Social Media Drop-in Clinic May 27

Benefit for End Polio now

My firm, Kring Lerner Group, is hosting a social media drop-in clinic to benefit clients, colleagues, friends, neighbors and End Polio Now campaign of the Rotary Club of Evanston. My husband Joel and I are members.

Drop in with your questions about LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, blogging, etc. between 4 and 6 p.m. on Friday, May 27 to Kring Lerner's office at Coworking Evanston, at 600 Davis in Evanston. Whether you are new to using social media tools, or more experienced, you'll learn something.

Suggested donation to End Polio Now fund is $1/minute.

Come casual. Prepare to leave smarter.
Our credo: There's not such thing as a dumb question. Being an expert is only a relative term. There's always something to learn.

Snacks will be served.

RSVP by messaging me with approximately time we can expect you. Deadline to reply: 4 p.m. on May 27. I ask for this so that if no one comes, I know I can eat all the guac, popcorn, cupcakes, whatever snacks I get by myself.

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By the way, social media for business is the topic of discussion at the next Evanston Women in Business luncheon May 31.

Also, if you're needing a new headshot for LinkedIn or other sites, Kring Lerner's next BizPics shoot is June 12.

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Facebook can blurs the lines between personal and professional

Deb Lawrence shares her take on this social media tool

The use of Facebook in the business world tends to cause several different types of reactions. Eye-rolling is very common with those who turn their noses up, and wonder why a rational human being would even consider using something like Facebook for business.  I suspect that these folks have either never been on this website, or have perhaps only seen the movie, “The Social Network.” This is how they have drawn their conclusions as to the usefulness of Facebook.

Personally I have used Facebook both socially and for business. Yes, I did consider whether I wanted to mesh my personal and business lives. But since I don’t have a secret, “double-life” on the wild side, I don’t really care, if my business associates know that I have a golden retriever, two cats, three kids and a great husband.

What has fascinated me, is that in my industry of marketing /public relations, is the ability of Facebook to resurrect friendships and relationships, transcend relationships and solidify friendships on a deeper level. This applies to business as well as personal relationships. 

Many people have said, that I’m a natural networker, and I say, I was networking without knowing what it was, or before it was popular. I enjoy people, and learning about people. I find people interesting. And that is what makes the world go around.

Facebook has become a tool to me in my career. It has helped me to network on a more personal level with many people in the business world. Specifically, I have had the ability to get to know various people who I never would have reached out to in the past. One example, is that when the Skokie Chamber of Commerce has needed a keynote speaker or an emcee for events, I reached out to business contacts through Facebook. Having been connected to various "friends", it was a natural extension of an online relationship. In seeking a win-win situation, I was able to communicate easily through Facebook and provide “details and event links” to the potential speakers.  Entire programs were set up through Facebook.
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Deb Lawrence is the Business Employer Services & Community Relations for Illinois workNet Centers of Northern Cook County. She was recognized as the Skokie Chamber of Commerce's 2010 Volunteer of the Year.

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