On Tuesday I got to attend a social media and marketing workshop run by a social media, marketing and PR agency based in Bournemouth, who offer a variety of different training workshops for people who want to improve their new media literacy skills. We arrived at a restaurant in Ferndown, whose conference room was being used to host the workshop, and had a bit of a meet and greet over coffee. It was quite a small affair, with just Banu, the managing director of the company, myself, and two other participants – one lady who was looking to set up her own social enterprise, and another who was acting as manager for his wife, who is a local singer. Banu began by running through some general marketing points, and we all thought about why we used social media, and the messages contained within the brands we were promoting, be those personal or corporate.
The Stone Lounge, Ferndown – our venue for the day
The fact that we all use social media for different means actually made for some really interesting discussion – it was great to see how others used the same platforms I do in ways which I had never really considered. I found it really valuable to talk through my aims and aspirations, and to get feedback from total strangers, rather than just friends and family, who tend to be supportive (if a little biased!). Everyone was really lovely, and had lots of great ideas for things I could change or add to my own personal blog, which I am really excited to implement over the coming months.
Banu, on the left, and Diane discussing some really big ideas for the future
We then moved on to talk about social media platforms more specifically, covering Facebook, Google+ and Pinterest, as those were the three we had the most questions about. The other attendees were really just at the beginning of their social media journeys, whereas I've had quite a bit of previous experience with it all, but it was fantastic to get right back to basics and learn loads of new tips and tricks that I didn't know about. Pinterest, in particular, was a huge revelation for me. Although I had an account, I had never really used it, and didn't realise how powerful a tool it is for driving engagement, traffic and, in some cases, sales. According to Banu, more people buy things through Pinterest than any other social media site! I've already been pinning and re-pinning some pictures, and I’m looking forward to really getting to grips with the platform.
Social media and green tea – definitely two of my favourite things!
It was a thoroughly enjoyable day, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity – I would love to have a further session, and will definitely be looking out for any similar events in the future. It’s a fantastic way, especially for students, to take advantage of new experiences and learn or improve particular skills, or even just have a great day out, often for a low price! What’s not to love, really?
In other news, my application for International Citizen Service is progressing, and I now have an assessment centre date for the end of this month. I've been assigned to Volunteer Service Overseas, a charity which works on a range of different projects all over the world, so this doesn't really narrow down where I might be sent to if I am successful, but it’s extremely exciting. I’ll be spending some time over the next couple of weeks doing some preparation, after I've submitted my essay, that is, which is due at 4pm today...I’d better get cracking!
Tayler
No comments:
Post a Comment