Jump-start your seminar 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 seminar.

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

Social Media 101: From Curiosity To Comprehension Learn How To Make Your Organization Social Media Friendly

Attend a hands-on interactive course that will walk you through each form of social networks, help you set up accounts, and give you experience using each of the different tools. You will be provided with an overview of the dominant social media platforms with a focus on their audiences, strategic uses and the time and resources required to manage them effectively.

• Key social media tools and platforms and how they are used
• Selecting the right social media tool for your needs
• Insights and tools for you to use for maintenance of your social media
• Exploring how to evaluate and document the success and results of your social media efforts - managing your return on investment
• Benefits (and risks) of social media in the public sector environment
• Leveraging social media in public consultation, participatory and/or collaborative processes

WORKSHOP LEADERS: Eric Collard is a Consultant at Intersol Group, Ltd. Eric is a seasoned communications professional, with over 10 years’ experience in government, NGO's and the private sector. He has worked on countless communications strategies, both complex and national. He has vast experience in strategic & crisis communications, event management and in media relations. He’s been a bilingual spokesperson in print, radio and television and has led a comprehensive media training program.
@_ECinc

Stéphanie Montreuil is Principal at The Lotus Pad Consulting. A passionate marketer and communicator, Stéphanie enjoys living out loud and using social media to meet new and interesting people. A champion of causes, her success in leveraging the power of social media for good has led to the creation of her own firm, The Lotus Pad Consulting. She works with small & medium sized businesses to craft and share business stories that build, engage, and mobilize target audiences. A thought leader in her field, she is a speaker, conference panelist and sought out by local media for her expertise in marketing strategies that grow online communities.

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Afternoon break/lunch on your own.

12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
PRE-SEMINAR AFTERNOON WORKSHOP B

Learn How To Build An Effective Social Media Communications Plan: What Tools To Use, What Metrics To Take, And How To Figure Out Your ROI

New media, social media and mobility have changed the way government communicates. It's one thing to be on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter but the real task lies in figuring out how do you incorporate these tools into your overall government communications strategy?

• Build a social media marketing plan
• Gain get senior management buy-in for your plan
• Measure your ROI on social media

You will gain the tools and techniques needed to successfully create your social media plan through the review of real case studies and actual success metrics.

WORKSHOP LEADER: John Craig is the Vice-President of Sales and Marketing of Purple Forge Inc. Mr. Craig is an award winning market expert in the application of social media and mobile technologies for collaboration and communication for grassroots organizations, associations, politicians, governments and interactive marketing firms. Purple Forge has recently developed mobile applications for the American Petroleum Institute, Americans for Prosperity, and recent Royal Tour of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Canada.
@purpleforge

These workshops are designed to take your seminar experience to the next level. Post-seminar 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 this seminar by attending these highly interactive, hands-on sessions. Space is limited to ensure interactivity!

*** Choose C or D or BOTH for Maximum Value and Learning ***

How To Incorporate Social Media Into Your Crisis Communications: Prepare, Promote, Respond And Improve

The rise of social media means that everything happens at lightning-speed. Success and reputation management in this mobile age means that your organization needs to be nimble with social media. Dialogue is just as important as message delivery. When responding to an emerging crisis, you need to react fast, with a streamlined approach; communicating solely through news releases doesn't work. It’s important to remember that your critics have access to the same tools.

In this hands-on interactive workshop, you will gain the tools you need to succeed in this new landscape as well as learn how to use them as part of your emergency preparedness and overall crisis communications plan, including:

• How to prepare: have a streamlined approach and a team in place
• Merging social media tactics with traditional communication approaches
• Determining which social media outposts and management tools to use
• Creating content that's mobile and web-friendly
• Building an engaged and active community following

WORKSHOP LEADER: Christine Wood is the Director of Innovation & Integration at KENDALL WOOD. She is passionate about strategic communications, collaboration and innovation. She is a seasoned communications specialist with more than 12 years experience in the private sector and eight years in the public sector. As the director for Social Media and Online Communications for the provincial government, Christine Wood led the development of strategic engagement using new media. She was responsible for the online presence of the BC Government (over 70 websites and apps) and took the lead in transforming the way government communicates with the public using web 2.0.
@chicken_scratch

Testimonials from past Christine Wood sessions:

“The tools and links were so helpful!”

“Excellent, Christine is an awesome presenter makes everything
seem so much better & doable."

“Great tactical advice and takeaways.”

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Afternoon break/lunch on your own

How To Combine Social Media And Traditional Communication Tools To Create A Communications Plan That Delivers Results

Social media is now recognized as the next wave in marketing, however, many organizations have yet to understand that social media can and should be integrated with traditional marketing and PR strategies. Social networking can and should be integrated into media relations, events, PR, fundraising & sponsorship campaigns, advertizing, internal communications/ employee-member communications, and many other aspects of outreach. But for many organizations, integrating social media into existing marketing and communications plans remains a daunting prospect.

This session will demonstrate how this can be done, including how:

• To take a holistic approach in strategic communications leads to more effective internal and external marketing functions
• Determine strategy vs. tactics in social media and linking them to your organization's current marketing and communications plans
• Social media can back up each of your organization's marketing and public relations initiatives from advertizing, internal communications, media relations, face to face relationship marketing, and many other outreach plans your organization may have in its plans
• To decipher the difference between traditional and new media communications

WORKSHOP LEADER: Mark Buzan is Principal and Chief Magnifier in Action Strategies. He is the driving force behind Action Strategies’ success. He is an experienced expert in public affairs, advocacy and strategic communications for the non-profit and association sector. Mark led the way for research into public policy issues at the Canadian Hydropower Association into Natural Resource and Energy issues. His experience on Parliament hill also gives him a unique ability to advise executives on navigating through the processes required for legislative success.
@markbuzan