Zestee Social Media School: Introduction

The concept for the Zestee Social Media School has been developing in my head for over a year now and it’s really exciting that in less than 2 days we’ll be starting.

If you haven’t yet rsvp’d via Facebook for this 12 week free social media course, then be quick!  It’s exciting to see that as I write, there are already 70 people keen to take part.

So what inspired me to start a “social media school?”  

In late 2010 and throughout 2011, I thoroughly enjoyed training almost 200 participants (or social media students!) in face to face presentations and small group hands on classes in North Brisbane.  These classes covered many aspects of social media, ranging from Facebook to Blogging to Enewsletters and beyond.  I had the pleasure of working with the Moreton Bay Regional Council, the Caboolture Business Enterprise Centre, the Abbey Museum and Abbey Tournament, Alma Park Zoo, B2BB Networking Group, North Lakes Chamber of Commerce and Industry and many more.

I was referred to as a “social media expert” in the media (see here for one example  in the North Lakes Times in early 2011), however personally I prefer the term “social media specialist”.  I don’t think you can ever really be an “expert” in social media…it just changes way too fast.  Basically, I just love the possibilities and potential of communicating and forming relationships online.   I especially love the flexibility – meaning I can build a business around my lifestyle.   Next I developed this knowledge and experience into teaching others how to harness the potential for their business, which I’ve found I really enjoy.  I’ve found that completing a Bachelor of Business (Marketing & Tourism) in 2009, a Cert IV in Small Business Management in 2010 has helped me teach from the perspective of understanding how social media fits into the overall bigger picture in organisations.

However due to time and distance, I cannot teach as many people as are asking me for help, especially as I run Zestee part time as a boutique business, alongside raising two young children, running the Professional Parents Network and also working part time as a Business Development Manager for the Women’s Health & Mother Baby Hub.  I’ve also found many others are just as busy…or geographically too far away, so are not able to attend my face to face classes.

So I’ve naturally turned to social media to create an online, flexible learning option for you.  However it’s also something I feel will be just as beneficial for me, as it will create an opportunity to continue learning and interacting with the wonderful world out there!  Social Media moves so fast and I’ve decided I need some kind of structured way to tackle keeping my skills up to date.  After all if you want to learn something…teach it!  So hence, Zestee Social Media School has begun….

Why am I offering it for free?

Firstly, this is a pilot concept for me.  It’s something I’m excited about and have lots of experience and expertise to share…but I haven’t done this before.  I’m keen for your input and participation so I can create something that helps all the many, many people I’ve met who are just a little…or very…overwhelmed by social media (and that sometimes includes me!).  So I don’t expect you to pay…but I’d love you to actively participate and give me feedback along the way.  Everybody, no matter how little or much confidence you have on social media, has important experiences and views to share.  So though I’ll be facilitating, join in the conversation!

Secondly, I’m also not in business “for the money” (despite my husband’s dismay sometimes…).  For me, it’s an amazing learning process.   Though I don’t have a lot of spare time in my days, I choose to spend time dedicated to both developing my own skills, and sharing these with the world.

Thirdly, I  believe in offering fantastic value…and there are many past students who have paid to do a face to face class with me who I would like to be able to offer an additional online service and connect with again (if that’s you, say hello!).  There are no doubt also potential students out there who may book into a face to face class in the future.

Finally, I have already put countless hours into preparing resources for previous classes and also hope to be teaching social media for quite some time to come.  So this course is a way of pulling all that material together, presenting it online and creating a valuable resource for me to use in the future (and giving me deadlines so I actually do it!)

Due to the power of social media…I can do all this work just for me….or with just a little more effort…I can open up this opportunity to who-ever would like to join in – no matter where you are.  This may well be something I develop into a paid service in the future…but for now it’s free, so enjoy! (and of course if you really feel that the course was a massive help to you and your business, I will never say no to a “donation” towards continuing to develop my own business).

So that’s the introduction…what now?

Come on over to www.facebook.com/zesteeconcepts and introduce yourself under the link to this post.  I’d love to hear:

• Who you are
• Where you are
• Links to your business Facebook page & website if you have them
• What you are expecting from this course
• One thing you’d most like to learn
• One or more things that are a challenge or a concern for you in regards to social media

Look forward to getting to know you and going on this Zestee Social Media School adventure together….

Renee