Social Media Training Course Beta Testers Needed

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This whole social media thing for small business can be confusing, I know, I speak to groups of small business owner routinely and hear things like – “I’m overwhelmed, I’m tired of the hype, what do I do first, how do I find the time.”

Update: The good news is a lot of people really want to beta test this program – over 125 left comments for the 10 spots, but I guess that’s the bad news too. Here’s what I’ve decided to do – I will choose 20 beta testers based on comments and offer a smokin hot deal to the other 105 who took the time to participate. (comments are now closed) This course is one of the ways I put my kids through college so please appreciate the it’s worth way more than I’m going to charge.

If you’ve ever found yourself saying something along those lines, I would like to let you know that I’ve taken the practical strategies and tactics I use and teach to help people create a social media system and turned them into a five session course I call – Social Media Pro.

The course is not really ready to go yet. I mean, it’s ready, but I’m not sure I’m ready. I would first like to recruit 10 beta testers to go through the entire online program and give me feedback and reviews to help me understand if the course delivers the results I’m hoping for - a small business owner building an entire social media system that allows them to effectively market their business without going crazy.

The program consists of five online tutorials backed with 38 videos that show you step by step how to do every action described in the lessons. The course is delivered sequentially over a five week period so you can focus on one lesson and set of action steps per week without becoming overwhelmed.

The course breaks down like this

Session One – Creating a Social Media Strategy
Session Two – Optimizing Brand Assets
Session Three – Blogging for Business
Session Four – Social Networking and Networks
Session Five – Managing the Beast

You can check out the full course details here, but there’s noting to buy, so come back and read the rest of this post if you are interested in the program.

If you would like to be a beta tester I need you to leave a comment in this post describing a) your greatest frustration with implementing social media or b) the single most important thing you would hope to get from a course like this.

In addition, if chosen you will need to pay $1 and agree to complete the action steps at the end of each lesson and provide feedback on what works or what’s missing and report on the tactics you’ve implemented as a result of the course. (Thoughtful, passionate, and creative responses will be most rewarded.)

Deal? Leave your comment.

Image credit: Damien Basile

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Posted by: John Jantsch on Nov 03, 09 | 6:06 am
Category: Blogging, Duct Tape Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Social Media | Tags: , social media pro

Comments

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Yaro

Hi, I run a local painting contracting firm, so my focus with social media outreach is local in nature (50 mile radius).

a) your greatest frustration with implementing social media

To date, the most frustrating thing for me boils down to being able to effectively target a limited geography and finding the time to run updates, posts, do videos, upload photos, and respond to comments while trying to run a small business.

On the geography part, I find it difficult to actually find and persuade local prospects to follow my outreach channels.

b) the single most important thing you would hope to get from a course like this.

The single most important thing I hope to get out of a course like this is learning how to effectively integrate the different outreach channels for better local market outreach and following.

Thanks for considering me!

DamienBasile

Thanks for using my graphic in this article.

If I had to pick one person to beta test your program it would be Christina Coster aka @mizcity. She's highly active in the events field, throwing Eventcamp and will give a great perspective from this area.

Len Kamerman

Hi John, I'm most definitely interested. I feel like I've gotten a hang of most of the major tools and the lingo but need a little better grasp of putting it all together - like which SM tools should I use to promote content on the other ones and what's a good system to make sure I stay on top of everything. I need to make sure I'm taking actual action rather than just keeping up with a list of tools and learn best practices for creating my own publisher's calendar.

lgarrison

John - I suggest that you select Len Kammerman (who was an early responded to the blog) as a tester. I belong to a master-mind group with Len and know he sees the value of social media, has invested considerable time learning about the complexities and challenges in implementing it as business tool, and fully gets that its a fire hose of information that needs to be directed to be used effectively. He'll be a great asset to your program.

dawnwesterberg

I'm interested. Would love to participate.

Salma Burney

As a VA / Computer Instructor I am interested in how to use a blog efficiently and effectively to generate new business.

Gary Birnberg

Learn how to integrate ther big social media sites together and hoe do you find the local attention (eyeballs) when followers and friends are scattered across the globe. I need local friends and followers for my small business.

pam durkin

I would be interested in this. I have re-evaluated my interior design business and am looking to leverage a new approach integrating products and other splinter avenues. I am looking to expand my market and visibility to the US, instead of my local area and I think social media is the best way for me to do this, especially as a small business.

Georgia L. McCabe

John, I would be happy to be a beta tester. I am in the process of taking two other classes. It would be interesting to see what you have compared to the two I am taking. The biggest challenge I see is really learning the in's and out's of all of the tools and getting yourself organized. I sometimes feel like I am an air traffic controller when it comes to manage all of the elements. The single biggest challenge I see is how to convince people that social media marketing is more than posting what you had for dinner. For many of the people specializing in this area, you know that's not the case. However, for many businesses and boomer's they just don't get it yet. I hope I can help change their mind.

Kip Durney

I would love to help you out... My biggest frustration is to get my industry (healthcare) to buy into the viability and ROI of a social media strategy. Tough sell right now. And what I hope to get out of such a course? Tips, tricks, and how to develop a SM strategy to sell to a group that is old school but wants to be new school but doesn't want to look stupid. :)

Lynda Brandt

As the lone company marketer I get totally frustrated with overload and missing some (sometimes) very useful feedback/comments.
I need a solution for SM within the marketing mix I already have and on a budget too.

Ian Campbell

My greatest frustration is the lack of definitions. Without solid definitions, we can't really understand what is being spoken about. From what I know of you, I expect you clearly define principles, which will make the subject graspable.

I would hope to get a full working knowledge of social media to the point of being able to effectively implement workable technology for my and my clients' strategies. The end result would be rising statistics of the intended goals.

Jon Moss

As a student of social media and the role it plays in small business I'm definitely interested. Just last night I was offering advice to a local eatery who was just getting started with Twitter and Facebook. They offered to keep me rolling in burritos in exchange for advising them.y wife was quite happy to say the least.

What's the next step?

Mary Bermel

Hi John,

a) greatest frustration: too many social media experts and folks telling you what and how to do it, versus showing you in a systematic way, which is why I love your course description.

b) single most important thing: knowing which tactics work together and how best to integrate them. I believe marketing tactics work best in combination, but there are a welter of social media 'options' and learning each one takes time. If I had a better system for understanding how best to leverage social media I'd be more effective in helping my audience and achieving my goals.

cuauroao

I'm interested. The fact that we live our "normal life" make us target of procrastinate and avoid the structure of our social media plan.

With a course like this I will learn how to structure my plan in a way that works for me and during my normal life, without compromising family values.

iizLiz

Would like the learn the best ways for a small organization (without a lot of resources) to prioritize their social media options. Most people who ask for my help think they need to jump on Twtter, FB, blogging, etc just because everyone else is doing it -- which may be great but not necessisarily strategic or appropriate for their business goals.

Great idea to put this together this training -- there is such a need for it! I took a class at a local university to get up to speed (in San Diego, @bcarroll7's Mktg Via New Media class is top-notch)and I read everything I can get my hands on but would love to have a go-to online course I can steer busy people to

Ulrika

I've just managed to get top mgmt interested in Social media and agree to give it a go. As a B2B company in a very conservative market this will be a challenge. I need some more insight to back-up my arguments when implementing a social media strategy.

Mary Rose Maguire

My biggest challenge is finding the right people to connect to and then deliver my message without seeming "spammy."

Walt Ford

I would enjoy going through the beta John. The most frustrating aspect for me is actually creating an effective strategy. There is so much to do that anything that can help you stay on task would be great. I love using multiple social media venues, however this can take up the whole day before you know it!

Jan O'Daniel

I'll bite ... a) my greatest frustration with implementing social media is managing it intentionally and strategically and b) the single most important thing I would hope to get from a course like this is to see measurable improvement in my outcomes. I like social media. It's fun. But the fact is, I do it to get results and I'm always looking to improve those results. Besides, I'm a great reviewer/editor and I think I can help you. :)

Susuh

My interest:

a) Social media tends to be overwhelming - I need to become more selective.
b) I want to become more strategic in my choices.

Jan O'Daniel

I'll bite ... a) my greatest frustration with implementing social media is managing it intentionally and strategically and b) the single most important thing I would hope to get from a course like this is to see measurable improvement in my outcomes. I like social media. It's fun. But the fact is, I do it to get results and I'm always looking to improve those results. Besides, I'm a great reviewer/editor and I think I can help you. :)

Aimee Gromowsky

They don't teach you how to run a business in law school, so I have had to pick up some of those skills in my law business. And then throw in marketing and social media and a solo practitioner could be overwhelmed.

My hope is to end the course with a system. I have a finger in every pot in social media but there is no cohesive strategy or system. And hey - I am a hometown girl!

Walt Goshert

John,

My biggest frustration with social marketing is finding the time and understanding which tools to use. Seems like too much trial and error to find the right mix.

The single thing I'd hope to get would be a practical way to implement social marketing in my business with the confidence and belief that time and effort spent would result in increased sales.

Mark Thomas

Every day there is a constant stream of the newest, latest and greatest programs from premier internet marketers who are selling and or launching each others programs. It really is extraordinary overload and degrades credibility in the whole process. I would like to participate in something where the emphasis is on learning and not over-hyped.

My industry is one that lags behind in technological information sharing. We spend millions on computer software, machine automation,etc., but don't really invest in communicating with each other. I want to be a market leader there.

David Ross

Thanks for creating this opportunity! I'm just starting out a blog and I need direction. I want to keep things personal but also drive a business. I hope to learn what really works and how it can work for me. AND My greatest frustration is creating something that's unique, fun and with value for my readers. I'm currently signing up to every social website under the sun to protect my business name. Surely there's opportunity in there somewhere too?

jzuverza

I'd be very interested in this course. I own a small business and have not had the results of social media despite the application of a few of the tools. I just don't reach the right customers even though I spend quite a bit of time trying to reach out to them.
The single most important thing I would like to get out of this is to be able to reach the right customer and create a strong relationship. I've created relationships with consumers that are too far away to be customers , so I get little benefit from my social media activities.

naomimarr

I would love to participate. My single biggest frustration with implementing social media plans is not having a "this is the social media landscape" map and a one-pager on the pros and cons of each medium. By this I mean, an easy way to break social media (and community) down into chunks so people understand the different communication mediums, when to use them and what the benefits of each are for the end users. I would love to come away from this class with more information to help me build that "map" - or better yet...the map itself from your perspective. ;) Please let me know if I can help in any way.

Ivette Muller

Would be eternally grateful if you chose me to participate! I have been active in social media the last 6 months to build my two businesses. I am absolutely having a great time and am addicted to Twitter - but, it seems to take so much time! I know I have to make the time to build relationships and contacts before I can effectively "promote" my business, but how can I be more productive?

I also have a personal blog that I would like to use to attract potential customers and distributors, so I would like to learn more about blogging for (my) business as well as find ways to possibly make some money off of the blog to at least pay for it!

As always, thanks for the opportunity to work with you. I have been so impressed with all you info, find it spot on right, and work hard to implement your suggestions. Now I just need to figure out how to pull it all together! :)

adamplatzer

I am very interested. Just started a small business.

adamplatzer

I am interested. Just started a small business a couple months ago.

Hamish Mackenzie

Hi John, I know social media works but I can't prove it. I need to know how to organize a social media strategy more effectively and benchmark the results. The biggest benefit that will give me? The ability to convince all the doubters - colleagues and customers included - that social media is worth the effort. Thanks in advance for the opportunity!

Javier Munoz

I am interested in participanting as a beta tester:

The single most frustruating issue for clients is how hard it is to get feedback, comments, RTs for a long time after the launch of blog, facebook page or twitter account. Without said feedback it is hard to assess how to persist. Every expert says that you have to persist and listen to the feedback engaging with readers and addressing their needs. To that I answer saying that I would love to, but if I don't get any feedback how do you know in which direction to persist? I am all for persistance and feedback, how can I get it flowing?

What would l like to accomplish after the course? I would like to have an engaged community with an ongoing conversation in order serve them in a way that's valuable and relevant.

Nikki Brown

Time management is the key frustration for me. We run a small famiy business and there are only so many hours in the day in which to serve our clients as well as take care of other necessary tasks like marketing. I have only recently started learning about social media and can definitely see how it could help our business, but I definitely need a strategy to make the time I spend doing it more efficient and productive. Also. I see so many businesses using social media sites for advertising rather than being social. I don't know if I am thinking about it right but it seems to me that social marketing should indeed be "social". I'd love to hear what you have to say about that.

kmj44

I am interested in this course. My frustration lies in deciding how much overlap of material I should use amongst the various social outlets and figuring out which ones are most relevant to the product I am marketing. I am looking to become more fluent in the various social media outlets and how to use them effectively for clients.

Jeremy Floyd

John:

I would be glad to participate. I have taught a similar class several times in a classroom environment, and I think that I could offer a unique perspective.

Sandra Connor

John,
I'd like to be a Beta Tester of your product. My greatest frustration with using Social Media as a marketing tool has been two-fold.
1) Developing a set of objectives and strategies that work for me, first. I just jumped in, saw the potential, and tried to figure it out as I went along. Engagement has been spotty, at best. Revenues -- elusive.

2) Finding & determining which tactical applications to use for efficiency. I've spent hours doing things manually, then gone hunting for a good set of tools. I've found some, but still spend way too much time writing, tweeting, and updating feeds by hand. Better; just not where I want it.

(Funny. I wrote this first, then read your overview. Good match...)

The most important thing to get from this: Structure to my approach.

BTW: I write well. You'll likely find my feedback constructive and thought-provoking.
Thanks for the opportunity. Hope we can help each other.

dennisguy

a) greatest frustration - where to start
b) most important thing - the knowledge to use social media to enhance recycling rates in my city; to reach out to the sneezers so i can develop a relationship / a community with them

the priniciples i've read in duct tape thus far apply to large corporations too.

social media will be an 'ask for forgiveness later' exercise for me - as a municipal government we are far too conservative (and hence far too ineffective at starting / having the right conversations)
and... well... we're constrained financially. no money for training means 'look for, and capitalize on, great opportunities' like this one.

ducttape

Thanks for all the great comments - keep them coming and I'll pick the 10 (or so) beta testers by the end of the day.

Tracy Thrower Conyers

I'm interested and could help spread your work to the legal community, where we are in dire need of concise strategies to effectively and efficiently create social media campaigns.

TamiAtVCConnex

I would be very interested in being one of your Beta testers. I currently us SM as one of the tools in my marketing tool chest but still need to learn more. How can I effectively introduce Facebook with a service? What do I need to know to blog? How can I integrate all the different mediums to effectively market my service business?
Would love to take your coarse and help out.

Chris A.

John-
This seems right up my alley:
a. Greatest Frustration - Where to start; understanding the planning and steps needed to turn implementing a social media strategy into sales.
b. Most important thing to get from the course: knowledge to develop an actionable plan for implementation. Development of the vision of what my social media "presence" is going to encompass.

Maxine T. McClellan

John –

First, thanks for the opportunity to participate. You have a winner before you are out of the box – just look at the number of people wanting “in.”

Our greatest frustration is really two-fold (sorry hard to stick to just ONE frustration!). For sure “managing the beast” is a beast and many of our small/medium size business are struggling with this and wondering if the time investment is really worth it… Which brings me to frustration #2!.... calculating the ROI. More and more we are being asked for advice on how to show the real impact of social media to the bottom line – “how is it driving the business.” Counting followers and/or engagements is not cutting it anymore.

My company is starting to do more and more consulting in social media as an adjunct to our established business. We are in Brazil and the social media market here is behind the US. I am looking to find tools that I can honestly promote to clients (a large number in the Guest Services Industry) on how to establish and manage an effective social media strategy.

Thanks again for the opportunity. It would be great to have the chance to participate.

Maxine

TracyTC

bridgetweizer

Would love to participate. The most frustrating part about implementing a social media strategy at a small business is getting leaders to see the value for the investment of time and energy.

BonnieBath

I am interested in beta-testing. I have a one-man business (well woman, acually) that started as a part time hobby that I am now working towards full time after being laid off a few months ago. I am trying to connect with people through facebook and twitter and my two blogs, but I am finding that I am pretty much just network with others in my business. While networking is important and I enjoy it, I am at a loss as to how to build my sm and blog to attract potential customers and non-industry readers. I also do not know all the ins and outs and feel like I have to continually search for tidbits of info. I would love a course that covers it all (or most of it) and then shows me how to keep up with it all, especially since I do need to run the rest of the business. I am trying but need direction. Maybe your course would help. I can see already your course includes only WP and I use Blogger. Hope the info is similar. Thanks for the opportunity.

adgolomb

John, I absolutely love your idea of offering a social media training program. I ran an e-commerce site for a traditional retailer. Our biggest frustration is how to monetize social media and how to determine which social media channels get us the best ROI. I hope to better understand social media best practices and techniques to grow our sales.

Keith German

As a biz startup (less than 8 weeks), I have already broken SM implementation as a whole (and it's about broken me too), so I'm a perfect candidate if you want someone to break the program. :) You're right, you're not ready and I'll prove it!

ChrisDonaldson

Hi John,

I think the most important aspect of the course would be to really break down the various 'ecosystem' into 1) a Big Picture that communicates value to students quickly and easily so they are motivated to proceed an complete the course (strategy), and 2) a step-by-step explanation of all the channels and tools, how they integrate with one another, and how they can be used to drive business. REAL business (tactics).

I think we're all pretty sick of the noise out there (Use Google to make $400/day) - and a real thoughtful and authentic course and approach would be a much needed breath of fresh air. I would love to participate in the beta.

In any event - good luck! Thanks, Chris

Ivan Pellegrin

I was in the Marketing Coach webinar last week, that I followed with interest

I would love to beta test your Social Media Training Course

I can bring in my experience in all social sites, like twitter, facebook, linkedin, friendfeed, xing, flickr, delicious, redit, youtube, myspace, etc (i have already had accounts for all of them for some time)

My frustration: the incapacity of making sense of what to do with them to support my marketing effectively

My goal: to have them work together like an orchestra rather than individual instruments and benefit from that synergy

If you think that this qualifies me as a good beta tester, I am definitely ready to do my part to make it a successful first run

Bob Fariss

Thank-you for all the assets you are sharing with us. Your content has meant more than any other's. This is not a request to be a tester, just feedback. As an early baby boomer I have trouble fitting social media into traditional marketing plans. I really didn't see that addressed in the course details and it would be what I would look for.

Bob Fariss

Thanks for all you share with us. Your content has proven to be more meaningful and practical to me than from any other web source. This is not a tester request, just feedback. As an early baby boomer my biggest problem is fitting social media into an overall marketing program. I didn't see that addressed in your course description. It seems to just "jump in."

Carolyn Acker

I would love to be a beta tester for your social media course. As a consultant it is important that I know how to effectively help my clients market their businesses without going crazy.

Kadepp

I am closing a retail store and want to do consulting/contract projects. I need help with social media in all its forms!

ericblinderman

John -- I would love to help. My goal for this, as a small business owner, would be how to identify different strategies and tactics for different (types) of clients. How to cut through the bells and whistles and identify what really works in different settings. And, how to develop and implement social media strategies for industries that, at first glance, wouldn't seem social media-friendly. Eric Blinderman

Sharon Mostyn

Hi John,
I'd definitely be interested in beta-testing this course. I'd love some insights on doing more social media with less (personnel and budgets). My greatest frustration is finding the time to devote to social media and at the same trying to maintain short-term-ROI-generating marketing (email, affiliate, PPC, etc.) as well.

rafaelemadormo

To be a small business is a stage. To think small is a disease. I have to understand social media to grow up my business. I´m owner of a Brazilian Gym. I don´t know if my origin and my location would be helpful for your beta test but... I think big.
Thanks!

terrinielsen

John,

I would welcome the opportunity to participate. I, like others, am overwhlemed on how to get started. I would like to use this tool as a resource for myself in my marketing efforts, but also to be assistance to my customers in getting started. I am in the building products industry and work with many business (large and small) from retailers to Builders, Remodelors, Architects, etc.
Thank you!
Terri

Can Koklu

My biggest problem is having to explain the actions that we need to take without confusing people with all the different cunftionalities the different sites offer.. If I have to spend another meeting trying to explain why we can't send someone a direct message I'm going to die.. My biggest gain from the course would probably be outlining the gains we should expect from more clearly..

Lars Erikson

I have been getting my feet wet and feel this would be a great learning experience.

jennselke

I would be interested in the course. My greatest frustration with social media for small business is measuring the return so time can be allotted to keep up and engage in social media. As a faculty member at UC Berkeley in the Graduate School of Education I am also very interested in online learning models and how to effectively engage learners online. I would love to be able to provide feedback on an learning model.

Clifford

My greatest frustration with implementing social media is time. I believe if you're going to do something, do it right. There are so many tools that require maintenance and it would be nice to leverage technology to effectively use them all to maximize communication with our tribe. That would be the single most important thing I'd like to get from this course.

Bob Ostrom Studio

Wow this would be great. Please sign me up . Lately it just seems like I'm just treading water. I spend a lot of my time feeling totally overwhelmed and frustrated trying to learn and keep up with it all.
I would love to finally have a clear understanding of where my efforts are best spent. Like most other small businesses (by small I mean... me) time is extremely tight and what I'd really like to learn is- How do I connect the people who really matter to me and how do I make it easier for them to connect with me.

Bryan Povlinski

I would love to be involved in the course. I think education on social media is currently lacking right now (which is I'm sure why you designed this course), but there is also a lot of stuff out there that's billed as a social media course but it's really only a blog post or 2 thrown together. It would be great to find and promote a truly worthwhile course.

My biggest frustration with social media is how to build buzz and gain traction when you're not a well established brand. I see companies like Zappos and Victoria's Secret doing some great things with social media, but emulating those strategies is not going to work for a new brand. The biggest thing I'd like to learn from this course would be ideas on how to build buzz for a small brand through social media. Beyond the basics of setting up a Twitter profile and using an @reply. That stuff is easy...it's figuring out how to deliver extraordinary value to prospects in order to build a successful business.

John Mitchell

I am very interested in learning how to better market myself. I work as a contractor and with this new economy it always seems like I am fighting to get my next temp job. I would love to be able to create a brand for myself and let the work come to me for a change. I think this is really going to be the difference between an average employee and someone who really stands out from the very large crowd of skilled tech workers.

johnmitchell77

I am very interested in learning how to better market myself. I work as a contractor and with this new economy it always seems like I am fighting to get my next temp job. I would love to be able to create a brand for myself and let the work come to me for a change. I think this is really going to be the difference between an average employee and someone who really stands out from the very large crowd of skilled tech workers.

Ted Hessing

John, I'd love to be a beta tester. Here's why: A long time web developer and blogger, I just joined twitter and FB reluctantly at the behest of my local Chamber of Commerce (hey, if everyone else is doing it...) I am in the process of figuring out the nuts and bolts behind A)Social Media (sm) ettiquette, B) cross posting, C) Single update tools (and the piping that goes with them.)

Furthermore, I have dozens of questions that I am exploring (and perhaps a few answers to share, too), I WILL implement the activities, and I will record the success.

Finally, I am in deep prep for my own membership site (much different product) and may be useful as a tester on that front, too. i.e. mechanics vs content.

Hope you pick me! Excellent promotion!

Jenny

I would love a chance to participate as a beta tester.

My greatest frustration with implementing social media is not feeling like I have a clear approach. I read lots of online opinions on "this is the way to do it", yet I'm looking for a way that works for me and my business, representing who I am and what I have to offer. I don't want to be a cookie cutter copy of everyone else.

The single most important thing I hope to get from a course like this would be clarity on approach and options--so I can pick what I think is a good course of action for me today, and I can morph it and adapt as times, my business, and I change.

Thanks for the opportunity!

tomesposito

a) Too many disperate systems that all need to be updated. This course is exactly what we've been looking for.
b) If we had a systematic approach to our social media duties, it would allow us to focus on creating value and less on figuring out where everything needs to be replicated.

Ivette Muller

Oh good, I'm glad you mentioned when you would be choosing the 10 beta testers by the end of the day. I was looking for that info when I came across the answer in the comments.

Lots of great feedback from the commentors - won't be easy to pick the beta testing group! :)

Holly Hoffman

I am interested in helping! My greatest frustration with implementing social media is how few businesses feel the need to build a strategy. They throw up a Facebook page & a Twitter account & then say it's a waste of time. I'd like to see the tactics, best practices if you will, of how sales & brand awareness can increased with social media. Because I do believe it works. It's just a matter of strategy.

I also am concerned about the time investment. Too little money & too little time is on the mind of small business people. I need concentrated & targeted efforts using the efficient tools & strategies.

The single most important thing I would hope to get from something like this is results. Whether that's increased conversation around my business, increased sales (that would be great!), or finding my brand enthusiasts & figuring out how to help them spread positive WOM.

lyceum1776

John, I left the following comment at bizSugar:

I am interested in becoming a beta tester. I have read and reviewed your Duct Tape Marketing book, so I know that it will be valuable to participate in this course.

I think that the single most important thing I would get from this course is to get a good overview of the social media landscape. I want to be able to present it to other small business owners who are feeling frustrated about the social media hype, but at the same time are interested in embracing a new media & marketing strategy.

Denver SEO

Always wanting to learn more! Definitely interested!

Denise Marinacci

I am fluent in business speak and accounting speak but not so fluent in Social Media speak.
I started Flaunt! Inc. about 6 months ago reaching out to women business owners who typically aren't great at Flaunting with Fabulousness in business. SM is perfect for them but it's difficult to show them what the payoff is in real increased sales.
I love teaching women how to grow their business instead of having them rely on someone else...their confidence soars when they hear client compliments. When I can seamlessly string the SM....Twitter, FB, blogs, etc and manage them in a time saving manner...I can really teach women how to stand out from the crowd.

BTW, I download your podcasts from Itunes and listen on my daily walk...love them.

Jim Parsons

I'd be happy to participate, John. Communication is my business, and I know social media is something that can help expand it. Trouble is, I'm deeply "stuck" when it comes to figuring out what to say, determining the "right" SM toiols, establishing myself in the SM world, and sustaining my online presence.

Jim Parsons
Freelance Writer
Bristow, VA
(the guy who interviews you for those SCORE stories)

Brent Pohlman

John

I would like the opportunity to be a BetaTester for your training guide. As a marketer, I am constantly working on the following: a) finding the social media sites where our clients/potential clients are to make connections a) Making sure our marketing initiatives in social media are effectively being measured correctly from gaining new clients, dollar volume and creating great content for our followers and connections. The single most important objective for me would be (b) to formulate a best practices document for my company, Midwest Laboratories that would be able to be communicated to our employees and marketing representatives.

Pridebook

Hi - I would most definitely be interested in a course like this. The landscape of social media is changing so rapidly a course like this would probably provide a great foundation to face each new innovation with a solid understanding of the core fundamentals. My largest frustration has been learning the ways the different networks integrate and how they can be used to leverage the others. I hope I would take away a handful of hints that will allow my site to reach the maximum audience across the many social media platforms.

Phil Lauterjung

John,
I like to think that I'm a good example of an 'old dog' learning new tricks. After being laid off from a Director level position over a year ago I have dived in to learning all I can about social media. So far I have started a blog and set up a twitter account (@Phil_Lauterjung). But I feel as though I have only scratched the surface - I need to learn more.

The reason I need to learn more is that I have seen a tremendous need for small B2B companies to learn social media. If they don't they likely won't survive. Many of them are inherently good companies with very viable products/services, but they simply are so overwhelmed that they don't even try.

This country's economy depends on the success of the small business owner and I would like to learn more so that I can in turn help them. Yes, I'm planning on starting a business (Integrated LeadGen Results) to do that.

Thanks for considering me among the dozens of other very deserving candidates. I don't envy you trying to choose just 10.

Christina Coster

This type of course is exactly what Ive been looking for. I work 2 jobs, one being my day job that pays the bills that I don't really love and the other is my passion, event planning. I am looking to make the transition full time focus on my event planning business, but in a city like NY where there is saturation in the market, you need to find a way to make yourself stand out.

I feel that having a strong social media strategy and efficiently implementing this is something that will allow me to stand out in the market, reach a new population of potential customers, and solidify and strengthen myself as a brand. I understand that time and care are needed to implement a social media plan for a business and can potentially have negative effects if not implemented properly. Ultimately, I feel if done with the correct knowledge and understanding, this may be the key that allows me to make my transition to my lifelong dream of running my event planning company full time.

Milena Regos

Hi,
I'm very interested in your course. With regards to a) your greatest frustration with implementing social media - my answer is time and finding the people to do the work in the trenches. I have been successful in creating and implementing a social media strategy for Diamond Peak Ski Resort but I can certainly do so much more and just need to figure out how to streamline everything.
or b) the single most important thing you would hope to get from a course like this. My answer is to see how you suggest using social media for small businesses and how they can successfully implement social media in the mix with limited knowledge, time and resources.
Please, please, please, I want to be your tester!!

leehenderson

Hi John: My greatest frustration with social media is that it is starting to be viewed by many as a legitimate news source ... maybe it should be? After all, most reporters are tweeting, facebooking, blogging etc (typically forced to do so by their editor??), but what about the average Joe or Jane. Like PR, these individuals help create buzz, but how do you control the conversation, how do you measure its effectiveness and how do you decide how much time to devote to it? I’d like to better understand all of these things and learn from the successes (and failures) of others. Is social media the new PR, or just another hybrid of marketing/communications?

matt_koon

John,
My greatest frustration with implementing social media has been understanding which system/applications to use. I see the extreme value in social media and I am working hard to implement it in our business. This course you are building looks to offer a great "boot camp" for social media. I feel like a fairly new person to social media for business, that this course would allow me to greater implement social media in my business as well as helping others in our community to get involved so that we can all communicate in ways only dreamed before.
b) the single most important thing you would hope to get from a course like this.

noelwiggins

I have been trying a compain for the past 6 weeks and feel as though I am at the ned to manage the beast stage and of course would love to know if the strategy I have been using is in the right direction, so I would also love the opportunity to participate, even though looks like you may need to grow your 10 beta testers to like a million!

--

Thanks and Regards

Noel for Nopun.com
a graphic design studio

Lisa

Since it is very frustrating trying to understand what/when/how to implement social media into an effective system that is manageable and results driven, I am very interested in being a beta tester for your new course. I would hope to gain an insight on the what/when/how to implement social media into a small business marketing mix as well give you a perspective from a Boomer that gets it but doesn't completely get it to make sure the product can be understood across generational lines.

Patricec

I'd be interested...looking for clear, concise way to integrate my professional and personal brands and make the process feel less scattered.

mattvh

John-I appreciate the opportunity to throw my hat in the ring as a potential beta tester. I am responsible for the online presence of a mid-sized company with both B2B and B2C components. My current frustration with social media is determining the breadth and depth question. How many to play in and how richly to be present in each one. With limited resources we have to pick our opportunities wisely. I hope to learn how to prioritize our strategy so that we can promote our brand in a way that is consistent with our high brick and mortar standards.

Cindy

Hello there!
My greatest struggle with implementing social media is making a very specific plan that I can follow and that makes sense, and isn't a time waster. I know you asked for one, but here is another - there is a lot involved in social media, and what do you do when and where do you do it? Hey, maybe that is my number one issue.
So,the single most important things I would hope to get from a course like this is a step by step plan in place to follow and a minimal amount of knowledge I would need to navigate the overwhelming world of social media!
And since I just reread what you want to hear and it is OR not AND, I am hoping to receive extra credit for going the extra mile and answering both of your questions!
Thanks for you consideration.

Thomas Booker

John, I appreciate the offer of beta testing the Social Media course. I hope you will consider me. My company, an accounting firm, has zero understanding of social media and the benefits it could provide. Admittedly, I don't have a great grasp of how to leverage all the tools available for building a social media presence and brand. I would like to take what I know and build upon it. Please consider me as a candidate for testing. I, too, would like to build upon a plan and make it actionable.

Matthew Bregman

Dear John:

My greatest frustrations are: 1) Understanding some of the basic mechanics -- for example, how to access and use Twitter in a manner that makes sense technologically (desktop application?, log into Twitter?, Blackberry) and in terms of marketing; 2) Recognizing which new techologies are worth using and which ignoring; 3) Keeping myself from being overwhelmed by the endless options (e.g., chicklets), and keeping all incoming and outgoing information organized.

craigmackenzie

Hi John,
Had you my RSS feed since mid 07 (shameless plug)

My biggest frustration is pulling all the Social Media pieces into a coherent business strategy and executing it.

I have a blog, scarcely used; a Twitter account, used twice; and a Facebook account to follow my daughter’s adventures.

I would hope to get a strategy that would fit Social Media efficiently into a busy Realtor’s lifestyle!

I would be pleased to comply with the terms that you have outlined for your beta testing.

Thanks for the consideration.

jeremy hatfield

Im interested. It seems like small businesses stuggle to find the ROI on something that can be time consuming. The old saying that it cost 7 times more to acquire a new customer is probably try here. Social media will help small businesses build relationships, awareness, and potential leads if they had a easy, consolidated, and less time consuming tools.

Guest

David Di Francesco

John,

Beta test, you kidding me? Heck, sign me up for Alpha, Delta AND theta test. My biggest frustration? Here I am, "The Living Warrior" and I feel like I've crested a hill, a lonely army of one looking over a valley of thousands of social media warriors just waiting to take me out of business.

Well, I'm chomping at the bit to tear down this hill and take a little blood to make some things happen. Twitter? Facebook even Linkedin? I'm just waiting to thrust my sword into their little fat swollen bellies!

So, hopefully with my sword in one hand and your duct tape in the other I can actually patch together an effective social media strategy and be a great example for following participants. Strength and Honor John!

Stirling Ruuth

I am really interested in the stratgey part of it. I work for a company and we are trying to develop a good strategy and use the right tools to reach or existing customers and get new ones along the way of providing more information to our customers and staying connected with them

VA Extraordinaire

Hi John, in my opinion, social media has now emerged and will stay to be a very important aspect of the marketing mix regardless of the company size. As a virtual assistant, I interact with many SMEs where I am based and presently is a member of the team of a trialling project with a leading university in South Wales, UK. It would be an honour and very beneficial to be a beta tester of this Social Media Training Course. It will be very useful to learn all that the 5 sessions are slated to cover. It is also very relevant for virtual assistants and the industry I belong to. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Chris Bracco

I am a senior at Penn State, and I am very interested in working in Social Media. My major is business management, and my knowledge of social media has come from online readings and experimentation.

My greatest frustration with social media is developing an initial strategy that will create REAL relationships and get people who are interested to take action. As of yet, everything has been haphazard experimentation with unclear results.

The single most important thing I would hope to gain from this course is a knowledge foundation that I can use to benefit any company I decide to work for in the near future. I currently work as a content manager for a local start-up and I am also in charge of their social media initiatives, I feel this course will give me a great base to work from.

-Chris

Luis

a) Your greatest frustration with implementing social media

Knowing how to use different type of social media tools and no achieving the powerful effect it is supposed to deliver your social media campaign is the most frustrating thing.

b) the single most important thing you would hope to get from a course like this.

Strategy it is the most important part of this new social media marketing buzz regardless the tool you might use. If this system can give me some directions and advise about defining the strategy I would be extremely happy.

Yesterday I saw a guy asking for change at the exit of the highway carrying a piece of cardboard. It read: "Share a smile and have a great day!". I couldn't help to smile. I think it was a smart way to ask for change. In my opinion he implemented a nice marketing strategy without using expensive adds, or any online mediums like Facebook,Twitter or Youtube. I gave him some changes for the wonderful marketing lesson.

Peter Farber

John,

I'm willing to take the course. I'm an educator and developing expertise in social media marketing for a specific niche market. I've taken a few on-line courses already in using Twitter, blogs, and Facebook for business and marketing, so I'll have some frame of reference.

Peter

peterfarber

John,

I'm willing to take the course. I'm an educator and developing expertise in social media marketing for a specific niche market. I've taken a few on-line courses already in using Twitter, blogs, and Facebook for business and marketing, so I'll have some frame of reference.

Peter

Elizabeth Ruiz

I'm interested. The frustrating part is having a set system to use the media to get traffic & business without out being too personal and yet being useful. I have lots of "friends" on Facebook but want to market to them without being annoying. Some bombard you with offers. But, I don't want to be the typical lame oh, I baked cookies tonight. I bought new shoes. How does that relate to a business that has nothing to do with shoes or cookies? I want to be interesting but relevant.

Barbara Drady

I'm very interested. I think that getting a leg up now as the economy begins to open to new business it critical. I have twitter down fairly well but don't know how to integrate and maximize my presence on FB and LI with my following on Twiter. What else do I need to know/do? I'm a quick study but need the guidance and tools to become more efficient.

Cheril Hendry

John, I am a Duct Tape Marketing advocate and can't wait to hear any new Podcasts from you. I think your version of a "Social Media Training Course" would be very relevant. I listened to your Twitter webinar (yes, listened - I was driving) and it was one of the best I've heard. I'd love to have my agency be a part of your beta test. Again, I think you will focus on the relevance of all this, not just the how to's. That's what seems to be missing in the other 1.2 million courses. (And I have $1.00 so I'm fully funded)

jennifer osborn

I would like to be a Beta Tester. I am in transition from using a computer daily to trying to use it as little as possible for as much impact as possible.

I am a small farmer and artist who would like to teach others how. I know that social media is a major key to this but have no idea how to use it effectively. My single greatest frustration implementing social media is the seemingly pointlessness of it all. Between my Facebook Friends, Twitter, a blog and other things I have no idea about I have time to actually DO anything. The on-line recording of my day takes more time than my activities themselves. How do I do it effectively, fast, and honestly to compliment my small farm business?

John Tondra

I have now spent several weeks wandering the halls of Facebook, twitter, etc etc. I own a one man business that just introduced a new product. YES, please. I need help. I would make the time to participate.

Beth Marchant

I would be interested in trying out your materials. This summer, I left my full-time job, and I started a new consulting company that is designed to help teachers become expert in teaching focused on students in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in grades K-12. I can learn to use most any social media site. My interest would be how to bring all of this together in one coherent package. I am currently the only employee.

There may be an opportunity to provide professional development for teachers in a wider context in my local community depending upon a new state initiative. If this passes, I would like to expand to more employees to reach more teachers.

By working on a social media plan now, I can plan for changes in the future as my needs change.

Thank you for this opportunity.

Mark Combs

John,
If there's still an open slot, I'd welcome the opportunity to pull up a chair and learn how to blend the various social media options into a complimentary approach that maximizes my effort without dividing my energies.

As a leader of a networking group and one who wants to be effective in helping others in their marketing outreach and business success, being able to strengthen my own knowledge and understanding in these areas would be well worth the time invested.

Thanks,
Mark

Clara Chan

Hi John,

Our website focuses on English language learning which targets specifically to the China market. We thought that maybe selling educational product only is too dry, so we decided to include Social networking. The biggest frustration is that even with social networking, the active user rate is still very low. The most important thing to get from this course is to see if Westerner's SNS strategies work for the China market.

tasscorpio

I worked for several hundred hours generating over 4,000 followers on twitter - how much have i sold $0 - that's wasting my time. i've tried others plans - usually afew responses, then phtt - nothing more. FRUSTRATION - i know it can be done, but finding the real McCoy in the crud that's the trick- got people - i NEED a plan - NOW!!! - otherwise it ain't going to be much of a xmas around here.

davekasprzyk

Hey John, I've been a long time follower. 10 years of direct mail experience, but lacking the knowledge to invest properly in social media sales. We have a brand new product with a patent on the delivery system and could use the jump start assistance.

yvettebryars

If you still need beta testers for your social media training course, I am definitely interested.

yvettebryars

If you still need beta testers, I am definitely interested. I do use social media for my business, but it is very time consuming and I was very lost when I first got started. Good thing I am not easily intimidated.

elizabethruiz

I'm interested. The frustrating part is having a set system to use the media to get traffic & business without out being too personal and yet being useful. I have lots of "friends" on Facebook but want to market to them without being annoying. Some bombard you with offers. But, I don't want to be the typical lame oh, I baked cookies tonight. I bought new shoes. How does that relate to a business that has nothing to do with shoes or cookies? I want to be interesting but relevant.

Sheila Davis

John,
It seems that 111 other people have beaten me to the punch here. I wish I had run across your article and product earlier! However, in case you haven't already made up your mind on your 10, I will give it a shot. I'm a new home business owner who is into a few areas, two of which are travel and the telcom industry. I am a complete newbie to this whole blogging, social network site marketing concept and, as you mentioned at the beginning of this article, have found myself saying "I'm overwhelmed and where do I start first" as well. If you're looking for someone who doesn't have a large background of experience in this movement, and can evaluate and review your product from a beginner's viewpoint, THEN I AM YOUR GAL! As I have found the case to be in a large number of products, they are just great for people who are already experienced in the area the product is addressing, but for people with no prior experience with the vocabulary and techniques used there is a gap, which can sometimes be so large to close that the individual gives up and sets the manual on the shelf and never uses the product again. Sometimes just a small amount of information is needed to fill that gap, but the person without that knowledge nevertheless isn't aware of what that might be and ANOTHER otherwise useful, productive and lucrative tool misses the mark in its intended purpose. As a newbie and someone who is not the fastest learner of technical instructions, I could definitely give you an excellent review from that potential market viewpoint. Thanks for the offer, and I hope that I am one of the fortunate ones to get to evaluate your Social Media Pro. Have a wonderful day! Sheila Ü

misakolauritzen

I work for a small consulting firm in Los Angeles, California. In the past, the majority of our clients was acquired through referrals. Now we realize we need to market ourselves more in order to get more business. I realize that social media are powerful tools. The president of our company has a blog. We also have an employee blog. Recently I helped my boss open LinkedIn account. We have a facebook presence. However, none of these seems to have achieved any objectives. I would be interested in being a beta tester for this course, because I think we can really make a use of it. I will bring in the insights of my colleagues, and I am certain that we can have very interesting discussions based on your material. I look forward to hearing from you.

Carlos S.

Hello John,
I m launching a new travel portal based on concepts not present in the market. As a start up, I have little resources to spend on Marketing and the way I will spend every Euro will have to be well thought. I am willing to test your course in Europe and give you the feedback of its implementation in my business. We are launching officially in March 2010 being the portal under development at the time being.

hannahjones

My biggest frustration is that I have got to a stalemate with social media.

I have such big ambitions for my business inspiring teachers and continue to be excited by the power of social media to reach and connect my clients.

I have spent 18 months actively learning the ropes with Wordpress, Tweetdeck, LinkedIn, and Facebook, but I am daunted by the prospect of spending even more time ‘dabbling’.

What I need to develop is a clear vision for how I am going to harness social media for the benefit of my business.

Working with ‘Social Media Pro’ I will create a profitable strategy that I am confident will work and therefore I will stick to.

In a nut shell - I want to use the tools I enjoy more strategically and need to learn how!

Nadia CHAAL

Hi John,

i'm the owner of www.infopreneurmagazine.com a blog devoted to test and review online business products and courses. if you have a place for me I could run a fully documented review for my blog's readers and coaching clients as well.
You can contact me here : contact@infopreneurmagazine

ronwilder

We (www.alignedaction.com) are launching a new brand – I have been a very successful strategy consultant for a number of years (internal to start-ups and external as an independent company) but my passion is to teach people how to develop the business acumen (a term I define very broadly) so that they are equipped to navigate the economy AND have the best life that they want. I have a breadth and depth of knowledge about business, the economy and life. My new business model will unroll in a very broad fashion – to teach and equip people - from teenagers about to enter the job market - to CEOs of Fortune 500 companies - and everyone in-between.

The single most important thing I would hope to get from a course like this is how to move beyond the clutter and noise of social media and develop a preliminary strategy to begin to connect to the people who will resonate with what I’m offering and so that I can begin to get known and recognized. I have a lot of content to share (continually developing), and my question is: how do I use social media in this start-up phase to get it out there, where it will be seen, read, heard, absorbed, and (hopefully) enjoyed – both broadly by the long tail and narrowly by key thought leaders and potential colleagues and collaborators.

ronwilder

We (www.alignedaction.com) are launching a new brand – I have been a very successful strategy consultant for a number of years (internal to start-ups and external as an independent company) but my passion is to teach people how to develop the business acumen (a term I define very broadly) so that they are equipped to navigate the economy AND have the best life that they want. I have a breadth and depth of knowledge about business, the economy and life. My new business model will unroll in a very broad fashion – to teach and equip people - from teenagers about to enter the job market - to CEOs of Fortune 500 companies - and everyone in-between.

The single most important thing I would hope to get from a course like this is how to move beyond the clutter and noise of social media and develop a preliminary strategy to begin to connect to the people who will resonate with what I’m offering and so that I can begin to get known and recognized. I have a lot of content to share (continually developing), and my question is: how do I use social media in this start-up phase to get it out there, where it will be seen, read, heard, absorbed, and (hopefully) enjoyed – both broadly by the long tail and narrowly by key thought leaders and potential colleagues and collaborators.

Charles

Dear John,

I have just graduated from Uni and am trying to implement social media programs to companies in Kenya. My greatest frustration is the fact that some of this concepts are new to us and are so dynamic. So, we try and keep ourselves updated using blogs such yours on new developments. I would be grateful if given such a chance. Thanks John.

David D. Richardson, M.D.

John,

I would love to be a beta tester. As a busy cataract surgeon, I have not been able to implement any effective social media marketing as (frustration) there just seems to be so many options and each one seems to suck me in for hours that I do not have to offer. As a medical doctor, I am also limited to creating the posts myself in order to avoid legal and ethical issues. Additionally, you have convinced me that the purpose of marketing is not to get more customers, but better ones. To date, most of the online chit-chat I have encountered regarding eye disease is clearly not coming from my desired demographic (age, maturity, geographic, or psychographic).

So, what I would like to learn from such a course : (1) how to manage the social media beast such that I can personally commit my limited time most effectively. Presently I am stunned into inaction by all of the options and know neither which ones to pursue or how to most effectively do so. (2) How to use social media to attract the customers I want (those who understand the value of high-tech, high-touch medicine and are willing to pay for it).

I look forward to hearing more about this course and hope to be one of your beta testers.

Sincerely,
David Richardson, MD

groy

I think this is a fantastic idea.

a) My biggest frustration is prioritization. It is not that I don't believe in the value of social media, but I want to spend time where I'm going to see the biggest bang for my buck (I own a small marketing agency that specializes in nurture marketing so my buck = my time): is it social media? is it direct mail? is it referrals? Realistically, I don't thing I can spend more than one hour a day on social media.

b) The single most important thing I would like to get from this course is a STRATEGY. In other words, how does social media impact my bottom line. I know that social media can help me achieve expert status - yeah, right - but for me it's important to know: how many new customers or how much more revenue from existing customers, or what other sources of revenue can I expect? Also, I would like to know how do define this strategy in a bilingual environment. We're based out of Quebec (Canada) and our clients are probably 50% anglophones and 50% francophones. Developing content in both languages - like we did for our eNewsletter - seems like a daunting task. I think the question of social media in a bilingual or multinlingual context could be interesting for many business owners.

Ivette Muller

Good morning everyone! Can't wait to see the list of beta testers - good luck and have a great day! :)

patlaws

You are speaking just to me!!! THANKS. I am a small business owner and on top of that, 51 years old. That makes me old, too old to have been born with a blackberry in my hand... I need help in know what to say, when to say it, who to say it to and where. My website is up and running, has been for years, but I am missing the boat with the social media wave and could really use some help and guidance. Any consideration you could give me would be great and I would respectifully give you my opinions and experiences with the program.

dmarcelop

I own a very small (micro) business who's core customers are the U.S. government agencies. I'd like to see how social media marketing can help me define and execute a strategy that gets us noticed by government agencies as well as potential contracting partners with the same interests.

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