The use of Facebook and Twitter has become a new advantage for businesses to gain greater support for their companies.
Business leaders from companies such as HiveLive, Federal Trade Commission, Bulbstorm and the Metro Phoenix Partnership for Arts and Culture joined at the Tempe Mission Palms hotel on Thursday to discuss methods to incorporate social-media networks such as Facebook and Twitter into their businesses as a way to better understand demands of their customers and partners.
“Designing for Collaboration” is the theme of the W. P. Carey School of Business’ sixth annual Center for Advancing Business through Information Technology Symposium. The dinner, which was on Thursday, will be followed by a symposium on Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Representatives from different businesses gave presentations on how to correctly incorporate media tools to build their business collaboration with customers.
Julie Smith David, director for the business school’s center, organized and directed the event.
“Each business is sharing their best practices to strengthen overall future business,” Smith David said.
Social media is used to improve the way businesses reach out to new audiences, said Smith David. Devices such as virtual communities are seen by business corporations as helpful tools to better communicate with customers. Technology can also help businesses save money with lower costs in conferences and travel, Smith David said.
Among the representatives from businesses who attended was Cyd West, the director of economic development for the Metro Phoenix Partnership for Arts and Culture. She said that her group wants innovative workers to incorporate into a diverse community.
The use of Facebook and Twitter is a way to engage the community, particularly young professionals, who are the future, West said.
She said the collaboration among business leaders on the topic of marketing through new technology is teaching not to just talk about what can be done but to take action on how to incorporate the tools for a company’s advantage in marketing.
“Rather than paying [public relations] budgets, it is a more authentic way to advance your business,” West said.
HiveLive, a software platform that allows businesses opportunities to make their own Web sites, was also represented to show business the possibilities they have through social networking.
“HiveLive allows corporations to build online communities similar to Facebook but branded for your corporation,” said Senior Vice President Mike Rosol.
Student ambassadors from the center helped with tasks like picking up business leaders from the airport and sitting at their table during the presentations.
Ambassador and graduate student in business and information management Erin Noone said CABIT is a way to gain a networking background.
“I think things are changing for businesses and media,” she said. “Voices become more amplified by the use of the Internet.”
The Internet is a quicker way to access information on businesses, she said.
“It is an advantage for businesses to go onto their Web sites and search what people are saying about their business,” Noone said.
Reach the reporter at klparise@asu.edu.
