March 1 Conference Highlights Use of Social Media by Arizona Companies

As if social media gurus Robert Scoble and Chris Heuer weren't enough, organizers today announced the panels for the March 1 Revolution in Marketing conference presented by Stealthmode Partners, Grand Canyon University, Infusion Software and The Business Journal. Two panels will be featured which include a notable Arizona-based company Cold Stone Creamery and many local strategists who have pioneered ways to implement social media.

Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) February 26, 2007

As if social media gurus Robert Scoble and Chris Heuer weren't enough, organizers today announced the panels for the March 1 Revolution in Marketing conference presented by Stealthmode Partners, Grand Canyon University, Infusion Software and The Business Journal. Two panels will be featured which include a notable Arizona-based company Cold Stone Creamery and many local strategists who have pioneered ways to implement social media.

Infusion Software (http://www.infusioncrm.com), a business software provider that streamlines and improves the sales and marketing efforts of small businesses through its web-based 'active' CRM and marketing automation software, is the event sponsor. Attendees can mingle with key panelists in the networking tent sponsored by Infusion Software.

The conference will be held from 7:00am to Noon on Thursday, March 1 in the Ethington Theater at Grand Canyon University located at 3300 W. Camelback Rd., Phoenix, Ariz. with registrations being taken at http://www.azentrepreneurship.com.

Launching Social Media Campaigns will feature independent social media experts sharing best practices for planning and executing social media campaigns. Case Studies in Social Media features candid discussion from Arizona-based companies with real-world examples of social media campaigns and the results from those campaigns.

Invited panelists for Panel 1: 'Launching Social Media Campaigns' include:

Sabo pioneered early Social Media sites in 1994 with e-sports.com, a sports commentary syndication service that grew to 1,100 authors and distributed content to over 2,600 media outlets reaching a combined audience of 5-6 million people per day. Sabo is also the founder of the Internets first online advertising network, 24/7 Real Media [NASDAQ:TFSM]. By the start of the new millennium, Sabo's new firm MediaBlox created simple user managed technology to create and manage various social media applications and Sabo's podcast was among the first 5000 podcasts to ever be broadcast online in late 2004.

Amanda Vega's career began as a chat moderator for AOL before she graduated high school. After working in management positions at the major portals such as Yahoo!, she started he first agency when asked to help the world's largest traditional agency integrate the offerings of the internet into their media plans. Amanda has

helped companies such as the NY Times, Banana Republic, and WebMD find not only a way to integrate their public relations and marketing efforts, but to truly find a business model for online media.

Pamela Slim is a seasoned coach who helps frustrated corporate employees break out and start their own business. A former corporate manager and entrepreneur herself for nearly a decade, she deeply understands the questions and concerns faced by first-time entrepreneurs. Her expertise in personal and business change was developed through many years consulting inside corporations such as Cisco Systems, Hewlett-Packard and Charles Schwab, where she coached thousands of executives, managers and employees.

Jeremy Pepper has more than 9 years of experience in technology public relations and is one of the world's earliest and best-known PR bloggers. His POP! PR Jots (http://pop-pr.blogspot.com) is considered one of the top 20 most popular PR blogs, and looked at as an industry thought leader in the space. Pepper works with American Licorice, BEA Systems, Cisco, and General Motors, to develop and drive social media strategies. Prior to joining Weber Shandwick, Pepper founded POP! Public Relations in Scottsdale, AZ

The panel will be moderated by:

Young has worked for the Business Journal since December after reporting for The Arizona Republic for nearly three years. Although he has covered numerous beats since his first days at the Tucson Citizen, including community recreations, public safety, health and fitness, his interest lays in emerging technology and the philosophical changes created by an evolving world of technology. Young will moderate the panel.

Invited panelists for Panel 2, 'Case Studies in Social Media' include:

Kevin's number one priority at Cold Stone Creamery is to provide world-class advertising and public relations support in the pursuit of creating a breakthrough brand. In this role as Senior Director of Advertising & Public Relations, Kevin oversees all aspects of the company's external messaging, including media placement, consumer and business campaigns, national promotions, executive initiatives, celebrity outreach and product placement. Kevin began working with Cold Stone in October 2002 when the company had less than 300 stores operating. Today, Cold Stone Creamery has nearly 1,400 stores operating with an additional 700 agreements in various stages of development. Prior to joining the Cold Stone Team, Kevin worked as an Account Executive at Off Madison Ave, a Tempe-based full service marketing agency. Kevin received his BA in Communication Studies with a minor in English from Arizona State University.

  • Ben Gordon, Managing Director, R&R Partners (http://www.rrpartners.com) -- For the past 25 years, Ben has forged an innovative and diverse career in the advertising, communications and entertainment industries. He has served as senior management leader in the development of multi-level marketing campaigns and produced national radio, television, and print advertising for such clients as McDonald's, ABC Television, Nike, Cox Communications, PBS, and Miller Beer among many others.

  • Max Fose, Principal, IWS Now, (http://www.iwsnow.com)

  • Celia Blackwood, Director of Creative Services -- Web and PSA, KXCI 91.3 FM, NPR Radio Tucson, (http://www.kxci.org)

The panel will be moderated by:

Allan Sabo, President, Alti Success Strategies, (http://www.alticonsulting.com)

"If you don't already use social media to talk to your customers you are already behind the power curve. Your customers' online conversations increasingly control your brand. You had better get in the conversation yourself," says Francine Hardaway, CEO of Stealthmode Partners (http://www.stealthmode.com) and co-founder of the Arizona Entrepreneurship Conference (http://www.azentrepreneurship.com).

The goal of the Revolution in Marketing conference is to provide connections and resources to the entrepreneurial community in Arizona. This conference is part of the Kauffman Foundation's National Entrepreneurship Week initiative (http://www.entre-ed.org) and will benefit the Opportunity Through Entrepreneurship Foundation (http://www.otef.org), whose mission is to provide entrepreneurship skills and opportunities to at-risk youth, released felons, and underemployed women.

What is social media? Over the past five years there has been a significant movement away from traditional communication platforms mainstream newspapers and network TV towards online alternatives and user-generated content including social networks and web portals.

As the venue for The Revolution in Marketing: Making an Impact Through Social Media holds only 300 people, early registration is encouraged. The cost to attend the March mini-conference is $75 until February 25th, $95 at the door (if not already sold out).

To register go to http://www.azentrepreneurship.com
If you have any questions about the conference, call 602-412-3315.

For more frequent and detailed updates, readers may subscribe to the Arizona Entrepreneurship Conference Google Group http://groups.google.com/group/Arizona-Entrepreneurship-Conference.

About the Organizers

The organizers of the Arizona Entrepreneurship Conference are a broad group of Arizona based organizations committed to the success of Arizona Entrepreneurs. Led by OTEF, the Opportunity through Entrepreneurship Foundation, they include:

The Business Journal http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix
Ephibian http://www.ephibian.com
Gitenstein & Assadi Public Relations http://www.assadi.com
Grand Canyon University http://www.gcu.edu
Infusion Software http://www.infusioncrm.com
Opportunity through Entrepreneurship Foundation http://www.otef.org
Sacks Public Relations http://www.sackspr.com
Stealthmode Partners http://www.stealthmode.com

Community Partners include:

Arizona Department of Education http://www.ade.state.az.us
Arizona Internet Professionals Association http://www.azipa.org
Arizona Small Business Association http://www.asba.com
Arizona Technology Council http://www.aztechcouncil.org
Club Entrepreneur

The Institute for Entrepreneurship http://www.instituteforentrepreneurship.com
Social Media Club Phoenix http://www.smcphoenix.com

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