Social media summit set at PSNH

The second annual “A-Ha!” New Hampshire Social Media Business Summit will be held Monday, Sept. 27 at Public Service of New Hampshire in Manchester.The summit, hosted by the state Division of Economic Development, Epiphanies Inc. and PSNH, is geared toward teaching New Hampshire businesses, organizations and professionals how to leverage the power of social media in business. The summit will be split into two three-hour sessions geared toward audiences of varying needs and skill levels: a morning session for social media beginners, small-business owners and entrepreneurs and one in the afternoon for established users of social media platforms.Admission to the event, at 780 North Commercial St., is free, but there are only 100 seats available in each session, so early registration is encouraged. The morning session, held from 9 a.m. to noon, will feature such presentations as “Social Marketing on a Shoestring Budget” and “Facebook on Fire: Tips, Tricks, and Shortcuts to Fuel Your Success on the World’s Hottest Social Network.”The final hour of the morning will feature a “New Hampshire Entrepreneur Success Panel,” featuring: Christy Cegelski, Drink Skinny LLC; Stacey Lucas, Veggie Art Girl; Bill Rogers, Now or Never Media; and Steve Varnum, communications and marketing director, New Hampshire Community Loan Fund.The afternoon session, geared toward people already well versed in social media and running a major platform, such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook or blogging, will include presentations such as “Facebook Marketing: Customization, Fan Building and Advertising” and “Engaging the Social Senses: Listening, Monitoring, and Measuring.” Following the presentations will be a “Cross-Industry N.H. Success Panel,” featuring speakers from across various industries: Erica Murphy, director of communications and community relations at The Common Man; Paul Boynton, chief executive of Moore Center Services; Steve Boucher, communications and legislative director at the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development; and Abby Fitchner, Microsoft’s developer evangelist for startups. “The shift in how we connect and communicate is changing the way business is done in New Hampshire and beyond,” said Boucher. “If you want to be competitive and relevant to your target market, your community, and in your industry, you have to actively explore what’s happening – and what’s possible – in the social media realm. This Summit is the place to do exactly that.”To register, visit AhaNH.com, or for more information, call Epiphanies Inc. at 603-524-5248, or e-mail events@EpiphaniesInc.com. — KATHLEEN CALLAHAN/NEW HAMPSHIRE BUSINESS REVIEW