Digital Media Dinners- Social Media Branding Panelists

I’m very excited to announce the exciting lineup of panelists joining me at the next Digital Media Dinners taking place Thursday February 24th, 5:30-8pm at Jasmine Seafood Restaurant. We have some amazing professionals from extremely well known social networks!  The event topic is Social Media Branding. The audience will be educated on strategies to strengthen their brand across various social networks including review sites (Yelp, MojoPages), collective buying sites (Groupon, Location), location based sites (Foursquare, Gowalla), Facebook and Twitter.

Our panelists will answer all your tough questions and objections on specific networks. They will also provide their expertise on how to ensure your brand is received the optimal positive brand exposure online.

PANELISTS:

1. Danny Wurst- Community Manager, YELP: Danny Wurst is the Community Manager of San Diego Yelp and a lover of all foods. Originally a Chicago native, he has a B.A. in Media Studies and Public Relations from Loras College and if you know where that is he will buy you a beer. He came to San Diego 2 years ago by way of the hotel industry and has been yelping ever since, earning him the role of “mayor of Yelp” in town. If you ask him what his idea of a great night on the town would be he’ll tell you “the three B’s” — good Booze…good Burgers….good Buddies, not necessarily in that order.

2. Kate Grafton- Account Manager, Groupon San Diego: Kate Grafton is an Account Manager for Groupon. Originally from the midwest, she earned her B.A. in Business Administration/Accounting from Monmouth College. Her love of travel and dislike of bad weather brought her to San Diego 8 years ago where she started her career in sales, marketing and training for small business owners. She travelled across the country consulting small businesses before transitioning into advertising sales. She sees opportunities in the growing collective buying industry so decided to make Groupon her new professional home. She is currently helping San Diego businesses grow their customer base through Groupon features, traveling in her free time, and enjoying beautiful San Diego.

3. Lee Mills- VP of Marketing, MojoPages & Board Advisor, Deal Current: Lee Mills is a highly experienced sales & marketing professional dedicated to delivering a positive ROI. He is a recognized marketing industry expert who has case studies published, frequently speaks at industry conferences and was named a Rising Media Star by Media Magazine in 2004. His focus is on providing intelligent strategies, proven tactics and ROI. For the last several years Lee has been serving as the VP of Marketing for MojoPages.com. In his spare time he’s a sought after Consultant, a Board Advisor for Deal Current and an iMarketers Association Council Member.

At Digital Media Dinners you will learn:

• Hands-on, tactical tips to implement and incorporate immediately

• Knowledge on how to improve your brand image

• Tools to customize a compelling brand message to attract qualified customers

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

* Business Owners and Business Leaders

* Marketing and PR Executives

* CMOs, Marketing Managers and Directors

* Product and Brand Managers

* Anyone interested in learning how Social Media will help grow your business

Reserve your spot today by registering HERE

Marketing Melodie Speaks Social Media in Beirut, Lebanon

I’ve been hinting to my social network for the past week that I have a big international trip coming up! I am proud to announce my next international speaking engagement in Beirut, Lebanon. The Internet Society hosts INET Conferences across the world. Earlier this year, they sent me to Hong Kong for the INET Asian Regional Conference and in a couple weeks I’ll be making my way to the Middle East.

Professional Speaking on social media, teaching educational classes and seminars and hosting social media workshops continues to grow as the most high demand services from my company. I started speaking a few years ago to share my enthusiasm and knowledge on marketing and how the digital tools I use could help others. As I gained more experience, I began to receive more requests to speak. Speaking became instrumental to the growth of my business and it noticeably benefited others so I developed a professional speaking platform as a business service I now offer through my company.

This year alone has been filled with significant opportunities for my speaking career both nationally and internationally. Getting paid to talk about a subject I’m passionate about while educating and empowering others with my knowledge is a true gift that I’m grateful for. My career is also presenting me with amazing chances to see the world with my next stop being Beirut, Lebanon.

Just a few years ago Beirut was a dangerous place full of turmoil. Since Beirut is gaining back up their reputation as a vibrant place to live, work and visit, the Internet Society recognized the need for a conference of this nature in Lebanon. They’ve made efforts to ensure a world class event with prestigious speakers and an educational agenda. I feel safe knowing that they’re providing secure travel accommodations for those coming from out of the country.

The famous traveler Anthony Bourdain most recognized for this show on the Travel Channel, No Reservations goes back to Beirut just earlier after a heart breaking trip in 2006 to show Americans the amazing food, sights and culture. CNN has an American correspondent in Beirut to report on the travel destination and Beirut tourism continues to grow as a prime spot for travelers to visit in the Middle East.

I leave for Beirut Lebanon on October 8^th. I’ll be the featured Social Media speaker at event name on October 14^th and will return to the states on October 18^th. I’m excited and grateful for this opportunity. I’m also determined not to get jet lagged! Please feel free to share any travel tips, your own experience with traveling to the Middle East and your ideas presenting Social Media to a new audience.

Educating My Way to Success (Platt College San Diego)

I’ve emphasized in many previous posts the importance of education especially in the online world as it’s such a rapidly changing space. It’s important to understand what works and what’s no longer relevant in order to stay ahead of evolving technology, be an early adopter and really understand the landscape of the social media revolution. Read more