Monday, March 2, 2020

8:00 – 8:30 a.m.
REGISTRATION AND  BREAKFAST

8:30 a.m.
WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS FROM THE CHAIR

8:45 – 9:45 a.m. 

OPENING KEYNOTE: Talk Triggers
Daniel Lemin, co-founder, EatID
Acclaimed global speaker, co-founder & CMO, Selectivor – California

Word of mouth is directly responsible for as much as 50% of all purchases, and influences as much as 90%. Every human on earth relies on word of mouth to make buying decisions. Why is it, then, that even today fewer than 1% of companies have an actual strategy for generating these crucial customer conversations? We can change that. Talk Triggers delivers a clear roadmap that can be put into practice immediately, by any business.

In this exciting session you will discover:

– Proprietary research about why and how customers talk

– Examples from companies that are using talk triggers successfully including Doubletree Hotels by Hilton and The Cheesecake Factory, plus a host of delightful small businesses

– The 4-5-6 learning system (the 4 requirements for a differentiator to be a talk trigger; the 5 types of talk triggers; and the 6-step process for creating talk triggers)

Consumers are wired to discuss what is different, and ignore what is average. Be dared to not only think different, but get the precise formula to do it!

9:45 – 10:00 a.m.
NETWORKING REFRESHMENT BREAK

10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Internal Communications
Candace Denison, Manager, Communications & PR, Foothills School Division

The internal staff newsletter is dead; nobody reads it and you don’t like to write it. But what takes its place? How do you connect and engage with employees in a meaningful way?

In this session hear how Foothills School Division has changed to an “agreement culture”. Walking through the creation of an engagement plan, learn what strategies and tools exist to develop employees that feel more connected, informed, and valued in their work.

Learning Outcomes: Create an engagement plan (including purpose, needs, goals, objectives, timelines, budgets, evaluations). Learn strategies to improve internal communications including utilizing: Skype for Business, Social Media, and other online Engagement Tools such as ThoughtExchange and Class Intercom.

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Setting Everyone In the Same Direction: Listening to a Diverse Community to Create a Unified 10 Year Strategic Vision

Chris Henderson – Principal, Chris Henderson Communications & Consulting

Jacquelyn Cardinal – Co-Founder and Managing Director, Naheyawin

In this session you’ll learn about the process of building Edmonton’s 10-year cultural plan, a vision created with input from the entire cultural community, with particular attention to the relationship between the cultural plan and Edmonton’s Indigenous communities.

Key takeaways include:

• How to engage the broadest possible range of diverse stakeholder groups to create a singular strategic planning document designed to guide an entire civic sector.
• How to authentically reflect the needs of Indigenous cultural communities in a way that goes beyond the standards set out by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
• Considerations when transitioning collected engagement input into a practical and exciting communications product.

12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.
NETWORKING LUNCHEON

12:45 – 1:45 p.m. How to Make a Personal Connection through Storytelling
Cynthia Lockrey, Lockrey Communications

We now have countless technologies and ways to share information. Yet the age-old tool of storytelling is still the best way to make a personal connection so people tune in to what you’re saying. Cynthia will break down the elements of a story, uncover what makes a good story, learn the importance of storytelling as well as how to use it in your social media, presentations, emails, social media and more.

1:45 – 2:45 p.m. Bringing Listening to Life
Adam Rozenhart, Director of Story, ATB Financial

At ATB Financial, a regional financial institution in Alberta, we say that “we listen.” It’s in all of our advertising, all of our communications, and it’s something all team members are encouraged to do throughout their work day. But what value does listening bring to customers? Is it enough to simply listen?

At the SocialWest conference in 2018 and 2019, ATB sought to demonstrate what listening can do for people. They created the Listens Lounge activation to help enhance the conference-going experience. It netted ATB a ton of kudos, a few new customers, and an IABC Award of Excellence.

In this talk, ATB’s Director of Story will show you how the strategy was hatched, and the kinds of tactics it took to bring listening to life.

2:45 – 3:00 p.m.
REFRESHMENT BREAK

3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Engaging Albertans: The World of Government Marketing
Catherine Lee-Hannley

“Government marketing” can sometimes sounds like an oxymoron. In this presentation, you will glean an insider perspective on how the government uses strategic marketing (and advertising) as an important tool in communications and advocacy efforts to drive public change. I will share my experience and campaign examples during my tenure as a marketer for the Alberta Government. I will also share some tips for success for those who are interested in working in this space whether as an employee or a partner.

4:00 –5:00 p.m. It’s Yammer Time! Transforming Culture Through Social Collaboration
Paul Newmarch, Senior Advisor, Digital Employee Communications, Suncor Energy

Yammer was Suncor’s first small, but mighty step in shifting its culture, the way it works, and building a community that is open to working and connecting differently. It’s about connecting an entire workforce to the business including non-wired field employees. Within a year, Suncor went from thinking about social collaboration to launching Yammer to its entire employee base around the globe. This presentation will explore how Suncor moved from education and awareness to adoption of this social collaboration tool, the successes and challenges and the mindsets that needed to shift and the change communications required to bring this to life.

5:00 p.m.          CONFERENCE CONCLUDES FOR THE DAY