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Posts Tagged ‘Lani Voivod’

A Great Day for Sociability

Tuesday, June 16th, 2009

About four months ago, I was invited to poke my head in a meeting which would ultimately change the way that our Division conducts its business outreach.

allen-and-laniAt the meeting, I was introduced to Allen and Lani Voivod, a young couple with a Lakes Region-based social marketing firm called Epiphanies, Inc. (www.epiphaniesinc.com) I was intrigued by their thought process and their passion for the power of social media in bringing people together. They seemed to be the type of entrepreneurial, forwarding thinking people who could infuse some new energy into our marketing efforts.

In a lot of ways, the first couple of meetings with Allen and Lani reminded me of the X-Men movie where the mutant students are gathered at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning. They were superheroes of the highest power, with the ability to throw out creative thoughts and not to dismiss any concept, no matter how impossible it sounded. They would not be constrained by red tape or logistical hardships, nor would they accept the premise that positive action couldn’t be achieved. They wouldn’t let “the man” get them down. Clearly, I had found a pair of kindred spirits.

Fast forward to the present – we now have a fully operational blog, a Twitter account and a presence on Facebook. We also celebrated the success of the First Annual Social Media Business Summit, a standing room only event that took place at Public Service of New Hampshire (www.psnh.com) yesterday.

social-media-summit-2009-003

It was entirely fitting that the first summit was held at a facility called “Energy Park” because the atmosphere in the room was nothing short of electric. Ideas were generated, information was shared and all attendees left the event ready to incorporate social media into their companies’ communications strategies.

I’d like to thank Allen and Lani for their hard work as well as moderator Mo Bresee (www.mobresee.com) and logistical expert Leslie Sturgeon (www.wiwnh.com) for crafting a fabulous day. Thanks also to Public Service of New Hampshire (especially Pat McDermott and Nancy Rheinhardt) for their generous sponsorship and to the “Stay, Work and Play” initiative (especially Matt Cookson from the University System of NH -(http://www.usnh.edu/initiatives/55_swpincentive.shtml) for their partnership.

If you haven’t do so already, please further our social media efforts by signing up for our blog as well as our Twitter and Facebook accounts. Information is POWER.

– Steve Boucher, Communications & Legislative Director

Get Sociably Ahead of the Curve

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009

Now here’s an opportunity you can’t refuse….learn how to network and build business relationships without having to blow a day on the golf course or get cornered by the widget salesman with the spitting problem at your 1,000th “Business After Hours” of the year.

Social marketing isn’t just a buzzword or a fad. It’s the way that more and more savvy business professionals are choosing to communicate. If you’ve never tweeted or posted a photo of your new product on your Facebook account, you’re missing a valuable, low cost marketing opportunity.

mspot_epiphanies_logoRecognizing how valuable this productivity tool is, the NH Division of Economic Development, in coordination with its “social marketing gurus” Epiphanies, Inc. , Public Service of NH and the “Stay, Work & Play” initiative  will host the first annual “A-Ha!” NH Social Media Business Summit at PSNH, 780 North Commercial Street in Manchester, on Monday, June 15th from 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

This event is geared towards entrepreneurs, marketing professionals, business owners, and companies of all sizes and industries.

Sessions for the event include:

« Beyond the Hype: A No-nonsense Introduction to Social Media’s Real Power and Promise for NH Businesses (especially in this untamed economic environment)

« 7 Powerful Ways to Use Social Media Right Now to Boost Visibility, Cultivate Relationships, Outshine Competitors and Get Results

« Yes, It Can Be Measured! How to Tell If Your Social Marketing Efforts Are Delivering Results

« Social Marketing Success Stories: Panel Discussion with Q & A

Workshop sessions will be presented/moderated by Lani & Allen Voivod, co-owners of Epiphanies, Inc., a social marketing & success strategies firm based in the Lakes Region, with other featured speakers to be announced. Outgoing USNH Chancellor Stephen Reno will deliver opening remarks, and there will be a facilitated networking lunch as well.

As a special gift to New Hampshire’s business community, admission is free. However, there are only 100 slots available, so early registration is strongly suggested. To register, go to www.AhaNH.com. For more information, call Epiphanies, Inc at (603) 524-5248.

– Steve Boucher, Communications & Legislative Director