When I’m speaking to business people about social media I find it helpful to have illustrative stories from my direct, personal experience.  That’s why, in conversations over the past couple of weeks, leading up to this coming Wednesday April 8th’s PR 2.0 Optimization seminar in Guangzhou, China and on the Web, I’ve been enjoying having at my fingertips a practical illustration of how social media can help business, efficiently and economically.

Because as well as the subject matter being very much about social media, in the promotion and staging of the event there is a practical use of social media tools and approaches.

For example:

• The event is being publicized on Facebook and Twitter and via PitchEngine, an online media service which has been built precisely so as to meet the continually evolving demands of a social media enabled economy.
• At least two of the people presenting at the seminar, Brian Solis and I, will be doing so virtually, via Skype video.

There is also a philanthropic dimension. The company organizing the event, CultureFish Media, of which I’m an Associate, is also providing a special discounted entry price scholarship for the first 300 people from a range of specified groups, including members of Social Media Club worldwide and people on Twitter, and the proceeds from those tickets will go to helping build shelters for survivors of the catastrophic Sichuan earthquakes.