There were several interesting talks at #SMWF today 22 Sep 2010, and I've attended some of them.
Going to the "FREE" workshops and to the paid conference, I would say that the workshops are almost a complete waste of time... Unless you have never engaged on social media before.
In my opinion, if you just follow Mashable, you can probably get newer and better information than the sales pitches by the speakers.
Mahesh Murthy, Founder & CEO, Pinstorm
After attending almost a day of talks and panels, I find that one of the speakers, Mahesh Murthy had probably the best presentation, giving a lot of information on social media in the Indian market, as well as insights on the emerging trends.
His presentation is clear and insightful, giving a lot of takeaways which reinforces my ideas and beliefs on how social media should be integrated into a company's business processes.
The Free Workshops:
As with most cases in Singapore, if you offer "FREE WORKSHOPS" Many people will come. The workshop areas are simply too small, and many were left standing. I thought people have to register to go to the workshops, and they have some advance notice on how many people would attend, but I guess, I was wrong. It seemed like pretty bad execution.
The projector screen was too small, and I could not see anything as the presenters had fonts that are too small as well.
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My friend Jeremy Woolf from Text100 was there to be on a panel, but I felt that he should be a speaker as the other people on the panel seemed to be just there for show.
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Interesting ideas from #SMWF.
In social media, brand tone of voice is important during engagement.
Communicating for an investment bank vs communicating for a coffee shop is different.
Having copywriters respond to inquiries works better than scripts. You do not look like a bot, yet you could have a consistent tone of voice that fits the brand.
Shifts in technology and expectations - Do companies need REAL TIME MARKETING, 24/7?
Companies and brands should not focus on copyright but rather communicate and connect.
To be credible, one does not buy media -- one earns media.
Active social media presence helps in SEO searchability.
Lastly, its a great place to meet friends. The social media crowd in Singapore is so small, you are bound to bump into people you know.
-- Robin Low
