With registrations picking up fast, make sure that you are not left behind and register for the upcoming Payments South Africa Conference and Exhibition being held on the 12, 13 & 14 September 2012 at Emperors Palace, Kempton Park, Johannesburg.

Sharlee Vickery, project manager at TCI, said that with last year’s event having set a high standard, this year’s event promises to not only meet but exceed the set standard,

“The event will explore the most relevant developments in the payments industry and identify the major factors driving and hampering innovation. It will further investigate to what extent these developments will affect the role of central banks and national payments systems.”

Join informative and lively speakers such as Yolande van Wyk, Chief Executive Officer: eWallet Solutions at FNB, Joleen Young, Head: Payments Governance and Strategy at Standard Bank, Graeme Holmes, Head: Consumer Cards at Nedbank and Rishi Pillay, Chief Executive Officer: Funds Transfer Business Unit at Bankserv Africa as they explore and analyse critical topics such as payment innovation, integration and emerging payment instruments.

Some of the previous 300 attending delegates participated from companies such as Metropolitan, Standard Bank, HSBC, Direct Axis, Nedbank, Engen, Tracker, ABSA, DSTV Mobile, First National Bank, Finchoice, Old Mutual and the Central Bank of Congo.

Do not miss this opportunity to network with the likes of all the major banks as well as many retailers and relevant service providers. The conference features a full exhibition and therefore guarantees great networking opportunities. Exhibition space can be arranged, so if you wish to promote or increase the awareness of your company feel free to contact us.

Trudy Ndaba, a previous delegate from Standard Bank, said that the Payments 2011 event was an eye opener,

“The topics really got me thinking broader about where the payments industry is going, the event also introduced me to the current industry players.”

Download the brochure now and secure your seat by completing the registration form and emailing it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or alternatively fax the completed registration form to 086 582 2981.

I had a great opportunity to interview Mr. Simon Malcolm, my social networking friend, who had almost 28,000 followers on Twitter. With his understanding and knowledge about social media, I would like to share with you all about our conversation about what a social media enthusiast thinks about a social media career. Below is our conversation:

Q: From what I know, you are a professional video producer. Could you share with me how social media affect your career?

A: Social media has revolutionized the way I can communicate with current and future clients.  It means that I’m able to spread the word about my work portfolio faster and in a broadcast manner – this has opened the possibilities for me to be found by people that I may not usually meet.  Social media has also connected me with colleagues from around the world – this has created a great base for collaboration and solving problems.

Q: What is a Social Media Enthusiast?  Why do you call yourself a Social Media Enthusiast?

A: I chose to call myself a Social Media Enthusiast because I don’t feel that calling myself a Social Media Expert would be appropriate.  My knowledge on the subject is vast, but I don’t feel like it is as complete as a wide range of my colleagues.

Q: How long have you been using social media in your career? What social media tool do you prefer to use? Which one is the most affective and productive for you?

A: I’ve been using Social Media for about 2 years now, but only more seriously in the last year.  I use Facebook and Twitter primarily, but I’m now using YouTube a lot more.  Currently Twitter has been the most effective and productive for me.

Q: I think social media is the fastest career to grow in, since every company, corporation, or even a small business needs social media to interact and communicate with customers. Do you think social media has brought benefits to your career?

A: Absolutely – I think Social Media has been a massive addition to the opportunities that are out there for someone in my line of work.  If I just wanted to produce videos it may not have had such an impact, however, I really love what Social Media can do and so I’ve applied myself to understanding it, which has expanded my work potential.

Q: I have seen a couple of your videos on YouTube about South Australia, is that what you are concentrating on? Why do you choose YouTube to publish your work? Do you use another video sites? If so, how do they compare?

A: I am using YouTube because it is the second most visited website in the world, plus all of the activity there is indexed by Google in their search results.  YouTube is fast becoming a MAJOR deal in being found on the Internet. People LOVE to watch videos and so if you can produce a video about your subject then YouTube is a great way to drive traffic to your site or offer.

Q: What do you enjoy the most about using social media in your career? Do you recommend entrepreneur or business need to use social media?

A: It’s like fishing – you never know when you’ll catch a fish.  Sitting looking at the ocean you realize the limitless possibilities that are ahead of you, and I find Social Media the same.  Every day I meet fascinating new people and learn about amazing new opportunities.  Anyone who wants to expand the reach of their product or idea should be using Social Media.

Thank you for your answers about social media. This conversation makes me think that social media is not only effective for large organizations, but also effective for the small owner and a major success for anyone who wants to start up the business. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and I wish you the best.

Follow Mr. Simon on twitter  @Simon_Malcolm 

http://www.jeffbullas.com/2012/04/23/48-significant-social-media-facts-figures-and-statistics-plus-7-infographics/