Join us as we connect Manitoba’s coolest communicators with a keen interest in the digital world. Hear challenges and best practices in the worlds of social media, intranets, videos, blogs and more.
Tickets include continental breakfast, delicious lunch, scrumptious snacks and a whole day of powerful communications learning to take back to the office.
Schedule
8:30 a.m. Get your super cool name badge
Eat muffins and caffeinate yourself
9 a.m. The Non-Lame Name Game
9:15 a.m. PR and Social Media: #BFFs – Susie Erjavec-Parker, SPARKER Strategy Group
10:15 a.m. Re-caffeinate and snack up
10:45 a.m. Keynote: The Importance of Technology in the Employee Experience – Chuck Gose, ICology
11:45 a.m. Case Study: Wawanesa’s Digital Workplace – Chris Radcliffe, Habanero Consulting Group
Noon Cool lunch courtesy of a hot sponsor 
1 p.m. Workshop: Video You Can Do – Rocky Walls, 12 Stars Media
3 p.m. Networking Break
3:15 p.m. Content is King: How Content Can Increase Sales – Alyson Shane, Starling Social
4:15 p.m. Closing remarks
Keynote: The Importance of Technology in the Employee Experience - Chuck Gose, Founder, ICology
Chuck, in his own words…
I am a self-proclaimed Skyline Chili* connoisseur and Duran Duran fan with nearly 20 years of experience in marketing, corporate communications, and internal communications. My unrivaled passion and enthusiasm for the communications profession began early in my career at General Motors and Rolls-Royce, where I became fascinated by the positive impact internal communications can have on a company’s success.
I am the founder of ICology, a resource dedicated to interesting people doing interesting things in the world of internal communications. As part of this valuable work, I host the ICology podcast, which features practitioners and experts sharing their advice and insights. A fresh new episode is available every two weeks wherever you listen to podcasts, and is helpful for communicators at all levels of their careers. ICology is all about starting the conversation about how communicators can do more. Can be more. And often times are more.
I am also the vice president of business development and partnerships for StaffConnect, a mobile app provider for internal communications. StaffConnect is built on promoting communities, collaboration and communication – an all-in-one, easy-to-use app for enterprise customers.
A long-time volunteer for PRSA and IABC, I currently serve on PRSA’s Employee Comms Section Board. I have also served on the PRSA Hoosier* Chapter Board and am a past IABC Gold Quill judge and Program Advisory Committee member.
I live in Brownsburg, IN (a suburb of Indianapolis) with my family but stay true to my Buckeye* roots. I attended Butler University* and am a diehard Butler basketball fan. I also got to fly in a blimp once.
*I speak Polar Bear and am happy to provide Canadian translations for these terms.
More about Chuck & ICology…
Find the ICology podcast on iTunes, Podbean, Google Play wherever you prefer to listen.
Twitter: @ChuckGose / @LearnICology
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/chuckgose / http://linkedin.com/company/icology
The session, according to Chuck…
While many communicators are focused on employee engagement, I think this is partially a mistake. It’s been a struggle for communicators to get their arms around it and to get leaders themselves to understand it. I believe that employee engagement is more a byproduct of the employee experience (Ex). The Ex begins when the employee is recruited, throughout their career and even after they’ve left in some cases.
Every company’s employee experience can be divided up into three categories:
- Culture
- Physical space
- Technology
Each is equally important and should be valued and measured. But in this talk, I want to focus in on technology because it’s typically an area where IC is more the bridesmaid than the bride. IC is behind the curve on technology but communicators have the opportunity to jump ahead with new channels and tools that can enhance the employee experience.
Employees now expect the technology they have at home to also be at work. And anything less is unacceptable. With digital workplace being a focus for many, it’s crucial for communicators to understand the strengths and weaknesses of new technology and how it will fit into their own corporate culture. It’s not one size fits all.
In this talk, I will share the importance of technology, the opportunity for communicators to lead and share a few strategies and case studies of successful technology rollouts that have positively impacted Ex at other organizations.
PR and Social Media are #BFFs - Susie Erjavec Parker, Founder, SPARKER Strategy Group
Susie, in her own words…
SPARKER Strategy Group is Winnipeg’s first and only social media and public relations agency. We help brands and businesses manage their online and social profiles. SPARKER Strategy has built a roster of clients serving as their de facto social media marketing team. I am a frequent speaker and media commentator on the current and future state of social media having been featured on CBC, CTV, Global News, The Globe and Mail, Moneysense Magazine, Corus Radio, and more. I also consult on public relations, marketing trends, and the intersection of consumer behaviour.
I am also the founder and managing editor of WinnipegMom.ca, a regional media outlet that connects Winnipeg parents to the brands and businesses that serve them. I am also the founder of both #204Smarties—a networking group for professional women entrepreneurs and the Manitoba Mommy Bloggers Network.
More about Susie & SPARKER…
Twitter: @susie_parker / @sparkerstrategy
Video You Can Do: A Crash Course on Videos for Web - Rocky Walls, CEO and Co-founder, 12 Stars Media
Rocky, in his own words…
I’m the man behind the wheel on the 12 Stars Media bus. When I’m not working alongside fellow 12 Stars team members, I’m consulting one-on-one with companies about using video in their marketing and communication plans or engaging rooms full of communicators by speaking in places like Microsoft HQ or Walt Disney World.
A communicator to the core, all work and no play wouldn’t make me a dull boy, but I have my fun too: I love to hang out with my wife and three sons, and together we’re Disney fanatics who visit Disney Parks annually.
I’m an amateur chef (though I’ll never disclose if I wear an apron), and believe whatever you can get out of a box or in a restaurant, you can make at home if you try, by golly. And like any real professional in the video biz, I’m an avid fan of watching movies.
More about Rocky & 12 Stars…
Twitter & Instagram: @RockyWalls / @12StarsMedia / @Candidio
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/rockywalls
The session, according to Rocky…
The Candidio Crash Course is a half-day video workshop put on by the video experts from the Candidio team at 12 Stars Media that will give you insight, tips, and tricks to help plan and shoot your own web videos with nothing but a smartphone. Rocky will walk you through the basics of video production and recording techniques to help you feel more comfortable behind the camera. He’ll also help you plan out your first video by showing you how to create a shot list and purpose statement.
Rocky and his team speak at local, regional, and national conferences and have helped people and companies all over the world create real, simple video by providing them with the necessary tools and showing them just how easy creating a video can be.
You’ll learn:
- How to keep your viewers’ attention
- Simple tips for keeping your message clear in video
- Several key video dos and don’ts
- The basic equipment you’ll need and what the costs may be
- Which style of video is right for your audience
- Why audio is so important and how you can improve the audio on your videos
- How to best promote your videos after you’ve created them
- How to shoot great videos with nothing but your smartphone
Content Is King: How Content Can Increase Sales - Alyson Shane, Owner, Starling Social
Alyson, in her own words
I’m Alyson, a writer who has been publishing content online for 15 years.
I own Starling Social, a digital marketing agency located in Winnipeg which specializes in copywriting and social media management services. We help our clients tell their stories and convey value to their customers by creating engaging, authentic copy and building their audiences online.
I’m an active participant in my community and am an annual speaker at Red River College’s Creative Communications Program, at conferences such as MBlog 2014 and the Manitoba Trucking Association’s Driving the Future 20/20 Conference, and have been featured on Shaw TV as one of Winnipeg’s Hottest Bloggers.
I’m passionate about social media, business, and content marketing, but you can also talk to me about gardening, Winnipeg boosterism, and hilarious Twitter parody accounts.
More About Alyson & Starling Social
www.starling.social
Twitter: @alysonshane/@Starling_Social
The session, according to Alyson…
The practice of blogging regularly and using promotional material to grow your mailing list is one of the most important things companies can do to generate leads and stay connected with your customers.
Unfortunately, businesses who neglect these areas are missing out on important and valuable opportunities to boost their sales, build existing customer relationships, and attract new customers from your target audience.
During this session you’ll learn:
- Strategies for how to source ideas for blog content
- How and where a content strategy fits into your sales funnel
- How to utilize “public content” to attract visitors to your website
- What Lead Magnets are, and how to use them to turn prospects into leads
- How newsletter drip campaigns can turn leads into lifetime customers
