How to market your event and create buzz with Linkedin

If you have been following our series of how to market and create the buzz on social media, here is our new video!

This time we are telling you how to promote your event through Linkedin: a professional social network, where you can connect with companies and other professionals. Linkedin is one of the most popular social media counting more users than Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. Despite its popularity, Linkedin is often forgotten by marketers which makes it the best platform to promote your event without too much competition. We don’t recommend LinkedIn for your next music festival but it could be a perfect place to get the word out for your next networking event or conference.

Here are some highlights of the video:

 

• Keep your profile and company page updated: A properly optimized profile or page will increase your search visibility, so you have to make sure to use relevant keywords in your description, use descriptive wording in your job title and company name, Complete all fields in your profile and company page and to include links to your website and blog in your profile, description and posts.

• Join groups: Groups are the best way promote your event. This is a good way to select a specific audience and to promote your event to the right target. You can find groups very easily by using the search tool. You can also create your own group which will help you to connect with attendees before and after the event, to provide a central place for them to ask questions and facilitate discussion around the event topics.

• Send invitation and messages: You can’t be shy when promoting an event, so you should be familiar with contacting people directly. Using the Advanced People Search, you can filter the results by how you’re connected as well as by keyword, industry, and location.You can send invitations to your event using the Advanced People Search function to find people that would benefit by attending your event, media contacts that may be interested in covering the event for their outlet or potential event sponsors. You can also send direct messages to your contacts or members of groups you are part of.

Watch our video below for more complete information and tips

Thank you for watching, and don’t forget to like this video, share it and subscribe to CityEvents to gain valuable knowledge about planning your future events.

Ethan’s Magic Book Launch

This magical event was held on November 16th was nothing short of spectacular. Ethan Faria is an extremely sweet kid, unfortunately a bacterial infection took away both his legs and part of his arms due to an infection last year. His family promptly started to organize a series of fundraising events to pay for his medical expenses. When Felicia Pizzonia offered to publish a book based on Ethan and use the selling of the books to aid on the fundraising a partnership started, it got even stronger when Vanessa, Felicia’s sister, inspired by Ethan’s story wrote her song “superhero”.

The book sale started with stands offering Ethan’s book “Marley & Maverick Find Ethan’s Magic Legs”, accepting donations and selling other works of wire publishing. When the Presentations began we were all marveled as all songs were based on the theme of being a hero. Ed Culjak delivered an outstanding performance in a classic manner with one guitar and simple percussion. He was followed by the motivational speaker Shayne Smith, who amazed us all with a speech about his condition related to Ethan’s and his life story. In the end, the moment we were all expecting arrived, Vanessa performing “Superhero” under a magnificent light and effects that baffled all expectators.

The best, as usual, was saved for last. After great food, great wine and outstanding entertainment, we were able to see Ethan walking on his magic legs, it was possible to feel the emotion in the room as he walked in with his prostectics, aided by a walker and kicking a soccer ball with his father.

The event was also visited by Makda Ghebreslaisse from CBC news who wrote a beautiful piece on Ethan and was invited to hand out a prize on the Raffle of an exclusive wine basket by Jackson Triggs.

All the guests left feeling better than when they came and the money collected will absolutely help Ethan and his family.

Books available at: http://www.ethansmagicbook.com/

Photos of the event: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cityeventstoronto/albums/72157675219605271

Celebration, Laughter and Learning – HSS Open House

On Tuesday, October 4, 2016, Hogg Shain & Scheck proudly presented and hosted a harvest-themed Open House to welcome all staff and clients to their new offices. It was a huge success that was filled with laughter, learning and celebration.

Attendees from prominent financial institutions and partner groups such as RBC, BDC and TD were present. Along with current clients, Ryerson Alumni and staff of the firm.

To break in their new space, the open house was catered by Citizen Toronto, that featured delicious food like their braised beef gnocchi station, smoked meat station and hors d’oeuvres like a smoked trout canape and fresh salad rolls. Mixed in with the food was a candy station that was a crowd favourite.

Entertainment did not lack at the Open House either, with our very own digital caricaturist to amuse the crowds and even a virtual reality station where one could enter an alternate reality for a short period of time. There was even a raffle draw where the three winners won a special prize harvest-themed!  The lucky winners of the raffle prize included Debbie Maggiotto and Susan Demutu, congratulations to our winners!

Check out our website for future events and updates at www.hss-ca.com.

About

Hogg, Shain & Scheck provides audit, accounting, tax and transaction advisory services in the Greater Toronto Area. The firm’s focus is on providing practical advice on a timely and personal basis to entrepreneur enterprise and its stakeholders, not-for-profit organizations and Canadian subsidiaries.

AMA Toronto: The Future of Marketing, Emerging Technologies

AMA Toronto November 15th 2016 panel discussion entitled The Future Today: How Marketers Can Leverage Emerging Technologies was held at Jackman Reinvents which is stylish ad agency occupying a really cool space on Adelaide Street.  It’s what’s behind the pink door at 345 Adelaide St West!

Organized by renown B2B marketing strategy expert Tania Stadnik who is also the current AMA Toronto President, there were three influential ‘thought leaders’ on the bill; Adam Green from Google, Zahra Rajani the VP Digital Experience at Jackman Reinvents, and Kevin Keane from Brainsights. When Kevin introduced himself and his company he used his two hands to gesticulate the fusion of ‘brain’ and ‘insights’ into Brainsights which he also added ‘is really cool’.

The panel was moderated by Mark Vecchiarelli whom you can see below, seated on the left in the gold pants. He did a great job – it was a fact filled and very insightful forty two minute panel discussion on a number of subjects relating to new communication mediums and marketing technologies and also how and why they adopted (or should be adopted).

After twenty years of hosting networking events in Toronto, myself and my staff at CityEvents have seen countless social trends be born and then and the many and the rise of fall of many technology fads.  We’ve seen a shift away from press releases to more unconventional messaging platforms like email blasts, promoted social media posts etc and now strangely this is becoming conventional again. What’s next? What platforms are going to be important additions to marketers’ tool kits tomorrow?

Rob Campbell wrote about the event in an article entitled how Marketing Technologists Predict Future of Advertising which outlines the event – described in his piece how moderator Mark Vecchiarelli of Vekya Inc focused the discussion on three perspectives to futurism.

First he explored the idea of how marketers get on the bandwagon so to speak to ‘chase shiny new things’. Shanny asked about Bumble and everyone laughed.

When the panel digested HOW; the group reasoned that most businesses have trouble changing and adopting new technology as their work force are occupied with separate tasks (in silos) and their performances are still measured in old-fashioned ways.  Adding what they called horizontal connective tissue to organizations and thereby removing barriers to change is at the heart of BEING the evolution that makes businesses more efficient.

Shanny in the City wrote about the evening on her blog, Marketing Matchmaking in the Future, with Raymi the Minx and Karen Nussbaum from Storia PR who wrote about her perspective on the future of marketing.

I went to this event with Shannon who’s thinking about making a mobile app for her business. She maybe got the idea after she saw the success of Wedding Girls’ innovation with PrettyBirdapp for mobile beauty workers. Mary Bratko from Wedding Girl was at the event seen below meeting Liza from AMA Toronto, whom I think has the prettiest red hair in town, presently.

Mary Bratko whom you can see on the right used the question and answer period at the event to ask about the health of mobile apps in general and whether simply having a responsive website wasn’t a better all around solution for entrepreneurs.

Most of the panel agreed that was the case and one by one they related anecdotes about the misuse of apps as marketing tools. Shanny was listening

One of the highlights for me was hearing Adam Green  describe some of the failures that Google has had trying new things. If this monster technology company cant get it right with all of their resources and collateral, then what hope do small fries have? Lots. Great ideas win the market and having disruptive technology is the most exciting development position. One of the big takeaways for me was the idea that big companies must innovate and include experimental advertising platforms in their marketing budgets. CityEvents could appeal more to that side of the event planning industry in Toronto.  One of the ways to get more attention is to offer added value and I believe offering detailed reports showing the ‘learnings’ related to the penetration of the invitation media and the summary media, done before and after the events themselves.

Part of the Connect, Learn, Grow series of networking events offers insights into many different facets of Digital Marketing and I hope to attend more of these gatherings in the future. See you there.

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The NEW Great Hall – Giving heritage a whole new meaning

A cherished Toronto heritage building that has been standing since 1889 has received a full renovation. The Great Hall located at the corner of Queen St. W. and Dovercourt St. was founded as one of Toronto’s first West End YMCA.  Rich in history, The Great Hall for over 125 years has hosted some of the most acclaimed events in the city. After being completely restored the summer of 2016, it is now ready to open its doors to all sizes and shapes of events.

Boasting over 20,000 sq. ft. of flexible space across four distinctive venues, The Great Hall is able to accommodate any size of event. These four venues can be combined or rented separately. Able to provide seating as intimate at 10 people up to 1,200 people. The four separate halls include: The Main Hall, Longboat Hall, Conversation Room and Drawing Room.

The Main Hall

This hall is a two-storey space that extends as large as 10,000 sq. ft. and includes a reception area, coat and green room. It also includes decor of large arched windows, a stage, 30 ft. ceilings and more. Capacity can fit up to 480 people standing and is flexible for seating and table arrangements. The Main Hall with the new renovations, has been installed with a state-of-the-art audio/ visual system.

Conversation Room

Located on the second floor of the The Great Hall, the Conversation Room is a classic Victorian room. With its white walls and chandeliered ceiling it is the perfect “gathering place” for your next venue. At 1,200 sq. ft. it can accommodate up to 117 people standing and seating is flexible.

Longboat Hall

In 1889 this hall became the first West End YMCA gymnasium. It is a two-storey venue with a street-level main entrance on Dovercourt Rd. This space stretches up to 5,000 sq. ft. and can fit up to 400 people standing. This venue is also complete with a state-of-the-art audio/ visual system and a modulator stage.

Drawing Room

This small but elegant room can accommodate up to 97 people standing and is perfect for small receptions, business meetings, luncheons and more. The Drawing Room also is equipped with a gourmet presentation kitchen and grand bar.

Courtesy of: The Great Hall

For more information visit the website: www.thegreathall.ca

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