Jump-start your training experience by attending these interactive and practical workshops. These information-packed sessions are a great opportunity to network with fellow attendees while taking a hands-on, common sense approach to mastering social media strategies that will enhance your understanding of the informative, case study presentations throughout the entire training.

*** Choose ALL FOUR for Maximum Value and Learning ***

Social Media 101: How To Get Your Organization Social Media Ready And Ensure Success

Social media is a communications darling these days. But you and your team likely have a lot of questions: Is my organization ready to start using social media? Am I? How do I differentiate between my personal and professional lives online? How difficult is it to get started? Is social media providing useful results for communicating with different audiences?

Social media can be an excellent addition to any communications plan. If used properly, it will allow you to level the playing field, maximize your resources, and provide your organization with the ability to communicate with a specific, highly-targeted audience.

In this workshop, we'll review the basics for getting involved in social media - addressing some common issues and giving examples of who's doing it well.  After attending, you will confidently walk away with the ability to make social media work for your organization, including learning:

• Social media key terms and definitions
• An overview of the dominant social media platforms
• Criteria for how to select the right social media tools for your needs
• The benefits (and risks) of social media
• Social media best practices
• Ideas and strategies for maximizing your content and empowering your audiences to spread your message

WORKSHOP LEADER: Kate Trgovac is President of LintBucket Media, a Vancouver-based boutique-marketing agency specializing in online communications, social media marketing and digital content creation. Kate has over two decades of online marketing experience in digital marketing. Her clients include large corporations like Petro-Canada, Suncor Energy and Maple Leaf Foods as well as tech startups like Kinzin and Osmosus. Kate has been a part-time lecturer at the University of British Columbia on Social Media Fundamentals and at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Information Studies. She has served on the Advertisers Council of the Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada and is an authority on social media and has been designated one of Canada's Most Influential Women in Social Media.

Testimonials From Past LINTBUCKET MEDIA Sessions:

“Kate was engaging, spontaneous and I'm already trying to find ways to bring her back."

"Her approachable manner is engaging for an audience whose technological knowledge ranges from newbie to tech-geek; everyone walked away with something."

"Her easy style and wit combined with her knowledge made for an informative and entertaining presentation."

“Relevant and easy-to-understand content.”

11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Afternoon break/lunch on your own.

12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
PRE-TRAINING WORKSHOP B
Refreshments will be provided during this session.

How To Measure, Monitor And Analyze The Effectiveness Of Your Traditional And Social Media Strategies

The borders between traditional media (radio, TV, newspapers, magazines) and social media (blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) are becoming increasingly blurry. We’re socially sharing and commenting on mainstream news stories, and journalists are bringing stories that emerge on Twitter to the 5 o’clock news.

As government communicators, you not only need to understand how to operate in this integrated new media world, but also how to properly measure your impact within it.

By attending this workshop, you’ll learn how:

• You can use analysis to set strategy, create content, and measure results
  
• To effectively leverage social media channels to reach journalists and disseminate key messages
  
• Social media influences traditional media and vice versa
  
• Monitoring, measurement and analysis of social and traditional media requires an integrated approach
  

WORKSHOP LEADER: As a Founder and President of MediaMiser, Chris Morrison continues to help shape the media analysis software platform, based on his extensive communications experience with both private and public organizations. Most of his time is dedicated to training and helping customers meet and exceed their media analysis objectives--in additional to identifying new trends in media monitoring and analysis.

Testimonials From Past MediaMiser Sessions:

“Very solid presenter”

“The subject matter was very well researched and Chris has a good amount
of experience to share his knowledge.”

2:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
PRE-TRAINING WORKSHOP C
Refreshments will be provided during this session.

Using Video To Spread Your Messages: Developing Engaging Content, Navigating YouTube And Defining Success

Online video content is exploding – over 72 hours of content are uploaded every minute.  Everyone wants (and expects) their video to “go viral” – but what exactly does that mean and how realistic is such a demand?

In this workshop, you’ll learn practical approaches and tips to developing content that engages your audience and shares your message, creating a personal connection that opens the door to further communication.  Case studies will be presented to illustrate how video content was created, implemented, and promoted, demonstrating how in many cases, this content can serve double-duty across multiple distribution channels.  You will also learn tips and best practices for utilizing YouTube and outline methods to help you define and measure your success.
In this hands-on workshop, you will learn the tools you need to successful launch a video campaign, including:

• Key items to consider when developing an Online Video Content Strategy
• Best practices for developing compelling content that will engage your audience
• Developing cost effective video content for multiple distribution channels
• Best practices for setting up and maintaining a successful Youtube Channel
• Ways to build your community by turning Viewers into Subscribers
• Creating a phased strategy for developing content and measuring success
• How to increase the chances of making your content “go viral”
• Applying these approaches to your specific content needs

WORKSHOP LEADER:  Denise McKee is COO at AboutFace Media Inc., a video agency that creates short-form, story-driven documentaries for online and social media marketing projects.  Their directors are award-winning independent filmmakers whose work has been screened at Sundance, South by Southwest and the Tribeca Film Festival among others.  Clients include Army OneSource, Sears, Kmart, Wilson Sporting Goods, CNH, 3M, Trek, Staples, Florida Tourism, Quad Graphics and Can-Am.

Denise speaks at events across the country on the topics of social media video content development and strategy, and has presented alongside companies including Youtube, Microsoft, Nike, IBM, and Ford.

Testimonials From Past AboutFace Media Inc. Sessions:

"I love the group interaction—it forces conversation that makes me think outside the box. I’m taking back some great commentary and “arguments” to our senior leaders."

"This was so good. Great information, great collaborating, and I have tools to take home."

"Denise was great!! :) Absolutely useful! I know what my homework is now. Thanks!"

This workshop is designed to take your training experience to the next level. Post-training workshops allow you to take the information you gained from the general sessions, and identify and focus on your individual needs and applications. Make the most out of your training by attending this highly interactive, hands-on session. Space is limited to ensure interactivity!

How To Make Gamification Work For Your Organization: Designing Your Own Game Treatment Plan For Improved Engagement With The Public

Gaming is the latest way to engage with the public and increase communications. Games are being incorporated across web, mobile and real world situations. Everything from websites to mobile scavenger hunts to learning more about things like your first day on the job or even something as serious as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, games have the ability to improve the way we communicate.

The goal of this workshop is to help you learn about the use of online, mobile and real world games in a government setting, with practical examples from Rocketfuel Games. You will learn how to apply game mechanics and techniques to your thinking in order to incorporate a new level of engagement, interaction and fun for both your internal and external stakeholders.

Specifically during this workshop, you will learn how to create an initial game treatment document by:

• Outlining the specific goals for your project
• Defining your audience
• Outlining the design direction
• Comparing game titles that fit your goals and objectives
• Understanding how to motivate your audience through leaderboards, point systems, badging, etc.
• Defining what will be required to maintain your project
• Determining the types of analytics and data you’d like to glean from your games of choice
• Contemplating any legal or moral roadblocks
• Deciding on the right vendor to help you build a game-driven system           

WORKSHOP LEADER: Jason Suriano is the CEO & Creative Director at Rocketfuel Games, an award-winning producer of leading web, mobile and real world experiences for education, marketing and communications, based in Edmonton, Alberta. Their mission is to make everything interactive and a lot more engaging through meaningful game-based interactions. Some of their clients include Discovery Communications, Northlands, and ATCO.