the social school - 2017 program guide

1. Social Media Strategy 2. Writing for Social Media 3. Graphic Design for Social Media 4. Photo & Video for Social Media 5. Digital Advertising

As Canada's premier digital marketing academy, The Social School is ready to arm you with the skills, knowledge and tools you need, either on your own or alongside your team, with courses, workshops, labs, conferences and more.

Season 2 is now in session. Grab a seat and see you in school.

The Social School brings together the brightest minds, biggest forces and boldest ideas in today’s social media and digital marketing world.

THE 2017 SOCIAL SCHOOL PROGRAM:

CALGARY COURSES & SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

LAUNCH LABS

THE POST 2017

THE SOCIAL SCHOOL 1508 6 ST. SW, Calgary, AB 403-802-0200 [email protected]

CANADA’S MODERN MARKETING FORUM Where Leaders, Doers and Disruptors Collide Nov 14-16, 2017 | Calgary, AB www.ThePostForum.com

1. Brand 2. Website & Blog

WORKSHOPS

ENTREPRENEUR CAMP 2017

1. Edmonton – March 7-10 2. Saskatoon - May 9-12 3. Lethbridge - June 6-9 4. Kelowna - Nov 28-Dec 1

COURSES ARE OFFERED IN: • Feb – Winter 2017 semester • April - Spring 2017 semester • June - Summer 2017 semester • Oct - Fall 2017 semester

Where E-Types Come to Play. Nov 16-18, 2017 | Banff, AB

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.thepostforum.com

COURSES & CERTIFICATE PROGRAMBRAND

WINTER: Jan 10-11 SPRING: May 16-17 FALL: Sept 12-13

WEBSITE & BLOG WINTER: Jan 24-25 SPRING: May 30-31 FALL: Sept 26-27

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2017 EVENTS CALENDAR

SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY WINTER: Jan 31 (daytime), Feb 1-2 (evening) SPRING: Mar 28 (daytime), Mar 29-30 (evening) SUMMER: May 30 (daytime), May 31-June 1 (evening) FALL: Sept 26 (daytime), Sept 27-28 (evening)

WRITING FOR SOCIAL MEDIA WINTER: Feb 7 (daytime), Feb 8-9 (evening) SPRING: Apr 4 (daytime), Apr 5-6 (evening) SUMMER: June 6 (daytime), June 7-8 (evening) FALL: Oct 3 (daytime), Oct 4-5 (evening)

GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR SOCIAL MEDIA WINTER: Feb 14 (daytime), Feb 15-16 (evening) SPRING: Apr 11 (daytime), Apr 12-13 (evening) SUMMER: June 13 (daytime), June 14-15 (evening) FALL: Oct 10 (daytime), Oct 11-12 (evening)

PHOTO & VIDEO FOR SOCIAL MEDIA WINTER: Feb 21 (daytime), Feb 22-23 (evening) SPRING: Apr 18 (daytime), Apr 19-20 (evening) SUMMER: June 20 (daytime), June 21-22 (evening) FALL: Oct 17 (daytime), Oct 18-19 (evening)

DIGITAL ADVERTISING WINTER: Feb 28 (daytime), Mar 1-2 (evening) SPRING: Apr 25 (daytime), Apr 26-27 (evening) SUMMER: June 27 (daytime), June 28-29 (evening) FALL: Oct 24 (daytime), Oct 25-26 (evening)

LAUNCH LABS

WORKSHOPS

EDMONTON, AB The Social School Workshop & Conference: March 7-8 Website & Blog Launch Lab: March 9-10

SASKATOON, SK The Social School Workshop & Conference: May 9-10 Website & Blog Launch Lab: May 11-12

LETHBRIDGE, AB The Social School Workshop & Conference: June 6-7 Website & Blog Launch Lab: June 8-9

KELOWNA, BC The Social School Workshop & Conference: Nov 28-29 Website & Blog Launch Lab: Nov 30-Dec 1

Welcome to our spectacular series of 2017 Social School Courses, held live at The Social School headquarters throughout the year.

Featuring hands-on learning, up close and personal coaching, countless tools and takeaways, and imperative pieces of your marketing plans and social media platforms launched into play, they're the only experiential learning event of their kind in the country.

Each Social School Course is limited to 12 people for an incredibly effective and intimate learning and doing environment. Scoop up your seat while you can... school is in session and spots are going fast.

One-to-one coaching, six hours of onsite learning, live content pillars and platforms launched into play, customized go-forward game plan and plenty more.

COURSES FEATURE: • Pre and post-event worksheets, writing and planning exercises • Six hours of hands-on onsite learning, tailored to meet your specific needs and

launch you into action • Takeaway workbook, comprehensive game plan and customized go-forward

guide

WHO YOU'LL BE WORKING WITH Working right alongside you and guiding, coaching and assisting you every step of the way through the entirety of this exciting three-part course will be a team of professional strategists, writers, editors and PR professionals from both the Press + Post team and Social School faculty.

Our strengths lie in auditing where it is your business is currently positioned, learning where it is your most pressing pain points lie and forming a plan to solve them, honing in on your specific goals and objectives for the year ahead and working with you to map out the ultimate course of action to make them happen.

We will identify exactly where your most exciting and executable ideas and opportunities exist, devise the most clever, game changing and industry leading campaigns and social marketing initiatives possible, and put both a seamless plan and the key strategic pieces in place together, so that you know exactly how to move forward in the days, weeks and months to follow.

WHEN & WHERE: • A 6-hour weekday affair from 10am-4pm or 2 consecutive evenings from 6-9pm

COST:

• $299 each

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COURSES

1. Social Media Strategy

2. Writing for Social Media

3. Graphic Design for Social Media

4. Photo & Video for Social Media

5. Digital Advertising

PRESENTING: THE SOCIAL SCHOOL SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

• February [Winter 2017 semester] • April [Spring 2017 semester] • June [Summer 2017 semester] • October [Fall 2017 semester]

COURSES INCLUDE: COURSES OFFERED IN:

* Courses can be taken individually, or as a combined, 5-course, 5-week Social Media Marketing Certificate Program

* All courses held at The Social School (1508 6 St. SW)

* Completion of all 5 courses comprises the Social Media Marketing Certificate

For exact dates, see Events Calendar on page 1

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Whether you are just starting out or deep into your content marketing and social media strategy, our Social Media Strategy Course is designed to get you crystal clear on what your smart and savvy social program will look like, where you're going and why.

REFINING YOUR MESSAGE, DEFINING YOUR VOICE AND ESTABLISHING YOUR IDEAL CONTENT PLATFORMS, PURPOSE, AUDIENCE AND STRATEGY

Part 1: AUDIT & IDENTIFY

First impressions are everything, and we will undertake a complete audit of your current communications platforms and digital footprint, identify your biggest social media and content marketing opportunities in the year ahead, and focus in on your ideal target audience. Get ready to put your best digital foot forward forevermore.

Part 2: PURPOSE & TACTICS

Define the goals behind your digital market strategy, identify your unique industry expertise and generate branded themes to build into your marketing calendar. Pinpoint the platforms which best speak to your audience, and learn how to produce content that entertains, engages and informs.

Part 3: PLANNING & STRATEGY

Map out a comprehensive strategic plan that will guide your efforts for the year ahead. We’ll identify your standout brand stories, differentiators and the best tactics for getting them told, outlining how they ladder up to one seamless 12-month sales, marketing and communications calendar. Leave prepared to launch into action, with measurable returns.

WHAT YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH

• A complete marketing communications calendar and critical path for the year ahead, with all of your milestones, marketing tactics and specific communications efforts mapped out start to finish

• A live suite of tools, spreadsheets, templates and strategy documents that collectively form your complete marketing roadmap, with follow-up support, insight and feedback (and cheering!) as needed

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SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY

COURSE #1:

A 6-hour affair (10am-4pm) at The Social School

10-10:15am: Arrivals and coffee 10:15-10:30am: Intros, overview and goals

Part A: AUDIT & IDENTIFY – 10:30am-12:30pm 10:30-10:45am: Overview of your current market position, marketing communications plan, status, platforms and reach

10:45-11am: Industry and competitor audits – website, blog, e-news and social platforms

11-11:15pm: Opportunity identification and solidification of social platforms according to resources, realm and current market position

11:15-11:30am: Coffee and snacks

11:30-12pm: Solidifying your milestones, events, launches, campaigns and happenings for the 12 months ahead

12-12:30pm: Catered lunch

Part B: PURPOSE & TACTICS – 12:30-2pm 12:30-12:45pm: Identify the purpose and measurable goals of your digital marketing efforts

12:45-1pm: Target audience identification and ideal customer profile creation

1-1:15pm: Identify your unique expertise and corresponding areas of audience interest

1:15-1:45pm: Zeroing in on your standout content themes, categories and formats

1:45-2pm: Fresh air brain break

Part C: PLANNING & STRATEGY – 2-4pm 2-2:30pm: Finalizing your specific marketing and communications tactics and to-do’s

2:30-3:15pm: 12-month Critical Path creation – Top-to-bottom mapping of your marketing communications strategy for the year ahead

3:15-3:45pm: Creating a tactical budget of your time and financial resources that will bring your plan to life

3:45–4pm: Wrap-up, go-forward planning, next steps and parting hugs

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SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY AGENDA

COURSE #1:

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WRITING FOR SOCIAL MEDIA

Integrating custom content pillars and categories, and weaving your brand themes into standout stories that will engage, inform and entertain your growing on and offline audience.

Implementing tools, tactics and timelines relevant to your business that perfectly blend both scheduled and live content, keep you moving forward and drive enormous results.

HOW TO WRITE POSTS AND CRAFT CONTENT YOUR AUDIENCE CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF, WHILE MASTERING THE IMPERATIVE ART OF DIGITAL STORYTELLING

Part 1: THEMES & VOICE

Get ready to craft your key messages, elevator pitch and unforgettable soundbites. Clearly define your online voice and land laser focused on your target audience, be they media, clients, customers, prospects or beyond, while updating your online profiles and platforms as needed.

Part 2: HOOKS & HEADLINES

Learn how to anchor your posts with unique categories, campaigns and narratives that weave their way through your content calendar, while addressing formatting, style and language do’s and don’ts. Narrow in on the standout hooks and notable post ideas that compliment your overall marketing plan, while entertaining, engaging and activating your target audience.

Part 3: CONTENT & CALENDAR

Whether engaging with your customers, clients and prospects or creating compelling digital posts that bring your unique brand story to life, it’s time to get to work and hone your craft. Outline where your posts will live and when they’ll go live, and flush out a complete 12-month editorial calendar that will see you reach your content goals, and then some.


• Your most timely, topical, clear and concise messages, stories, soundbites, sales pitches, product offerings and more, written, re-written, edited and ready for on-the-spot implementation

• How-to’s for writing your world class content, a comprehensive understanding of brand narrative, and the ability to weave essential themes throughout your text

COURSE #2:

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10-10:15am: Arrivals and coffee 10:15-10:30am: Intros and overview

Part A: THEMES & VOICE – 10:30am-1pm 10:30-10:45am: The About – Solidifying who you are, what you offer and why you do it

10:45-11:15am: The Elevator Pitch – Nailing your elevator pitch short and long, and committing to complete clarity in all your communications

11:15-11:45am: Crafting your magnetic key messages and spectacular social soundbites

11:45-12pm: Coffee and snacks

12-12:30pm: Defining your voice and tailoring it to your various audiences and platforms

12:30-1pm: Catered lunch

Part B: HOOKS & HEADLINES – 1-2:30pm 1-1:15pm: Mapping out your content themes over the course of the year

1:15-1:30pm: Outlining the content categories that will bring your themes to life

1:30-1:45pm: Dreaming up your world class creative campaigns by season, event or inspiration

1:45-2pm: The Makings of a Perfect Post – Hook your audience with punchy material, hooks, hashtags and soundbites

2-2:15pm: Social Style Guide – Your go-to formatting, tagging and language do’s and don’ts

2:15-2:30pm: Fresh air brain break

Part C: CONTENT & CALENDAR – 2:30-4pm 2:30-2:45pm: Platforms and Beyond – Posting your modern day content marketing mix in all the right places

2:45-3:15pm: Top 10 Post Ideas – Pens to paper, posts to platforms and pushing publish

3:15-3:45pm: Flushing out your ideal editorial calendar for the year ahead

3:45-4pm: Wrap-up, tools, next steps and parting hugs

WRITING FOR SOCIAL MEDIA AGENDA

COURSE #2:

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GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR SOCIAL MEDIA

At the heart of every great communications, content marketing and social media strategy lies a bank of beautiful imagery and stunning graphics that captures hearts and minds and entices them into action.

And if 2016 was the year visual content took over the Internet, 2017 is poised to be a virtual smorgasbord of standout visuals, video and design, and growing audience expectations. Are you delivering?

INCORPORATING GAME CHANGING VISUALS INTO YOUR SOCIAL STRATEGY, AND PROPERLY PUBLISHING THEM IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES

Part 1: FONTS & FUSION

Whether you’re wanting to refresh a dated brand image or debut a bold new direction, learn to create unforgettable visuals that succinctly tell your story. Bring your words to life with fabulous fonts, fuse your designs with your written words and create eye-catching content like never before.

Part 2: CAPTURE & CREATE

Create a bank of go-to social, blog and e-news graphics using simple and affordable online tools. Learn how to be your own photographer and videographer, generate stunning ads, seamlessly update your social platforms and continuously illustrate your unique brand and business.

Part 3: ENHANCE & SCHEDULE

You’ve generated your compelling content, now when, where and how frequently to display your works of art? Learn to draft and schedule your posts with the world’s top scheduling and automation tools, practice imperative storytelling continuity and see a maximum return on your digital efforts.


• A blending of graphic design-meets-copywriting know-how that will grow your brand story and captivate your audience

• The ability to create photos, video and custom images that reinforce your message, and the ability to use a host of simple design tools to enhance and expand your most important digital platforms

• A suite of practical knowledge aimed at helping you keep your content publishing consistent, meet your business objectives and benefit your bottom line

COURSE #3:

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10-10:15am: Arrivals and coffee 10:15-10:30am: Intros and overview

Part A: FONTS & FUSION – 10:30am-12:30pm 10:30-10:45am: Getting Started Guide – No graphic design experience, no budget for a program? No problem.

10:45-11am: Bringing your words to life with fonts that captivate your audience and compliment your digital campaigns

11-11:15am: Harnessing the help of shapes and icons


11:30-11:45am: Colour matching – Picking the right shades, palette and placements

11:45am-12pm: Together at Last – Marrying text with photo, information with image


Part B: CAPTURE & CREATE – 12:30-2:30pm 12:30-1pm: Transforming into your own in-house photographer and videographer

1-1:15pm: Creating bite-sized social videos and why they matter

1:15-1:45pm: Uploading, sizing and formatting pics and vids for your various platforms and placements

1:45-2:15pm: The Image Bank – Planning, capturing and creating images for tomorrow, today


Part C: ENHANCE & SCHEDULE – 2:30-4pm 2:30-2:45pm: Effectively arranging your design elements and employing recurring brand filters

2:45-3:15pm: Tying it all together, exporting your images and uploading to your social feeds

3:15-3:45pm: Scheduling and Continuity – Using the world’s top social media automation platform to keep you sane and guarantee your success

3:45-4pm: Wrap-up, go-forward planning, next steps and parting hugs

GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR SOCIAL MEDIA AGENDA

COURSE #3:

While very few of today’s successful businesses have a professional photography or video production budget, it's never been more important to learn the right tricks, hone your skills and maximize your chances of photo and videographic success, right from the affordability and familiarity of your mobile phone. And YES! We'll be covering Live Video, too!

FINDING, CAPTURING AND CURATING THE PERFECT PICS AND VIDEOS – BOTH LIVE AND STILL – FOR YOUR ONGOING CONTENT MARKETING NEEDS AND BRILLIANT SOCIAL FEEDS.

Part 1: PHOTOGRAPHY FOR SOCIAL

It's never been more important to employ beautiful custom imagery into your digital marketing efforts, particularly as each and every social platform becomes more visually rich. Look no further than Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Snapchat to see embedded photos, autoplaying videos and plenty of algorithm preference in user newsfeeds for rich, image-containing content. Learn how to take better photos, edit them beautifully, and upload them properly in all the right places.

Part 2: VIDEO FOR SOCIAL

If still imagery is important in painting a picture of your brand and business, then live action and motion graphics are the icing on the cake. Learn how to work video into your social media feeds, website and content marketing efforts, and better yet, how to do it yourself from start to finish with a little gear and a lot of know-how.

Part 3: LIVE VIDEO 101

There’s no denying the power of live video in social media and digital marketing in 2016 and beyond, and there’s no time like the present to tackle it. We’ll dive into the platforms, best practices and simple gear required to get your live video strategy off the ground, and delivering enormous results to your business.


• A start-to-finish understanding of photography for social media, including what it takes to capture indelible and iconic imagery that tells the story of your business and brand, with nothing more than your mobile phone.

• A suite of tools, tips and apps that will easily and affordably help you bring the best photos, video and live video to life across all your digital marketing and social media platforms

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PHOTO & VIDEO FOR SOCIAL MEDIA

COURSE #4:


10-10:15am: Arrivals and coffee 10:15-10:30am: Intros, overview and goals

Part A: PHOTOGRAPHY FOR SOCIAL – 10:30am-12:30pm 10:30-11:30am: Overview of today’s best photographic practices for social media and digital marketing


11:30-12:30pm: Hands-on photography workshop using nothing more than your mobile device and the world’s top photo editing apps

12:30-1pm: Catered lunch

Part B: PURPOSE & TACTICS – 1-2:30pm 1-1:45pm: Best practices for setting up, shooting and editing truly standout video for your social feeds, from testimonials and interviews to behind-the-scenes action footage

1:45-2:15pm: Live in the field: putting your newfound video skills to life, and editing them in real time on the spot


Part C: PLANNING & STRATEGY – 2:30-4pm 2:30-3pm: Overview of today’s Live Video platforms and playgrounds, and a strategic analysis of where and why you should be getting in on the action

3-3:30pm: An in-depth, hands-on look at Periscope, Snapchat and Facebook Live, and practice rounds on each

3:30-4pm: Practice rounds - Lights, Camera, Action - congrats on launching your first live broadcast!

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PHOTO & VIDEO FOR SOCIAL MEDIA AGENDA

COURSE #4:

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DIGITAL ADVERTISING

STRATEGIC CONTENT PROMOTION, AMPLIFICATION AND ANALYSIS, AND INTELLIGENT (AFFORDABLE!) DIGITAL AD CAMPAIGN BUILDING AND MANAGEMENT

While creating top notch social posts, branded content and communications materials is essential, actually getting it seen and heard is the key.

Get ready to deep dive into the top measurement tools and tactics, and discover best practices for promotion, amplification and targeting. Learn how to build and manage your very own unforgettable digital ad campaigns, featuring custom audiences, in-house creative, analytic insights and more.

Part 1: ANALYTICS & INSIGHTS

After pushing out countless carefully crafted posts, it's time to review your wins and losses and find room for improvement. Learn to read your social analytics and build traction with the use of insights, primetime scheduling, repurposing practices and strategic content syndication.

Part 2: TARGETING & REACH

Increase views, engagement and conversion across your slate of digital platforms, and supercharge your reach with illustrated narratives, boosted posts and creative advertising campaigns. Continuously grow your tribe of digital loyalists, subscribers, fans and followers by creating custom audiences and targeting them accordingly.

Part 3: ADVERTISING & ENGAGING

In a sea of newsfeed algorithms, increasing competition and shrinking attention spans, even the most compelling brands in the world rely on paid reach. Learn where to direct your limited advertising dollars and how to bring your very own digital ad campaigns to life. Go beyond informing and entertaining, to leaving an unforgettable, indelible impact on your audience, enticing them into action.


• The ability to know how, when and where to boost your posts with a limited budget, thereby optimizing your content reach without spending a fortune

• A complete working knowledge of the imperative analytic tools built into your social platforms to help you create the most compelling and effective posts possible

• A start-to-finish understanding of Facebook Business Manager, and the ability to create custom audiences and build targeted ad campaigns (with graphics) for both Facebook and Instagram

COURSE #5:

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10-10:15am: Arrivals and coffee 10:15-10:30: Intros and overview

Part A: ANALYTICS & INSIGHTS – 10am-12:30pm 10:30-11am: Overview of built-in analytics and measurement tools within your social platforms and automation tools – both free and paid

11-11:30am: Finding meaningful insights within your social efforts, and forming a plan to implement them into your copywriting, campaigns and posts


11:45am-12pm: Shortcuts and syndication: Identifying the ideal formulas for scheduled posts and content repurposing across your social platforms


Part B: TARGETING & REACH – 12:30-2pm 12:30-1pm: Introduction to Facebook Ads Manager and Power Editor, including Campaigns, Ad Sets and Ads

1-1:30pm: Custom Audience Creation: Preparing your ideal audiences according to engagement habits, interest and geo-targeting, database and mailing list imports, and visits to your website

1:30-2pm: Identifying various FB ad campaign objectives and mapping out your custom plan, calendar and budget for each

Part C: ADVERTISING & ENGAGING – 2-4pm 2-2:30pm: Setting objectives, timeframes, target audiences and budgets for a series of custom Facebook and/or Instagram ad campaigns

2:30-3pm: Headline and copywriting, and custom graphics creation for your various campaigns

3-3:15pm: Coffee and snacks

3:15-3:45pm: Putting it all into play: Building your custom campaigns and pushing publish

3:45-4pm: Wrap-up, go-forward plan, next steps and parting hugs

DIGITAL ADVERTISING AGENDA

COURSE #5:

Whether trapped in the trenches of start-up mode or several decades into owning and operating their business, there is one very unifying challenge that companies big and small face on an ongoing and increasingly accelerated basis. That is, the need for better brand identity, stellar marketing assets, a standout digital presence, and more affordable, anytime access, edits and updates in order to keep them all current, targeted and top notch.

Less talk, more action. Less frustration, more knowledge. Less expensive outsourcing, more empowered ownership. Introducing:

1 | Launch Lab: BRAND 2 | Launch Lab: WEBSITE & BLOG

2 days. Plan it, design it, launch it, own it.

The Social School’s Launch Lab Weekends have been custom built for today’s savvy business professional.

• They are an answer to the prayers of the entrepreneur who can’t seem to pull the trigger and get a proper logo and brand built, and continues to operate without a seamless, compelling and creative professional identity

• They are the smart and simple solution for the bootstrapping small business owner whose website has been ‘under construction’ for longer than they care to admit, despite knowing the countless lost leads and opportunities this equates to

• They are a timely and intelligent dream for the company who knows their online presence needs an overhaul, but can’t justify the price, has no idea who to hire or where to begin, or has already spent a fortune outsourcing to someone else

Say goodbye to your outdated branding, embarrassing business cards, broken home page and dusty website design, because the Launch Labs are here.

And while brand spanking new logos and websites are pretty sweet things to tick off your to-do list (in two days flat, no less), the best part is that they come with a full set of keys.

And as the saying goes, teach a person to fish and they’ll never, ever have to stumble, stall or outsource again.

Launch Labs are limited to 15 people, and spots are filling up fast. Get yours while they last, and then get really excited, because we can hardly wait to work with you to bring your project to life.

COST: • $1250-1450 each

LAUNCH LABS

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This two-day start-to-finish creative marathon has been crafted to help both new and pre-existing businesses alike conceive and creating a proper brand identity from scratch.

Through pre-Lab exercises, internal audits, one-to-one interviews and an insanely productive two days of teamwork, Launch Lab staff will not only walk attendees through all the necessary steps in bringing their perfect suite of brand tools to life – i.e. logo, tagline, elevator pitch, business card, letterhead, brochure, brand guide book and more, but packaging it up so it’s ready for immediate implementation – online, in print and beyond, and ongoing edits, tweaks and additions as needed.

This two-day start-to-finish creative marathon has been crafted to help both new and existing businesses alike conceive and create a proper brand identity from scratch. Learn the foundations of do-it-yourself graphic design, logo making and social branding tools, and seamlessly brand your business, social platforms and online footprint like a boss.

In this intensive two-day lab, you’ll also gain a fundamental understanding of digital marketing, blogging, website design, email marketing, social media for business and the best ways to monetize your online efforts.

By day’s end, your business will have a beautiful new look, complete with logo, tagline and a suite of awesome templates to use in your business going forward. Leave with all the source files and skills you need to edit, tweak and build anytime you want, giving you complete freedom to brand your social media graphics, blog posts, communications materials and beyond forevermore, not to mention order more business cards when you fly through the first batch.


• A transformed look and feel of your company, built by you, and guided by a small army of professional creatives and communicators

• A meticulous understanding of the necessary tools and skills needed to bring your brand to life and keep it fresh and current

• A completed kit of custom marketing materials, packaged up and ready for immediate implementation online, in print and beyond, and ongoing edits and additions

• A spectacular suite of social graphics – live, loaded and ready for use, from banners and profile images, to digital ads and social posts

FEATURES:

• Pre-Lab exercises, one-to-one interview and professional external brand audit

• Two full days in The Lab, and an insanely productive amount of learning, teamwork and collaboration

• The fully supported launching of your custom-built brand by 5pm on Day 2, with champagne toasting!

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BRAND

LAUNCH LAB #1:

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LAUNCH LAB: BRAND AGENDA

DAY 1 – 8:30am-5:00pm

Part 1: AUDIT & IDENTITY – 8:30-11:30am

8:30-9am: Arrivals, mimosas, cappuccinos, music and power networking with IRL (in real life) and URL (digital persona) intros

9-9:15am: Group intros and Saturday goal setting

9:15-10:45am: Identifying the ideal look and feel of your unique brand and business, auditing your current market position, digital footprint and competitive opportunities

10:45-11am: Coffee and snacks

11-11:30: Finalizing your tagline and secondary brand soundbites, and business name, domain and social handles if needed

Part 2: CURATE & CREATE – 11:30am-5pm

11:30am-12:30pm: Design 101 - Selecting the right logo layout, icons, colours and fonts for all the right reasons

12:30-1:30pm: Catered lunch

1:30-2:30pm: Logomaker 101 - Choosing your imagery, copy and design, and creating your custom logo from scratch

2:30-3:30pm: File type familiarization – Exporting, uploading and resizing rules, and assembling your official brand guide and file kit

3:30-3:45pm: Coffee and snacks

3:45-4:45pm: Brand extras – Identifying additional brand colours, suitable photo filters, supporting fonts and sub-brand logos

4:45-5pm: Sunday strategizing

DAY 2 – 8:30am-5:00pm

Part 3: CUSTOM COLLATERAL – 8:30am-1:30pm

8:30-9am: Arrivals, cappuccinos, music, power networking, Saturday wins and Sunday goal setting

9-9:15am: Review, roadblocks and questions; preparing to send your new brand live at 5pm

9:15-10:15am: Image bank building – Identifying your current and ongoing visual imagery needs and affordably and legally finding the right photos online


10:30-11:30am: Marketing collateral – Designing your business cards, letterhead, reports, press releases, proposal templates and beyond like a pro

11:30am-12:30pm: Digital branding – Creating your required social profile images, banners, website, blog and e-newsletter graphics and more


Part 4: CONTENT BANKING – 1:30-5pm

1:30-2:45pm: Creating a suite of custom graphics for your blog, newsletter or social platforms for use in your upcoming drip campaigns and content marketing efforts


3-4:15pm: Final edits and audits to your website, social profiles and other branded online content

4:15-5pm: Launching your new brand live! And telling the world about it via email marketing, social media and phone calls to your friends

5pm: Champagne toasts and celebrations

Two dream days for the blog or website-building wannabe, this Launch Lab is an intensely amazing guided event that will see attendees learn everything they need to know about creating and customizing their very own super site beginning on Day 1, right through to ringing the launch bell and sending their shiny new website live by end of Day 2.

Our roving team of website building, domain hosting, graphic and design wizards will be the guiding, informing, inspiring light from start to finish, while our professional photographer, graphic designers, hosting expert and copywriting staff will be on hand to help snap your head shot, source imagery, solidify your copy writing and send you live in the most beautiful, business-building way possible.


• A modern, mobile responsive site built on the Squarespace 7 platform

• A content management system site and backend dashboard of your very own, meaning updates, edits and additions are yours to control and manage, forevermore

• e-commerce integration that allows for a fully functioning storefront, online sales, reports and customer database

• Ability to add unlimited pages, products and special features

• Simple email set-up, integration and custom domain hosting if required

• Complete understanding of website analytics, traffic monitoring and insights dashboard

• Built-in marketing tools and search engine optimization

• Social media, blog, e-newsletter and customer relationship management system integration

• Top to bottom training, tips and support materials to keep you in complete control of your spectacular new site

FEATURES:

• Two full days in the Lab, with a 1:3 ratio of Launch Lab staff to attendees for non-stop guided learning and support, with a maximum 15 attendees

• Pre-work exercises and takeaway materials to get you laser focused on your voice, tone, purpose, story, website soundbites and direction

• Start-to-finish coaching around the creation and launch of a fully flushed out new website, ready to wow your customers, clients and prospects with, and own and update forevermore

• Bonus learns, tips, tools and techniques, and a customized go-forward plan to keep your marketing efforts moving ahead

• Coffee, lunch, snacks, swag and plenty of celebratory cocktails over the course of the event • Ongoing Social School community support and promotion, and a free ticket to a Social Club Night

of your choice, where we’ll show the world your awe-inspiring new assets

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WEBSITE & BLOG

LAUNCH LAB #2:

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DAY 1 – 8:30am-5:00pm

Part 1: LEARN & LAYOUT – 8:30-11am

8:30-9am: Arrivals, mimosas, cappuccinos, music and power networking with IRL (in real life) and URL (digital persona) intros

9-9:15am: Group intros and Saturday goal setting

9:15-10:45am: Get to know Squarespace Seven – Identifying the various site types, templates, domain hosting requirements, settings, connected accounts, plugins and fancy features

10:45-11am: Coffee and snacks

Part 2: SETUP & STRATEGIZE – 11am-5pm

11am-12:30pm: Feature familiarizing – Folders vs. indexes, nav set-up, adding pages, adding and move blocks and features (images, links, buttons, forms, social links), saving and viewing, add-ons and special pages (blog, products, events, e-commerce)


1:30-2:30pm: Pen to paper site mapping – Planning, layout and needs identification for copy, imagery, logos, links, forms and extras

2:30-3:30pm: Create your account – Select your template, see sample sites in action, determine overall look and feel

3:30-3:45pm: Coffee and snacks

3:30-4:45pm: Head shots and custom photography sessions

3:45-4:45pm: Wireframing – Begin settings customization and building of your site’s navigation, pages, features and user experience

4:45-5pm: Sunday strategizing

DAY 2 – 8:30am-5:00pm

Part 3: CREATE & CONNECT – 8am-1:30pm

8:30-9am: Arrivals, cappuccinos, music, power networking, Saturday wins and Sunday goal setting

9-9:15am: Review, roadblocks and questions; prepare to go live in t-minus 8 hours

9:15-10:15am: Mastering your domain – Tackling the tricky technical elements, including domain hosting and transfer, email setup, e-commerce, marketing, SEO and special features


10:30-11:30am: Further building your pages and features and adding appropriate content blocks – text, images, forms, buttons and beyond

11:30am-12:30pm: Killer copywriting – Creating the clear, concise and creative words for your standout site


Part 4: CUSTOMIZE & LAUNCH – 1:30-5pm

1:30-2:45pm - Deep design and customization – Playing with the theme editor’s fonts, size, colours and settings, incorporating your imagery, social integrations and calls to action, adding some pow and custom plugins


3-4:15pm: Final design work, connecting your domain, testing and tweaking your site

4:15-5pm: Launching live! And telling the world about it via email marketing, social media and phone calls to your friends

5pm: Champagne toasts and celebrations

LAUNCH LAB: WEBSITE & BLOG AGENDA

As ever-curious communicators, marketers, journalists and technology nerds ourselves, we can hardly wait to curate the coolest social event YYC has ever seen come fall 2017.

November 14-16, 2017. Three days, multiple venues, and a small army of digital communicators, social collaborators and creative souls.

Welcome to #THEPOST2017.

LABS

From coffee shop talks to basement brain incubators, Social Week Labs promise to be just the right mix of intimate, interactive and insanely mind-blowing. With hands-on, in-house case-studying of how leading organizations do social, business, community and beyond, and intimate interviews with industry leaders, losers, gamblers and game changers, The Post Labs are a surefire way to connect with a small group of peers, spark incredible conversation and leave an incomparable impact.

LEARNS

Get ready for masterclasses, demos, debates and discussions, accompanied by more than a few dozen of your closest friends and followers. The Post Learns will bring together all walks and talks, to challenge conventions, expand horizons and share ideas in an open forum and grandiose fashion, with a whole lot of fun to be had.

ASSEMBLIES

From stellar keynotes to spectacular mixers and sweeping public events, The Post Assembly series will be tough to miss. We're working hard to bring to life the best possible blend of local talent and global thought leadership. Worldly ideas and insights alongside homegrown Canadian execution and activation. Big brains meet bold actions, collaborative community meets the greater good.

So, clear your November 2017 calendar and get ready for an unforgettable ride. All-access #Post2017 passes will be on sale soon.

Want to be a part of The Post, either as a speaker, sponsor, volunteer or venue host? Get in touch! [email protected].

THE POST – CANADA’S MODERN MARKETING FORUM

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mailto:[email protected]?subject=

Get ready to bring your social media and digital marketing dreams to life, because Season 2 of The Social School is now in session.

www.TheSocialSchool.ca

THE SOCIAL SCHOOL 1508 6 St. SW, Calgary, AB T2R 0Z8 403-802-0200 [email protected]

http://www.thesocialschool.ca

mailto:[email protected]

the social school - 2017 program guide

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