photo credit: nextconf

Regular visitors to this blog will know that I write and consult on how business can build better relationships with their customers through delivering better customer experiences, customer service and more engaged employees.

But, what also has become clear in the last few years is that social media is becoming a big factor in building those relationships.

Another thing I have also learnt is that faced with a new and developing area many businesses have a tendency to try and learn about new tools and techniques at arms length, ie. reading books, blogs etc, rather than going out and talking to people. Sometimes, I find myself in that statement too.

However, if we reflect on our own experiences, I believe that, like developing relationships with our customers, often listening and learning is better done face to face.

Therefore, taking my own advice, in September of last year I attended Our Social Times’ Social Media Marketing & Monitoring conference. It was a great day where I was able to listen to leading thinkers, like Brian Solis and Chris Brogan, and network with lots of great folks. As a result, I came back last year full of ideas for my own business and new strategies for clients that I work with. What worked really well for me was to hear a range of case studies of what has and hasn’t worked for them and their clients and what insights they have uncovered along on the way.

It’s that time of the year again and the 2011 Social Media Marketing & Monitoring conference (SMM11) is coming up shortly. The 1-day conference will take place on 19th September in Central London you can book tickets here and you can get involved in the conversation on Twitter by following the #SMM11 hashtag.

Now here’s something I don’t do very often………Knowing that many of my readers my be interested in this conference and how it could be useful for their businesses, I spoke to Luke Byrnley-Jones, who heads up Our Social Times, and he has said that 5 readers of mine can get 25% off Social Media Marketing & Monitoring conference (SMM11) by inputting the discount code AS2511 where indicated on the booking page.

Disclosure: This is not an affiliate code and I gain nothing from the promotion of this event. Luke has, however, promised to help support me in the promotion of an event I am running in November (RARE Forum). More details on that later.

Anyway, I’m planning on being there on September 19th. Will I see you there?