Number two in the InnoEdu-project lecture series directed at entrepreneurs with foreign background took place on November 9th under the theme "Marketing and Social Media as a tool for being a successful entrepreneur in the Vaasa Region". The lecturer was Miia Äkkinen from the company Meritext Oy who presented herself as a social media enthusiast.  

Äkkinen presented for the audience of about 30 persons the various channels of social media and suggested that the audience should carefully think what the company aims at with its social media presence. First, the goals need to be defined and after that, the company has to decide what it wants to do in the social media. The last step is to choose which tool will be used, in other words, in which service a profile will be created.

Äkkinen admitted that internet presence takes a lot of time and that is why when defining the goals it is smart to also go through what suits the entrepreneur's work and resources.

- The basic set is to create a facebook profile, a facebook side and a profile in LinkedIn, lists Äkkinen.
- If the resources allow, you should also consider writing a blog, tweeting and uploading company materials in Slideshare or Youtube, she continues.

A question arose among the audience about which language to use in social media if the operating environment is bilingual, the customer's and the entrepreneur's common language is English and the entrepreneur's own language some other. Äkkinen's advise was to study the language question from the target group's point of view.
- In some cases English is an okay alternative but sometimes it is maybe better to trust an outsider's help in communicating if your own knowledge of Finnish or Swedish is not sufficient.

Mikko Niiniketo, project manager for the InnoEdu-project, was happy with the evening course.
- Judging from the active discussion and questions there was a need for the course. The last part of the lecture series will take place on November 30. It will be carried out in cooperation with Western Finland Design Centre MUOVA and the theme will be product development and creativity.

For more information, contact
InnoEdu-project, Project Manager
Mikko Niiniketo
mikko.niiniketo@uwasa.fi
+358 44 024 4526