Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions about the Social Media DIY Workshop.

How do I know if the workshop is right for me?

The Social Media DIY Workshop focuses on what small business people need to know. You are busy running your business and you need succinct, practical information that you can use. Whether your business employs 1 or 100 (or more), whether you are a non-profit or a government agency, you can find what you need to learn here.

What do I need to know before I jump into the workshop?

Nothing! (Well, almost nothing.) The Social Media DIY Workshop can help you no matter how much you know (or don’t know) about social media.

Getting Started. If you are ready to jump into the social media swimming pool, you learn the basics that you need to get started.
Getting Smarter. If you are already using social media, you learn tips, tricks and strategies to maximize the benefits you get from your time investment in social media.

How do I take the workshop?

The Social Media DIY Workshop contains articles, ebooks, and videos that teach specific social media skills and knowledge. We assign each resource to one or more workshop topics. Workshop topics cover how to use social media tools, how to manage each aspect of your social media program, and smart examples of what companies are doing on social media.

Within each topic, resources are organized by learning levels. Learning levels 1 through 4 help you figure out where to start with each topic. You can start at the beginning (learning level 1) or jump into any resource that interests you.

You can learn about one topic in depth, or jump around through many topics to create a customized learning program perfect for your business needs.

What does the workshop cost?

Most of the Social Media DIY Workshop content is free! In fact, there are more than 100 free resources on the site and we add new ones every week.

There are some premium resources that cover social media topics more in-depth that you must purchase. When you purchase one of these resources, you have access to it and all updates for one year. Not only that, we give you a 30-day refund if you are not satisfied.

How do I know the information is current and accurate?

As you know, social media tools are constantly changing. Each week, we review our past Social Media DIY Workshop articles to make sure they contain the most current information. We provide the last updated date on each article so you can see when we last reviewed it.

If you understand WordPress, you can figure out what month we first published each article from its web address. Just check for the last updated date to see how current it is!

How can I stay informed of workshop changes?

We publish the Social Media DIY Toolbox, the newsletter for the Social Media DIY Workshop community. It recaps the highlights of new workshop content, announces upcoming changes, and keeps you in touch with the latest social media trends and topics.

In addition, each issue contains an article that you can only find in the newsletter. When you subscribe, you can also sign up for our growing family of specialty newsletters.

Now, newsletter subscribers receive special offers, including discounts on our premium products.

Why would you give away your stuff?

There are two really great reasons why I created this site around free content.

• I want to earn your business. I want you to see the kind of quality information I provide before I ask you to give up your email address or pay for a webinar or ebook. I believe in the “try before you buy” model.
• I want to earn a place in your community. I know that if I help you build your business, I become a valuable community member and collaborator. I want you to recommend me to your friends and other small business people because you know I can help them build their businesses, too.

Check out the website’s free resources. Watch the premium content trailers. And rest easy knowing that if any premium product fails to exceed your expectations, you can get a full refund in the first 30 days.

How can I suggest a new topic or tool?

Is there a social media topic that you want to learn? It’s easy to drop me a suggestion for a topic, or to ask questions about the existing materials. Use the contact form to let use know. We’ll get back you!

How often do you update the workshop with new topics?

New articles appear regularly, at least once a week, and usually post at 6 am MST (that’s the time in Phoenix year around).

In addition, we add new premium content to the site regularly.

Can I print the workshop articles?

Yes! At the bottom of each article is a printer icon. Click the printer to display a printer-friendly version of the article. You will find a print command in the lower right corner of this page. You can save printer articles for future reference and use them when you are trying new things with social media tools.

Can I get more help?

Yes! If you reach the edge of your comfort level with a topic or you don’t have the time right now, you can hire us to do some social media tasks for you. We provide packaged services and can do individualized consulting for your business. Use the contact form to let us know what kind of help you need.

Who is behind this?

The Social Media DIY Workshop is run by Charlene Kingston, an instructional designer and technical communicator. I also run another business called Crow Information Design that helps people integrate software into the workplace through online help, training programs, and product management support.

Why do you do this?

Social media is a powerful business tool. Companies that use social media watch their business grow in new and exciting ways. I’ve been teaching people how to use computers, software, and the internet my entire career. It’s just what I do.

I know that social media can help your business. With a little help, you can create a social media program that rocks your business world. I believe helping people through the Social Media DIY Workshop is the coolest way I can spend my time.