I am so proud to announce a new educational video series for those trying to make sense of social media: Social Media from Scratch. It features the wit and wisdom of marketing consultant Mark W. Schaefer and is available online now. For two years, Mark has been teaching classes aimed to “cut through the clutter” of the latest marketing tools. Should every business have a Facebook page? What are the benefits of blogging? and How can you use Twitter to boost sales?

I can vouch for his expertise and approachable teaching style because I took this class last spring. As a business owner and entrepreneur, I learned a lot and was inspired to try his formula for success. I’m still in the early stages for some of his ideas, but I did get my first client from Twitter a few weeks ago! I’ll post more on that as the project develops.

So when Mark asked me in October if I would video tape his classes for online access, I thought, “Great idea!” Knoxville area residents can still take his classes in person (the next series is coming in July), but now everyone around the world has access to his information right now, any time. And you can even access the first session for FREE. You know how I love that word! Subsequent sessions are just $9.99 each or you can buy the whole series (about 8 hours) for $49.99.  That’s an exceptional value in my opinion.

Mark is also a great writer and has just released his second book. His first book, The Tao of Twitter, is a best seller and developed out of his classes as companion materials for his students. His second, Return on Influence, is fresh off the presses and is “the first book to explore how brands are identifying and leveraging the world’s most powerful bloggers, tweeters, and YouTube celebrities to build product awareness, brand buzz, and new sales.” I’m looking forward to reading it.

Thank you, Mark, for your guidance and support of my business and I wish you the best in your latest ventures.