Stop planning: let's coordinate as a group

Communicating 2.0

Content is King but Mobile is your Kingmaker

Mobile Social Networking Usage Soars says Christina Warren in another Mashable post. And who are we to dispute that when she backs it up with such nice data.

Can you still be a serious player if you aren't serving the mobile platforms? The answer increasingly looks like a big NO.

Trendy indeed

What's next for us SNS startups? Ask specialist Ben Parr and he'll tell you:

1. The Web Will Be Accessible Anywhere

2. Web Access Will Not Focus Around the Computer

3. The Web Will Be Media-Centric

4. Social Media Will Be Its Largest Component

Bill Gates to YOUR rescue

Drowning in all the problems of getting your concept up and running? Enter Microsoft Startup Zone that offers software assistance, hosting services and a network of incubators, investors for your idea. Do take a look.

How to tips for pitching to investors

The presenter can be jazzed up and the speed turned down, but his focus on a timeline for a pitch presentation is worth looking at.

Keep the audience and the money will come

Youtube film on Twitter business model: Q&A for an specialist: Who cares what the business model is!

Mean Mechant?

Peter Mechant is more than somebody sitting on our jury panel: he keeps track of SNS trends on his MICT profile page. If you want to know how he sees the business, take a look at his publishing record and his Delicious links. If your really want the inside track, you may want to baffle him by using his model for positioning SNSs. You can find a full slide show online. The ABC of social media indeed.

The Holy Grail?

Has Digg found a way around that ultimate problem for any SNS: how to insert ads without putting users off?

Digg has seemingly gone a long way to finding that old mug!

5 SNS business models

Let Jun Loayza be more than a spelling nightmare: he neatly compiled the details of five business models for SNS websites. So if you're in need of some last minute tweaking of your concept, check out this Mashable post for more details.

Patentbook

Facebook goes IP on competition: Facebook has been awarded a patent protecting the use of newsfeeds. This could be bad news for direct competitor like Twitter who may have to revamp their services or pay Facebook royalties.

BAN

Our final presentation session will feature a jury including copywriters, specialists in SNS and two investment specialists.

One of these is part of the Business Angels Network that form a market place for people with great ideas (YOU) and people with cash looking for an innovative idea to finance.

Needless to say that the people at BAN have seen their fair share of business plans. They even give advice on how to draft one, including budgeting examples (how much do staff cost, office space, ad space,...). So do check out the document to prepare for Q&A and maybe use it as input for your written pitch as well.

Do remember that your assignment is a business plan Lite, not a full blown plan.

Finally, the word list at the end of the document gives you some input for the term droppers among you.