Advance Your Career With Social Networking

April 5, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 

If you’re eyeing a promotion, an impressive title, or a bigger paycheck, social networking could be for you. Dozens of articles touting the benefits of social media make it clear this is more than a passing fad.

On the other hand, if you’ve put your profile up on a number of social networking sites and “nothing has happened,” it could be time for a reality check.

In a presentation for the Administrative Professional Conference, Mary Ellen Merrigan discusses the phenomenon of being everywhere and going nowhere.

“Marketing Yourself with Social Media” presentation takeaways include:

Five simple steps you can take immediately to unleash your persona on the world

A list of best practices for each step

Tips to define your brand across all channels

A guide to identifying your communication channels

Timing, tools and tactics to help your effort succeed

Mary Ellen works with a variety of business professionals to combine new methods of marketing with more traditional ones. She emphasizes quality over quantity and shows individuals how to stand out in a cookie-cutter world. Her presentation includes real-world case studies and ideas you can implement immediately following the presenation.

It’s not too late to take charge of your online reputation. Enroll in this seminar and discover how.

The 2011 Administrative Professional Conference features four tracks: Workplace Tools, Taking Care of Yourself, Creating a Healthy Workplace and Finding a Different Workplace. “Marketing With Social Media” is scheduled for 10:45-12noon on Tuesday April 26, 2011.

UNM Continuing Education presents the 10th Annual Administrative Professional Conference April 26-27. Access more information or register online.

Marketing Master Plan Class Begins March 31

March 8, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 

Simplify, structure and solidify your marketing plan. Address the tangle of today’s marketing channels in a four week series presented by Mary Ellen Merrigan.

The hands-on workshop offers business owners an opportunity to sort, prioritize and simplify marketing tactics in an interactive, small group setting.

For four weeks beginning March 31 entrepreneurs will work on their business with customized input from other participants and Merrigan. The program includes Merrigan’s 200-page e-book, The Six Week Marketing Master Plan revised and updated in early March 2011.

The series is hosted by the South Valley Small Business Development Center. Call 505-248-0132 to register.

Details:

1pm – 4pm, four consecutive Thursdays, 

March 31, April 7, April 14 and April 21
Albuquerque Hispano Chamber, 1309 Fourth Street SW, Albuquerque

Pre-registration required. $250.00 per participant

Past participants of the Six Week Marketing Master Plan give the program high marks. See comments below:

“I feel I have gone down the rabbit hole and lord it is ALOT of info!”
Phoenix Forrester, Phoenix Forrester Fine Art

“You may feel like you are herding cats when you add constantly changing social media to your marketing responsibilities.  Mary Ellen’s book, Six-Week Marketing Master Plan, adds the right catnip to your marketing tool bag.”
Jane F. Lee, Ed.D., Vice President, TeachTown

“The training that Mary Ellen offered enabled me to develop a strategic plan for the development of a new external website which has garnered support and funding from the top executive management of my organization. Thanks to Mary’s training, I was able to develop a plan which has encompassed strategies ranging from better content oversight on thousands of outdated pages to an evolved social networking campaign as well as better marketing and communication in all aspects of the website. I continue to use the concepts that I learned in the class daily as my team moves forward with overhauling our outdated and ancient website.”
Ann Lorenz

“I feel that this is the best $$ I have spent on marketing since I started my business.”
Cindy Padilla, Kokopelli Bodyworks

To learn more contact Mary Ellen through this website form.

Marketing with Social Media Course Slated for March

February 17, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 

The combination of moving faster and being connected 24/7 means one thing: you must be more clear in your communication.

Social media provides an opportunity to directly connect with customers, vendors, potential employers and friends. Frequently, the proliferation of social channels and the lack of a cohesive strategy dooms the effort before it begins.

Marketing with Social Media, a nine-hour course from UNM Continuing Education puts you in  a position of choice. The three-session course will help you:

  • Realistically assess where you are and where you want to go
  • Explore social options that complement current strategies and serve your purpose
  • Understand how major social media channels best serve their participants
  • Explore the ever-changing world of Facebook Pages (formerly called Fan pages)
  • Identify the differences between Profiles and Pages on Facebook, the number one social media choice, and review communication strategy differences for the two
  • Gain knowledge of resources to automate and systematize your social media experience
  • Develop a strategy for choosing your communication channel and making it more successful
  • Review examples of best practices to solidify thought processes

Details:

What: Course # 55623

When: Wednesdays, 6pm – 9pm – Three sessions, March 16, 23, 30

Where:  CE South Building, 1634 University NE

Price:  $229

About the Instructor:

Mary Ellen Merrigan specializes in practical and sane marketing strategies for small business owners. She offers realistic solutions customized to each participant.

Workshop participants say:

“With Mary Ellen as guide, I learned how to navigate the tsunami of marketing strategies, how to create a marketing plan for my business and most important, how to stay true to myself.  Get her eBook, but take her course or get her as a consultant.  For it is Mary Ellen herself that brings the magic, that inspires, that helps you  probe deep into what makes your business unique. And, the best part is that she models what she teaches. She is authentic.  Thank  you, Mary Ellen.”   – Gail Summers

“A great place to start marketing your business with social media.” – Victor Lopez

“Extremely useful for initiating business strategy for social media.” – Janet Bridgers

Mary Ellen continues to keep abreast of the ever-changing world of social media. She has two social media certifications and just completed a two-week Facebook Page training course. For special questions, connect with Mary Ellen via email.

Identify Your Master Marketing Plan

January 20, 2011 by · 2 Comments 

Ready to thrive in business and enjoy life?

Begin with a systematized step-by-step plan for marketing.

Join me at EXHIB-IT Trade Show Marketing Experts, 6207 Pan American Freeway, 9am Tuesday, March 1 to discover more.

  • Discover three metrics you can use anytime, anywhere
  • Leverage your core messages
  • Reduce overwhelm with  limited key media
  • Transform your results with tactics you like

For more information, or to register, contact EXHIB-IT! Trade Show Marketing Experts.

How will next year be different?

November 3, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 

Would you be pleased with another year exactly like this? If the answer is “yes,” read no further.

If your answer is “no,” what changes are you making? How will you ensure that next year will be a stronger opportunity for your business?

“Do-It-Yourself Planning: A Simple Marketing Plan for 2011” presents potential solutions for entrepreneurs.

  • Learn two tactics to refocus your message and connect with your audience
  • Review specific questions for year-end evaluation
  • Focus on your audience and the best mix of marketing channels to reach them
  • Discover the flexibility and viability of a simple plan template for your business

This worhshop is sponsored by the South Valley Small Business Development sponsors this workshop 9a – 11am Tuesday, November 16 at the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce.

Even if you’ve not been a social media fan, jump start your year with the right social media for you.

Reach your best customers with a combination of old school tactics and new media. This interactive workshop gives you the opportunity to explore these ideas and more.

Details:
“DIY Planning: A Simple Marketing Plan for 2011”
9am – 11am | Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Register:  Telephone: (505) 248-0132 E-mail: svsbdc@cnm.edu
Sponsor: http://www.nmsbdc.org/southvalley/
Location: Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce | 1309 Fourth Street SW

About The Presenter:

Mary Ellen Merrigan consults with small business owners to combine greater visibility with profitable growth. Many of her smart marketing strategies contain a D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) component.

She is the author of “The Six Week Master Marketing Plan: An hour a day to take your business to the next level.” The e-book offers a step-by-step guide to integrating social media with other tactics for solid sales and is sold online.

In addition, the series is now offered by UNM Continuing Education as a certificate level class (Smart Marketing Series) in the Fall 2010 and Spring 2011 semesters.

Build Practical and Sane Social Media the DIY Way

October 8, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 

Floating down endless Facebook streams?

Lost in Tweets?

UnLinked? Dug out? Dropped?

Is your time online simply frittered away?

Do you wonder, “What’s the point?”

The answers are here. In a seminar entitled “DIY Social Media: Get Strategic, Get Results” Mary Ellen Merrigan discusses today’s most-talked-about marketing channel, social media.
The free, two-hour workshop is sponsored by the South Valley Small Business Development Center.

You’ll learn:

  • Why Facebook is the foundation of social efforts
  • How Twitter pumps up visibility
  • What FourSquare, Yelp and Groupon mean to brick and mortar stores
  • Why getting strategic matters

Details:

10a-12noon, Wednesday, October 21, 2010

Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce

1304 Fourth Street Southwest

Call to register: 505-248-0132

DIY Social Media: Get Strategic, Get Results! offers practical and sane strategies for an online world. All participants receive a Best Practices handout.

Mary Ellen Merrigan has developed successful, sales-building D.I.Y. (Do it Yourself) smart marketing strategies for a wide range of clients promotes the benefits of combining traditional and social media. She is the author of “The Six Week Master Marketing Plan: An hour a day to take your business to the next level,” available online at http://www.sixweekmarketingplan.com. Join Mary Ellen to learn how you can use smart marketing to achieve a positive bottom line.

Get Press Release Savvy and Generate Publicity for Your Firm

September 15, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 

You may think that a press release is strictly “old school,” in a web 2.0 world. Now that you use social media to promote your business, is there really any need to worry about that “ol’ PR thing”?

In a workshop for businesses owners, “Do-It-Yourself Publicity: Using press releases to generate visibility for your firm,”  Mary Ellen Merrigan shows independent businesses the five elements of a strong press release and why they are even more important today.

  • Learn how press releases maximize visibility for your business.
  • Discover why today’s reporter depends on a strong press release.
  • Get follow-up tips for print, broadcast and online news media.
  • Identify three magic phrases to use with any media person.

Press releases offer additional advantages when it comes to search engine optimization and this workshop emphasizes that fact. Add “juice” to your efforts by concentrating on keyword phrases. Market 24/7 when you post your release on one of the free PR sites online.

Participants receive a FREE 25-question business analysis and a 15-minute customized follow-up session.

Seminar details:

  • “Do-It-Yourself Publicity: Using press releases to generate visibility for your firm”
  • 10am-12noon, Thursday, September 30, 2010
  • Albuquerque South Valley Small Business Development Center at the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, 1309 Fourth Street SW
  • Call 505-248-0132 for more information.

About Merrigan Group, LLC

Mary Ellen Merrigan of Merrigan Group LLC is a marketing consultant and founder of ProfitMeister. She has developed successful, sales-building D.I.Y. (Do it Yourself) smart marketing strategies for a wide range of clients and promotes the benefits of combining traditional and social media in online media rooms and more. She is the author of “The Six Week Master Marketing Plan: An hour a day to take your business to the next level” available online at http://www.SixWeekMarketingPlan.com.   Follow  Mary Ellen’s blog to learn how you can use smart marketing to achieve a positive bottom line.

City-sponsored Workshop Helps Local Businesses Do Smarter Marketing

August 18, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 

  • 85% of all marketers say social media efforts generate exposure for their business.
  • 65% of marketers have only been involved with social media for a few months or less.
  • The number one question marketers most want answered is how to track social media return on investment.
    –Source: 2010 Social Media Marketing Industry Report, Michael A. Stelzner, SocialMediaExaminer.com

As a local business you can’t afford to ignore the social media phenomenon. You must: conquer the time drain, decide exactly where you will focus your efforts, and act immediately to claim your share of the market.

In a presentation entitled “Social Media: Get Strategic, Get Results,” Mary Ellen Merrigan positions social media for local usage. The 45-minute presentation includes:

  • Best practices for Facebook pages, the hottest social media turf out there today
  • Examples from Albuquerque businesses making effective social media efforts
  • Tip sheets you can use to elevate your brick and mortar visibility starting immediately

“Social Media: Get Strategic, Get Results” is part of a half-day marketing and communications workshop sponsored by the City of Albuquerque Business Center. The purpose of the business resource center in city hall is to make the daunting job of starting and growing a business easier.

The workshop, presented 8am – 12:30pm, Tuesday September 21, 2010, at the WESST Enterprise Center, 609 Broadway NE, includes these additional offerings:

Tom Carroll, Carroll Strategies “Basic Marketing 101 – The ABC’s of Marketing
Doug Turner, DW Turner, Inc. “Press Release 101 and Earned Media – How to achieve successful PR”

For more information or to register, call 505-768-3222.

About Merrigan Group
Mary Ellen Merrigan, owner of Merrigan Group LLC, has developed successful, sales-building D.I.Y. (Do it Yourself) smart marketing strategies for a wide range of clients and promotes the benefits of combining traditional and social media. A known marketing trainer and speaker, Mary Ellen recently published “The Six-Week Marketing Master Plan,” a workbook offering a step-by-step guide to marketing. Learn more at http://www.sixweekmarketingplan.com.

The immediate past president of Albuquerque Independent Business Alliance, (AIBA) Mary Ellen knows well the problems facing today’s entrepreneurs. She delights in presenting practical, low-cost solutions that help you achieve a positive bottom line. Follow her blog, ProfitMeister, for DIY smart marketing strategies.

Get Strategic, Get Results! DIY Social Media

August 9, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 

If you’ve ever asked, “What’s the point?” this seminar is for you.

If you’re positive you could do than ask people to buy, this seminar is for you.

If you’re not sure that your time online is well-spent, this seminar is for you.

In the second workshop of a three-part Do-It-Yourself series for the Albuquerque South Valley Small Business Development Center, (SBDC) Mary Ellen Merrigan discusses social media for entrepreneurs.

“Get Strategic, Get Results!” provides guidelines for business owners who want to do more than simply get on board with social media.

  • Learn why engaging customers online is a must.
  • Transform your efforts with five big “Best Practices.”
  • Build your foundation for Facebook with 10 tips for using a Facebook page.
  • Discover when to hire it out, and what you should know before you do.

To get effective you may only need to tweak your current efforts. Find out more in this free, two-hour workshop sponsored by the South Valley Small Business Development Center.

Details: 10a – 12noon, Tuesday, October 20, 2010 at the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, 1304 Fourth Street Southwest. For additional information or registration, call 505-248-0132.

Mary Ellen Merrigan has developed successful, sales-building D.I.Y. (Do it Yourself) smart marketing strategies for a wide range of clients promotes the benefits of combining traditional and social media. She is the author of “The Six Week Master Marketing Plan: An hour a day to take your business to the next level,” available online at http://www.sixweekmarketingplan.com. Join Mary Ellen to learn how you can use smart marketing to achieve a positive bottom line.

Vitamins for Your Business

July 26, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 

How vital are vitamins to your health?

Experts agree today’s nutrition falls short of perfect. The reasons vary. In general, busy schedules favor processed convenience foods, drive-in options and quick, easy meals.

So, vitamins matter. A multi vitamin compensates for a lack of planned food, erasing mineral deficiency in the process.

Now, think about the ways in which you learn about the benefits of vitamins. Information is readily available in books, magazines, on the Internet, or from experts.

With little effort, one can learn about the benefits or side effects of most vitamins (and marketing efforts).

Need a special supplement? Vitamin D promotes stronger bones; get it from a pill or drink more milk. Use vitamin C for faster healing. You get the idea.

Like vitamins, marketing enhances your business.

“Marketing: Vitamins for your business,” an offering from UNM Continuing Education, takes a fresh approach to generating visibility, sales and profits for your business.

In this lively, three hour course, Mary Ellen Merrigan uses an interactive approach to diagnose and recommend the tactics (marketing supplements) which could work best for you.

How vital is marketing to your business?

Register for class #55621 and learn more.

55621 Marketing: Vitamins for Your Business

Look at three essential updates to get you out of the same old marketing rut. Increase visibility and stoke profits by assessing your competition and positioning your business to distinguish it from others. Understand the relationship of sound business principles and good marketing practices. Leave with a list of tactics you can use immediately to find more customers and generate more sales. Prerequisite: None.

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