Social Media forums offer so many great options for connecting and networking; however, it is really important to know some simple rules when using places like Facebook on a personal and a professional level.

Andy Ebon, is an event professional with expertise in educating wedding professionals on all things marketing & social media related!  He recently shared a great article with us that give some quick and basic tips on what you should and should not be doing if you are utilizing social media to network your business.

Here is his “crash course” on Social Media Etiquette:

Social Media offers many great options to connect, reconnect, and network. It also provides any number of ways to offend, annoy, and irritate friends, family, and peers. Here are some dos and don’ts to keep you in good favor.

When using social media for business, don’t ramble on about mundane personal tasks. Few people care that you went out for a ham sandwich, dropped your child at soccer practice, or are making a visit to the dentist. Mixing a little personal with business (about 20/80), particularly with some tasteful humor, is fine, but keep it interesting. Bonus points for photos of pets.

Stay away from religion and politics… particularly on your Facebook news stream. No matter what your position, it will offend some percentage of your connections. Being passionate about issues is a wonderful thing, but not in a business context.

Often we forget that the worlds of Facebook or Twitter users overlap. No two people have the same circle of friends or followers, rather they have connections in common. And, depending on how you have configured your privacy settings, it may allow friends of friends to see what you post. Depending on what you post, that can be a problem.

For example, you’re out on the town with a few of your peers, who are also personal friends. You post a few photos of members of the group, living it up. Other peers, not included in this social outing, may feel left out. It can look quite cliquey. If the photos aren’t from an industry event, it’s a risky post. How do you feel, when you’re left out?

Privacy Settings

Revisit your privacy settings and be certain you have the right limitations on access to your content for all social media sites… Facebook in particular. It’s not just a question of offending someone. It can be an issue of posting too much personal information, making you vulnerable to identify theft.

The development of Facebook, and now Google +, allow you to create business identities, separate from your personal profiles. Perhaps it’s time to consider it. Making the separation, and migration, to create distinct profiles, personally, and for your business, may be the best way to consciously channel activity. Yes, it’s a hassle, but taking that step helps keep you clear on which voice you are speaking with.

Public vs. Private

Too often, a person makes a public post, and we chime in. It may be that the original post should not have been public. Think before you answer a post with another post. Maybe it’s more appropriate to send a private message. Don’t compound someone else’s mistake.

The Competition and your Peers

Don’t critique the competition, no matter what your privacy settings. That’s a dangerous road, even in a private conversation. On a social media site (or in an email), you never know who will share it. If you’re not comfortable seeing your words on a billboard, don’t post them, message them, or email them. (Please reread this directive until you’ve committed it to memory).

One Rule To Live By: Just because you can do it, doesn’t mean it’s a good idea!

Starting with email, message boards, text messages, and now social media, it’s instant-communication, all the time. Slow down… take time to think.

Don’t just think about your words and message. Ask yourself if you’re using the best medium, the proper degree of public/private visibility, or whether you should send the message into cyberspace, at all.

The best advice is to put yourself in the other person’s shoes and proceed with caution. Do that and you’ll be perceived more positively, by all who are interested in what you have to say.

Visit The Wedding Marketing Blog to follow Andy and to find out where in the world he is speaking and educating!

Christie’s has always believed in the importance of not only attending our industry association meetings but also becoming actively involved in the association.  You cannot just attend and expect our clients to fall all over themselves to get to you.  You must establish a relationship and prove to you and all involved why they need to use you.

The associations are a gold mine for education opportunities as well as future work.  Our clients that attend these meetings go to establish a business partner that they can trust and are not afraid to let them interact with their clientele.

Not only does your product need to be something that our clients need but also a trust issue is at hand.  Our clients must be able to trust that we are going to do what we say we are, our products or top notch, and we will represent them in the fashion they are expecting.

The world of clients is a tricky but yet rewarding world; and we love our associations as well as our clients.

Why is it that we in the special event industry always think of photography as a last minute need? How many times do you find yourself thinking “oh shoot I forgot to hire
a photographer”?  I bet more than we care to admit.

Why not put event photography on your event check list.  There are so many ways to use photography with your event.  For example there is green screen, documentation, décor, award programs, general sessions, and trade shows.  How many times have we regretted not hiring an event photographer and had to take pictures with our own digital
camera and have them not turn out.

Event photography is not a lot of money and can only add to your program.  So for your next event remember to hire your photographer.

Exhibit Photography is a lost art!  Most exhibiters think that they can bring
their all in one camera’s and shoot their booth.  When they get home and produce their images
they are severely disappointed.

The demand for exhibit photography seems to go by unnoticed
until panic sets in and now what.  Why
not bypass all that panic and call a professional photographer that will
produce exactly what you or your client wants.

The cost of all in one camera’s is coming down in price
which then decreases the need for professional photography.  We must take the time it educate our clients
as to why the need for professional photography is a must not a luxury.

You do not simply shoot or snap a picture.  There are lots of components to take into
consideration.  For example; lighting,
positioning, people in the shot, simple documentation, speed of shutter and
iso  (I know photography terms), need of
ladders, tidying up the booth.  A
professional will know immediately what needs to be done.

So please hire a professional and go home happy!

What a fabulous time Christie’s employees had bowling with all of our Las Vegas Hospitality Association (LVHA) friends.  Christie’s had a team of photographers as well as their National Sales Director and West Coast Regional Manager.

Of course just because we are tops at photography, trust me when I say we could use some bowling coaching.  But that is not to say that we did not have fun and caught up with some of our industry friends.

We bowled at Southpointe Casino and our first round was goofy poses as well as competition round.  There was tons of fun to be had by all as well as a trophy awards ceremony.  Needless to say we did not win a trophy but we all left feeling like winners!

Thank you LVHA for a fun filled afternoon!

Just a sample of Christie’s involvement in our communities; this was an awesome time for all involved.

Good morning, everyone.  I want to send a HUGE thank you for your time and effort in creating yet another successful carnival for the Children’s Home Society of Central Florida.  We had 82 children and 48 adults in attendance (and 34 volunteers!)…a great showing and a wonderful jump start to another school year starting for them.  I’m extremely grateful for those on the committee who orchestrated all the moving pieces and got this thing going with only 3 meetings!  (If we can’t throw a good event, then we’re not very good at what we do.)  Also, sincere thanks to our many vendors who provided all the fun elements and wonderful raffle prizes for the kids to enjoy.  The room looked great and they had a blast.

After 10 years, this carnival has become a highlight for many of these families and I’m proud that we’re all associated with it.  If you have any feedback for how next year’s can be even better, just let us know.

Amanda Chadwick, our point of contact for CHS, sent me this email yesterday:

Below you will find “thank you’s” from a couple of our kids.  When they came into care, they didn’t speak English at all.  You will find that the thank you’s are verbatim, so they are in Spanglish.  But you can still see how grateful they are.  The impact that you make in these children’s lives is amazing.  I also see that the family won tickets to the Kennedy Space Center, so I know they will enjoy the outing.

“Thank you to all the things you do for us.  Today I play game, I play drum and guitar and I win a prize for Space Center.  The food how you say yummy.  Cookie, y soda, y juice, chicken, cotton candy, and snow cone.  A man, you know man tattoo , I get tattoo with horns. I play basketball, baseball, xo, you know tic tac toe, and you get prizes like 100, 200. The man say you got number and say my number y I got 70 hot wheels. And Kailey birthday tomorrow. You know fun. Thank you a lots for day, fun, no more.”

Luis Hernandez.

“Thank you for popcorn y party.  Me play bowling, golf, we play basketball, We play game go ball hole, y Wi bowling with boy I don’t know name not Joshua no me.  Man numbers and say who who number and I say me, man balloon go dog and it broke.  Chicken, french fries, drink no milk, soda. Go up up, you know house you go in an jump, jump.  I play game and win cars, like 6, 100 balls.  Bounce up, up high and you catch.  Lot of kids, man music go la la, me dance. I like. I go more tomorrow. You say yes.   Spinning top, green, shoes off go in up house. Thank you go party.”

Joshua Hernandez

I thought it would be like pulling teeth to have them say Thank you for a fantastic day!  Once they got the idea, they would not stop.  I wasn’t sure who to thank, so I thought maybe this was the best way to do it.

They want to draw pictures of “fun” but didn’t know to whom to address them.  So to all those that made today possible, please extend our heart filled thank you. (P.S.  we won tickets to Kennedy Space Center)

Thanks, Joan and Roger

The Orlando Chapter of NACE just announced who was awarded “Event Professional of the Year 2011”  Christie’s Photographic Studios is proud to announce one of our very own was the well-deserved winner.  You ask who this talented individual is.  It’s Bob Christie our owner!

Bob has donated many hours of service as well as products not only to the Orlando Chapter of National Association of Catering Executives but nationwide and his surrounding offices.  Bob firmly believes in actively participating in the hospitality associations as well as his staff members.    Bob has always believed that the more you put into an association the more you will receive.  Christies steadfastly supports the ideals and values of NACE as well as having the opportunity to network with members around the world.

Thank you Bob, for your service, your determination, your insights and most of all creating Christie’s Photographic Studios to serve our friends in the hospitality industry.  We are all proud of you!

craps table green screen

Are you looking for a unique, memorable and “attention getting” addition to your next trade show?  Why not add a Green Screen setup to your trade show booth.  Green Screen is loved by all types of customers and is sure to draw your crowd in.  Christie’s offers all different types of backgrounds that can be customized with your company or trade show logo.  Green Screens offers your customers a fun and different reason to stop by your booth. Here is the best part…you can give your customers a fun picture in a professional folder to take home as a reminder or your company.

With your logo/slogan on each picture you will be creating a distinct advertisement for your company that will outlast any other advertising campaign.  The excitement that you create with your Green Screen is proven way to generate traffic as well as new customers.    Wow! What a great way to promote your company.