By Patrick Rocchio, Bronx Times Reporter March 10 – 16, 2011
Social networking on the Internet is growing.
Learning to use websites like Facebook and Twitter for promoting businesses and the goals of non-profits was the subject of a seminar at the Bronx Chamber of Commerce’s headquarters at the Hutchinson Metro Center on Wednesday, March 2 that included a presentation by Fort Group.
Presenters Anthony Forte and Steven Laux spoke to the crowd of non-profit service providers and small to moderate-sized businesses about expanding their contacts and attracting new customers using new technologies, loosely-labeled as social networking, sites like Facebook and Twitter, as well as the latest products from Google and Apple. The workshop, which was sponsored by Hudson Valley Bank, was helpful to the large contingent of chamber members who attended.
Photo by Patrick Rocchio
Steven A. Laux (l.) and Anthony R. Forte, both of the Forte Group, spoke to members of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce on the topic of social networking and business on Wednesday, March 2.
“I don’t need to be told that this is the way to go,” said attendee Derek Price, owner of New York Plumbing Supply. “The more people who know that your products exist, the more hits you get through a social network on your website, and the more business you get as a result.”
Discussed were the explosion of social networking sites, how businesses and non-profits have already taken to Facebook and Twitter to promote their causes and how rampant growth is expected in the next few years that could change the way products are marketed forever.
“If you are going to put something out there, you need to have in mind already how your customers will benefit.” Laux said to attendees. “You should be actively engaged, and also judicious with your time as to what you put out, as you have your business to run, meetings to attend, a house to keep in order and children to take care of.”
Businesses who post videos on these social networking websites about their company can track how many views a video gets and who views it, serving as an ever-greater role in social networking marketing, Laux said.
After spending time at the presentation, non-profits in attendance, such as the Better Business Bureau, were already looking at adding more video to their social networking and traditional sites.
“The BBB is integrating some of the social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter with our own website,” said the BBB’s Peter Espinoza. “After attending, I am now hoping that we will be also adding more video to our site.”
Chamber president and CEO Lenny Caro stressed that at every conference the organization holds there are networking opportunities and a chance to learn about something that could potentially benefit a business or non-profit, and said that the chamber is more than a business organization, but one which cares about the well-being of the whole community.
“At the end of the day you are going to walk away with something you did not know,” Caro said of the workshops. “I know that I have learned a lot.”
For more information on the Bronx Chamber of Commerce, call (718) 828-3900.
