Join the Solution Stars Video Conference

Every year of my working life, technology has transformed the jobs that I do and the way that I perform in those roles. From my earliest start in an chartered accountant’s office where I began using Lotus 1-2-3 and the Basic programming language to automate my more mundane tasks, I have always focused my use of technology towards a business outcome.

These days, technology is second nature to me. Each day I use a web/tele-conference facility of some kind to collaborate with colleagues around the world; listen and scan online conversations for products and services that I am responsible for; download podcasts and vodcasts; read and respond to blogs, Facebook group discussions and forums; and a number of other things. And while I live in Australia, I am now more globally connected than I ever have been.

As the twin pressures of climate change and financial chaos continue to reverberate through the business community, we will need to increasingly use these types of technologies to cost- and time-effectively deliver value to our businesses. After all, it is not that the business need for global collaboration has evaporated – just the conviction (and funds) that we need to do so face-to-face.

From a brand point of view, the timing has never been better, nor the environment more open, to begin experimenting with social media. Sure, there are pitfalls; but you can learn a great deal simply by beginning to participate. You could start by joining the Network Solutions Solutions Stars Video Conference on October 29. By my calculations, the 1pm New York start time translates to 4am Sydney time and 5pm GMT.

This free video conference aims to provide insights and online marketing tips to small businesses … but the advice can easily be applied to larger businesses and brands. The conference features nine different documentary style video sessions:

   
• Building Web Presence

 

• The Social Opportunity

 

• Start with Listening

 

• Strategy Drives Outreach

 

• You Need Social Networks

 

• To Blog or Not to Blog

 

• Visibility Through Search

 

• Rising Above the Noise

 

• Time Demands

A great cast of speakers have been assembled, including:

• Geoff Livingston, Author of Now is Gone

 

• Brian Solis, Principal of FutureWorks

 

• Tim Ferriss, Best Selling Author of Four Hour Work Week

 

• Guy Kawasaki, Co-Founder, All-Top

 

• Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos

 

• Darren Rowse, Author, ProBlogger

 

• Chris Brogan, Vice President of Strategy, CrossTech Media

 

• Rohit Bhargava, Author of Personality Not Included

 

• Wendy Piersall, CEO of Sparkplugging.com

 

• Lionel Menchaca, Chief Blogger, Dell

 

• Steve Hall, Publisher and Editor of Ad Rants

 

• Scott Monty, Global Digital and Multimedia Communications Manager, Ford Motor Company

 

• Liz Strauss, Social Web Strategist, Successful Blog

 

• Toby Bloomberg, CEO, Bloomberg Marketing

And while it may be an early start for some of us … it’s a small price to pay for some great advice from those who not only talk about marketing, branding and strategy in a socially connected world, they practice it daily.

Shall we agree to meet there online? I’ll bring the coffee!