Wondering about Twitter, LinkedIn, FaceBook? Don't be left behind using only conventional communication media while your competitors cash in on new technologies! Take this opportunity to learn about the new wave in marketing and get into the social media game!

With its increasing adoption by businesses, as well as the general population, social media is no longer optional for an effective business plan. In fact, leading companies are finding innovative and productive ways for social media to extend their marketing, branding, visibility and engagement with customers and other target audiences.

CBIC invites you to reserve your place now to listen, learn and join in discussion about the most efficient and productive uses of social media in various business sectors. Our distinguished panel will share real-world examples of businesses that are on the leading edge of social media, highlighting their strategies and best practices, as well as cautionary notes, to help guide you in exploiting this dynamic new medium. Our panel (see profiles below) will include the valuable perspectives of:

• Ryan Adams, Intalgent
• Suzanne Henry, Four Leaf Public Relations LLC
• Scott Hildebrand, BoldMouth
• Moderator: Arin Sime, OpenSource Connections, LLC

Boxed Lunches and drinks will be provided!

Host: The Charlottesville Business Innovation Council (CBIC) is the preeminent private-sector advocate and catalyst for entrepreneurship and technology-based economic development in the Charlottesville, Virginia, region. This program is offered as part of CBIC's continuing commitment to provide vital information to further the success of area businesses. Learn more at http://cvillebic.org/about-us.

Profiles: Our Panelists and Moderator:

Ryan Adams is the Director of Business Development at Intalgent, a software and systems development company headquartered in Charlottesville, VA. He is a social media aficionado and self-proclaimed connector. His unwavering belief: the onset of social media will dramatically change the way we create and maintain business relationships. He has seen results. In 2008, over 60% of his new revenue generation was directly attributable to social media tools.

Suzanne Henry is President of Four Leaf Public Relations LLC, a boutique, woman-owned public relations practice. Suzanne works with numerous clients ¡V both nonprofits and corporations ¡V developing and executing PR strategies and has witnessed real-life successes and failures in implementing social media strategies.

Scott Hildebrand is the CEO of BoldMouth, a social media marketing agency. Scott has twenty years of marketing management experience, across a broad range of well-established channels. Now he's applying that same discipline and strategy to help organizations adapt to social media. This rapidly evolving marketing channel operates under conventions established by consumers, in contrast to the command and control messaging marketers have traditionally employed.

Arin Sime is a Senior Developer and Consultant at OpenSource Connections, LLC, a company that specializes in custom software development. OSC and Arin have experience building facebook applications. Arin is also a member of the CBIC Board of Directors and a regular contributor to his company¡¦s blog.

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