2009 Communications & Internet Marketing Seminar
JW Marriott Resort & Spa
Las Vegas, Nevada
December 3-4, 2009
Are you a technological innovator or early adopter? Or are you a bit more cautious, or even hesitant, when it comes to jumping feet first into the next new thing? In today’s world, technology moves fast and to keep up you have to stay ahead of the curve.
What has also changed in today’s technology-driven world is the accessibility of new innovations to just about anyone. No longer are top-shelf companies light years ahead of mom-and-pop shops when it comes to the marketing tools available to them. The leveled playing field has changed the dynamics of doing business which means many traditional approaches to communicating are either on life support or have evolved, out of necessity, to meet the demands of today.
So how do you catch up and keep up?
DSA’s Communications & Internet Marketing Seminar will give you access to executives from direct selling companies that have jumped on the new media fast-track. They’ll help you and your team create a strategy to get started, or give you the tools you need to take the next step. You’ll find out to integrate new concepts into your communications and marketing programs without completely disavowing the old.
Presenters will examine three important components of internet marketing: web sites and pushed content; search engine optimization; and social networking. You’ll learn the basics and find out how to apply these fundamental concepts to your company’s communications program.
Whether you’re a PR pro, responsible for writing Web site copy or just looking for new ways to make sure your message is being heard above the cacophony of the digital world, this seminar is for you.
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Seminar Web Site Sponsored By: |
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GENERAL SESSIONS
New Media as the New Marketing Standard
Once dubbed the Pied Piper of the Online World, Mari Smith is known for her no-nonsense tips for online marketing success. In this session she’ll set the stage for two packed days of non-stop education as she helps attendees understand how the digital world evolved so quickly, why creating a social media presence can seem more daunting than it actually is and how to accelerate the learning curve. Specifically she’ll:
| • | Outline challenges and advantages of a digital environment |
| • | Explore the evolution of the marketplace and competitive advantage |
| • | Demystify the social media environment |
| – | Mari Smith, Relationship Marketing Specialist |
Social Media 101: Begin with the Basics
If you’re not sure how to pass through the turnstile into the Internet marketing arena, there’s no better place to start than this session. Get a social media primer when expert trainer George Brown explains the basics of engaging in today’s fast-paced online world. He’ll provide a roadmap of basic concepts and trends that will help you:
| • | Understand the unique nature of the top social networking sites and how to make those attributes work for your business |
| • | Learn to utilize blogs to drive traffic to your content |
| • | Reach your sellers and end consumers in ways that will most likely elicit engagement |
| • | Build a system to help new sellers build their businesses |
| – | George Brown, Trainer, All-About-Training.com |
Training the Field & Your Employees to Use Social Media
You may have created the most perfect social media plan in the industry, but it will fall flat on its face if you’re not successful in engaging the right audiences. Training the field to do anything new can be difficult. In the case of social media, your employees and your sellers may have no knowledge of this new world or they may be light years ahead of you. How can you train them on the behavior you’d like them to perform online and what happens if they don’t comply? This panel will cover the basics of creating policies and procedures to help your field engage with your brand online in the way you envision, as you learn how to train your internal audiences to help with the effort and look at the essentials of making it all work.
Speakers:
Mark Bosworth, Senior VP, Sales & Marketing, SwissJust
Jeff Stroud, President, Private Quarters
Terrel Transtrum, President, ServiceQuest
Internet Power Marketing: Manage and Expand Your Brand Online
Social networking strategist Starr Hall leads this session, during which attendees will discover pragmatic strategies, innovative resources, and targeted skill enhancements designed to translate directly into effective online brand management, increased sales and business growth. Learn:
| • | How to set and measure the goals and objectives you’d like to attain through your Internet presence |
| • | How to use social media tools to launch two-way message brand campaigns and involve your target market in growing your business |
| • | The ins and outs of social site privacy |
| • | Three things your brand must do to be successful with social media—and five mistakes to avoid |
| – | Starr Hall, Author, Social Networking Strategist |
Seeing Around Corners: The Future of Internet Marketing
“New Media” isn’t likely to remain new for long, so what’s lurking around the corner? Corporate entities often can’t or won’t embrace new trends quickly, which for direct selling companies means they must often play catch-up to their sellers. In this session you’ll find out:
| • | What emerging trends your company should be preparing to embrace |
| • | What’s hot now that may not stand the test of time—and what will |
| • | Corporate planning strategies that will keep you on the cutting edge |
| • | Resources you should use and people you should follow if you want to be “the first to know” |
| – | Kevin Keranen, Founder, IDTweet |
Taking the Leap: Case Studies in Creating & Executing
A Social Media Strategy
lia sophia
Our presenters will take attendees through their experiences with exploring the possibilities of social media, deciding to jump in and creating and executing a plan for their company. Hear about the processes they used to:
| • | Educate themselves about the social media landscape |
| • | Decide as a company where in that landscape they should be |
| • | Create and execute a plan to get there |
| • | Analyze and learn from the results and ongoing experience |
| – | Bonni Davis, VP, Sales, lia sophia |
| – | Mary Jo Hann, Director, Communications, lia sophia |
Team National
Team National’s President & CEO, Angela Chrysler, will discuss the evolution of their social media strategy and how they dealt with the question of “now what?” after the initial implementation. Discover:
| • | Why they have a social media strategy and the expected and unexpected benefits |
| • | How their social media strategy evolved and how they made adjustments along the way |
| • | What is involved in the management of the social media function as involvement has grown |
| • | What worked and what didn’t in the first year of implementa- tion and the lessons they took away |
Amway
Listen as Jori Hartwig dissects Amway’s consumer marketing program, through which they aim to re-introduce the Amway brand to consumers using an integrated program of online and offline strategies and tactics. Jori will give an overview of the plan and its key objectives. She’ll also discuss how they have combined marketing tactics to put their messages in the places where people see them in the context of their daily lives. Social media, physical presence and traditional media have all played key roles in their program—find out how it has all come together.
Scentsy
Chief Marketing Officer Mark Stastny will focus on lessons learned through his company’s Internet marketing and social media strategy. What did they take away and how will they make changes based on those experiences? Mark will outline Scentsy’s experiences and crystallize them in a set of “best practices” that have resulted.
Breakout Titles
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The views expressed in these presentations and related materials are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, the Direct Selling Association. Any information presented is not intended as a substitute for your own legal counsel.
