IABC WORLD CONFERENCE 2011: A MEMBER’S PERSPECTIVE

In April, IABC/Tulsa and IABC Southern Region paired up to offer one person an opportunity to attend his or her first IABC World Conference. In order to win the trip to San Diego, all IABC/Tulsa members were invited to show a little creativity in the social media world. Jennifer Pigeon – known as @journaljenn in the Twitter world – was the winning member. Just in case you didn’t follow her tweets from sunny California, she offers the highlights of the conference in this month’s newsletter.

Greetings fellow Tulsa-chapter IABC members! I wanted to share with you some details from my recent trip to the world conference. It’s hard for me personally to not feel completely overwhelmed and out of my element in environments I am unfamiliar with. Part of my personal development involves pushing myself out of my comfort zones and experiencing new things.

I admit that part of me was a little intimidated upon my arrival to the IABC World Conference (or #iabc11 if you followed the event via Twitter). But, as I began to meet new people I found myself becoming more and more intrigued by the amount of talent all gathered in one place.

I wore with pride my badge declaring that I was a member of the recently announced “Small Chapter of the Year.” I met some awesome people from literally all across this country and around the globe, and brought back valuable information about communications, strategy and engagement.

So many conferences and training sessions I have been to in the past have been little more than how-to guides on popular social media tactics. I am happy to report that is not the case with IABC! 

Many of the sessions I attended focused on message, which we all know is the root of our business. Without a strong message, all of the latest tools and technologies really don’t amount to much.

Content, feedback, creativity and merging new media with traditional practices all have a place at the table of what we now have to consider “the new normal.”

We may not be completely sure where the tech world is heading, but I am positive with industry leaders like ours we will be guided down an innovative path, which will help us to give ALL our stakeholders a voice!

Thank you for this experience and the opportunity to be your Tulsa-chapter representative this year. I look forward to working with all of you as I assume my new position as Communications VP on our chapter board!

I’d like to end with a small summary of the conference – in 140 characters or less!

Innovative leaders strategically guiding business communicators toward an uncertain, but exciting future! #iabc11

Connect with your fellow IABC members in more ways than ever before. We’ve established a presence on the most popular social media platforms available. We invite you to join and connect with us through these groups.

Facebook
More than 3,000 people have joined IABC International’s Facebook page, and our local page is growing as well. Just search under “International Association of Business Communicators, Tulsa chapter” and you will see our page. Become a fan and get the latest IABC/Tulsa news and connect with current and prospective members.

Twitter
Do you Tweet? Twitter is one of the hottest tools in social media. You can now follow IABC/Tulsa and get instant updates on the chapter news and other communication related items. Follow IABC/Tulsa on Twitter @IABCTulsa.

Wednesday, June 15
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Tei Kei’s
1616 South Utica Avenue
(918) 382-7777

After embarking on a multi-year employee communication strategy, Verizon has launched the major piece of its multi-thronged integrated employee communication: the Enterprise Homepage. It provides a consistent experience for all employees, no matter where they are organizationally. Business groups can personalize content, and employees can customize their experience. And it has earned recognition from the Nielsen Norman Group as one of the year’s Top 10 Intranets in the world.

Verizon’s Director of Corporate Communications Donna Itzoe Long will discuss this not-so-easy journey of extensive employee research, a massive “clutter-removal,” and entertaining ways to engage employees. She will discuss the project – the successes and the pain points – and demonstrate the resulting homepage, so you can get ideas for your organization.

Since 2001, Donna has been integral to the development and launch of various intranet and web-based applications and programs for Verizon. This includes the birth of Verizon’s employee website and the Digital Workplace, which was cited by Forester as a Best Practice, citing Donna’s role as lead communication strategist. Prior to her current role as Director of Corporate Communications at Verizon, she was a communications manager for EDS in Plano, Texas, for five years and held a similar position at Dallas-based Internet marketing firm imc2. She was named 2003 Communicator of the Year by the Dallas chapter of IABC and served on the Board of Directors for several board terms, most recently as the 2010 president of the chapter.

Be sure to reserve your seat today. We look forward to seeing you there.

by Steve Higgins, IABC/Tulsa President

A recent New York Times article pondered the unlikely staying power of the Drudge Report, the politically conservative website that first gained attention during the Clinton years.

The Drudge Report, according to the Times, drives more online news traffic than any other website except Google.

Whatever you think of Drudge’s political leanings, you have to be impressed with what he’s accomplished with a simple, plain-Jane home page inelegantly crammed full of text links. (The look and feel of the Drudge Report is grayer than the Gray Lady herself.) He’s basically created an enduring, trusted, popular news brand – using other people’s reporting.

He does it, apparently, by knowing his audience and collecting content that matters to them. Yes, he is known for writing his own sensational, even inflammatory, headlines to the stories he links to – that’s his way of further customizing the news to engage (or enrage) his readers. Yet the vast majority of the content on his page is not his own.

So what do you call what Drudge does? It’s not reporting. It’s not editing. It’s not journalism at all, per se. It’s “content curation.”

IABC President Julie Freeman talked about content curation at our May luncheon meeting during her speech on trends in business communication. Julie gave several examples of companies that are attracting followers by establishing themselves as the go-to content source for their customers or stakeholders.

Most of these companies appear to be doing basically what Matt Drudge has been doing for years – providing an aggregation point for headlines and links that appeal to a defined audience. What they’re not doing, for the most part, is creating original content of their own.

Long associated with museums, the word curation is kind of a buzzword right now. It’s being applied to everything from music festivals to clothing retailers to restaurant menus.

Nevertheless, the concept of content curation makes sense at a time when the competition for the public’s attention is greater than ever.

Many of us may not be fans of Drudge’s partisan political posturing. But you’d be hard pressed to find a better example of content curation building a massive, loyal audience – and without a speck of color on the page.

The 2011-12 board slate for IABC/Tulsa was announced at the chapter’s May meeting. In case you missed it, here’s what was announced:

• President: Shannon Frederick
• Past President: Steve Higgins
• VP, Finance: Tom Droege
• VP, Professional Development: Phillip Harris & Rachel Payne
• VP, Communications: Jennifer Pigeon
• VP, Membership: Summer Austin & Stephanie Cole
• VP, Hospitality: Lucia O’Connor
• VP, Special Projects: Dena Wind
• Member at Large: Megan Lewis
• Secretary: Amethyst Cavallaro
• VP, Awards: Angela Byers

The chapter will vote on the board slate at the June meeting. Make plans to attend and cast your vote!

Each month, IABC/Tulsa features one of its members in the “Meet A Member” section of the newsletter. This month, we learn more about Amethyst Cavallaro, who works as a communications specialist at Williams.

IABC/Tulsa: You have a very unique name. Tell us about it.
Amethyst: Yes, I do. It came from my mother’s birthstone.

IABC/Tulsa: It’s been a while since we highlighted someone from Williams. Tell us why you love your job.
Amethyst: My colleagues. I have such professional and accomplished communicators in my department. They each have a great sense of humor too.

IABC/Tulsa: How long have you been with IABC?
Amethyst: I joined IABC not long ago – a little over a year. Steve Higgins invited me to a meeting as soon as I joined Williams. The sincerity and kindness from the club members convinced me it was the right place for me. I’ve been nominated to serve as IABC secretary and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to get more involved.

IABC/Tulsa: What is the best meeting/seminar/conference you have ever attended?
Amethyst: It was an honor to hear Julie Freeman, IABC president, in person last month. She’s a skilled communicator and had interesting thoughts on the future of our field. I also enjoy our informal gatherings. It’s always great to get to know our members better.

IABC/Tulsa: When you’re not working, what do you like to do?
Amethyst: Go to the lake with my husband and our two goofy golden retrievers. I like outdoor activities: hiking, running, sailing. And yoga keeps me sane.

We also love to visit Vieste, Italy where my husband is from. It’s really beautiful with pebble beaches, brilliant blue sea and vibrant green hills surrounding it all. Makes visiting my in-laws not such a bad deal.

IABC/Tulsa: What’s your favorite restaurant?
Amethyst: My house. My husband is a fantastic and inventive cook. Just don’t ask him to grill anything.

IABC/Tulsa: The future of the field of communications…
Amethyst: …will continue to evolve technologically, but there are time-honored basics that are true no matter what medium you use. Make sure you’ve got the basics down and be adventurous on how you use technology to deliver your messages to the right audience.

IABC/Tulsa: What advice would you give to communications professionals who are just entering the workforce?
Amethyst: Find a mentor. And be patient with yourself. You can’t know everything right away. Ask questions. You’ll find your veteran communicators want to mentor you just like they were mentored.

Thursday, June 9
5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Kilkenny’s Irish Pub & Eatery
1413 East 15th Street
Tulsa, OK 74120
(918) 582-8282

It’s time to grab some business cards and join IABC/Tulsa for a Happy Hour Thursday, June 9 at Kilkenny’s Irish Pub. Networking begins at 5:30 p.m. Register now, spread the word and bring your friends.

Please RVSP through IABC/Tulsa’s registration system. Attendees may purchase their drinks at the bar. Come and enjoy!

Wednesday, May 18
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Philbrook Museum of Art
2727 South Rockford Rd.
Tulsa, OK 74117

We’re rolling out the red carpet…

IABC President Julie Freeman will make her first trip to Tulsa next month and will be the featured guest at a very special chapter luncheon.

Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to hear from our organization’s international leader. Julie will talk to us about international trends for our industry, and offer advice so we can all stay ahead of the game. She’ll also talk about ways to get involved in IABC international without having to travel beyond our local chapter.

Be sure to reserve your seat today. Space will be limited.

by Steve Higgins, IABC/Tulsa President

To celebrate IABC/Tulsa’s award for Small Chapter of the Year, our chapter and the IABC Southern Region are pairing up to give one person an opportunity to attend his or her first IABC World Conference. We’re offering one free registration plus $800 in travel money to this year’s conference in San Diego June 12-15.

To enter, simply tell us in 140 characters or less why you should represent IABC/Tulsa at this fabulous event.

To be eligible:

• You must be a member of IABC/Tulsa.
• You must be able to cover all expenses beyond the free registration and $800 travel stipend.
• You may not have attended a previous IABC World Conference.
• Your entry must appear on Twitter and include @iabctulsa – or be posted on the wall of IABC/Tulsa’s Facebook page.
• The deadline to tweet or post your entry must is midnight CT, April 28.

The IABC/Tulsa president, VP of communications and past president will select the winner to be announced Monday, May 2. For more information about the World Conference, click here.

Good luck!

Thursday, May 12
5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Vintage 1740
1740 South Boston Avenue

It’s time to grab some business cards and join IABC/Tulsa for a Happy Hour Thursday, May 12 at the Vintage 1740 wine bar. Networking begins at 5:30 p.m. Register now, spread the word and bring your friends.

Please RVSP through IABC/Tulsa’s registration system. Attendees may purchase their drinks at the bar. Come and enjoy!