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Using Social Media To Avert A Public Relations Nightmare: Surviving In The Public Eye And In An Open Government

Government is adopting Web 2.0 technologies to better communicate with the public and to meet the Obama Administration’s open and transparent government initiatives. These tools provide more information and options for collaboration across the country and around the world.

How should these new tools be used in the midst of a public relations nightmare? A product your agency regulates has been determined to be unsafe. Hackers have breached your network and compromised sensitive information. A physical security enforcement failure has resulted in widespread negative publicity for your team and your agency. You can be sure that any of these scenarios will be widely discussed via blogs, social networking sites, wikis, as well as through traditional media. How can your agency most efficiently and effectively address these many outlets?

In this workshop, you will learn how to best use social networking tools for developing strategies in crisis communications using both traditional and Web 2.0 tools.

• Utilize the best means of attack:
      • Traditional media
      • Word of mouth
      • "Buzz Hype"
      • Viral information sharing/guerrilla campaigns
      • Web 2.0 technologies
• Appropriately react, and why your agency must differently than the private sector
• Respond to an agency crisis as part of a traditional crisis communication plan
• Make the most of Web 2.0 technologies in crisis communications
• Maintain open and transparent government and collaborative tools
  during a crisis and telling "your story" effectively
• Effectively address past/current public sector challenges using Web 2.0 technologies
• Avoid common pitfalls in crisis communication efforts, focusing on social networking

WORKSHOP LEADER: Joanne Connelly is Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer at ConnellyWorks, Inc., a Northern Virginia-based marketing communications agency offering comprehensive public relations, marketing and event content services for companies in the public sector IT community. Prior to establishing ConnellyWorks in 2003, Connelly spent 15 years covering high technology and government procurement for a number of publications. As editor of Federal Computer Week, Connelly led the publication to a number of prestigious awards for both news coverage and feature reporting. Connelly also has extensive experience in the development and execution of events in the public sector IT community.

11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Lunch On Your Own

How To Develop And Implement A Strong Crisis Management Plan To Enable You To Influence Your Government Department, And The Social Web

Social media should be seen as a tool for crisis management, not as a risk or crisis waiting to happen. With the right crisis management plan, your organization will be empowered and prepared for any impeding crisis within the social web.

In order to properly manage crisis, a key component is to identify influencers. A social web influencer is an individual with a platform, such as a blog, micro-blog, or podcast, who is respected, listened to, and well-liked, in any micro-tribe (community). It is important to learn how to communicate with them to gain and forward crucial information. Many crises can be effectively managed, and even avoided, with the ability to engage and influence your core audience.

• Manage crisis within large organizations
• Identify influencers
• Engage your audience
• Prepare for impending crisis
• Forward your mandate as part of your crisis management plan

WORKSHOP LEADER: Walter Schwabe has been helping entrepreneurs generate and implement rare ideas for over 9 years now as the Chief Evolution Officer of his social media strategy firm, fusedlogic inc. In addition to working with numerous small and medium sized organizations, Walter has worked with such organizations as Apple, Dell, AMD, Capital Health, Government of Alberta, MacEwan School of Business, Nortel, North American Construction Group and the Business Development Bank of Canada.