Mike Saunders

Mike Saunders

An internet strategy consultant and social media coach. His vision for social media in the marketplace is to see businesses learn the dynamics of communicating to the public in a way that is appreciated and shared by their audience. He fulfils this vision in his consulting role as well as in his capacity as a speaker, where he shares his expertise in the fields of internet marketing and social media.

Track record of success

Mike ranks in the top 50 of South African Twitterers according to Twitterholic and is the resident social media writer for the popular entrepreneurial blog www.ideate.co.za. His most prominent clients include Advtech, Southern Sun, Three Cities, the International Hotel School and the South African Presidency, which he has assisted in exploring how social media could impact its marketing and business strategies. He regards the latter as his career highlight.

Education

Mike began his tertiary education with a diploma in theatre technology. He followed this up with a postgraduate diploma in marketing management and an honours degree in marketing.

It was at a small media production company in Durban, where he managed website projects for clients, that Mike was first exposed to the internet as a marketing vehicle. In an attempt to increase the strategic value of those projects for his clients, he began researching internet marketing techniques, South African internet usage, social media, internet research tools and a host of other technologies. He was then put in charge of a new department within the company focusing on Internet Marketing. After a year, Mike opened his own consultancy. His strong business ethic and his love for social media have helped to create and fulfill a gap in the market.

Skill Set

One of Mike’s most valuable skills is his knack for finding the perfect balance between an analytical and a creative mindset when developing campaigns. He is also passionate about watching people grow and discover how they can use social media to their advantage. This is what led him into the arena of public speaking and workshops around social media.
Working in the domain of social media is, according to Mike, unique because it provides the best platform for businesses to interact directly with the people who form their markets. He encourages South African businesses to embrace social media because he is confident that their customers have done so already.

Personal Life

Mike finds a balance between work and his personal life by placing a high value on his family. A workaholic by nature he fights the urge to by spending time on squash courts, in the gym and fly-fishing.
A love for music also finds him searching for intriguing music in CD stores, strumming a guitar or bashing a drum kit for a few hours at a time.