

Nichola Bates from Grow Sales Online

And, me.

What did I learn?

I need to get rid of one Facebook Profile I had retained for personal friends and family, as really, something I’ve known for a long time, is that it’s not really kosher to have two.  Thing is, personal friends and family have slowing been adding me as a Friend on my other professional Profile for a while, so it won’t be that difficult to close it down.  Many thanks to Jill Culbertson from Navajo Talk for pointing this out again.

Join me on Facebook

I share stuff I’m doing, things I’m interested in, what I’m reading, people I find useful, and the odd opinion or rant.

“Like” Sensei Learning and Performance on Facebook

We share tips and hints for SMEs who are interested in maximising the web for their business.  You’ll also be kept informed of new blogs and upcoming events, ones we’re running, and other useful business events across Northern Ireland.

Is there any grub?

Tea, coffee and delicious traybakes.

Vibe?

Relaxed, but structured (due to Niall McKeown‘s no doubt renowned meeting management skills) and informed.

Where can I get further information?

Ask the organisers:

Martin Gilchrist

Nichola Bates

Niall McKeown

Image credit: webtreatsetc.