Archive for the ‘Speaking’ Category

Posted on May 27, 2010 - by Wayne Sutton

Presentation: Using WordPress to build your brand & telling your start-up story from @WordCampRaleigh #wcraleigh

This past weekend I had the chance to attend and speak at WordCamp Raleigh @WordCampRaleigh. I think this was my fourth or fifth time attending a WordCamp event and my third time speaking at one. I must say by far that WordCamp Raleigh was the best one yet. The event was organized by Steve Mortiboy @wpsmort, Michael Torbet @michaeltorbert and Craig Tuller @craigtuller, along with a great team of volunteers. During the 2 day camp I met some awesome WordPress developers and speakers such as Syed @wpbeginner, Lisa Sabin-Wilson @LisaSabinWIlson, Dave Moyer @DaveMoyer and more. Also I had a chance to catch up with a few friends who I normally don’t see unless we’re at SXSW or BlogWorld such as Patrick O’Keefe @ifroggy, Brandon Eley @Eley, Stephan Segraves @ssegraves and Aaron Brazell @technosailor. It was great seeing everyone!

One of the highlights of WordCamp Raleigh was watching and participating in the SitePoint Podcast hosted by @iFroggy and team. The podcast was live video streamed and you can watch it here: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/7124319

My topic for WordCamp Raleigh was “Using WordPress to build your brand and telling your start-up story” in which Lawrence Ingraham @LawPower, TriOut founder joined me discussing how we used WordPress and blogged the launch of TriOut. Below is the presentation and you can see the notes on SlideShare.

Here are a few more blog post about WordCamp Raleigh:
WordCamp Raleigh 2010 Pictures – Part 1
WordCamp Raleigh 2010 (Overview)
WordCamp Raleigh 2010

Thanks to WordCamp Raleigh @WordCampRaleigh for having me and planning a great event. See you next year!

Posted on March 24, 2010 - by Wayne Sutton

SXSW Presentation: Becoming Real-Time Video Blogger in 2010 – Future15 Session

I’m still playing catch-up from SXSWi but I wanted to share the presentation from the Future15 Becoming Real-Time Video Blogger in 2010 session I presented at SXSW. The Future15 sessions were new to SXSWi this year allowing for more speakers to participate in a 2 hour time block on a niche topic with each speaker having 15 minutes to present. I like to call it a mix of “ignite” like talks meets SXSW. Take a look at the presentation below and let me know what you think. It’s currently being featured on Slideshare’s Spotlight: South by SouthWest SXSW 2010 section today too.

During the Future15 Online Video section other speakers and friends presented on other video topics such as:

• Video Search Optimization Strategies To Grow Your Business – Bill Leake, Apogee Search
• Hyperlocal Focus: Growing A Vibrant Community Media Ecosystem – Bill Simmon, VCAM
• Just the Host: Web Video Divas Dish! – Amanda Congdon, Oxmour Entertainment Inc / Sometimesdaily LLC – Amanda Congdon
• Web Video: Can We Now Say Something Sucks? – Liz Shannon Miller, NewTeeVee – Liz Shannon Miller
• Attracting Big Sponsors With a Super-Niche Webshow, Freezer Burns, Gregory Ng

I lived streamed 3 out of the 5 presenters and will be posting some of their presentations and video from there talks too. After my talk Tod Plotki from Green Buzz Agency asked me what did I think about the role of video in corporate marketing. Here’s my video response below. Note: I think I was still nervous from the presentation

How do you see video being used in social web in the upcoming months?

Posted on October 6, 2009 - by Wayne Sutton

How to become a social media conference speaker. Tips and a free conference pass.

Photo: by chrisheuer

If you listened to my podcast yesterday on the ROI in attending Social Media Conferences, then you know I just returned from IZEAFest a marketing / social media conference in Orlando, FL. organized by Ted Murphy. In my podcast I mentioned how the ROI for attending various social media conferences is relationships and from the relationships it could lead to more business deals and/or speaking opportunities. While it seems that everyone now is a social media guru or expert, or ninja or “fill in the blank”, the next social media must prove yourself thing to do is write a book or speak at various conferences. While my book is on the way, haha, I have been fortunate enough to take part in both local and national conferences / events such as SXSW, CLT WordCamp, SoFresh, Social Media Club meetings, Triangle Chapter of the American Marketing Association meetings, IZEAFest and more before the end of the year such as BlogWorld Expo, the Social Media Business Forum and Internet Summit 09.

Often I get asked how was I able to take part at various events or how can someone become a speaker at those events. While I’m no “keynote” speaker … yet  :), you can see a list of my past speaking events here on FriendWayne.com.  I still have a long ways to go, but here are a few tips on how to become a social media conference speaker that I have seen and done.

How to become a social media conference speaker:

• Start local – Be known in your own backyard before you try to go global
• Establish a personal brand / identity / voice – What will people say about you.
• Keep your social networking profiles updated (outdated info can cost you a gig)
• Attend other social media conferences – Network!
• Create valuable content to showcase your skills. No blog, no videos, no podcast = no gig. Unless you work for a major brand!
• Start your own conference / event and ask others to speak – if it works out they may return the favor… maybe.
• Have a travel budget
• Share your existing presentations on http://www.slideshare.net

Speaking Tips – As you start  becoming social media speaker, you need to do a few things such as:

• Be memorable and awesome
• Provide great content
• Provide new content (dont’ just talk about post you read on Mashable)
• Tell jokes and stories
• Rap – hat tip (Chris Brogan), I dare you! Wait, that’s Chris’s thing so …
• Don’t copy other speakers ( I know it’s hard to be creative)
• If you’re a quiet person, provide Really great content
• Practice, breath and have thick skin
• Don’t think about the tweets or “noise” that are being posted while you’re giving your talk.
• Have someone video your talks so you can post online for later.
• Ask yourself what separates you from the rest and why do you want to become a speaker.
• Be yourself.

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Free passes to the Social Media Business Forum

If you have Never spoken at a conference in the past and would like to Attend the Social Media Business Forum on Friday, October 23 in Durham, NC, the first Two people who leave a comment on this post saying “I want to attend the Social Media Business Forum” will receive a free pass to the 1 day event. *Tweets or ReTweets of this post do not count.

If you’re a speaker I would love to hear any thoughts you have in the comments or if you have any speaking tips.

Posted on September 16, 2009 - by Wayne Sutton

See you at IZEAFest – October 01-04

IZEAFest organized by Ted Murphy and company, is an interactive event designed to educate, inform and connect social media enthusiasts at SeaWorld on October 1-4. I’ll be joining an awesome list of speakers by moderating the “Screen Gems” session on growing your community and increasing your reach with Sarah Austin of Pop17.com andJulia Roy JuliaRoy.com. Some of the other topics we’ll cover in our session will be video blogging, content creation and monetization in the social media space.

IZEAFest is marketed to bloggers, podcasters, tweeters, marketers & agency professionals, PR & communications practitioners. Thanks to Ted and others for invitation.

Do you have any questions you want me to ask Sarah and Julia?