SxSW Interactive: Day 1

Posted on 12. Mar, 2011 by

I am in Austin, TX this weekend for the interactive part of SxSW. Here, I’ll be attending educational sessions and networking events… and maybe a party or two with other social media, digital, advertising and public relations professionals in an effort to learn more about what is to come in the interactive field. My particular focus is on communications, journalism, and social good. Over the next few days I will blog about what I’ve taken away from the event. You may also follow me on Twitter for more up-to-the-minute updates.

I attended three sessions on Friday… here’s what I thought was most useful:

Writing Workshop with @BettyDraper: Saying It Short
Helen Klien Ross was a great presenter and made a lot of great points. The biggest take away for me was to review your social bios – what have you said about yourself? Don’t be bland.

Here’s the rest of my notes:

  • Don’t belabor in social media.
  • It’s much more important what you say and when you say it.
  • Elmore Leonard said it right: “Never use a verb other than ”said” to carry dialogue”
  • It’s not about telling it all… it’s about telling it right.
  • Say it different.
  • What others say about you is important to your story.

Why Everything is Amazing But Nobody is Happy
I have to say, I had high hopes for this session, but 20-minutes in, I was not feeling like I chose the best session to fit my needs. This session was a “Core Conversation”. So, I left the session early. What I did take from it was something that I need to reinforce in my own life – which is TURN OFF THE PHONE. It is so easy to get caught up in your technology and not be present with the people you are with IRL (aka in real life). Those spending time with you do deserve your attention… so give it to them and be good, old-fashioned respectful. (note: not always possible – but something to strive for)

Not My Job: The Ultimate Content Strategy Smackdown
This was a GREAT and lively panel. I was a few minutes late, meaning I did not get to the session until 10-minutes before it was scheduled to begin, and I got the very last seat in the room. This session was so popular that the speakers repeated it immediately following the scheduled session to another FULL room. Rather than list all of my notes on this session, check out what I had to tweet as well as others here. The biggest takeaway for me was a reinforcement of the fact that you need to build the content strategy first by performing the classic marketing function of defining your audience, determining what “language” they speak, and then as the brand – speaking that language so nothing is lost in translation.

On to day 2…

PR Best Practices for Social Media at SXSWi

Posted on 12. Aug, 2010 by

Each March thousands of web and digital strategists, social media “experts”, flacks (like me!), media, and many from other professions flock to Austin, TX for the South by Southwest Interactive (SXSWi) conference. I attended the event last year and learned a lot.  It was a fun, overwhelming, stimulating, engaging and highly educational experience.

Upon returning home from the event, I started to think about how I might contribute to one of the sessions.  Well, with the help of some friends – I figured it out!

In March 2011 for SXSWi I hope to be part of a four-person panel with Sarah Evans, Ryan Osborn, and Jason Kintzler.  The title of the proposed panel is: Spin Doctors: PR Best Practices for Social Media.

The process to have your panel chosen to be part of the event is three-fold. And is weighted as follows:

30%            Staff Choice

30%            Crowdsource – via PanelPicker

40%            Advisory Board

To vote, log onto the PanelPicker site and register.  Registration is free and is only a few steps.  After you have confirmed your registration, please consider giving our panel a “This idea rocks”-thumbs up.  You do not have to attend the event to vote.

Thanks for your consideration.