Help UNC Asheville win $100,000!

Photo: Jaron Lane celebrates after UNCA Men’s Basketball’s big win over Coastal Carolina that put them into the Big South Conference regular season lead.

If you follow #Asheville on any form of social media, you’ve probably read about this “NCAA 6th Fan” competition. So what is this competition that has clogged your news feeds since January? “6th Fan” – a play on the “6th Man” title given either to the best reserve player off the bench or a team’s fans – is a contest between all Division I member institutions in which both schools and individual fans can win cash and prizes. Set up like a typical bracket, all member schools competed for a month for the top 16 spots because all Sweet Sixteen entrees receive sweet, sweet $10,000 scholarships each.

Last week, after feverish Facebook, Twitter, and online voting, UNC Asheville succeeded in landing a spot amid the top 16, garnering a $10,000 scholarship to be dispersed to random students (in the university’s own reward competition.)

But, just as Sweet Sixteen competitors still have 4 more games to win it all, UNCA has to make it through 4 more voting rounds to win the ultimate prize – $100,000 in scholarships. That’s where you, Asheville’s loving community, can help! With only 25 hours to go, Asheville is tied with round adversary Bryant University. Every single vote counts, so for UNCA to move on, we need to take to the Twitter-verse, the Facebook-osphere, and the world wide web (sorry, I ran out of creativity for that one.) Simply use the hashtags #UNCA #6thFan together for every Facebook or Twitter post, or vote for UNCA at 6thfan.ncaa.com. There is no limit on the number of votes per day, so vote your fingerprints off!

But wait, “what’s in it for me?” On top of awarding scholarships, the 6th Fan contest also gives away an iPad Air for each round, and all entrees are submitted to the final drawing for an all expenses paid trip to the 2015 Final Four in Indianapolis. So, let’s bring the “madness” to February and push UNCA in the Elite Eight!

-Adrian Etheridge, UNCA Cross Country and Track runner, photographer

Asheville Social Media School 2014

By: AskAsheville about 10 years ago

Asheville Social Media School is back on the schedule for 2014! As we all grow our respective businesses, real relationship building is desperately needed. We created this school type workshop years ago to teach social media and the many areas associated with it. Is your website and print advertising also part of your social media presence? It sure is! We are going to get down to the step by step basics that will organically brand your company, build your online presence, attract a targeted audience, develop relationships and grow your business. This is not easy, but with the proper training and some consistent management, we can show you how to turn your social media “duties” into a creative and enjoyable time, with a return on investment.

The Asheville Social Media School will teach lessons on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, YouTube, Blogging, Foursquare, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and more. We will even go over “social review sites” such as Yelp, Trip Advisor and Urbanspoon. You will learn how each of the individual platforms can help your business, and which ones are the best to focus on for your individual business. Ever wonder how some businesses manage their social media so perfectly? Wonder no more! We will show you effective tactics that will make it work for you.

Asheville Social Media School will teach about Strategy Development, Audience Building, Marketing, Blogging, Writing, Images, Videos, Posting, Sharing, Commenting, Liking, Response Management, Tracking, Analytics, Reporting, Prospecting, Potential Targeting, Customer Relationship Management, Website Design & Development, SEO – Search Engine Optimization, and Mobile & Apps. All of these are factors and a part of your full social media campaign.

The first class in on February 17, 2014 at the AskAsheville office which is located at 10 Biltmore Plaza, Suite AVL, Asheville NC 28803 in Biltmore Village. You can RSVP to this Asheville Social Media School on Facebook.

Small Business Social Media in Asheville

By: AskAsheville about 11 years ago

Social media in Asheville wears many hats. Sometimes the more you look at it, the less defined it becomes. Social can be Friendship, Connections, Networking, Media, Interaction, Relationship Development, Information Distribution, Marketing, Sales and much more. This is bigger than you can imagine.

You have plenty of companies using the term “social media,” but few that can do the caliber of work to legitimize the costs they are charging. Some companies in the Asheville area charge $1000 per month for a simple blog post, and some local companies charge $500 per month for absolutely nothing. They call this social media and bank on it. They slander every competitor, and specialize in keeping biz owners in the dark. This is the only business model they have lol. Some “SEO and SM experts” have gotten comfortable with charging hundreds of dollars for an automated one minute report without any actual work being done. This is the kind of work that digs your business deeper in a hole with no return on investment. Then your small business dies and these “experts” go after the next naive business owner. And then the tech world wonders why businesses are so disillusioned with the social media world. They have been victimized for the most part.

Businesses beware of these companies. Yes, they know social media, but only about 10% more than you do. They talk social media, but in their personal lives, they are unsociable and rude. They may even be highly educated, but their person to person skills are dead. “Entitled Asshole” is written all over their resume, and sometimes on their forehead. And these people are going to help your business? I do not think so.

Just because you have a blog does not make you a “social media consultant;” it makes you a blogger. Sure you know how to send some information out on Twitter and Facebook, and you know how to respond to the 5 people you think are good enough to talk to; but you are far from a social entity of any type. The only reason you have any business is because you have been referred by people and organizations who are just as blinded as you are.

When all this transpires, what ends up happening? You end up with your business growth plans crushed and “friends” patting you on the back blaming it on the economy, tourism etc. Do not let this happen to you!

I do not have a pitch here for you with a link to hire us for social media. I did not put a fancy social media graphic in this post. I am just venting. It is frustrating to watch business owners and friends lose because of not doing enough research to make an educated marketing decision to really help their company. Hopefully this post will cause your business to dig a little deeper.