Learn how to become a better speaker. Learn how to prepare and be ready for when the media calls, you have to make a community presentation or a crisis occurs.

In this session you will be provided with a step by step tool kit on how to get ready to speak to any group about your festival, event and organization.

George Sharp, Executive Director of the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater Visitor and Convention Bureau has more than 20 years experience in the festival industry. He has been recognized at the state and international level for creativity in marketing and public relations. He has won numerous awards as an member of Toastmasters International.

Some of the best sponsors are those that renew year after year!  The challenge for the event is ensuring these loyal sponsors have the most current marketing and activation benefits as well as successfully encouraging them to increase their partnership year after year.  In this session, we will explore methods to keep renewing sponsors happy but not stagnant in their sponsorships.

Marketing the Digital Landscape

Tim Keck, Publisher - The Stranger/CEO - Ticketing Operations

Anthony Hect, CTO - The Stranger & Stranger Tickets

Tim Keck is a nationally noted entrepreneur, publisher and marketer. His weekly newspapers, The Stranger in Seattle and The Mercury in Portland, have found remarkable success in an industry that is otherwise distressed. Tim and his Chief Technology Officer Anthony Hecht offer insight into the art of leveraging technology and metrics in your marketing to build robust communities. 

Economic Impact studies tell us, our sponsors and the cities where we operate the value of our event to our community.  Learn how to conduct a study so that you let everyone know how much new revenue and taxes that your event generates.

Increase Online & Event Traffic through Video

Aaron Booker, President - Varvid

More and more people are watching videos online today than ever before and that number is only projected to increase 5 fold in the upcoming years.  Are you using video to help tell your story, share the experience and engage sponsors?  Join Aaron Booker, co-founder of Varvid, an online video production in Bellingham.  He will share ways you can increase online search results, which means more eyeballs in your event site and wallets at you event, by capturing great content and tips on the “do’s and don’ts” of recording video on just about any device.

Rowing and Rationing Food Across the North Atlantic
Expedition Leadership as applied to Event Production

Brad Vickers, Director - Seattle Boat Show/Founder - OAR Northwest
Bradley Vickers holds a Guinness World Record for being part of the first expedition to Row from mainland USA to mainland England .  The team spent over 71 days on the ocean in a 29 foot row boat.   While rowing across the ocean they endured food rationing, sleep deprivation, physical and mental stress and 30 foot waves.  They achieved success on the North Atlantic by maintaining a positive and productive team dynamic.
Currently, Bradley is the Director of the Seattle Boat Show and has found that teamwork is the key to success in both expeditions and event production.  Bradley will share expedition leadership principles that you can apply to establish and maintain a productive dynamic with your own event crew.

Gaining and Maintaining Sponsors

Pauline Middlehurst, Sponsorship Director - Issaquah Salmon Days/Greater Issaquah Chamber of Commerce

Leveraging unique attributes of your event to build long term sponsor relationships..

Using Social Media to Increase your Sponsorship Levels, Promote your Events, and Tell Your Community's Story
Frank J Kenny, Social Media Author & Consultant
Social media is impacting all ends of event and festival industry. Learn from Frank J. Kenny specific ways social media is being used today to bring in sponsorships, increase event attendance, and spread the word about all the good things your community has to offer. 

State of Economy for Events

Dr. Hart Hodges, Director of Center for Business & Economic Research - WWU
Hart will provide an overview of the regional economy and an outlook for the coming year. He will also discuss the effectiveness of different strategies in tourism and economic development. Learn how to chart your partnership and sponsorship course in these dynamic economic times

Since July 1 2011, Washington has the dubious honor of being the only state in the union that tourism is not funded by State government.  We are going at it alone….privately.  Find out how a few foreword thinking people positioned Washington to stay competitive and continue its efforts to promote tourism in our state.  Learn how the Washington Tourism Alliance has kept the lights on, and that they are shining more brightly than before!!   Learn about the successes and what they have accomplished in such a short time and where they are going in the future to support our tourism market!

Follow the Yellow Brick Road to Success

Tom Dorr, CEO – Center for Economic Vitality

As nonprofits experience dwindling sponsorship dollars and increased accountability for investment money, organizations have to develop clear, concise roadmaps of where they are going and how they will get there.  This session will outline the basics of how to develop a business or event plan that will drive internal and external outcomes.

In the past years, social media has had an ever increasing presence in event marketing plans and sponsorship activations.  Through this session we will explore a variety of platforms in which sponsorships can be weaved, seamlessly and with meaning, into event social media identities. 

Keep your parades fresh and current with new features and upgrades

With a strategic approach to building partnerships, cities and other government entities can attract new events that generate much-needed revenue, increase brand awareness and enhance the quality of life for their citizens.