Brogan

With more than 120,000 followers on Twitter, social media consultant Chris Brogan delivers digital messages to a huge audience.

Brogan will share his expertise on the rapidly growing – and ever changing – world of social networking and emerging technologies with a much smaller crowd May 6 when he headlines a social media seminar and book signing event in Memphis.

A trio of companies, including The Daily News, is bringing Brogan to Memphis with hopes of helping local businesses find their own niche on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms that have revolutionized 21st century communication.

The event will be held at The Peabody hotel from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. It’s being co-hosted by Howell Marketing Strategies LLC and Crye-Leike Realtors Judy and Mickey McLellan. Pinnacle Airlines and The Peabody also are sponsors.

Brogan said social media can have a profound impact, empowering businesses of all sizes with the tools to thrive in any marketplace and against any competitor.

“These tools are powerful and important for the listening aspects alone,” Brogan said. “Beyond that, social media tools allow for connecting and publishing. In connecting, businesses can grow their fan base, their community and, ultimately, their buying crowd. Publishing allows businesses to tell their own stories their own ways, without waiting for permission.”

Brogan said the Memphis event – his first in the city – will be designed for anyone who wants to see how social media can benefit their business.

“Attendees will learn that social media tools aren’t about talking as much as they are listening and connecting,” he said. “They’ll learn some of the mindset behind the use of the tools. They will also learn how to thread this kind of work into their day to day, so that it’s not out there on an iceberg.”

Brogan is co-author of The New York Times bestseller “Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation and Earn Trust” and author of the soon-to-be released “Social Media 101.”

“We are humbled and excited to have the opportunity to bring Chris Brogan to Memphis to share his expertise in the social media space,” said Amy Howell, founder of Howell Marketing. “Social media is truly leveling the playing field by allowing everyone, including locally owned, small businesses, the opportunity to have a voice.”

Brogan has been using social media along with Web and mobile technologies to build relationships for businesses, organizations and individuals for 11 years. Brogan is president of New Marketing Labs, a social media agency, and he runs the Inbound Marketing Summit events with CrossTech Media. Brogan is also the cofounder of the PodCamp new media conference series.

Brogan’s Web site, www.chrisbrogan.com, which features blogs and a variety of articles, is ranked in the top five blogs in Advertising Age’s Power150 and in the top 100 on Technorati.

“He is undoubtedly the most successful, popular social media consultant right now in the world,” Howell said.

Howell said one example of the power of Twitter is how a boutique advertising firm like hers was able to connect with Brogan, eventually leading to his speaking engagement here.

“Social media gives us access to prominent folks that you would never get to ordinarily,” Howell said. “It allows small businesses like mine to reach big people and have a big impact.”

Look for more on this event and social networking in coming issues of The Daily News.