Google Places and Wisconsinmade.com – Photo by Bob Wydra DidItDirect.com

Guest post by Amanda Maurer who is the social media community manager for Wisconsinmade.com. They were the sponsor for the September SMB event where Google Places presented.  They also provided some tasty looking cookies for the speaker gift AND provided a special discount code for all attendees to use on their next order. Amanda posted on her blog, Edible Antics, and we are reprinting with her permission.

Amanda’s Article:

Each month I attend the Social Media Breakfast here in Madison. I look forward to it because sometimes I feel like I’m in the Wizard of Oz- “Pay no attention to that girl behind the blog!” For one glorious morning a month I get to rest my weary computer eyes and talk to people face to face about Edible Antics and my job as the Social Media and Public Relations Specialist at Wisconsinmade.com.

September with SMB Madison

This month was especially exciting because Wisconsinmade.com sponsored the breakfast, so not only did I get to talk to people, I got to use a microphone! It’s no secret I love to hear myself talk (it runs in the family, hi Dad!) especially when my voice is amplified.

As part of our sponsorship, Wisconsinmade.com owner Linda and I gave the event’s speakers, Allison and Rich from Google, some hand-decorated Thank You cookies. If you’re thinking of getting involved with the Social Media Breakfast, either attending or sponsoring, you absolutely should and here’s why. The Social Media Breakfast is a great opportunity to get the word out about your business. I’ve become a regular customer at some of the places I’ve learned about through the Social Media Breakfast.

I can’t go to the grocery store without a CupCakes-A-Go-Go’s Tootski’s Toffee Crunch cupcake or two miraculously ending up in my cart. I have been teased for paying $7.00 for two cupcakes, but I have no shame- the enjoyment I get from these sinfully decadent cupcakes are worth every penny. I would have never become a regular cupcake buyer if it weren’t for learning about CupCakes-A-Go-Go at the Social Media Breakfast.

Another reason to sponsor the SMB?

Influential people will talk about your business! The people who attend the Social Media Breakfast have thousands of Twitter followers, popular blogs, and active Facebook communities. The attendees appreciate your sponsorship, so they will make it a point to mention you on Twitter and Facebook, and if you win them over with your baking skills, they might even give you a shout out and a link on their food blog- like I just did for CupCakes-A-Go-Go.

Social Media Breakfast is national

Social Media Breakfast groups gather in cities all over the country, but Madison is one of the best cities to attend a breakfast because there are some amazing learning opportunities here. Madison residents have a passion for local businesses and entrepreneurship, and small businesses love Social Media because it is a relatively affordable way to get the word out.

Rich and Alison share their insights

The little guys engaging in Social Media here in Madison attracted the big guy- Google. Google sent representatives to the area to help small businesses set up Google Places pages and learn to use Google tools better. At September’s Social Media Breakfast, Rich and Allison from Google told us about some tools we had heard of: Google Places, Google Analytics, and some new ones that we can’t wait to use: Google Search Stories, and Google Trends. Google has even set up a special website for Madison at Google.com/Madison.

It’s kind of a big deal, so if you aren’t involved with the Social Media Breakfast- what are you waiting for? Check out the Madison Social Media Breakfast on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to find out when the next event will take place.

Related articles

• SMB Madison September 2011 | Social Media and Local Places (socialmediabreakfast.com)
• Social Media and Job Skills – Madison College Delivers the Goods | Recap SMB Madison August 2011 (socialmediabreakfast.com)
• Banks Offer Contest For Help and Happiness | Recap SMB Madison July 2011 (socialmediabreakfast.com)