Fairfield University's Dolan School of Business to host boot camp for business professionals ready to catch the social media wave | Press Releases

An all-day workshop at Fairfield University's Dolan School of Business on Tuesday, May 24 will serve as a crash course for professionals seeking to harness the power of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social media to grow their businesses.

"Web 2.0 and Social Media Boot Camp," presented by Marie Swift, president and chief executive officer of Impact Communications, is for small business owners and professionals - including financial planners, attorneys, accountants, physicians and dentists - who want to learn how to take advantage of the power of today's online business building tools. The event is co-sponsored by the Financial Planning Association (FPA) of Connecticut-Fairfield County and Fairfield University.

Norm Solomon, dean of the Dolan School, said the day should be a productive workshop for time-challenged professionals who want to boost their business's online presence. "This is where the Dolan School can serve as a classroom for the community," he said. "People will be able to further their business goals while refreshing their technology skills."

The morning module, "Maximizing Your Online Presence," from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., will be an interactive workshop for those ready to catch the social media wave. Social media tools such as blogs, Facebook and LinkedIn can help gain referrals, attract prospective clients, and connect in new ways with existing clients. But creating or expanding an online presence that will grow a business requires clear objectives and a plan that delivers on those objectives. This session will help attendees iron out such plans.

From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., "Social Media Boot Camp" will put attendees through the paces of putting a social media plan into action. Described as "a roll-up-your-sleeves workshop," the session will instruct on using blogs, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and online newswire services to build buzz. Strategies will take into consideration that professionals have limited time and resources to spend on these efforts.

Attendees will be taught to:

Build a blog
Set up a Twitter account
Record video clips
Create audio files
The art of cross promoting online

According to Swift, a regular contributor to industry publications such as MorningstarAdvisor, RIABiz.com, AdvisorOne, Research and financial planning magazines, the session will be a how-to on setting up your own Social Media Dashboard and program Tweets, LinkedIn status updates and Facebook posts, all in one quick and easy process. A popular speaker, Swift has spoken at workshops for the NFL Players Association, TD Ameritrade, Charles Schwab, Securities America, and the Financial Network, among many others.

Registration prior to May 4 is $130 for FPA members for both sessions, and $170 for non-members for both sessions. After May 4, the fees go up to $160 and $205 respectively. Registration is allowed for just one session so cost can be less. Attendees may bring their own laptop and tap into the university's Wi-Fi connection or use one of the PCs in the computer lab at the Dolan School. To register, contact event administrator Lori Somerville at (877) 777-0600 or fairfield@fpact.org . Space is limited.