Whether your organization’s social media activities are performed by a team or it’s a solo act, you must have a strategy to be successful, according to Kalyn Baldwin, Fort Worth-based Cash America International’s social media specialist.

Kalyn, who’s been in her role at Cash America since May 2011, drew a capacity audience to Joe T’s on April 24 for Surviving Social Media, an event presented by IABC Fort Worth.

Kalyn offered lots of basic information for managing the various social media platforms and keeping your head above water as you engage and interact with customers, employees and other key audiences. Here are Kalyn’s key tips on using four of the most popular social media tools:

Facebook timeline – Make sure you have an attractive, relevant cover image. It’s OK to change the image occasionally, but keep the message, quality and feel consistent with your brand. Kalyn says these pages are good examples:

• Magnolia Bakery
• Dos Equis
• White House | Black Market; and
• TCU.

Twitter – Your Twitter page must be branded and the branding must be consistent with your other social media pages. This ensures brand cohesion across platforms, Kalyn says. She pointed out that even Mishka the Talking Husky – who started as a viral sensation on YouTube also has branded Twitter and Facebook pages.

YouTube – Mishka’s YouTube channel serves as a video content hub. Kalyn says companies and other organizations should copy this tactic. Cash America uses its YouTube videos as content on its other social media channels, including its blog.

Blogging – Blogs provide companies a way to completely control the message, Kalyn says. Cash America International uses its blog to educate customers, introduce employees to its publics, and to support reputation management and community relations.

Kalyn also addressed content creation and management, offering these tips:

• Integrate the content and cross-promote appropriately among the platforms.
• Pay attention to all the details such as titles, headlines and images.
• Provide relevant content that’s true to your organization. Link it to your corporate and social media strategies. Keep it consistent with brand messaging.
• Quality of content and followers is more important than quantity of content and followers.
• Be social and conversational. Don’t just publish content. Interact with readers who make comments. Use content as a way to engage your audiences and to start conversations.
• Focus on readers’ needs.

Are you using social media correctly to enhance your brand and keep your customers? Join us for this informative luncheon and learn to:

• Build Your Social Media Spaces
• Create Best Practices
• Implement a Social Media Policy
• Educate Your Employees

A hands-on tutorial will be available after the luncheon for those looking to create company pages.

Reservations end Friday, April 20, so register online now.

As before, meetings are scheduled around lunchtime on the fourth Tuesday beginning in February.

Here’s the schedule for 2012:

• Feb. 28, the Casita at Joe T’s — Speed Networking

Program and venue to be determined for these dates:

• April 24
• June 26
• August 28
• October 23
• December 4 – Annual joint communicators holiday party

Act NOW to register for Feb. 28 event

Time’s running out to make your reservation for IABC Fort Worth’s Feb. 28 Speed Networking event in the Casita at Joe T’s, Fort Worth’s north side landmark.

Reservations end Friday, Feb. 24, so register online now.

You’ll enjoy lunch and networking with fellow professionals seeking new connections. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet recruiters specializing in creative and communication talent.

Similar to speed dating, speed networking has been around a while and involves professionals meeting and getting to know each other one at a time for a few minutes and then moving on to meet another networker. A facilitator — serving like a square-dance caller — choreographs so that everyone changes partners frequently and gets a chance to meet a wide range of fellow networkers.

Speed networking and speed dating have a subtle but significant difference. Business networking specialist Ivan Misner explains in his Entrepreneur.com article Speed Networking and Beyond that “Speed dating is done to eliminate potential suitors and keep from wasting time on people with whom you share no common interests and no mutual attraction.” With speed networking, Misner writes, “the presumption is that you are going to follow up with only the ones you connect with during the exercise. The key to making speed networking work is to take those contacts and develop them over time into ‘credible’ relationships that lead to referral partners.”

You’ll want to check out Misner’s article for tips on how to make the most of your experience when you attend IABC’s Speed Networking event, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Feb. 28 in the Casita at Joe T’s, 2201 N. Commerce St., in Fort Worth.

So brush up on your two-minute pitch and to put a new batch of business cards in your pocket or purse so you’ll have plenty to share. And if you’re looking for a new opportunity, bring a few copies of your resume because recruiters specializing in creative and communication talent will be joining the professionals taking advantage of this networking opportunity.

Register TODAY … before it’s too late.

Benefitting the readers libraries at John Peter Smith Hospital and Cook Children’s Medical Center.

Cost: $15 or the equivalent in children’s books, plus appropriate magazines (all kinds, not just for kids)

What’s in it for you?

• Great gift drawing items
• Bob Ray Sanders as emcee
• World-class Wilson’s Barbecue, ribs, beans, potato salad, dessert; tea, beer

RSVP today!

It takes 26 hours for the average person to report a lost wallet.  It takes 68 minutes for them to report a lost phone.  There is no doubt that the world is becoming increasingly mobile with each passing day.  The entire world.  Smartphones aren’t just for fast-lane business professionals who can’t bear to wait 5 extra minutes to get that all-important email.  Smartphones are in the hands of moms, dads and (gulp) kids everywhere.  It doesn’t end there of course.  Tablets anyone?  The truth is that today more than ever before, purchase decisions are being made away from the desktop, so if mobile isn’t part of your marketing strategy – it should be – no matter what you are selling.  Join us for an introduction to mobile marketing and to see how it can be a strong and highly measurable part of your marketing arsenal.    

About the Presenter

Ken Lentz is a partner and co-founder of Fort Worth-based Enilon, a full service digital agency, providing website design, digital marketing and mobile services to a variety of clients ranging from Sundance Square to Pier 1 Imports.  

Time & date: 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15 (moved up one week for Thanksgiving)
Place: City Club, 301 Commerce St.
Cost: with reservation, members $25, nonmembers $30, students $20; without reservation, members $30, nonmembers $35, students $20

RSVP by noon Nov. 11
Pay for the luncheon online

Good writing lives, and today it lives across media. Find out why one sentence packs a punch while another one fizzles — in speeches, in text, in social media and in videos — at the September IABC meeting with Dr. Kay Colley.

It all comes down to good writing and storytelling, something in great demand. Colley, a communication assistant professor at Texas Wesleyan University, where she also serves as student media director and adviser to Texas Wesleyan IABC, promises a few basic tips to strengthen these areas and get back to basics.

Colley’s professional background includes stints in public relations, magazines, and daily and weekly newspapers. She was named 2011 Teacher of the Year by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Small Programs Interest Group.

Time and date: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27

Place: City Club, 301 Commerce St., Fort Worth

Cost: $25 members, $30 nonmembers, $20 students (online add $1)

RSVP by noon Sept. 23

• Email Tim Tune, Tim.Tune@timtune.com
• Reserve online now: http://iabcfortworth.com/wp/events/payment/>

Their presentation will cover all aspects of video production: 

• Concept development (purpose, audience, venues, story boarding, etc.). 
• Filming (equipment needs, B-roll, interviewing and location).
• Editing (software, title cards, fading and music selection).
• Exporting (file types for various venues).
• Examples of the good, the bad and the ugly.
• When it might be better to outsource your video.

A free workbookis yours to keep, and you’ve got a chance at a great door prize!
Register online at bv.iabc.com.

Event Details
When: Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011
Where: Christopher’s World Grille, 5001 Boonville Road; Bryan, TX 77802
Registration & Breakfast: 7:30 a.m.
Workshop: 8 a.m. to Noon
Lunch: Noon to 1:30 p.m.

Early Bird Registration (ends Oct. 1)
Members $70
Non-members $90
Students $50

Registration (Oct. 2 and later)
Members $80
Non-members $100
Students $60

Seating is limited, so reserve your spot ASAP. REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Oct. 13.

The August 23 luncheon will feature nationally known etiquette expert Joy Weaver, who applies her wit and wisdom to the topic of being socially savvy. Joy specializes in corporate and social etiquette training for individuals who want the confidence to manage life’s awkward moments and master its day-to-day challenges. She is a consultant to companies (think famed Adolphus Hotel and Raytheon) that need their customer service staff to be as socially savvy as possible. In addition to top tips, she also will answer the question, “What are the BMWs of dining?” Hint: It’s not about eating in a car at a drive-in.

The luncheon will be Tuesday, Aug. 23, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at City Club in downtown Fort Worth. Sign-up deadline is noon Aug. 19. Make your reservation online now or send an email to Tim Tune – tim.tune@timtune.com.