2011 was a year filled with incredible advancements in the digital and social spaces. Companies and tools came on the scene and caused a ruckus, while others snuck out the back door. With 2012 right around the corner, it’s time to put on our prognosticator hats and make some predictions.

Join us on Tuesday, December 13 for an Ignite-style event, sponsored by Bing featuring a growing list of area and industry experts that will focus on coming trends and how social will impact our lives in the coming year (and beyond). Come help us send 2011 out with a bang!

December Event Details -

Date – Tuesday, December 13th, 2011

Time – 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Location – Microsoft Main Campus (Redmond)

Tickets – $10 (Includes Drinks and Appetizers)

About the Speakers:

Mark Briggs, King 5

Mark Briggs is the author of Entrepreneurial Journalism, a book about the rise of journalism startups and how to start your own journalism business. It was published by CQPress and released in October 2011. He is currently director of digital media for King 5 Television in Seattle and a Ford Fellow in Entrepreneurial Journalism at The Poynter Institute. Previously, he co-founded Serra Media, a
Seattle-based technology company, and spent nine years running newspaper websites in Everett and Tacoma, Wash.

Kushal Chakrabarti

Kushal began working on Vittana on a gut feeling in 2007. After months of talking to anyone who would return his calls, reading everything he could find on education and microfinance, and putting together different pieces of the organization, Kushal decided to devote himself full-time to Vittana in May 2008.

Previously, Kushal ran technology for a billion-dollar team at Amazon.com and is the author of 20+ patents, papers and talks. In his free time, he runs Ironman triathlons and trains guide dogs for the blind. Kushal was named one of Seattle’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2010 and the Greatest Person of the Day by the Huffington Post in 2011.

Donald DeSantis

Donald DeSantis is a developer and designer at TechStars company Giant Thinkwell. In his free time, he travels to faraway cities and helps ensure that Startup Weekend events are awesome. You can find him on Twitter at @donalddesantis.

Pascal Schuback, King Country Office of Emergency Management

Pascal Schuback is a Core member and the Seattle city lead for CrisisCommons. Pascal’s day time job is a full time Emergency Management Program Manager at King County Office of Emergency Management.  He is presenting on behalf of CrisisCommons and how they use the integration of technology, open data in emergency management/public safety arena and global crisis and humanitarian aid.  With a focus to better prepare, plan, respond and recover from all types of disasters.

About the Sponsor

Bing is more than just a search engine; it’s a decision engine that provides useful tools to help you make more informed decisions and get what you want fast.

Find Bing on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/bing

Find Bing on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bing

Find Bing on the Web: www.bing.com

About SMC Seattle

SMC Seattle fosters an online community where diverse groups of people who care about social media can come together to discover, connect, share, and learn. To learn more, visithttp://smcseattle.com/, follow SMC Seattle on Twitter: http://twitter.com/smcseattle or become a Fan of Social Media Club on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SMCSeattle

I asked Brian Rauschenbach to share some of his thoughts on why folks should attend the conference, so read on for his thoughts. Oh, and go register now!

By Brian Rauschenbach, Seattle Interactive Conference

We are very pleased to extend a special invitation for all SMC members to join us for the first annual Seattle Interactive Conference, a major two-day event set for November 2-3 celebrating the convergence of online technology, creativity, and emerging trends in one of the world’s most innovative cities. SIC brings together entrepreneurs, developers and online business professionals from throughout the US and beyond for a powerful combination of in-depth presentations, networking opportunities, and uniquely Seattle social events.

An event of this nature is long overdue for the Pacific Northwest and we are very happy to extend a great discount offer for all SMC members to get $100 off the price of registration when you use the code smc2011. Attendees will have the rare opportunity to explore disruptive technologies and business models from industry thought leaders and peers in areas ranging from online commerce and social media to gaming, interactive advertising, entertainment, and much more.

The speaker line-up is packed with local and national interactive industry veterans, including some SMC members like Shauna Causey of Nordstrom, Jonathon Colman of REI, Kevin O’Reily of Spring Creek Group, Erica May of Pop Cap Games, Blake Cahill of Banyan Branch and Sean O’Driscoll of Ant’s Eye View, among others.

We have also planned some great after-parties each night, starting with the pre-event ‘Battle of the Geek Bands’ contest and party set for the evening of November 1. Held at Showbox SoDo, the November 1 pre-SIC party also features an exclusive set performed by The Presidents of the United States of America. The evening of November 2 will find a digital vs analog DJ set with FOURCOLORZACK vs. DJ NEIGHT1000, held at the Showbox Market, with Shabazz Palaces performing, as well. Entrance to these events is free for all SIC attendees.

We’ll be announcing some final additions to the event’s overall agenda and speaker roster, as well as some more closing party artists soon. Overall, SIC is shaping up to bring our region the world-class technology event it deserves — from professional, networking, and social standpoints. So, go register now and don’t forget to use the code smc2011! See you in November.

And, as a special treat, we want to offer one of you a FREE pass. Simply leave a comment below saying which speaker you are looking to hearing from the most and you’ll be eligible to win. Simple!

SMC Seattle and the Word of Mouth Marketing Association have teamed up to present the Talkable Brands Exchange here in Seattle. We’d love for you to register now for the event and come learn from top brands on how they have created and leveraged their brand advocates.

What goes better after a conference filled with learning about word of mouth marketing and meeting some of the brightest minds in the space? Why, spending more time with them at the official closing happy hour hosted by SMC Seattle, of course! Also, you’ll have the chance to go deeper into the topics of the day as speakers and panelists from the WOMMA event will be onhand.

Join Social Media Club Seattle (SMC Seattle) and WOMMA on Wednesday, September 21 for a reception filled with good food, great drinks, and amazing conversations. The event, hosted at Bell Harbor International Conference Center, will be the perfect way to cap off a great day-long event. Don’t forget, WOMMA Talkable Brands Exchange attendees receive free admission to the reception, so sign up today.

There will be giveaways throughout the night, including a pass and lodging for WOMMA’s national summit in lovely Las Vegas, Nevada. So, be there and bring your lucky shoes because you could be headed on a trip filled with great learnings, interesting people, and maybe a little table time courtesy of WOMMA and SMC Seattle.

Register for the WOMMA Talkable Brands Exchange here.

Register for the SMC Seattle Closing Happy Hour here.

September Event Details

Date – Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Time – 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Location – Bell Harbor International Conference Center

2203 Alaskan Way, Pier 66
Seattle, Washington
P: 206.787.3952
www.bellharbor.com

Tickets – Free for WOMMA Talkable Brands Exchange attendees. $10 for non-attendees of the WOMMA Talkable Brands Exchange event (limited to 100 tickets).

Parking – Street parking, paid lots, and valet services available

To spotlight WOMMA, we asked WOMMA president Rod Brooks to write a quick post outlining the event and how you can sign up.

By Rod Brooks, WOMMA President

When you hear “word of mouth,” what comes to mind? Storytelling? Sharing experiences? Referrals and recommendations perhaps? At its core, the common denominator is people. People talking to people. Friends sharing with friends. Face to face. Voice to voice. And now, via digital messages and mobile technologies.

My first real awareness of the power of friend-to-friend communication stems from a popular 1980s television commercial with Heather Locklear pitching Faberge Organic Shampoo. Some might recall Heather saying, “It was so good that I told two friends about it. And they told two friends. And so on. And so on. And so on.” As Heather’s image and voice multiplied exponentially, the power of a personal recommendation became clear.

That power remains real today. Smart marketers and brand managers recognize the consumer is in charge and able to influence the rise and fall of products, brands, and companies that excite or disappoint. It’s critical that word of mouth, both online and offline, be well understood and integrated not just into marketing strategies and campaigns, but into the overall operations and leadership of your entire enterprise.

On Wednesday, September 21, The Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA)the pioneering association for brands and agencies, is coming to Seattle. It’s an opportunity for marketers to participate in a face to face knowledge forum where brands and practioners openly share and discuss their social marketing successes, learnings, and best practices. The one-day event will be held at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center in Seattle. WOMMA has partnered with the Social Media Club Seattle who will host their monthly event following the WOMMA Talkable Brands Exchange. Those attending the TBE will receive complimentary access to the SMC Seattle reception.

WOMMA is the premier nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing and advocating the discipline of credible word of mouth marketing. Founded in 2004, WOMMA comprises more than 350 regional, national, and global marketers – brands and agencies – who jointly shape how businesses ethically and effectively use word of mouth marketing to enable talkable brands.

Attendees of the Talkable Brands Exchange Seattle will hear from WOMMA members with hands-on, practical knowledge of implementing WOM campaigns, including Hershey, Warner Brothers, McDonald’s, Unilever, Ogilvy, Keller Fay, Brains in Fire, and more. Topics include:

• Measuring Consumer Motivations: The Key to Brand Connection
• WOMMA’s Stand on Next-Generation Ethics Challenges
• Social Customer Care: The Brand’s Role
• Conversation Triggers: What Gets Customers Talking
• Respond, Listen… How to Engage Your Audience
• Bringing SEXY Back to Offline Marketing

Attendees will have access to empirical data that demonstrates what it takes to ignite consumer conversations, learn how to effectively leverage social media as a service and support channel, and be reminded it’s important to bring “sexy” back to offline engagement.

If you are a brand marketer of any level tasked with implementing or measuring offline and/or online engagement initiatives, I encourage you to attend this valuable event. Seats are limited, so register today! For more information go to http://womma.org/talkablebrands/seattletbe/

Join Social Media Club Seattle (SMC Seattle) at Seattle City Hall on Tuesday, June 28 for a panel featuring Jason Reid and Adam Brown of Sonicsgate fame, CommonCraft founder Lee LeFever, and Ben Crawford of Epipheo Studios. SMC President-elect Shauna Causey will moderate the panel of experts which will touch on storytelling in the video age, creating great content and using social media to spread their messages and engage viewers.

Event Details:

Date – Tuesday, June 28

Time – 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Location – Seattle City Hall, Bertha Knight Landes Room, 600 Fourth
Ave., Seattle, WA 98104

Tickets – $15 (includes two drink tickets and appetizers)

Parking – Street parking available as well as paid lots nearby

About the Panelists

Jason Reid (Sonicsgate) – Jason has worked in film and video production in Seattle, where he was born and raised, for the last 7 years. He attended the University of Washington and graduated with distinction in 2000 with a double major in Cinema Studies and Comparative Literature. He now owns his own production company, 2R Productions, and works with companies such as Microsoft, Costco, and Nordstrom regularly. In regards to creative projects, over the last 5 years he has amassed a large body
of work consisting of a feature film, short narrative films, documentaries, and music videos, which he has produced, directed, and/or edited. Reid also received a regional EMMY for his film “Man Zou: Beijing to Shanghai.”

Adam Brown (Sonicsgate) –  Adam is a dedicated film producer with a diverse background in content creation, media campaigns, digital marketing and event management. He graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in Communication and Journalism, writing articles for magazines such as Klipsun, What’s Up! and The Planet while playing guitar in local rock, funk and hip-hop bands. After moving back to the Seattle area and gaining experience in marketing positions with IntelliTax Software, Loud Technologies and Microsoft, he became Media Director for the nonprofit group Save Our Sonics in 2007. In 2009, he produced, co-wrote and co-edited the Webby Award-winning feature documentary film Sonicsgate: Requiem for a Team (2009), going on to start up his professional media company Press and Promotion later that year. In addition to creating media content for corporate clients, Adam is currently producing several independent film projects and leading the promotional campaigns for recent films such as Back to the Garden: Flower Power Comes Full Circle (2009) and the Emmy® Award-winning Man Zou: Beijing to Shanghai (2010).

Sonicsgate on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/sonicsgate

Lee LeFever – Lee LeFever is the founder and principal of Common Craft, producers of the popular series of paper-and-whiteboard video explanations. Since 2007 Common Craft’s videos have been viewed over 35 million times online and the company has worked on custom video projects with LEGO, Visa, Intel, Ford and Google among others. Common Craft’s current focus is making videos that help educators shine. Lee and his wife Sachi are Common Craft’s only employees and work from their home studio in Seattle’s Mount Baker neighborhood.

Commoncraft online: http://www.commoncraft.com

Lee on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/leelefever

Common Craft on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/commoncraft

Common Craft on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/commoncraft

Ben Crawford – Ben Crawford is one of the co-founders of Epipheo Studios which is one of the most popular and successful producers of explanatory videos. They call their videos ”epipheos” which is a combination of the words epiphany and video. Since they released their super popular epipheo “What is Google Wave” they have been able to sign some of the top web companies in the world as their clients, including, Facebook, Microsoft, Intel, NBC, etc. and of course Google on several occasions.

Epipheo online: http://www.epipheostudios.com

Epipheo on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/epipheo

Ben on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/3enCrawford

About Our Sponsors

Seattle City Council

The Seattle City Council is committed to ensuring that Seattle is safe, livable and sustainable. These nine Councilmembers are elected to four-year terms in nonpartisan elections and represent the entire City, elected by all Seattle voters. The Council approves the City’s budget, develops laws and policies that promote the health and safety of Seattle’s residents and oversees the City’s police, fire, parks, libraries, and electric, water, solid waste, and drainage utilities.

The public is encouraged to join Councilmembers at all full Council and committee meetings and comment on current legislation by signing up before the start of each meeting. Visit the Council’s website for meeting calendars, agendas and video footage.

Seattle City Council online: http://www.seattle.gov.council

Seattle City Council on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SeattleCouncil

Seattle City Council on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SeattleCouncil

United Way of King Country

United Way of King County brings caring people together to give, volunteer and take action to help people in need and solve our community’s toughest challenges. Together, we can do more to meet basic needs, end homelessness and ensure every child in King County has an equal chance to succeed.

United Way of King County online: http://www.uwkc.org/

United Way of King County Twitter: http://twitter.com/UnitedWayKC

United Way of King County on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/United-Way-of-King-County/151932322263

February Event Details: Date: Thursday, March 24 Time: 6 to 9:30 p.m. Location: Ray’s Boathouse – 6049 Seaview Ave NW Seattle, WA 98107 Donation Levels: $30 – Attendee // $50 – Silver // $100 – Gold (Note: Appetizers and one drink ticket included with any donation amount) About FareStart: Over the past 19 years, FareStart has provided culinary training opportunities to nearly 5,000 people in need. Through their intensive 16-week program, FareStart empowers and prepares more than 600 homeless and disadvantaged men and women each year for jobs in the food services industry. With more than 80% of program graduates securing living-wage employment, it’s evident that FareStart plays a critical role in restoring hope and rebuilding lives in our community. To hear some moving stories straight from FareStart students, check out this YouTube video. To learn more about FareStart’s history and mission, or to make a reservation at their delectable downtown Seattle restaurant, visit their website. To hear about their latest venture, a national collaborative network aimed to maximize the scale of their impact, visit Catalyst Kitchens.

Special thanks to our lead sponsors, Microsoft Alumni Association (MSA) and Zebigo!

About MSA:

The Microsoft Alumni Network (MSA) helps support former Microsoft employees as they move on to pursue new opportunities. The official membership organization for Microsoft alumni worldwide, MSA, enables more than 18,000 Microsoft alumni to benefit from valuable connections, career opportunities, and exclusive discounts on products and services.

Microsoft Alumni Network: https://www.microsoftalumni.com Twitter: @microsoftalumni Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/MicrosoftAlumni

 

About Zebigo:

Zebigo is an on-demand, dynamic ride sharing system and community for drivers and riders. Through our proprietary software at http://zebigo.com and mobile applications, we match drivers and riders commuting to and from work, going to sports and entertainment events, or for one-way trips. Riders pay drivers by the mile plus a $0.49 transaction fee to Zebigo.com for making the match. Find out some average prices a rider would pay at https://zebigo.com/faq.php#how-much2 and see how much you can save (or earn as a driver!) by ride sharing. Zebigo: http://zebigo.com Twitter: @zebigo Facebook: http://facebook.com/zebigo

Thanks to the following local companies for providing great items for Seattle Twestival attendees!

Thinkspace

Microsoft Xbox

Anacortes Brewery

Pan Pacific Hotel

About the Speakers

Clay McDaniel (Moderator) Clay McDaniel is a Principal and co-founder of Spring Creek Group, an interactive marketing agency focused on social media brand analytics and marketing campaign services located in Seattle, Washington. Clay’s expertise includes guiding clients through the process of benchmarking and tracking brand engagement online, as well as designing and implementing social media channel strategies for established and emerging consumer brands. Twitter: @springcreekgrp Jon Swartz Jon Swartz, USA TODAY’s award-winning technology reporter and Pulitzer Prize nominee, covers Silicon Valley trends, social networking, Apple and various aspects of Internet security including software, spam and hacking. A high-tech journalist since 1987, Swartz has written for Chicago Tribune, Forbes, London Times, MacWEEK, San Francisco Chronicle and Times-Picayune. He has won numerous journalism awards and is a two-time finalist for the Loebs, the Pulitzer of business reporting. He has been nominated four times for the Pulitzer Prize. Swartz is co-author of Zero Day Threat: The Shocking Truth of How Banks and Credit Bureaus Help Cyber Crooks Steal Your Money and Identity and author of Young Wealth. Swartz appears regularly on NBC-Bay Area’s Press: Here technology show, and contributes to ABC News radio and CBS radio affiliate KFWB in Los Angeles. Twitter: @jswartz652 Adam Schoenfeld Co-founder & CEO, Simply Measured Adam is an entrepreneur passionate about helping businesses use social data to learn more about customers and generate results. He drives the strategy and operations for Simply Measured, a Seattle-based startup that makes easy to use social media measurement tools for brands and agencies. Twitter: @schoeny About the Sponsor: F5 Networks is a global leader in Application Delivery Networking (ADN), focused on ensuring the secure, reliable, and fast delivery of applications. F5’s architectural framework enables organizations enhance IT agility. F5’s vision of unified application and data delivery offers customers an unprecedented level of choice in how they deploy ADN solutions. It redefines the management of application, server, storage, and network resources, streamlining application delivery and reducing costs. For more information, go to www.f5.com. You can also follow @f5networks on Twitter or visit them on Facebook.

How do you effectively build ambassadors around an idea or product using social media?

Some brands have stumbled upon finding ambassadors, but others have set out to intentionally encourage this level of engagement. Join us on October 26th as David Armano, Senior Vice President at Edelman Digital, shares his insights on how to build a blueprint for managing your social embassies and creating advocates to help – through paid, owned and earned media.

A big thanks to this month’s sponsor, Swedish Medical Center, for making this event possible.

Get your tickets now — our events sell out in a snap!

About the Speaker:

With 14 years of digital marketing and user experience design under his belt, David Armano is a senior vice president at Edelman Digital. Advertising Age has ranked his blog, Logic + Emotion, one of the top media + marketing blogs. His writing and visual thinking has been cited by Forrester, the Boston Globe, and has landed him in BusinessWeek on several occasions, including their “Best of 2006”. Previous companies on his resume include: Critical Mass, Digitas, Agency.com, and Chicago Tribune.

Armano says he blends strategy with design, and looks for new business opportunities around the social Web to enhance the customer experience, connect individuals and innovate. He lives in the Chicago area, where he enjoys surfing the net, riding his motorbike, and spending quality time with his family.

Other fun facts from Armano: “I don’t have a middle name, consider myself a connoisseur of beef jerky and have been occasionally known to wear cowboy hats, but only if the mood strikes me.”

• Find him on the Web: EdelmanDigital.com and DavidArmano.com
• Follow him on Twitter: @armano

About Swedish Medical Center:

Swedish is not only on the cutting edge of the medical world, they’re also part of the growing world of social media. Whether you’re expecting a baby or dealing with a complex medical condition, or anything in between, Swedish has the people, technology and experience you can trust. For a century, Swedish has been the premier health-care provider in the Pacific Northwest and is meeting the needs of local neighborhoods through Greater Seattle and the Eastside. Help Swedish celebrate the grand opening its newest facility, a new ER and Outpatient Center in Ballard on Saturday, Nov. 6th. There will be great food and lots of fun activities for the whole family. Visit http://swedish.org/ballard for more details about the grand opening celebration.

• To learn more, visit Swedish on the Web
• Follow Swedish on Twitter
• “Like” Swedish on Facebook
• And, if you were born at Swedish (or if you had a baby at the hospital), “like” the hospital’s “I’m A Swedish Baby” page
• Subscribe to the Swedish YouTube channel

• Follow Alaska Airlines on Twitter.

October Event Details:

Date – Tuesday, October 26th
Time – 6 to 9 p.m.
Location – The Canal - 5300 34th Ave NW, Seattle, Washington  98107
Tickets - $15, includes two drinks and appetizers
Parking - The Canal has ample parking in the lot located in front of the building. Additional parking is available in the Ballard Locks parking lot after 5 p.m.

Social Media in the Political Realm

Do you ever wonder how politicians have used social media to mobilize the public on important issues? Join us! This month’s Social Media Club Seattle event takes a deep dive into how political campaigns and appointed government officials are using social media to connect with their constituents and the community.

The event, hosted and sponsored by the Woodmark Hotel in Kirkland, features a dynamic panel that includes experienced practitioners and political strategists including:

• Alison Byrne Fields – Former Creative Director and Chief Strategist on the Rock the Vote campaign. She’s currently working at DDB as the head of Issues & Advocacy and as the Senior Strategy Director for Social Media.
• Scott Stanzel - President of Stanzel Communication and former Deputy Press Secretary for President Bush
• Zach Silk – Former campaign manager for Chris Gregoire and Darcy Burner. Zach is now the Regional Field Director for the National Skills Coalition.

Interested in learning more about the issues and registering to vote? CityClub will be on-hand to launch the Living Voter’s Guide and help as a resource to anyone wanting to learn more. CityClub is a non-partisan group that informs and engages citizens to evaluate complex issues, make informed judgements and contribute to solutions that address issues vital to our region’s economy and quality of life.

The last two events have sold out in a matter of hours so grab your tickets quick if you plan on attending this month’s event! 

About the Speakers:

Alison Byrne Fields @abfdc
A decade ago, Alison began serving as Creative Director and Chief Strategist for Rock the Vote. Her work with Rock the Vote led her to Cambodia, Mexico and Austria, where (as a Salzburg Seminar faculty member) she helped civic engagement groups from Eastern Europe and Africa.

She attended Harvard and studied international HIV/AIDS policy and worked with the Kaiser Family Foundation and UNAIDS to create a strategic plan for the development of the Global Media AIDS Initiative. She’s also worked at Ogilvy PR — in their Social Marketing practice — where she helped lead efforts in global health. She’s a founding member of 360• Digital Influence, the agency’s social media practice. (She takes pride in the fact that she developed the strategy for the first ever blog from a Cabinet member.) She’s currently working at DDB as the head of Issues & Advocacy and as the Senior Strategy Director for Social Media.

Scott Stanzel @scottstanzel
Scott Stanzel has served in high profile communications roles for nearly 15 years. As a spokesman and media adviser for a United States Senator, the President of the United States and one of the most scrutinized Fortune 500 companies, Stanzel has managed communications strategy on many of the biggest news stories in recent times.

Stanzel currently lives in Seattle, Washington, where he founded Stanzel Communications, a firm providing public relations strategy, crisis communications and media training services to corporate clients, government leaders and political candidates.

Zach Silk @zachariahsilk
As Regional Field Director for the National Skills Coalition, Zach helps organize multi-stakeholder coalitions that advocate for workforce policy changes at both the state and federal levels. He provides technical assistance to state partners in the areas of coalition-building, policy analysis and press outreach, and supports more intensive legislative and communications campaigns within targeted states. Zach joined National Skills Coalition in 2010.

Zach was deputy campaign manager for Governor Chris Gregoire’s 2008 reelection campaign and campaign manager for U.S. Congressional candidate Darcy Burner in 2006. Prior to that, he was the political director for Washington Conservation Voters and a regional director for EnviroCitizen. Zach holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Washington and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. He is based in Seattle.

About Woodmark Hotel, Yacht Club & Spa
The Woodmark Hotel, Yacht Club & Spa is the only hotel on the picturesque shores of Lake Washington. The Woodmark features 100 rooms, including 21 suites, most with views of the lake, and all with luxury amenities. The Woodmark is the ideal in-town retreat only minutes from downtown Bellevue and other Eastside destinations. It offers a full-service spa, two exceptional restaurants, the elegant bin on the lake and more casual Beach Cafe, distinctive event spaces and an intimate, residential, waterside ambiance. www.thewoodmark.com Follow then on Twitter at: @WoodmarkHotel

September Event Details:
Date –  September 28, 2010
Time–  6-9 p.m.
Location— Woodmark Hotel, Yacht Club and Spa
1200 Carillon Point Kirkland, WA 98033
Tickets - $15 includes two drinks and appetizers

Social Media Club: Building a Global Community: Kristie Wells, Kevin Urie, Jason Falls, Serena Ehrlich and Connie Reece

Description: In August of 2006 Chris Heuer stood on the stage at Gnomedex and said, “I am launching Social Media Club”. In four years this grassroots organization has grown from the seed of an idea to 230+ local groups around the world, on every continent except Antarctica. This is the story of how an idea and belief in shared values has bound together 100′s of thousands of people around the world. Social Media Club’s mantra – “If you get it, share it” – highlights “sharing” as the key verb we should associate with social media, but when you dig deeper, its much more then what you see on the surface. Social Media is about people coming together, connecting for a common purpose. This panel will explore how the organization grew globally and how the best chapters found success.

Searching for your Crisis Communications Plan: Todd Friesen and Eric Berto

Description: The Crisis Communications Plan. Every company should have one but sadly most don’t. While traditional public relations can play the obligatory “No Comment” role, there are much more complex strategies in Search Engine Optimization and content creation that should be undertaken. These strategies include content creation and marketing through other already established channels of communication that can quickly help save a brand or vastly mitigate the impending damage both offline and online. In a world when consumers flock to the Internet for their research and news, controlling your brands’ message with the top listings on the major search engines and with the online and offline messaging your influentials are reporting is a key to controlling your messaging in times of crisis. Access key influencers online and control the brand name search results on Google and others using advanced SEO techniques and content strategies go a long way toward saving face and saving lost sales and revenue.

Time to Rethink Plugged-in Parenting: Maya Bisineer and Robert Scoble

Description: A reality show that tracks journeys and learning from the life of 5 – 10 media and device addicted parents from different backgrounds and careers as they experiment with specific ways “unplug from devices” while they parent. At the panel, these parents present their learning, their journey and specific outcomes of their unplugging experiments such as no-device dinners, no device vacations and dedicated no device hours every single day. Do these parents experience a better quality of life as a result of unplugging or do they replace their computers and mobile phones with something else that takes their attention? This panel will be a lively discussion, discovery and argument all rolled into one. As parents we should care about and involve ourselves in these valuable discussions and make our perspectives be heard. Panelists will be self nominated social media and device junkies willing to experiment.

It’s Not Scalable and That’s OK: One-Shot Campaigns: Michelle Broderick, Redfin

Crazy parties, bobble head swag, content audited by human beings: None of these things are scalable, but they can make a huge impact on the feelings and affinity people have towards a particular company. This panel will discuss marketing strategies that helped some of the best companies build a true personality around their brands. These types of campaigns might not be scalable, but that’s O.K. because we end up loving them.

Tired of @#%ing Social Media Experts?: Sean McDonald, Ant’s Eye View

You cannot swing a dead cat without hitting a “social media expert” (that is an expression, I am not suggesting kitty homicide). These “experts” are self anointed, often re-publishing sound bytes. But perhaps the best answers come from practitioners, like you. Join this session to get real answers from your peers on the toughest questions in social media. Format will be a game show where audience volunteers are asked a question. The worst answer will lose their seat. There will be a final round to anoint the “social media expert.” The winner (determined by the audience) will win a valuable prize, in addition to the glory. You will learn real answers to real questions, but perhaps most importantly learn that the real experts getting business results are not necessarily the ones who who spend the most time to pimping themselves on Twitter.

Be The Voice Of Science: Engage, Empower, Educate: Wendy Sue Swanson, Seattle Children’s Hospital

Description: Practicing physicians have an ethical duty to move science forward by telling their stories and sharing opinions online. Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson, a pediatrician, bioethicist, and mother of two, will take the audience through a journey of how physicians can propel evidence, science, & research back to the forefront. She deciphers myth, provides reason, adds humor, and brings humility back to health care. Break the divide between doctor and patient; watch how physicians engage communities using transparency through their storytelling in social media. Through her mommy-pediatrician blog, SeattleMamaDoc, Twitter feed, freelance writing & speaking, she illustrates how a growing community of cogent health care providers & patients, can realign science to empower consumers of health care to make informed decisions. Watch, enjoy, and learn how to capture attention by telling an earnest, unedited, and uncensored story. Join Dr Swanson as she works to change the world and listen to science, while preserving and protecting our health.

Curators Aren’t Creators — Should They Just Shut Up: Allison Worthington, Scott Porad and Maya Bisineer

162 million posts a day are created by bloggers and content farms alike and not all of it has value. It can no longer be assumed that the best will rise unassisted. Panelists will define the spheres of content creation, curation, and aggregation. Each has a purpose, but all contain the potential to further bury the signal in the noise of the web. The rapid death of newspapers in the past decade has driven out the long held notion of “content is value.” Can curation create value for content creators? Panelists will debate whether curation and aggregation are parasitic or symbiotic models; do they steal or drive traffic? Currently journalists are getting 80% of the story ideas through blogs and microblogs. While examining the models of traditional newspapers and juxtaposing it with recent successes such as the Huffington post, panelists will reveal how a “long term, dynamic and multidimensional” vision and strategy are key to making content curation work. An effective curation system has effective technology, a radiant/intelligent community and creates value for it’s multiple stakeholders. Simple aggregation as curation is not the straight answer – it is time for smart curation with a vision. Do it right or don’t do it.

Men are from Mars, MOMS are from Venus: Carol Schiller

Description: There’s no shortage of social media, marketing and consulting companies telling you how to market to moms online. For Cozi.com, a company that provides web tools for families, moms are a critical target audience. And with over a million moms registered with Cozi.com to date, we know more than a little bit about what it takes to reach them. Still, like many tech-start ups, Cozi was founded by men, and tech geeks to boot, meaning we could have just as easily fumbled this ball. How did Cozi.com navigate these tricky waters and deliver an audience that includes millions of moms? In this presentation we will reveal: -Real life examples of promotions that succeeded, the thought process behind them and the elements that contributed to success -How to make your online efforts translate into offline buzz -How to navigate the confusing and vast world of mom bloggers, including how to decide which conferences to attend and how to get the most out of them. -The appropriate role of contests and promotions when marketing to moms -A checklist of items every company marketing to moms should have

Any more Seattle panels out there? Add them in the Comments section or reply with your panelpicker URL via Twitter to Joann Jen @joannjen.