Technology is the future. It is important to keep up with trends and advancements in technology in order to not be left behind. There was a time when it was men, not women, who dominated the workplace, but that has changed. There are more women going to college today then there are men. 57% of bachelor’s degrees are earned by women, but if technology is the future, then it is a problem that only 14% of those degrees are in computer science. There is a new initiative called “Girls Who Code” that aims to fix this problem.
The group will work with girls ages 13 to 17 from underprivileged neighborhoods to help them pursue degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering, and math, also known as the STEM fields. The program will be taught by women who work in STEM fields and will help teach the girls tech skills such as computer programming, Web design and robotics. The program is being backed by technology giants Twitter, Google and Ebay.
This program is important to women in the workplace all across the country. While only 14% of female bachelor degrees are in computer science, women use the internet 17% more then men do. Something that, as a Communications Professional, I found especially of interest: while online, women are dominating the social media/networking arenas – they are responsible for creating two-thirds of the content on social networking websites. Clearly, women are tech savvy; we just need more motivation and incentives to pursue this as a possible career choice.
There was an article recently on dice.com that stated, “Thirty percent of 450 companies in the Harvey Nash poll said their IT departments have no women in management positions at all.” Women are fully capable of doing well in these tech jobs, they just need to be introduced to the industry and taught the technology, which is exactly what “Girls Who Code” is planning on doing. By increasing the opportunities for women to learn technological skills there will hopefully be more women with highly skilled jobs in technology.
Girls Who Code is a program that gets things done – and that elevates the skills, expertise, and number of female knowledge workers across industries. It’s good for all of us – especially us women! Learn how you can get involved at: http://www.girlswhocode.com/.
Advice Unlimited
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Make a Splash This Trade Show Season!
It’s trade show season again! There are lots of government trade shows in the summer, as we move into the heat of the buying season. There are some important changes in this year’s shows that you will want to be prepared for. One big change is that several of the large trade shows and conferences are being canceled or modified due to the GSA scandal around an October 2010 conference in Las Vegas, which cost nearly $823,000 in taxpayer money. That means no more lavish meals, gifts, or parties. Exhibitors will have to be creative in how they deliver compelling content to their audience without expensive displays, meals and promotional giveaways to draw visitors’ attention. Instead of the big trade shows, government will be focusing on smaller local trade shows that eliminate the high costs of travel and lodging. The change to smaller venues and trade shows is a huge opportunity for companies that may have been overlooked at the larger trade shows to make a compelling presentation and build a name for their company.
It is important that your company makes the right moves to stand out to those attending the show. Effective, proactive PR is a great tool to help you secure attention from attendees. Take the time to really shine - if you’re investing in being at a show, invest the time and creativity to ensure you make a splash. The following steps will help you get the most out of your trade show investment:
1. Make your booth enticing -- have some visual displays that draw the attention of attendees, so they will look closer at the important content at your booth, but remember – nothing extravagant or excessive. Creativity counts – and content rules!
2. Have good handouts- reprints of recent press articles around your company or customers, and information specific to the target audience attending the show. Make sure your booth is organized. Handouts should be very clean, clear and concise in delivering your message.
3. Nominate customers or executives for speaking slots – this is a great way to build credibility and provide educational and insightful information on your solutions.
4. Hold a media breakfast or lunch at the show if you have an important announcement to make there, to ensure you get an attentive audience.
5. Try to time important announcements for the show.
6. Take advantage of the show press room. Find out how they support your efforts, and leverage their offerings.
The new focus on smaller trade shows can be a great opportunity for your company to reach your target audience. Less extravagance is good for your bottom line, and more focus on creativity and content will bring you stronger results and better quality leads. For more information on how Advice Unlimited can help you create and implement a successful trade show effort, or provide support for other public outreach and communication initiatives, please contact me at 301-924-0330 or slevine@adviceunlimited.net.
It is important that your company makes the right moves to stand out to those attending the show. Effective, proactive PR is a great tool to help you secure attention from attendees. Take the time to really shine - if you’re investing in being at a show, invest the time and creativity to ensure you make a splash. The following steps will help you get the most out of your trade show investment:
1. Make your booth enticing -- have some visual displays that draw the attention of attendees, so they will look closer at the important content at your booth, but remember – nothing extravagant or excessive. Creativity counts – and content rules!
2. Have good handouts- reprints of recent press articles around your company or customers, and information specific to the target audience attending the show. Make sure your booth is organized. Handouts should be very clean, clear and concise in delivering your message.
3. Nominate customers or executives for speaking slots – this is a great way to build credibility and provide educational and insightful information on your solutions.
4. Hold a media breakfast or lunch at the show if you have an important announcement to make there, to ensure you get an attentive audience.
5. Try to time important announcements for the show.
6. Take advantage of the show press room. Find out how they support your efforts, and leverage their offerings.
The new focus on smaller trade shows can be a great opportunity for your company to reach your target audience. Less extravagance is good for your bottom line, and more focus on creativity and content will bring you stronger results and better quality leads. For more information on how Advice Unlimited can help you create and implement a successful trade show effort, or provide support for other public outreach and communication initiatives, please contact me at 301-924-0330 or slevine@adviceunlimited.net.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Importance of Mobile Devices Highlighted in GovLoop Report
GovLoop recently published an interesting report on the State of Government Communications. The report highlights the top ten trends in government communications. Some insights I found of particular interest were those around three key areas: the digital divide, social media, and crisis management. We agree these are important areas of government communication, and we work with many of our clients to help them deal with challenges around these focus areas.
A majority of communication now takes place over the web and having access to the web is key to staying in the loop. The boom in social media has made for a tremendous increase in the speed at which information is made public and how quickly that information spreads. It is important for organizations to keep up with social media channels and how the public is accessing the information across these channels. If they do not keep up, they will be left out of the loop because of a digital divide they did not account for - it’s not just about leveraging the web; it’s also about the tools your specific audience is using to access the web. And for some critical demographics, the device of choice is mobile.
There was a very interesting comment posted about GovLoop’s report. The comment pointed out the great digital divide of how different demographics access the web and social media. It noted that personal portable devices such as smart phones are a critical web access point for the poor, the young and people of color. If the government does not expand to make communication possible through a mobile interface, they will be missing out on communication with a large and important demographic.
Accessing social media through mobile devices has become increasingly popular. Forward-thinking organizations need to take advantage of social media outlets as a means of spreading their message and information updates. Sometimes the bounty of different social media sites can be overwhelming. The report gives good insight into some of the most popular sites; public information specialists such as Advice Unlimited can help organizations determine which social media outlets will be most effective for specific messages and to reach different audiences.
With a mobile app for every social media site at the fingertips of every smart phone user, there is a great deal of information spreading at an incredibly fast speed. The increase in the speed at which information travels has significantly changed how organizations perform crisis management. Instead of setting up press conferences to update reporters who would in turn update the public on the process and progress in dealing with the crisis, public information specialists need to be proactive and go directly to constituents, using social media and various communication channels the public will look to for information, guidance and reassurance. Our audience will be looking to these social media sites for updates, information, and reassurance – so that’s where we need to be. For example, when the earthquake hit in Virginia last summer, there were updates about feeling an earthquake flooding the news feeds of Facebook minutes before any television media outlet could place a response or update to the public.
To read the GovLoop State of Government Communications Report in its entirety, please visit http://www.govloop.com/profiles/blogs/annoucing-govloop-state-of-government-communications-report. I recently led a workshop on how to use social media in a disaster at the GovSec 2012 conference; if you couldn’t attend and would like more information on that topic or any of the topics discussed in this post, please contact me at slevine@adviceunlimited.net.
A majority of communication now takes place over the web and having access to the web is key to staying in the loop. The boom in social media has made for a tremendous increase in the speed at which information is made public and how quickly that information spreads. It is important for organizations to keep up with social media channels and how the public is accessing the information across these channels. If they do not keep up, they will be left out of the loop because of a digital divide they did not account for - it’s not just about leveraging the web; it’s also about the tools your specific audience is using to access the web. And for some critical demographics, the device of choice is mobile.
There was a very interesting comment posted about GovLoop’s report. The comment pointed out the great digital divide of how different demographics access the web and social media. It noted that personal portable devices such as smart phones are a critical web access point for the poor, the young and people of color. If the government does not expand to make communication possible through a mobile interface, they will be missing out on communication with a large and important demographic.
Accessing social media through mobile devices has become increasingly popular. Forward-thinking organizations need to take advantage of social media outlets as a means of spreading their message and information updates. Sometimes the bounty of different social media sites can be overwhelming. The report gives good insight into some of the most popular sites; public information specialists such as Advice Unlimited can help organizations determine which social media outlets will be most effective for specific messages and to reach different audiences.
With a mobile app for every social media site at the fingertips of every smart phone user, there is a great deal of information spreading at an incredibly fast speed. The increase in the speed at which information travels has significantly changed how organizations perform crisis management. Instead of setting up press conferences to update reporters who would in turn update the public on the process and progress in dealing with the crisis, public information specialists need to be proactive and go directly to constituents, using social media and various communication channels the public will look to for information, guidance and reassurance. Our audience will be looking to these social media sites for updates, information, and reassurance – so that’s where we need to be. For example, when the earthquake hit in Virginia last summer, there were updates about feeling an earthquake flooding the news feeds of Facebook minutes before any television media outlet could place a response or update to the public.
To read the GovLoop State of Government Communications Report in its entirety, please visit http://www.govloop.com/profiles/blogs/annoucing-govloop-state-of-government-communications-report. I recently led a workshop on how to use social media in a disaster at the GovSec 2012 conference; if you couldn’t attend and would like more information on that topic or any of the topics discussed in this post, please contact me at slevine@adviceunlimited.net.
Friday, March 23, 2012
USO-Metro’s Annual Awards Dinner Reminds Us of the Importance of Giving Back
Last night, the USO of Metropolitan Washington (USO-Metro) hosted its 30th Annual Awards Dinner at the Ritz-Carlton in Pentagon City. We attended the dinner, providing PR support, as we have for the past 16 years, and were reminded why we got involved – and stay involved – with this phenomenal organization!
The evening was devoted to honoring outstanding individuals from each branch of service, as well as the exceptional people who support our nation’s service members through volunteerism and USO-Metro’s countless charitable programs, with a special emphasis on the military families served. Attended by senior government and military leaders, celebrities, business and community leaders, more than 500 guests joined with USO-Metro last night to honor our nation’s heroes and their families. This year also included a celebration of the Medal of Honor’s 150th Anniversary.
USO-Metro presented the John Gioia Patriot Award to Terri Santiago, the mother of retired Marine Sergeant Christopher Santiago, who was severely wounded in Iraq. Terri has been an amazing source of strength and inspiration, supporting her son and others as they heal. The program also included a Special Salute to our Nation’s Heroes, honoring active-duty service members from each branch of service. The honorees this year were Medal of Honor recipients – 18 Medal of Honor winners attended the dinner in celebration of the Medal of Honor’s 150th Anniversary. These service members were acknowledged for their courage and selfless service to our nation.
The entire night was a touching tribute to our service members and their families, and we were honored to be a part of it. The night reminded us all how crucial it is to give back to the community we serve. During this time of transition, supporting our nation’s heroes is more important than ever. Advice Unlimited’s involvement with USO-Metro allows us to give back and pay tribute, and is a constant reminder of the sacrifices these heroes make for us each and every day.
The evening was devoted to honoring outstanding individuals from each branch of service, as well as the exceptional people who support our nation’s service members through volunteerism and USO-Metro’s countless charitable programs, with a special emphasis on the military families served. Attended by senior government and military leaders, celebrities, business and community leaders, more than 500 guests joined with USO-Metro last night to honor our nation’s heroes and their families. This year also included a celebration of the Medal of Honor’s 150th Anniversary.
USO-Metro presented the John Gioia Patriot Award to Terri Santiago, the mother of retired Marine Sergeant Christopher Santiago, who was severely wounded in Iraq. Terri has been an amazing source of strength and inspiration, supporting her son and others as they heal. The program also included a Special Salute to our Nation’s Heroes, honoring active-duty service members from each branch of service. The honorees this year were Medal of Honor recipients – 18 Medal of Honor winners attended the dinner in celebration of the Medal of Honor’s 150th Anniversary. These service members were acknowledged for their courage and selfless service to our nation.
The entire night was a touching tribute to our service members and their families, and we were honored to be a part of it. The night reminded us all how crucial it is to give back to the community we serve. During this time of transition, supporting our nation’s heroes is more important than ever. Advice Unlimited’s involvement with USO-Metro allows us to give back and pay tribute, and is a constant reminder of the sacrifices these heroes make for us each and every day.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Learn How to Use Social Media in a Disaster at GovSec 2012
I'll be hosting a session for government communicators on using social media in a disaster at GovSec 2012 at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC on April 4, from 10:30 – 11:30 am.
The session will provide hands-on guidance on how to integrate social media into your disaster recovery communications plan. We will review real-world scenarios, such as the 2011-2012 LA Arson Fires, where social media played a crucial role. I'll also discuss with participants how we, as government public servants, can use social media to help us meet our mission: educating the public, disseminating critical information in a rapid, readable and easily understood format that our audiences embrace, calming fears and dispelling rumors.
Attendees will learn how to evaluate different social media sites for broadness of reach, targeting of specific audiences, and message delivery speed. The session will also include information on how to prioritize and integrate social media goals to ensure the overall communications plan gets implemented in a timely and effective manner, with energies focused for maximum results, especially in the crucial first few days immediately following a disaster or emergency.
This is a must-attend event for those who want to learn best practices in using social media in a disaster, and figure out how to integrate these practices into your organization as appropriate. To learn more about the conference and register, please visit https://www.xpressreg.net/register/GOVS042/start.asp.
The session will provide hands-on guidance on how to integrate social media into your disaster recovery communications plan. We will review real-world scenarios, such as the 2011-2012 LA Arson Fires, where social media played a crucial role. I'll also discuss with participants how we, as government public servants, can use social media to help us meet our mission: educating the public, disseminating critical information in a rapid, readable and easily understood format that our audiences embrace, calming fears and dispelling rumors.
Attendees will learn how to evaluate different social media sites for broadness of reach, targeting of specific audiences, and message delivery speed. The session will also include information on how to prioritize and integrate social media goals to ensure the overall communications plan gets implemented in a timely and effective manner, with energies focused for maximum results, especially in the crucial first few days immediately following a disaster or emergency.
This is a must-attend event for those who want to learn best practices in using social media in a disaster, and figure out how to integrate these practices into your organization as appropriate. To learn more about the conference and register, please visit https://www.xpressreg.net/register/GOVS042/start.asp.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Communications Rule #1: Learn from your Audience
I had the honor of running a workshop this morning at the Advanced Learning Institute’s (ALI) Social Media for Government Communications Conference, in Crystal City. My topic was: How Social is Your Communications Outreach?
The focus was on how to strategically drive public outreach using traditional and new media – and I emphasized the importance of choosing communication channels based on goals and objectives and how they work, not on what’s ‘hot’. One of my key points was: ‘listen to your audience.’ And I got to practice what I preach – I listened to my audience.
The group was outstanding – all government communicators, a good mix of public affairs officers, writers/editors, webmasters, community outreach specialists, social media coordinators. Military, civilian, and even state and local organizations were represented. And here’s what I learned, listening to my audience:
1. Most government communicators, as I’ve always believed, truly care about doing the best job they can, and understand the importance of the message they are often tasked with communicating.
2. Pay attention to your personal communication style, and translate what you like and why to how you can best reach your audience. When you’re comfortable with a certain communication channel, that’s going to show, and your enthusiasm will resonate with your audience.
3. Think through the demographics of the target audience you want to reach, and meet them where they go to communicate with the people who are important to them.
4. There is so much to learn about all the wonderful new ways to communicate and collaborate! Be open to learning new things every day, and trying new things – always motivated by what will help you better communicate with your constituents!
The focus was on how to strategically drive public outreach using traditional and new media – and I emphasized the importance of choosing communication channels based on goals and objectives and how they work, not on what’s ‘hot’. One of my key points was: ‘listen to your audience.’ And I got to practice what I preach – I listened to my audience.
The group was outstanding – all government communicators, a good mix of public affairs officers, writers/editors, webmasters, community outreach specialists, social media coordinators. Military, civilian, and even state and local organizations were represented. And here’s what I learned, listening to my audience:
1. Most government communicators, as I’ve always believed, truly care about doing the best job they can, and understand the importance of the message they are often tasked with communicating.
2. Pay attention to your personal communication style, and translate what you like and why to how you can best reach your audience. When you’re comfortable with a certain communication channel, that’s going to show, and your enthusiasm will resonate with your audience.
3. Think through the demographics of the target audience you want to reach, and meet them where they go to communicate with the people who are important to them.
4. There is so much to learn about all the wonderful new ways to communicate and collaborate! Be open to learning new things every day, and trying new things – always motivated by what will help you better communicate with your constituents!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Hope you can join me at the GovSec 2012 Conference & Expo and participate in my session!
CPM-10 Disaster Strikes: What's Your Social Media Plan?
Wednesday, April 4, 10:30 – 11:30 am
Use promo code: GSSPK for a 20% discount on the GovSec Conference!
I’m honored to be presenting at GovSec 2012, which brings together top decision makers in government security, law enforcement and first response. This is a great opportunity to attend three days of education and training addressing counterterrorism, critical infrastructure protection, cybercrime and cyber terrorism. Your paid conference pass provides you access to over 50 conference sessions, including my session. Learn more about the registration fees here.
At my session April 4, I’ll provide hands-on guidance on how to integrate social media into your disaster recovery communications plan. We will review real-world scenarios where social media played a crucial role, and discuss how we as government public servants can use social media to help us meet our mission: educating the public, disseminating critical information in a rapid, readable and easily understood format that our audiences embrace, calming fears and dispelling rumors. Several popular social media sites will be reviewed for their strengths and weaknesses, along with new, less known sites that we feel might be of value for disaster recovery and emergency response efforts. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of the value of integrating social media into their disaster recovery and emergency response communications plans.
While you’re attending GovSec 2012 don’t forget to check out what’s new this year including:
Keynote Presentations –
Opening Keynotes: Tuesday, April 3 – 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM - Ralph S. Boelter, Assistant Director, FBI Counterterrorism Division and Gordon M. Snow, Assistant Director, FBI Cyber Division
Wednesday Keynote: Wednesday, April 4 – 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM - Senator George J. Mitchell, Former U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace
Pre-Conference Workshops – Monday, April 2 – These half-day workshops provide you in-depth training before the conference begins!
Live Demos – Challenge your boss in our Force & Firearms Championship or see Bomb Response Robots in action in the exhibit hall.
Mobile Apps Experience – Discover how these enterprise-class mobile apps for government and first responders can be used to help your agency fulfill your mission and secure our nation.
…and much more!
I invite you to join me and your peers for a unique opportunity to help meet your comprehensive security challenges!
Wednesday, April 4, 10:30 – 11:30 am
Use promo code: GSSPK for a 20% discount on the GovSec Conference!
I’m honored to be presenting at GovSec 2012, which brings together top decision makers in government security, law enforcement and first response. This is a great opportunity to attend three days of education and training addressing counterterrorism, critical infrastructure protection, cybercrime and cyber terrorism. Your paid conference pass provides you access to over 50 conference sessions, including my session. Learn more about the registration fees here.
At my session April 4, I’ll provide hands-on guidance on how to integrate social media into your disaster recovery communications plan. We will review real-world scenarios where social media played a crucial role, and discuss how we as government public servants can use social media to help us meet our mission: educating the public, disseminating critical information in a rapid, readable and easily understood format that our audiences embrace, calming fears and dispelling rumors. Several popular social media sites will be reviewed for their strengths and weaknesses, along with new, less known sites that we feel might be of value for disaster recovery and emergency response efforts. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of the value of integrating social media into their disaster recovery and emergency response communications plans.
While you’re attending GovSec 2012 don’t forget to check out what’s new this year including:
Keynote Presentations –
Opening Keynotes: Tuesday, April 3 – 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM - Ralph S. Boelter, Assistant Director, FBI Counterterrorism Division and Gordon M. Snow, Assistant Director, FBI Cyber Division
Wednesday Keynote: Wednesday, April 4 – 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM - Senator George J. Mitchell, Former U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace
Pre-Conference Workshops – Monday, April 2 – These half-day workshops provide you in-depth training before the conference begins!
Live Demos – Challenge your boss in our Force & Firearms Championship or see Bomb Response Robots in action in the exhibit hall.
Mobile Apps Experience – Discover how these enterprise-class mobile apps for government and first responders can be used to help your agency fulfill your mission and secure our nation.
…and much more!
I invite you to join me and your peers for a unique opportunity to help meet your comprehensive security challenges!
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