marketing & social media strategist focused primarily on helping public sector organizations achieve their objectives more efficiently and effectively
international speaker and workshop facilitator on the topics of strategic marketing, modern communications, social media engagement and government 2.0
Public Sector Marketing 2.0 - Fresh insights on government, association, and non-profit marketing in a Web 2.0 world
Every year I attend and/or speak at numerous conferences, events, and seminars related to marketing, communications, social media, technology and government. While they all seem to bring value to the table, certain ones stand out from the crowd. Two of these are taking place within the next month.
When I first launched the CEPSM social media marketing workshop in April, 2008, I really had no idea that it would garner such a positive response. In fact, we quickly stopped going through the logistical hassle of organizing public workshops since there was more than enough demand for private ones (organizations inviting me in). CEPSM was never meant to be solely in the workshop business, but this way all logistical items were taken care of by the client. However, over the last year, CEPSM has been getting numerous requests from individuals in the public and non-profit sectors to once again offer a social media marketing workshop that is open to the public. Well guess what, we listened.
To solve our logistical dilemma , we decided to partner with an organization that has been conducting workshops successfully for decades, The Centre of Excellence for Communications. Yes, I know it’s ironic that we happen to share similar names, however don’t let that confuse you. The CEC’s core business is workshops, whereas CEPSM’s core business is the consulting side (although training is part of our consulting process). I’ll stop confusing you though. The bottom line is this, on November 25-26, 2009 CEPSM/CEC are jointly launching the 2-day Social Media Strategies for the Public Sector workshop. The intent is to offer this workshop in major cities across Canada for the first year and then see how it evolves from there.
Those of you familiar with my 1-day workshop will notice the switch to 2-days. I wanted to change things up a bit and add a hands-on session where each participant can get their hands dirty by actually using all of the tools I introduce during Day 1. Further still, we will be using a live Google Doc to fill out certain sections of the workbook collaboratively.I like to practice what I preach as much as I possibly can. This is a great opportunity for me to do so.
For those of you interested in receiving this training as part of a University Certificate, be sure to see if our Professional Certificate in Public Sector Marketing course offered through Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business is a right fit for you. I’m really looking forward to being part of the instructional team this year!
Ok then, if you have any questions whatsoever, fire me an email or give me a call. Also, to stay up to date on my speaking schedule visit the Upcoming Speaking Engagements page on my blog. And yes, we will still be offering our private workshops for those interested. This is not meant to replace them.
I may have mentioned this in another post a few weeks ago, however it definitely deserves it’s own post. United Way Ottawa has invited Malcolm Gladwell , one of the most influential writers of our time, to speak at the National Arts Centre on June 11th, from 4-5pm. The format will be MG having an open conversation with journalist and member of the United Way board of directors, Mark Sutcliffe. For all you newbies, Malcolm is a staff writer for The New Yorker and has also written best-selling books such as The Tipping Point, Blink and Outliers. Many of the concepts explained in his books stem from the findings of various researchers throughout the last century. Malcolm takes these concepts to the next level by applying them to modern times and using them to explain various aspects of social behaviour. If you haven’t read one of his books, stop what you’re doing, go to Amazon right now and order one…you won’t regret it. For the rest of you that need no convincing, read on…
As soon as I found out about MG coming to town, I ordered two $75 tickets without hesitation. A few weeks later one of my contacts at United Way Ottawa (former client) offered me two additional tickets. Rather than keep these to myself, I have decided to give these away on my blog in the form of a little Malcolm Gladwell “QCT” contest. Let me explain…
The Prize: Two tickets to see Malcolm Gladwell speak at the NAC ($150 value)
The Rules: Leave a comment on this blog post mentioning your favourite Malcolm Gladwell quote, concept, or theory. It can be one sentence or a novel.
The Deadline: June 1st, 2009 (midnight)
How will I pick the winner? I will write down the name of each person that leaves a comment, put it in a hat, and get my fiancee to pick a winner. I will announce this individual in a blog post on June 2nd, 2009.
Since I’m the one holding the contest, I may as well start it off by leaving you with my favourite Malcolm Gladwell quote:
“There can be as much value in the blink of an eye as in months of rational analysis.”
Good luck!
