Business Goals

How to Leverage Pinterest for B2B Pinterest is a visual social media platform. You can find the latest and greatest wedding ideas and recipes. You can search decorating tips, up-to-date fashion and vacation spots. Not to mention hair-dos. But if you are a B2B company, how do you leverage Pinterest to your advantage? Start by creating a business account. This will give you tips on how to succeed with Pinterest. It will also give you a board widget, follow button and Pin It button for you to use on your blog or website. Design an infographic. They are very popular on Pinterest. Design one with any relevant company information you might have. The more information you can add, the better chance someone will repin it. Make sure you have a link back to your company website on your infographic. Have a “People” board showing those who work at your company. Start with a headshot and description of the person. You can add photos of those people at company functions or community events. Any type of community involvement will show how your company impacts the community. If you have a blog, make sure you post to Pinterest as well as Facebook. Add graphics that connect to your blog information so those viewing Pinterest will be interested in clicking on the picture to see what else in included. Are you a service provider? Why not have a “Testimonials” board. If you have satisfied clients, they will gladly provide you with a picture of themselves to include with a testimonial about your services. Keep in mind that Pinterest is social media. The main goal of social media is to build relationships. As a B2B you don’t want to sell on Pinterest, you want to get your company in front of as many people, or other businesses, as possible. You need to find a way to put your company out there so others will have interest in finding out more about it. Hopefully these suggestions will get you started. Happy Pinning! Pinterest is a visual social media platform. You can find the latest and greatest wedding ideas and recipes. You can search decorating tips, up-to-date fashion and vacation spots. Not to mention hair-dos. But if you are a B2B company, how do you leverage Pinterest to your advantage? Start by creating a business account. This will give you tips on how to succeed with Pinterest. It will also give you a board widget, follow button and Pin It button for you to use on your blog or website. Design an infographic. They are very popular on Pinterest. Design one with any relevant company information you might have. The more information you can add, the better chance someone will repin it. Make sure you have a link back to your company website on your infographic. Have a “People” board showing those who work at your company. Start with a headshot and description of the person. You can add photos of those people at company functions or community events. Any type of community involvement will show how your company impacts the community. If you have a blog, make sure you post to Pinterest as well as Facebook. Add graphics that connect to your blog information so those viewing Pinterest will be interested in clicking on the picture to see what else in included. Are you a service provider? Why not have a “Testimonials” board. If you have satisfied clients, they will gladly provide you with a picture of themselves to include with a testimonial about your services. Keep in mind that Pinterest is social media. The main goal of social media is to build relationships. As a B2B you don’t want to sell on Pinterest, you want to get your company in front of as many people, or other businesses, as possible. You need to find a way to put your company out there so others will have interest in finding out more about it. Hopefully these suggestions will get you started. Happy...

State’s ‘U Can B’ program expands through Cyber Charter School The “U Can B” program is available for the first time to middle and high school students statewide through a partnership with the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School, according to a recent announcement from the school. The program puts middle and high school students in direct contact with Pittsburgh business, community and government leaders. It is operated by Building Bridges for Business, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that launched in 2010. “The ‘U Can B’ program was previously available to school districts in and around Pittsburgh, but this is the first time they’ve offered it through an online school and the first time for it to be available statewide,” Pennsylvania Cyber’s Gifted and Talented Program Director Mike Hissam said. The organization uses methods including one-on-one conversations with experts; its “Coffee With” film series on CBS/KDKA; in-person lectures and “Power Trip” meetings with visits to Google offices; the Energy Innovation Center; and trips to CBS/KDKA studios and Pittsburgh City Hall. Participating Pennsylvania Cyber students have been chosen to participate through the school’s regional offices, from the gifted-talented and related STAR programs, the DECA business club, the School of Engineering and the National Honor Society chapter. The “U Can B” program meets every Thursday from 3-4 p.m. over a 15-week period that began Jan. 15. Sessions also are streamed to Pennsylvania Cyber students participating at home. Hissam added that participation in the program will remain open through the semester to all Pennsylvania Cyber students in grades nine through 12 and to all seventh- and eighth-grade students taking high school...

5  Keys to Staying on Track for Success The road to success can be rocky, filled with bumps, potholes, and dead ends. Knowing yourself and the terrain will increase the chances of your achieving your goals. Let’s review 10 keys that will help you stay focused and on track for success. 1. Passion Having a passion for your work is the most important element in finding success. You have to love it and desire to cultivate it. 2. Confidence Your actions and the way you speak about yourself and your company is the greatest selling point to your target audience. 3. Self-Discipline Disciplining yourself will help you accomplish more than you ever dreamed, not to mention be the catalyst for great happiness in life. 4. Be Open to Failure You have to increase the chance of failure and vulnerability to criticism if you want to mature your business. 5. Persistence Never allow failure to dictate your next step in the journey toward success. Rather, seek out what you can learn from it and follow that direction thoughtfully....

We welcomed Audrey Russo of the Pittsburgh Technology Council on the Coffee With set.  Audrey shares her special knowledge and insight. Join us in watching this exceptional and informative Coffee With video. This video is sponsored by PC NETWORK SERVICES in Pittsburgh. PC Network Services Address: 109 Nicholson Road, Sewickley, PA 15143 Phone:(412) 928-8670   Since 2007, Audrey Russo has served the technology business sector for southwestern Pennsylvania as President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Technology Council, the oldest and largest technology trade association in North America. In this role, Russo facilitates strong interaction across all sectors of the regional economy. With a background in information technology, operations and finance, Russo previously worked for large multi-national Fortune 500 companies (Alcoa, Reynolds Metals), as well as at MAYA Design, and an adjunct faculty and project role at Virginia Commonwealth University. Russo is the Board Chair for the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh, as well a board member of the Regional Industrial Development Corporation, Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh and CityLab, among others. She earned her bachelor’s from Ohio State University and master’s in public administration from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Public...

If you haven’t already set your 2015 business goals, here is a quick check list for you. Here are the top 5 you should look at for immediate impact. 1. Set Your Business Goals Set your business goals for the next 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Be specific, and determine what you see as success. Measure results and track everything on a monthly or quarterly basis. 2. Revisit Your Business Plan If it has been a while since you examined your plan, now’s the time to get to it. There are many great free plan sources for online preparation. One to take a look at www.enloop.com to develop one online for free. 3. Consider Your Hiring Needs If your business is getting increasingly too busy for you to run with a small crew, start planning your hiring strategy for 2015. Consider interns, temps, freelancers, virtual assistants, and part-timers as alternatives to full-time employees if your budget is tight. 4. Invest in Technology Take a look at computer or software purchases. Determine a leader in your field and see what technical resources they are using. There are great programs out there. We even found one that uses AI to send emails and do all the follow-up to set appointments saving us tons of time. 5. Reassess Your Online Brand Take a look at online branding and marketing experts. Many offer low cost webinars that may be just the thing for an online re-boot. What worked for you in terms of marketing this year? This is a great time to adjust your online strategy so that you identify the tools that helped your business grow, and cut back on those that...