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Meet Mari Smith – Social Media Expert Speaker and Trainer

Greetings and welcome!

I’m delighted you’re here. :)

As I’m sure you’re aware, online social networking giants like Facebook and Twitter have become mainstream. If you’re a confused and overwhelmed entrepreneur or small business owner, seeking support to figure out how to monetize all these new social media tools and platforms, I can help you!!

My Personal Story

As soon as you hear me speak, you’ll know I have an accent! I was born in Canada (near Toronto) – though my parents are both 100% Scottish. When I was two, my folks moved out to the boonies of BC where I spent my childhood with my four sisters. Then my parents divorced when I was 12 and my dad got custody of all the girls and decided to emigrate back to Scotland where his immediate family lived. My mom stayed in BC.

I lived in the UK for the next twenty years… until, out of the blue, I got an invitation to come to San Diego, California. It was one of those defining moments in life – I just knew there was a whole new life waiting for me in sunny Calfornia!

I’d been an employee all my working life  — I left school a few months before turning 16 and went straight into the workforce as a secretary, eventually moving on to sales, management, and computer software training. But when I came to the US in 1999, I became an entrepreneur. Interestingly, I’d spent the whole of 1998 preparing to start my own motivational speaking and training business — I had all the plans in place, had taken all kinds of training programs and was about to be approved for a small business loan. Isn’t it amazing when we focus all our efforts on a dream – and then you never know where the path will lead to. Little did I know I was supposed to start my business in the US!

Within a few weeks of arriving in the US, I’d found a sponsor and got a working visa. [I also met my now ex-spouse at Money & You in 1999 and blogged about my marital transition in 2009 here]. I immersed myself in the wonderful mecca of personal and professional development available in Southern California, including Landmark Education, Money & You, the Excellerated Business School for Entrepreneurs (in Malaysia), Peak Potentials, and many more.

How I Got Started In Social Media

I’ve been deeply immersed in social media since 2007 – previous to that, I was an internet marketer specializing in relationship marketing, email marketing and web copy since 1999. I love working with both solopreneurs – speakers, authors, coaches, consultants, celebrities – and small to medium size business owners. Mostly, I enjoy working with people who are conscious, heart-centered and concerned about making a difference on the planet… not just making a dollar.

In 2008, FastCompany.com dubbed me “the Pied Piper of the Online World.” Basically, because I’m such a raving evangelist for the platform!

fast_company

I first got involved with Facebook when a colleague invited me to join an alpha test team of his platform. He had just gotten approved as a Facebook application and was ecstatic. I’d heard about Facebook in the passing and didn’t think much of it at the time. I’m a natural networker and wasn’t really interested in joining yet another online networking site. I’d been on LinkedIn, Ecademy, Ryze, Plaxo and MySpace for some time – and hadn’t yet seen any business results. I figured Facebook would be the same as MySpace and, frankly, my head hurt whenever I went to MySpace. Maybe you can relate?!

In any case, I figured I better sign up for an account on Facebook if I was to do a good job testing out my friend’s platform. Lo and behold, I’ll never forget the day I pulled up www.facebook.com and began to register. I just knew something was different – that we were all on to something HUGE! The layout, the clean white space, the uniformity of the profiles, the ease with which we could find people to friend. And, most importantly, the energetic BUZZ – Facebook members were excited!! There was chit-chat, genuine care and interest.

Suddenly, I was befriending hundreds of people I’d admired for years and years - people whose books were on my shelves, whose seminars I’d attended, whose ezines I read. And we all became fast friends. I started raving to friends and colleagues about Facebook and quickly began to teach my peers how to use the site. Before long, I conducted interviews of other social media specialists and bloggers and began creating products, online courses and training.

I also joined Twitter a few months later and fell in love with that platform too. I loved the brevity, the simplicity, the public conversations which can easily appear like a cacophony to many!

But there’s an art and a science to using these sites. Facebook and Twitter are simple, yet comprehensive, online platforms where you can fully express who you are, foster your unique personal brand, build community, grow your email database, drive traffic to any website or blog, improve customer service and sell more products and services!

You can reach out and connect with a worldwide community at the click of a button: family, extended family, current friends, new friends, quality like-minded professionals, potential joint venture partners, people you admire, paying customers!… the list is endless.

Speaking

Speaking is my passion. Though I was extremely shy as a child and feared public speaking in school, I went on to take many classes in my twenties and on over the years. I became an active participant in speaking organizations like Toastmasters, Speaking Circles, and the National Speakers Association. In 2003 I became involved with T. Harv Eker’s company, Peak Potentials. I attended many of his dynamic programs – including Train the Trainer I and II – and was a SuccessTracs Coach for two and a half years before getting involved in social media.

I’ve been speaking on social media success since 2007 and travel the United States and internationally to provide social media keynotes and in-depth training. I’ve had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Yanik Silver, Bill Glazer, Tony Robbins, Les Brown, Brian Tracy, Joel Comm, Joe Polish, Paula Abdul, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Sir Richard Branson.

Relationships First

It’s so important for businesses today to strategically utilize Facebook and Twitter along with a wide array of other powerful platforms. However, social media requires a whole different approach to be successful in generating more revenue. You have to know the right approach. My motto is, “Relationships first, business second.”

I’m passionate about relationships! Everything I do revolves around people and relationships – fostering new ones, building and maintaining existing ones, helping others with their relationships. I’ve studied human behavior over the years and have particular fascination for personality assessments. I’m a “High I” on DISC, an EN(s)FJ in Myers Briggs, and a natural Connector according to Malcolm Gladwell’s Tipping Point.

My next book, The Relationship Age, is due out in September 2010.

How To Work With Me

I am available for hire as your relationship and internet marketing consultant and social media business coach. More details on my services here and my keynotes and workshops here.

After applying my proven Social Marketing methods, my clients typically experience a significant increase in traffic, subscribers, clients, affiliates, lucrative strategic alliances and targeted media attention.

I look forward to meeting you soon! See ConnectWithMari.com for various sites to find me. Also, my contact page here.

Cheers,

Mari
P.S. – Make sure you join my Facebook “fan” page too if you haven’t already!

Mari Smith

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  • I look forward to seeing you and an upcoming SANG convention!
  • Hi Mari,
    I attended your talk at the Seattle NW Women's Show; very informative. At the show you said if we need help just to ask you so here I am asking. Marlene's Market & Deli was on FaceBook and we were recently pulled off without any notice. We did not think we had anything offensive, we are a natural and organic food store. Would you have any idea why we were pulled off. We have sent a message to the FaceBook people but have had no response.
    Can you help us solve this mystery.

    Thank you.

    Diane Sellers
  • Michael in the UK
    ......the power of that "folk tale" for good.
    Connecting with people and empowering them to realise their passion and potential - then doing the same for other people.

    BRILLIANT...
  • Michael in the UK
    Hiya Mari...
    I just love the media names people like yourself end up with. Yours being the Pied Piper, so i looked it up in the dictionary.
    "Named after the Pied Piper of Hamelin, title and hero of a poem by Robert Browning d. 1889, English poet.
    The poem recounts a German folk tale about a piper who first rids the town of hamelin (Hameln near Hanover) of rats, and then, when payment for this services is refused, leads away the children of the town to a nearby hill, where they disappear through a door never to be seen again".
    Interesting!
    I am completely new to the social media thing but i do find it absolutely facinating. the idea that you can connect with so many people aroung the world.
    You yourself have a very strong presence and style about you.
    I also saw one of your video clips on youtube, the Blue Light-Up Pen one. I would like one PLEASE.
    How does one tweet you?
    All the best for 2010......
  • Michelle
    Hi Mari,
    I am really looking forward to your free talk tonight - any chance of a virtual drink after?
    Kind regards
    Michelle
  • Ana Lucia Novak
    Hi Mari, I am a member of ISMA and signed up or your Facebook 2 day online workshop. I am looking forward to learning from you ! When you have a moment, please forward me the link and dial in number for Monday and Tuesday's Facebook Page training! Thank you!
  • Devada Rammell
    Wow, Mari, I met you today at a women's network luncheon meeting and was so inspired that I purchased your Social Media Kit. Rushed home this evening and couldn't wait to get started. Look for me soon on Facebook and Twitter!

    To your health,

    Devada Rammell, HHP
    La Vida Sana Wellness

    P.S. I was stoked to learn that we live in the same hometown and we're both Scottish...very cool!
  • Hi Mari,
    I am glad to join your circle business particularly in Calgary.I am wondering to manage my businness with you
    and your comity of marketing.
    Enjoy your days,
    Aissa
  • Hi Mari,

    I am sorry, my english is not good. My mother tongue is french.
    I found your name from "PEAK POTENTIALS TRAINING" I registed for the 3 days training next month Juin 2009 in Toronto. I realy want to learn from you how to use facebook and twitter to promote my business.
    God bless you

    Thank you

    Hervé
  • Dear Mari,

    I am in the process of putting togother a Social network marketing short course for a prominent university in South Africa. I need to know how we can partner on this project.

    Kindly contact me urgently as teh course must start running in February 2009.
    Riaan
    +27827888820
  • Mari, I was hoping to be on the conference call that you did for WTPowers recently - but I was out of town. I would like to learn about Facebook, etc., and would like to know if there is a way to contact you to get questions answered. I have heard of this, but have no clue as to what it is, and if it is something that would even make sense for me to utiliuze. The things I have read about it really tell me NOTHING of value.
  • Mari Smith
    @Melissa - Wowee, thank you SO much for your very kind feedback. I'm delighted to connect with you!! ;)
  • Melissa Guthrie
    Hi Mari,

    I am new to the social media networking, specifically facebook. I've been looking for the experts who can provide the "know how" of social networking and until today I've not found who I felt was the right teacher for me. Through the Law of Attraction, I came across your name today. A friend, Amy Grant, had posted on her Facebook site that she was studying your material. I immediately wrote your name down. As I've browsed your site, I am delighted to have found you and look forward to learning from you. Thank you for all you do.

    Melissa Guthrie
  • You found the right gal, Melissa.
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