Social Media Institute expands to gain followers

Who gives a tweet? Turns out, just about everyone. That’s why Cincinnati State Technical and Community College is expanding certificate program options at the one-year-old Social Media Institute at the Workforce Development Center.

The SMI combines the talents of working professionals, innovative thinkers and traditional educators in a short series of classes focusing on specific areas of social media expertise. The second class of Marketing for Social Media starts Sept. 23. The new Selling 2.0 certification launches in November.

The SMI took shape as founder Dennis Ulrich, executive director of the Workforce Development Center, saw a pressing business need as more companies turned to Facebook and Twitter in search of new sales and marketing platforms. “There are no standards on qualifications to work in the social media space,” Ulrich says. “That’s exactly why I started the Institute.”

Selling 2.0 will teach students how to gain referrals, manage customer concerns and build customer loyalty through two eight-hour seminars, Nov. 1 and Nov. 8. By the time students have completed the seminars, Ulrich hopes they will feel comfortable running the social media side of their businesses.

“There is a lot of academic rigor in these programs,” Ulrich says. “This isn’t a lunch-and-learn. There is a heavy focus on business. You have to do pre-work, look at case studies and apply it to real-world situations. We can measure students’ performance.”

The work and case studies are created by an advisory committee, which consists of recognized social media experts from trusted companies including Procter & Gamble, Boot Camp Digital and O’Keefe PR. “They provide us with input, feedback and support for the entire program,” Ulrich says. “The Institute is guided by people who are innovators in these exact areas of social media.”  

Kendra Ramirez of Ascendum Solutions will help teach the Selling 2.0 seminars. Ulrich thinks by focusing on very specific areas of this rapidly changing field, the certification process is beneficial. He hopes to expand with HR Seminars, social media for educators and even research and development courses.

“The Institute, just like most of the work we do, is to bolster the regional economy,” Ulrich says. “Cincinnati is becoming a marketing hub, so we believe we are in the perfect place to utilize all the great experts here.”

By Evan Wallis