Last week was very busy – the good kind of busy. The kind of busy that results in a satisfying sense of accomplishment. I was fortunate to speak (twice!) at and attend GSMI’s Social Media Strategies Summit in Boston. Featuring dynamic social media experts from across the country, I spent three days meeting new people and catching up with industry friends, all while soaking up as much as possible.
As someone who considers herself to be a lifelong learner, I love the educational yet inspirational nature of a good conference. Through the conference, I was able to meet and re-connect with some amazing people from the Boston Celtics, Definition 6, Intel, NCAA, Mercedes-Benz, Panera Bread, Seven for All Mankind, Silk/White Wave Foods, and many more.
Three key takeaways from the conference:
“A good storyteller doesn’t just tell a better story, but invites others into the story with them.” – Ekaterina Walter
During my conference workshop and presentation, I emphasized the importance of championing engaging, compelling content. I spoke about what it means to be your brand’s storyteller and promoted fan centric engagement, two things I’m passionate about. Throughout the conference, I was excited to learn about how other brands and organizations approach content.
While there were many examples, two that stand out come from Coca-Cola and The World Food Bank. If you haven’t read about the Coke Happiness Project (produced by Definition 6), check it out. The idea is simple yet effective: if you product meaningful, engaging video content, people will share it, celebrate it and hope it comes to their part of the world next.
On the non-profit side, I was inspired by the to how the World Food Bank created an engaging online community, wefeedback, which celebrates the impact that people’s donations make both individually and through your social network. It also highlights how your favorite sandwich, or a sushi dinner could be “traded in” and feed dozens of children.
“Put your shoulder behind your personal passion and go like hell.” – Simon Mainwaring, Author of NYT bestseller, We First.
Not only did I have the good fortune to sit next to Simon for a bit during the conference, he also kindly gifted me with a copy of his bestselling book, We First, which I am currently reading. Simon, like many of us, had that “Ah-ha” moment in his career and translated it into something powerful. Thanks again, Simon – I’m excited to dig deeper into how brands can help build a better world through social media.
“When you tell me what the return on ignoring is, I’ll tell you about the return on investment.” – Jeffrey Hayzlett
Hearing Jeffrey Hayzlett speak is an experience in itself. Incredibly charismatic and chock full of powerful stories (some quite humorous), Jeffrey really set the tone for the first full day of the conference. I’ve been a fan of Kodak’s for sometime (I think my first Kodak digital camera had 9 lives!) and it was interesting to hear how he lead the turnaround of an iconic brand with what can be best described as personality. Also known as, not being afraid to shake things up. Big ships can take a long time to turn, but charting a course and not being afraid to make waves can result in significant achievement.
Thank you again to Meaghan Edelstein and the great team at GSMI for another wonderful conference. Between the many great presentations and the all-important networking opportunities, I’m already looking forward to the next one!