Co-sponsored by the Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management,
the Fort Bend County PIO Network
the Harris County Regional JIC ,
and the Houston/Galveston Regional PIO Network

Tuesday, February 28, 2012
9 am to 2 pm

Fort Bend County Libraries
George Memorial Library
1001 Golfview Drive
Richmond, TX 77469
281-342-4455

Social Media has become the new “shiny toy” in communications. Everybody is rushing to open Twitter accounts, Facebook pages, and a multitude of other channels. But once you’re on social media, do you know which tools to use? how often to post? how to reach out to your customers? Are you ready to use social media to communicate with your customers in a crisis?

Most government agencies these days are trying to do more with less – less time, fewer people, smaller budgets. Social media can help you extend your agency’s reach and communicate more effectively.  Join Sandra Fernandez and Elaine W Krause as they share tools and tips for devising a social media plan and policy that will equip you to communicate at peak efficiency during that next hurricane, flood or brush fire.

This is a hands-on training. Bring your laptop with wireless Internet access or cellular air card.

Schedule

9-10:30 am – Facebook & Twitter Topics — In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to:

• Set up & maintain FB & Twitter for your organization
• Optimize your profile so people (and search engines) will notice
• Choose tools to help people find you and keep them coming back
• Devise a social media plan that works within your overall communications strategy
• Set up privacy and posting policies that protect you without hamstringing your people.

10:30-10:45 am – Break

10:45-11:45 am – Measurement – Learn about analytic tools and techniques targeted specifically to your social media applications, how to tell if they’re working, and when to adjust. You will walk away with:

• Questions to consider
• Things you can do, today, for free or for very little money
• Recommended tools to use daily, weekly, or monthly
• Next steps for your measurement future
• Don’t forget to share your successes with your Board & other stakeholders

11:45 am-12 pm – Break, pick up lunch

12-1pm – Writing for Online – These tips will help you be heard: louder, clearer, sooner by your target audiences.

• Kickstart your process: strategy, editorial calendars, tools and tricks
• Know your audience – and meet them on their terms and where they access your content (including on their mobile devices)
• Why (and how) online writing is different from print … how to write “tight”
• Open the windows – be transparent to your audience and get their help spreading your message
• Tools to help you generate, store, and time your content for later delivery

1-1:15 pm – Break

1:15-2 pm – New Trends in Social Media — How things are evolving and changing even as we sit here.

• Rising rapidly
  • YouTube, Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram
  • SlideShare
  • Location-based apps for volunteer opportunities (FourSquare, Gowalla)
  • QR codes
  • LinkedIn still matters
    • Company pages
    • Personal profiles – help you and your organization
    • Q&A

Cost: $100.00 (includes boxed lunch)

Registration at http://socialmediapioshouston.eventbrite.com/

Presenters

Sandra Fernandez
Sandra Fernandez is a communications professional with more than 15 years of experience with higher education, government, and non-profit organizations. She is currently the Manager of Public Relations for the Houston Public Library, where her strategic use of social media and online services to communicate with Library customers has made Houston Public Library an industry leader in social media implementation.

Fernandez teaches government, small businesses and non-profits how to use social media successfully through conferences, workshops, panels and presentations. You can follow Fernandez on Twitter (www.twitter.com/sandrasays) and on her blog (www.sandrasays.com).

Elaine W. Krause
Elaine presently serves as President of International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Houston. In 2009, she (with Sandra Fernandez) co-chaired the Mayor’s Social Media Task Force, designing social media training for Houston neighborhoods and civic groups. Elaine is a freelance technical and business writer, working mainly in energy and software documentation and helping companies implement social media programs. She has facilitated workshops and conducted training for IABC regional and national conferences, UH Hurricane Business Recovery Center, UH Small Business Development Center, Houston Public Library.  Look for her on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter, by name or @ewkrause.

More info: sandra@sandrasays.com or info@ewkrausecom.com.