Take social media from complexity to clarity through these interactive pre-conference workshops guaranteed to jumpstart your conference experience. These workshops are a great opportunity to advance your learning and network with fellow attendees while taking a hands-on, common sense and practical approach to mastering social media that will enhance your understanding of the informative, case study presentations throughout the entire conference.

Choose A or B or BOTH for maximum value and learning

9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
MORNING PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP A
Registration and continental breakfast will begin at 8:30 a.m. for the morning workshop attendees.

Social Media 101: Using Web 2.0 Technologies And Collaborative Processes To Create Engaging Team Experiences

Creating a workplace where all employees can bring their unique talents, skills and passions to the table is imperative. Yet with the diverse and dispersed teams that exist today, organizations are challenged to find ways to keep their employees fully engaged and connected. There is a huge opportunity to leverage the many existing social media tools and technologies to create a more collaborative and engaging experience for employees.

In this highly interactive and hands-on session, you will learn how to use social media tools and technologies to support your existing internal communication practices. You will also experience easy-to-use team engagement tools that can be used either face to face or virtually, to immediately connect employees across different backgrounds, skill sets, generations, and genders.

• Receive an overview of social media tools and examples of their use within leading-edge companies
• Learn the steps needed to launch a blog or start a podcast
• Experience creative team collaboration tools and practices
• Identify how these can support existing engagement strategies

You'll leave this workshop with best practices, policies and procedures, and the tools and skills that you and your staff will need to be successful in reaching your audience.

WORKSHOP LEADERS: Sheryl Lewis is the Managing Director of ROI Communication. She directs a dynamic team of nearly 60 communication professionals, and works closely with ROI clients to offer strategic counsel on a range of key initiatives. Prior to joining ROI in 2002, Sheryl worked for 15 years at Quantum Corporation, one of the world's leading storage suppliers for personal and enterprise computers, serving in a broad array of roles that included VP of Talent Management, Director of Management and Organizational Development, Director of Business Excellence, and Director of Product Marketing. She holds a B.A. in Economics from Cornell University, and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

A Silicon Valley native, Michelle Campbell is a talented, technologically savvy Communications Consultant at ROI Communication. She has experience in all areas of internal communications, specializing in project management, metrics and measurement, web content development and the production of print and video collateral. Before joining ROI Communications, Michelle held a number of in-house communication positions at global high-tech companies, such as Lucent Technologies, Cadence Design Systems, AT&T Broadband, and eBay Inc. Michelle earned a B.A. in Communication Studies from San Jose State University, and received additional training and certifications in Project Management from Villanova University and Technical Communications from De Anza College.

1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
AFTERNOON PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP B

How To Measure The Role Social Media Plays In Your Overall Internal Communications Programs

As exciting as using new social media tools may be, they are just one more type of tool we can use when developing communication campaigns that support our organizational goals. This workshop will show you not only ways to measure how employees are using the new tools (measuring activity), but also to calculate their role in the success of the overall campaigns they are a part of (measuring outcomes).

• Identify the potential likelihood that various employee demographic subgroups will use different social media tools
• Electronically track actual usage of all web-based communication tools, including the "old" tools like intranets
• Calculate the impact social media may have played in a successful communication campaign

WORKSHOP LEADER: Angela Sinickas is President of Sinickas Communications, Inc., a consulting firm dedicated to helping organizations achieve business results through focused diagnostics and practical solutions. An award-winning organizational communicator since 1974, she has been measuring the effectiveness of communication since 1981. She wrote the manual "How to Measure Your Communication Programs" and has developed a range of Communication Starter Kits on CD-ROM and online modules available by subscription that provide tools for communicators to conduct their own focus groups, surveys and strategic planning.

Testimonials From Past Angela Sinickas Sessions:

"Excellent content – good presenter! Lots of good ideas."

"Angela was worth the price of the whole conference. Very informative."

"Awesome presenter, extremely knowledgeable, made excellent points that EVERY
executive or business sponsor should know."

"Enjoyable; I have lots of tools to take back with me."