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A Snapshot of the Diversity of NH Businesses, “Storified”

Wednesday, August 17th, 2011

We tried something new last week on the No Bull Facebook Page and Twitter feed. During “Facebook Friday,” we invited our Likers and Followers to proudly promote themselves and their ventures by sharing links to their business’s own Facebook Page, Twitter handle, and/or website.

What a response!

Dozens of professionals joined the conversation, showcasing the amazing and inspiring variety of bold, passionate, and innovative Granite Staters, forging ahead and contributing positively to NH’s economic success. We’ve taken this great feedback from the social web and used a cool new tool called Storify to create a visual snapshot of the original conversation here on the No Bull Blog. Enjoy!

 

 

Five Key Social Media Tips for Job Search Success

Friday, February 11th, 2011

Over the next few weeks, we’re going to be featuring some guest commentaries from the great professionals who’ve volunteered to speak at the Begin With Yes Careerfest scheduled for March 15th at White Mountains Community College in Berlin. This week’s entry is from the Division of Economic Development’s “social media guru” Allen Voivod of Epiphanies, Inc. Thanks for such a great commentary Allen!

Social networks influence our lives in countless and unexpected ways, including how we lose, find, and change jobs.

The stories are out there – good and bad. A Cleveland software architect profiled in Time Magazine who, after losing his position, landed a new one in just 11 days thanks to connections on Facebook and Twitter. A freelancer who lost out on a gig at Cisco because of an all-too-honest tweet.

Epiphanies Inc.'s Allen Voivod

Epiphanies Inc.'s Allen Voivod

There should be no surprises here – networking in real life also helps people land jobs faster, and people have been losing jobs for more than a decade thanks to ill-advised emails. But social networks put a much more powerful spin on these concepts in the world of work. So, how do you adapt? Here are five tips to help your cause.

1. Think like HR does. According to a recent survey of hiring professionals, more than 80% use online search and social media profiles to narrow down fields of job candidates. They even use online channels to find “passive candidates” – already employed people who’d consider a better deal at a different company. What will those hiring professionals find out about you?

2. Google yourself. Who does Google think you are? Do the results help or hurt? Regardless of what’s there now, you can affect those results by opening accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social networks. These sites are so popular, they routinely come up on the first page of search results. And search optimization studies show that most people don’t go past the first page on Google.

3. Privacy control. All social platforms offer privacy options to help you control what’s shared publicly and what’s kept private. Use them! Furthermore, you’re already careful about what job-related things you say via plain old email, right? Use that same standard of caution with your social networking updates, and you’ll be just fine.

4. Plan ahead. Develop your networks now, before you actually need them. Add content to social networking profiles, and grow them over time. Like many things in life, creating an effective online presence doesn’t happen overnight. Don’t wait until disaster strikes – build your safety net steadily, so it’s there to catch you when you need it.

5. Creation versus curation. So you have a Facebook profile, a Twitter handle, and LinkedIn account – now what? You feed it content that shows you care about the work you do. If you find creating content difficult to do on a regular basis, go for curation – finding and sharing content from other sources with your own network. Share an opinion about other people’s content, and you get both creation and curation in one shot.

Whether you’re currently employed or currently seeking work, managing your online presence, reputation, and personal brand is critical for your professional growth and potential. If you’re not visible online, you’re essentially invisible to the executive, headhunter, insider, benevolent connection, or hiring manager filling or creating a great position you want and deserve.

Allen Voivod is co-owner of Epiphanies, Inc., a social marketing and success strategies firm based in Gilford. He is one of five featured speakers at the upcoming “Begin With Yes Career Fest,” March 15th at White Mountains Community College. The event is free, but space is limited, so register now! Email lsherman@dred.state.nh.us to attend in person, or go to http://bit.ly/NoBullStream on 3/15 to watch real-time video of the event.

2nd Annual NH Social Media Business Summit Scheduled

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

A whopping 500,000 of Facebook’s 500 million global users live in New Hampshire. Twitter recently crossed the 100 million user threshold and became the third largest search engine in the world, besting all but Google and YouTube. More than 80% of companies, recruiters, and human resource professionals report scanning online channels – including social networking sites – to research candidates, find prospects and weed out applicants.

Epiphanies Inc.'s Allen Voivod holds court at last year's Social Media Business Summit.

Epiphanies Inc.'s Allen Voivod holds court at last year's Social Media Business Summit.

In an effort to bring this ever-growing impact and power of social media to more New Hampshire businesses, organizations and professionals, the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development, in partnership with social marketing and success strategies firm Epiphanies, Inc. and Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH), will host the second annual “A-Ha!” NH Social Media Business Summit at PSNH, 780 North Commercial Street, Manchester, on Monday, September 27th. To ensure content is geared to the needs and skill levels of the attendees, the Summit will be split into two three-hour sessions for two different audiences, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

“The shift in how we connect and communicate is changing the way business is done in New Hampshire and beyond,” says New Hampshire Division of Economic Development Communications & Legislative Director Steve 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.”

The Morning Session, from 9:00am to noon, is designed for social media beginners, small business owners, professionals in mission-driven organizations and passionate entrepreneurs. Presentations include “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 last hour will feature the NH 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, NH Community Loan Fund.

The Afternoon Session is geared for people who are already running with one or more of the major social media platforms – including Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and blogging. Ideal for social media enthusiasts, community leaders, marketing mavens, brand managers, bold entrepreneurs, and visionaries of mission-driven organizations, the afternoon’s presentations include “Facebook Marketing: Customization, Fan Building, and Advertising” and “Engaging the Social Senses: Listening, Monitoring, and Measuring.” Additionally, there will be a Cross-Industry NH Success Panel, featuring Erica Murphy, Director of Communications and Community Relations, The Common Man; Paul Boynton, Author of Begin With Yes and CEO 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.

Summit Sessions will be presented and moderated by Lani and Allen Voivod, co-owners of Epiphanies, Inc., whom Boucher calls the Division’s “social marketing gurus,” and who’ve delivered workshops, webinars, slidecasts, and boot camps online and off, for Chambers of Commerce, trade associations, and business development events throughout the Granite State and for clients and entrepreneurs across the country.

“We received tremendously positive feedback from last year’s New Hampshire Social Media Business Summit,”  PSNH Economic & Community Development Manager Pat McDermott said. “We’re proud to help bring these ideas and strategies to the business owners, entrepreneurs and community leaders who play such an important role in New Hampshire’s economic growth and vitality.”

“Our goal is to connect the dots, empower action, and incite attendees to thrive with these tools, channels, and platforms,” said Lani Voivod. “The opportunities are here waiting for them.”

“With social media as with business, belief is everything,” Allen Voivod added. “We aim to help people believe in their own bigger picture of possibility and success.”

As a special gift to New Hampshire’s business community from the Division of Economic Development and PSNH, admission to this event is free. However, there are only 100 seats available for each session, so early registration is strongly suggested. To register, go to www.AhaNH.com. For more information, call Epiphanies, Inc. at (603) 524-5248, or email events@EpiphaniesInc.com.

Why You Should Care What Joe Had for Breakfast

Friday, October 16th, 2009

Now that I have your attention, you should sign up for the NHBR Network (www.nhbrnetwork.com), the first online business-to-business networking site in New Hampshire, and check out my latest blog offering entitled “You Should Care What Joe Had for Breakfast.”

scrambledeggIt details the Division of Economic Development’s foray into the realm of social marketing and why your business should make the jump to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Give it a read!

– Steve Boucher, Communications & Legislative Director

Social Networking – It’s Smart Business

Wednesday, September 9th, 2009

As you are well aware, the No Bull Business Blog is a huge fan of social networking. We know of its power to link people and to serve as a tremendous business tool for the business community.

tomorrows-business-advice-logoWith that in mind, we’re pleased to present this month’s “Tomorrow’s Business Advice Today” column by Dr. Russ Ouellette of Sojourn Partners. In this column, Russ talks about “embracing the new realities of social relationships for results” and the importance of expanding our networks.

Still not sure what Facebook, Twitter and blogs can do to help your bottom line? Check out this link as Russ pulls all of the pieces together for you:  http://nheconomy.com/Tommorrows-Business-Advice-Today.aspx.