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Did you miss the New Media & Technology Conference? Don't worry, we'll have another one soon! Keep an eye on our weekly email updates for announcements.
In the meantime, you can access documents and other information from our February 2010 conference here:
Hope to see you at our next conference!
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POSTPONED until 2/19
We’ve made the very difficult decision to postpone our New Media & Technology Conference until Friday, February 19, 2010. The conference was originally scheduled for Friday, February 5.
With the approaching winter storm, our first concern is for the safety of all 110+ participants and presenters. Our second concern is for the quality of the program … Our goal is to provide an outstanding professional development experience, and we won’t be able to do that if everyone is distracted and concerned about the weather.
Registered participants have been notified via email. Updates regarding this event will be posted here and on Twitter - @fredcochamber. If you have questions about your registration, or wish to add your name to a waiting list if cancellations occur, please call the Chamber office at 301.662.4164 x 201.
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and are grateful to all conference participants for their patience and flexibility!
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By popular demand, the Chamber will offer a follow-up to our Social Media Conference, held in June 2009. Interactive seminars will provide an intensive review of strategies and tools that businesses can use to reach out to customers and grow their bottom line.
Featuring breakout sessions for beginning, intermediate, and advanced participants on topics such as Twitter, Facebook, email campaigns, blogging, and more. Those with little or no experience will have as much to gain as those who are skilled users!
If you're tweeting about this event, please use the official conference hashtag: #FredNMT
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EVENT SPONSORS & PARTNERS
Diamond Sponsor:
VillageWorks Communications, Inc.
Official Event Photographer:
Mary Kate McKenna
Guest accommodations for visiting presenters provided by:
Plamondon Hospitality Partners
Coffee & Tea generously provided by:
Baltimore Coffee & Tea Co.
Bottled water provided by:
Costco Wholesale
Many thanks to our sponsors and donors, whose support makes this conference possible.
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CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
8:00 a.m. - Registration & networking
8:30 a.m. - Keynote: How is new media & technology changing the way we do business? Presented by Shashi Bellamkonda, Social Media Swami at Network Solutions
9:30 a.m. - Breakout sessions for beginner, intermediate, and advanced users. Choose the sessions that fit your area of interest and level of experience.
11:50 a.m. - Lunch: Eat your box lunch in the lounge or attend an optional bonus session
12:30 p.m. - Optional bonus sessions: Brief demos and discussions on new and noteworthy applications.
1:00 p.m. - Breakout sessions continue
2:15 p.m. - Closing session: Top 10 Tech Trends - Presented by Frank Gruber, Entrepreneur and Founder of Tech Cocktail
2:45 p.m. - Closing remarks & adjournment
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CONFERENCE SESSIONS
Participants are encouraged to bring their laptops for interactive breakout sessions and demonstrations. Classroom tables, extension cords, and wireless internet will be provided by our host location, Mount St. Mary’s University Center for Professional & Continuing Studies.
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8:30 a.m.
KEYNOTE
How is new media and technology changing the way we do business? - Presented by Shashi Bellamkonda, Social Media Swami at Network Solutions
How is new media and technology changing the way we do business? Is your company prepared to use social media and other tools to listen, participate, and contribute to online communities?
This keynote presentation by Shashi Bellamkonda will provide insight into the changing nature of business and will offer suggestions for how companies can build a successful social media program, using his own company – Network Solutions – as an example.
Shashi Bellamkonda works at the heart of Web hosting company, Network Solutions, as their first-ever ‘Social Media Swami’ (Director of Social Media). In this leadership role, he has helped Network Solutions aggressively move into the online space to actively listen to and interact with its customers. This push paid off when Network Solutions won the 2008 SNCR Excellence in New Communications Award for
Online Reputation Management and the 2009 Gold Quill Award of Excellence in Social Media from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).
Shashi has presented to many audiences on ‘Social Media Tools for Small Business’, ‘How to Sell Social Media to Your Boss’ and ‘Online Reputation Management – Best Practices & Lessons Learned’ at national and regional conferences like SXSW, NewComm Forum, Society of New Media Communications and Research (SNCR.org), Online Media Bootcamp, DC Chamber of Commerce, Affiliate Summit, American Institute of Writers, Blog Potomac, and more. Shashi also writes a regular DC
Social Media Marketing column in the Examiner.
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9:30 a.m.
BREAKOUT SESSION #1
Getting started with social media (Beginner) - Should your business use social media? Explore the possibilities and dispel some popular social media myths. Presented by Beth Schillaci, VillageWorks Communications
Plans & Policies (Intermediate) - You know social media is fun and a great way to make connections. But what are your goals? How will you protect your company from potential problems? Presented by Tom Lynch, Miles & Stockbridge and Jessica Hibbard, Frederick Chamber
Social Media & PR (Advanced) - Building relationships with journalists via social media, best practices for blogger relations, and developing an online newsroom. Presented by Mayra Ruiz McPherson, Ruiz McPherson Communications
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10:40 a.m.
BREAKOUT SESSION #2
Using Twitter for business (Beginner) - Learn how and why to use Twitter in this interactive workshop. (Please create a Twitter account before the conference. Instructions will be provided in our pre-conference workbook.) Presented by April Finnen, DynPort Vaccine Company and Laurie Luck, Smart Dog University
Basic Blogging (Intermediate) - Choosing a topic/strategy, selecting a platform, creating content, and building an audience, basic ethical & intellectual property considerations. Presented by Jon-Mikel Bailey, Wood Street, Inc. and Jennifer Gerlock
Taking your blog to the next level (Advanced) - Incorporating audio & video, developing a community, platform integration & auto-updating, FTC ethics guidelines, copyright and creative commons. Presented by Jimmy Gardner, Tech Cocktail
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12:20 p.m.
OPTIONAL BONUS SESSION
These brief lunchtime demonstrations and discussions on new and noteworthy applications are open to all participants. There’s no need to pre-select this session; Choose what interests you on the day of the conference.
Google Wave - Presented by Cliff Cumber, The Frederick News-Post
Hoot Suite - Presented by Michael Guill, 107 Designs
Posterous - Presented by Jessica Hibbard, Frederick Chamber
Twestory (experimental social media games) - Presented by Kevin Bruce, Bruce Creative & Emily Dorr, Jean Peterson Design
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1:00 p.m.
BREAKOUT SESSION #3
Using Facebook for business (Beginner) - Learn how and why to use Facebook in this interactive workshop. (Please create a Facebook account before the conference. Instructions will be provided in our pre-conference workbook.) Presented by Michael Guill, 107 Designs
Developing a successful email campaign (Intermediate) - Despite what you may hear in the news, email isn’t dead. Learn best practices for developing an email campaign that engages your audience and inspires action. Presented by Doug Broujos, Blue Sky Factory
Making social media more accessible (Advanced) - Does your online content comply with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements? Learn best practices for making web sites, blogs, videos, and other new media more accessible. Presented by Josh Mendelsohn, U.S. Department of Justice
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2:15 p.m.
CLOSING SESSION
Top 10 Tech Trends - Presented by Frank Gruber, Entrepreneur and Founder of Tech Cocktail
What’s on the horizon? Technology is constantly changing, and successful businesses must keep tabs on the latest developments. Explore new trends and applications that may change the way we do business online with this fast-paced rundown of the “Top Ten” emerging trends, presented by Frank Gruber.
Frank Gruber is known for his analysis of Web 2.0, social media and emerging technologies and has offered his "somewhat frank" opinion for a number of publications including TechCrunch, Read Write Web Network, and TECH cocktail.
Frank co-founded TECH cocktail, focused on amplifying the technology signal in number of local communities through local events and news coverage. Frank is also co-founder of Shiny Heart Ventures which has launched Thankfulfor.com and Shiny Maine Lobster.
Frank has been featured in a number of publications as an industry expert and speaks at conferences nationwide. Frank has developed product strategy for Aol and Tribune, among others. He consults businesses in social networking/media and entrepreneurship.
Frank has been featured in articles in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, LA Times, CNet, Wired, Chicago Sun-Times, TechCrunch, GigaOm and Read/Write Web, and was named one of the 100 DC Tech Titans by Washingtonian Magazine in May 2009.
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Click here to download the PDF registration packet
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HOW TO REGISTER
Registration deadline: January 27, 2010
Register online or download the PDF registration packet. For more information, call 301.662.4164 x 201. Space is limited to just 120 participants for the keynote and closing session (40 participants in each breakout session). Registration for our first social media conference was filled well in advance. Sign up now!
$125 Chamber members, $195 non-members. Special discounts and benefits are available to event sponsors and Chamber Trustees. Please call 301.662.4164 x 201 to register.
Reasonable accomodations provided upon request. Please call 301.662.0745 or email jhibbard@frederickchamber.org.
Once your initial registration and payment is processed, you’ll receive an email with instructions to select your breakout sessions and box lunch option via an online form. Your registration is NOT confirmed until this online form is completed. Please add frederickchamber.org email addresses to your list of approved (i.e., safe, whitelisted) senders and follow up on all email communication.
Registered participants will also receive a link to download a PDF workbook prior to the conference. The workbook will include instructions for signing up on major social media platforms, a glossary of commonly used terms, and other essential information.
Please note, the snow date for this conference is Friday, February 19.
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