From Student to E-Commerce Entrepreneur talk for AIE College

I'll be at the Forum room of PICC this April 14 (morning) to do a 1.5 hours talk about e-commerce titled as "From Student to E-Commerce Entrepreneur". Participants are students of Asian Institute of E-Commerce (AIE) College. I have always been intrigued about this school as it's the only one I know that focuses on e-commerce. In addition, my talk will be followed by Senator Chiz Escudero. If he shows up, it will be my first time to see him in person.

In these trying times, I'd like my talk to focus on:

• E-Commerce Law
• State of e-commerce in the Philippines
  
• Examples of e-commerce efforts by young people
  
• How can students do e-commerce today through:
  - blogging
  - social networking
  - affiliate programs
  - selling products & services online
  - among others
• Lessons learned in doing e-commerce
  - shipping
  - online payment
  - search engine marketing & optimization
  - content writing
• Q&A
  

To Leo Fuentes and students of AIE College, see you soon!

Congratulations Jay & Aileen - Love Made in DigitalFilipino.com Club

Jay Frank De Jesus and Aileen Apolo, pioneer and now honorary members, of the DigitalFilipino.com Club have e-mailed me yesterday about their engagement. The "proposal" finally happened last Saturday and now considered as "ninang #1" to their upcoming wedding.



It is great when you see a community that has become much more than just a practitioners and enthusiasts group. I guess it is inevitable that you may find someone whom you may just "clicked" with when you least expect it. Like the famous song line, "I didn't know I was looking for love till I found you", truly rings a bell for Jay & Aileen especially when you get to read their love story.

Here's a time line of DigitalFilipino Club activities to support that love story as well:

Club Eyeball - Selling Products & Services Online (October 20, 2006) - where Jay and Aileen first met.

Club Christmas Party & Web Marketing Forum (December 8, 2006) - where Jay and Aileen sat together. For the exchange gift, Aileen picked Jay's name.

Club Eyeball, Blogging & Social Computing Forum (January 5, 2007) - where we are supposed to have dinner together after the event but had to back-out then leaving the two of them together. (My instinct just told me to back out for some weird reason then. Very glad I listened. LOL!)

Then there was this Finding a Valentine Date Challenge in 2007 also where I end up having to blatantly promote my girlfriends, Aileen included, and where Jay was even part of Aileen's screening committee. But based on their love story, they end up spending the day together.

As time goes by, I always see the two of them together and the blossoming relationship, I sensed, was inevitable. Last October 12, 2007, the three of us had a live Yahoo Messenger conference and was need to be told of something important. I was already asking when is the wedding and the baby due. Of course I was teasing. Then the two announced their love relationship. I was so elated and immediately sound off via Twitter sharing the news to common friends.

And of course, many things happened since. =)

So to Jay Frank De Jesus and Aileen Apolo, I am so happy for the two of you. As promised, I will be organizing a club members eyeball this May so that we could celebrate this further (in addition to other club announcements by then). Best wishes and all the love! (hugs!)

Social Network Marketing Competitive Evaluation Workshop

(photo: October 2008 - DigitalFilipino Web Awards judges workshop phase)

All DigitalFilipino.com Club members are invited to attend the forthcoming Social Network Marketing Competitive Evaluation Hands-on Workshop this April 6 and 7 at I.T. Group, 3/F Unit 8, Topy's Place Building, cor. Industria and Economia Sts., Bagumbayan, Libis, Quezon City (map) from 9 am to 5 pm.

Those who are into Internet marketing may find this workshop useful.

DigitalFilipino.com Club SME members can send 1 representative while Corporate members can send 2 representatives. Individual club members can attend a one-day session. Please register to confirm and for food count purposes.

Non-club members (those who have not paid annual membership fee) can send a participant for six thousand pesos (P6000) for 2 days, exclusive of VAT. Slot is confirmed upon receipt of payment.

Participants should fill-up the registration form and await slot confirmation.

The training program shall be as follows:

• Introduction to Social Networking
• Social Networking as a Marketing & Advertising Tool
• Types of Social Networking Campaign
• Social Networking as a component of Search Engine Marketing
  
• Planning a Social Networking Campaign
  
• Social Networking Campaign Competitive Evaluation
• Mechanics of the campaign
  
• participation
  
• Creative angle
  
• uniqueness
  
• novelty
• Campaign promotion script
• Results
  
• return on investment
• achievement of goals
• value-added
• Workshop & Presentation
  

This workshop is also meant to support the judging stage of the DigitalFilipino Social Networking Awards. However, only club members will be able to participate in the actual judging.

• DigitalFilipino Social Networking Awards
• Judging criteria
  
• Assignment of categories
  
  • Social Network
  • Widgets and Add-ons
  • Social News, Bookmarks, Media Voting
  • Photo Sharing
  • Video Sharing
  • Social Shopping
  • Micro-blogs
  • Blogs
  • Search engine marketing

All training materials shall be posted at the club member site and also at our social network for online interactive learning purposes. Club members who can't make it, will still be able participate, learn, and help out in the judging online.

(Update - April 26, 2009) As this is an educational project, club members were encouraged to nominate and participate in the judging. Those whose campaign got nominated did not participate in judging the concern category. Many thanks to the following club members who helped out:

• Jan Pabellon (judged several categories and specifically coordinated the Search Engine Marketing category)
• Agness Talavera
• Oliver Robillo
• Michelle Pestano
• Arlyn Onte
• Dine Racoma
• Jona Oboza
• Anton Diaz
• Aileen Apolo
• Gary Viray
• Buddy Gancenia
  

The winners were recognized last April 24, 2nd day of the Social Networking & eBusiness Conference 2009.

See you at Social Networking & eBusiness Conference 2009

Last February 25, I had a quick meet up with Norelyn Babiera of Fiera de Manila as we finalized the necessary logistics for the upcoming Social Networking & eBusiness Conference this April 23 & 24, 2009 at the ballroom of Hotel Intercontinental, Ayala Center, Makati City.

In times of economic challenges, relationships are vital for business survival. Social networks play an important role in building, maintaining, and even strengthening it. This includes our peers, business partners, and most especially to current & potential customers.

As you noticed, social networking is becoming a critical tool for traditional Internet marketing and an important component in search engine marketing. If the present is all about being seen in search engines, social networks are playing an important component to ensure that those who rank high are indeed chosen by real people who deemed them as relevant and are therefore its most powerful influencer.

Social networks are now seen as alternative to your usual e-commerce shopping sites with products & services gradually being pushed through this medium. Although very rare would you see overnight success, consistency in terms of content & brand-building are strategic steps to establish one's identity. There is also a different style and approach in marketing or selling products & services through this medium.

In the end, those who embrace and have a well-rounded approach in creating a social network-empowered presence are likely to succeed.

I hope that the Social Networking & eBusiness Conference, that will continue in the years to come, shall be able to share new technologies, developments, and best practices in this field. Let this event be a venue for us to learn from each other.

As of to date, the conference program is final and our flyers should be sent out by next week. The early bird rate, that entitles sign-ups to a 10% discount, can be availed up to March 16 and I hope companies will take advantage of it.

DigitalFilipino.com Club Members are also entitled to 15% discount either as an exhibitor or delegate. The same perks has also been extended to members of SME.com.ph.

In addition to campaigning for exhibitors & delegates, my attention is now focused on monitoring the following:

• Nomination & judging for the DigitalFilipino Social Networking Awards.
  Deadline for campaign nomination is on March 31. We need more entries and hope you, as a user or developer, can nominate those whom you believe are deserving.
  
  
• Vote for the User Keynote Speaker.
  This is the 1st time that we have opened to the public the nomination and voting of a user keynote speaker who will have the opportunity to share his or her insight & vision as to what social networking should be all about.

Yes we are all set for this event. I do hope that you can join as a delegate or exhibitor and learn how social networking can empower your businesses further. See you on April 23 & 24!