Date published: 01.09.08 - not release date

Social Business Networking remains untapped by graduates

Social Networking will be at the heart of the extremely competitive business world of the future according to one of the UK’s most influential female entrepreneurs Penny Power. Speaking in a recent interview, Power claimed that understanding Social Networks as a business tool is now critical and that whilst graduates of today are well placed to adapt to this new marketing methodology, “they do not yet know the massive advantage this is going to give them in the workplace”.

In a brief interview last week, Power, who founded of the UK’s first social business network Ecademy ten years ago, urged graduates to use the online skills their generation had learned to create a brand for themselves that will adapt, grow and become their anchor in the business world, and eventually their legacy.

“Creating a profile on FaceBook and Ecademy can provide you with leverage and visibility. Start now, join a Business Social Network, share you story, care about your reputation, start a Club around your thoughts, Blog and encourage debates, create a following around what you are passionate about, around you and your thoughts” advised Power, who was recently nominated for 2008 XL Extraordinary Lives Award.

“Your influence within a network is fast becoming a required resource. This will be your point of leverage, your personal marketing tool, it will become your essential business tool, your Blackberry and your Social Networking Profile will take you around the world, give you access to great minds and give others access to you.”

Power suggested that Conversation Marketing within Social Networks is replacing Broadcast Marketing and that being immersed in Social Networks provides the foundation of knowledge, innovation, ideas, business development and critically, is the place where products can learn to evolve the way the consumer wants them to.

Power predicted that the future would be extremely prosperous for those who could grasp the full potential of the web in a business context, saying “wait for that moment that a graduate walks into an interview and shares that they have studied the company they want to work for and they know what the market is ‘saying’ about their product, both the good and the bad things that are being said”.

For more info on Ecademy visit www.ecademy.com


Editors Notes

Ecademy connects business people all over the world. It is a self-development, business and branding tool, which enable business people to achieve immediate visibility. The relationships, advocates and knowledge subsequently shared through the network provides individuals with the credibility they need to grow their business.

Ecademy’s core intention is to help business people to be more successful and promotes the values of a business community who no longer wish to be broadcast to, but demand engagement and conversation.

Founded in 1998 by husband and wife team Thomas and Penny Power, The Ecademy community has in excess of 275,000 members as at June 2008, with an average of 15,000 new members joining every month. Ecademy is now present in over 200 countries and has over 4,000 active clubs/networks.

Ecademy is privately owned and sustains itself through subscription, with only ten percent of Ecademy’s revenue coming from advertising and partnerships. The Ecademy business model is a classic example of a 21st Century business, operating virtually, with minimal operational costs and just five staff members on the payroll.

For more info visit www.ecademy.com

For press information, hi res images or to arrange an interview please contact Jenna Gould on 01603 283 503 or e-mail jenna@mediajems.co.uk