1. Please tell us a bit about your company.
Socialized! Ltd. is a social media agency and training organization. Anthony Caridi and I founded Socialized! with the intent of helping organizations implement the best practices taught in my seminars and books (Sociable! How Social Media is Turning Sales and Marketing Upside-down and Guerrilla Social Media Marketing).
2. What are the three most exciting things happening in social and mobile media in your industry?
1) One of the most exciting things we see is non-profits, charities and community based organizations using social media to raise funds, help constituents and grow their networks at levels that were previously un-achievable.
2) Social CRM (Customer Relations Management). Companies like Oracle, CDC Software, and SalesForce.com have moved into the market with some very innovative technology solutions to support Social CRM processes. This signifies a completely different approach to customer management; one that is relevant, customer led, and provides the opportunity for sales and marketing organizations to know more about their customers than ever (and be more significant).
3) The ongoing rapid adoption of social media and social networking globally. This provides an incredible opportunity for everyone from exporters and importers to aid organizations that are building global support networks. With global access to funders, business partners, decision makers and communities of all sorts the opportunities are only limited to the level or creativity, innovation and leadership we apply.
3. Who will be collaborating with you to help make Social Media Week happen in your city?
We are putting together a group of individuals and organizations that are as diverse as Vancouver’s cultural, economic and social make-up. The team includes municipal government, major non-profits, dotcom moguls, small community groups, authors and traditional media organization. Social media belongs to everyone and our goal is to have our team reflect that.
4. What were your reasons for wanting to bring Social Media Week to your city?
Vancouver has a lot to be proud of. Home to success stories like Electronic Arts, Builddirect.com, and more recently Hootsuite. The number of organizations and individuals in multiple industries that are using and implementing social technologies growing daily. Many of these organizations could share more, celebrate more and do more if they pulled together. Social Media Week provides that opportunity.
5. What three things are you hoping to gain from hosting Social Media Week?
1) A more cohesive and connected social media community both locally and internationally.
2) A platform from which the thought leaders in our community to share our insights, talents and technology innovation with the world.
3) As an organization Socialized! sees this as opportunity to make a large measurable positive impact on the Vancouver market and beyond.
Shane Gibson (@ShaneGibson) is a sales and social media speaker who has addressed over 100,000 people on stages on three continents over the past 15 years. He is also co-author of Guerrilla Social Media Marketing and Sociable! How Social Media is Turning Sales and Marketing Upside-down. When he’s not speaking or Tweeting he is in the social media trenches working with his clients as Chief Social Officer for Socialized! Ltd. a social media agency and training organization.
