As a designer, do you find yourself asking “what do they have, that I don’t?”  What makes a well-known, or celebrity designer, stand out from the crowd, receive accolades, book contracts, and the like?  You work your fingers to the bone, burn the candle at both ends to visualize and design thoughtful, beautiful, sophisticated spaces, just as they do.

The difference just might be their mastery of the social media whirl, their presence on the major Social Media platforms; Twitter, Facebook, Ava Living, LinkedIn, or their focus on up-to-this-very-minute trends showcased in twice-weekly blog posts.

Case in point, Tobi Fairley, known for her signature look of fresh simplicity that is both beautiful and functional, launched her blog in September 2008.  Today, it is read in 95 countries!  She is dedicated to timely updates of her business Facebook page, which has just about 3,200 fans, and at least 3-4 tweets per day.  All of which allow her to remain engaged and committed to her base, potential clients, and any publications looking for content.  She has been showcased in House Beautiful, Traditional Home, Better Homes & Gardens, along with other local and national shelter publications.  She is seen as a taste-maker and a trend-setter.

But all of this takes time, energy and the search for trends and topics that are interesting, and if that candle is burning while you are hard at work on a project, how do you do it all?  Gibson Design Management, and our sister company, OttoPilot Media, are experts in Social Media.  We know how to move the pieces around the gameboard to maximize your visibility and your fan base.  We would welcome the opportunity to answer any questions, and help you through the Social Media maze!  Please contact Martha for details.

We are excited to continue our new Flight School classes on the following social media tools’ uses for business: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Ava Living, and blogging.

Our next Flight School class will be offered on Twitter 101 for Business.  The class will be held on:

Thursday, January 21st at 3pm.

Agenda will include:

• Signing up for Twitter.
• Setting up your profile and Twitter page.
• Twitter Lingo: “tweet”, @replies, DMs, “follow”, and more.
• Twitter tips to get you started.
• How Twitter keeps you connected to your customers.
• How Twitter can keep you updated in the Interior Design industry.
• How Twitter helps you to build relationships within your industry.

Each online Flight School class will be limited to 12 participants. This will ensure that people can ask questions and there is interaction between you and your Social Media Flight Instructor. Register below and you will receive a confirmation within 24-48 hours. Classes are 60-90 minutes and include a Q&A session.

Cost: $47.00 per class

Social media and non-traditional marketing to supplement and enhance your marketing plan can be the best way to increase your return on investment. However, do you really have time to tweet, post, blog, fan, follow, or even figure out what all of these things mean? Furthermore, do you have time to commit to actually doing these things well? Shouldn’t you be spending more time designing? After watching many design firms use our Social Media Launchpad to get their firms set up on Twitter, Facebook, Ava Living, LinkedIn, and blogging, and then not have the time to properly tend to those social media tools, Gibson Design Management has launched its Online Community Co-Pilot program.

Your Co-Pilot is experienced and knowledgeable; she will help you not only navigate the social media world but will also work to fly your business to an even higher level.

• Navigation plans: Your Co-Pilot will lead twice monthly calls to learn about what is going on within your business and how your marketing objectives can be better achieved through using online tools. We will work with you to develop strategies to make your offline marketing objectives more efficacious by using these instruments.
• Jet maintenance: Your Co-Pilot will ensure that all of your instruments are up to snuff and safe for rocket flight. By working with you and by managing all of your online tools, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Ava Living, and your blog (blog copywriting additional), your business will be equipped for the steep trajectory. After your Social Media LaunchPad, you don’t want your tools to sit idle and unwatched.

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As our social media and marketing division has grown over the last six months, we have been asked increasingly if we offer classes about how to use the different social media tools for business.  We didn’t…until now!

Our latest structuring of packages for our social media clients has taken on an aeronautical theme.  Coming soon will be the announcement of our Marketing Jetpack, Social Media LaunchPad, Online Community Co-Pilot, and more.  What better name for our new webinars than Flight School!

In the near future, we will offer Flight School classes on the following social media tools’ uses for business: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Ava Living, and blogging.  Our first two Flight School classes will be offered on Facebook 101 for Business.

Agenda will include:

- Why your business needs a Facebook page

- How your personal profile and your business page are different

- The difference between Facebook groups and pages

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