Breakout Sessions, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
"Voices You Can Trust: Leveraging the Appropriate Spokesperson"
Carranza Room, Second Floor
Spokespeople have always been a given in the public relations industry. However, the pros also realize that the biggest names do not necessitate a successful promotion of a destination or brand. Hear case studies on how local faces brought depth, credibility, media interest and enhanced branding to destinations. In this session, you will learn:
- Where to find the spokespeople who will best represent your program.
- How to generate awareness with spokespeople who can authentically promote and energize promotions.
The best approach to incorporating spokespeople into brand ambassadors or blogger outreach.
Lindsey Brown, director of marketing and public relations, Greater Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau, has worked for the GHCVB since December 2003 and manages media relations. In her role as director of marketing, Brown integrates her knowledge of media relations into the other aspects of marketing/promotions, advertising, graphic design and the website. Prior to joining the GHCVB, Brown worked as the special projects coordinator at Houston Ballet's Ben Stevenson Academy. Brown began her career at Vollmer Public Relations and worked in both their Dallas and Houston offices. Her clients included Travelocity and Marie Callendar's. Brown graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in public relations. She is a board member of the Public Relations Society of America’s Travel and Tourism Section and an associate member of the Society of American Travel Writers.
Robert Salluce, director of community relations & strategic initiatives, San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau, has worked with the bureau since 2002 in public relations, marketing and advertising and was the key City staffer coordinating the visitor industry’s Destination:SA long-term planning process in 2006 and 2010. Before joining the SACVB, he coordinated communications for the San Antonio Independent School District’s (SAISD) bond programs, representing more than $600 million in construction at some 90 campuses. Prior to SAISD, he was a project coordinator with the City’s project management office, overseeing the Convention Center Expansion project. Salluce currently serves on several volunteer and professional committees and boards including the board of the Artists Foundation of San Antonio, the executive committee for Luminaria Arts Night in San Antonio, San Antonio’s BRAC Public Relations Committee and the Greater Chamber of Commerce Image and Communications Advisory Board.
Susan Lomax is associate vice president of Visit Orlando where she oversees global publicity and social media for the #1 family destination and one of the top North American meetings destinations. Her more than 15-year career in public relations and marketing includes working with many of the most recognizable hospitality companies in the world such as Universal Orlando Resort, Atlantis, Paradise Island; the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA Tour); and Paramount Parks, A Viacom Company. Her work has included everything from launching new attractions, hotels and restaurants; to promoting destination resorts and sporting events; to creating and executing compelling promotions and special events. Lomax has garnered numerous national industry awards including HSMAI Platinum and Gold Adrian Awards, Bulldog Gold Awards, and the coveted Silver Anvil Award of Excellence from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
(Repeat) "Web Analytics: The New Clip Report"
Zapata Room, Second Floor
No public relations campaign should begin without foundational research and benchmarking studies. Before you launch your next campaign, explore the research possibilities that will give it a solid foundation of measurable results, and without relying on the success of a lone clip report. During this session, you will learn how:
- Public relations has changed, but for whatever reason, measurement methods haven’t.
- Web analytics and metrics have much more impact on an organization than clip reports.
- To make the transition from traditional measurement to more effective tools that assess social media and digital efforts.
Sandra Fathi is president and founder of Affect Strategies; president of PRSA-NY Chapter and past-president of PRSA Technology Section, Fathi has spent the past 15 years helping technology companies achieve their communications goals. Prior to founding Affect Strategies in 2002, Fathi led corporate communications and investor relations for RADVISION, a provider of video conferencing infrastructure products. Earlier in her career, she was on the technology team at Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, where she specialized in the networking, telecommunications, computer hardware, software and Internet business verticals. Fathi joined Edelman from Nokia, where she led marketing teams in the company's multimedia display products division. A New York native, Sandra attended New York University and graduated from Hebrew University of Jerusalem with a degree in International Relations.
(Repeat) "Tools of the Trade: What’s the Buzz in 2011?"
Villa Room, Second Floor
Last year, location-based social media platforms, such as FourSquare, gained traction among users seeking to align their real-world footprints with their online traffic. The iPad provided magazines and newspapers an opportunity to reposition within an increasingly digital marketplace. Twitter continued to engage consumers and become an even greater part of travel public relations practitioners’ social media plans. So, what’s next? Join public relations practitioners to discuss the evolution of social media tools and which apps every should be in every hospitality communicator’s toolbox. You will learn:
- Where digital platforms best dovetail traditional tactics.
- The latest and greatest digital tactics to build on and which to avoid.
- How to reach your goals without breaking your budget.
Moderator Rich Teplitsky, public relations, corporate communications and social media executive; co-chair, PRSA Section Council; immediate past chair, PRSA Technology Section.
Michael Iams, principal product manager, mobile products, MapQuest
Phil Schwartz, CMO, Intelity
Michelle Wohl is vice president of marketing and client services at Revinate. With more than 15 years of technology marketing under her belt, Wohl has lived through many great bubbles. A true dotcom gal, she started her career at GoLive Systems, creators of the first WYSIWYG Web authoring product for the Mac. The company was acquired by Adobe in 1999. At Adobe, Wohl led product marketing for the Web products, and later, Acrobat. Passionate about helping people communicate better on the Web, she left Adobe to join the first social network, Friendster, as the Director of Marketing. Later, Wohl took her passion for social media to Sprout as VP of Marketing. At Sprout she worked with some of the leading brands such as Disney, Coke and Pepsi to develop social media campaigns and strategies. Now happily working with her old high school pal, Marc Heyneker, Wohl is looking forward to helping the hospitality industry harness the power of social media. Wohl graduated from Cornell University with a BA in English.