Social Media Portal interview with Helen Hawkins from iStrategy Sydney

Social Media Portal (SMP) profiled interview with Helen Hawkins marketing manager at GDS International and iStrategy

Social Media Portal (SMP): What is your name what do you do there at GDS International and for iStrategy Sydney 2013?

Helen Hawkins (HH): My name is Helen Hawkins, marketing manager at iStrategy.  I?m responsible for marketing the iStrategy global conferences, attracting delegates to attend and also providing marketing/branding opportunities for our sponsors and speakers.

SMP: Briefly, tell us about iStrategy Sydney 2013 (for those that don?t know), what is it and what is the conference cover?

HH: iStrategy Sydney is for digital and social media marketers to learn from expert speakers on how to improve their own marketing strategies. The conference runs over two days and is filled with sessions from leading digital marketing experts such as Ken Segall ? former Creative Director, Apple; Jason Hincks ? Chief Operating Officer, Movember; Stuart Bartram, Director of Marketing Solutions AU & NZ LinkedIn and many more.

SMP: When is the conference and who are your target audience and why?

HH: The iStrategy Sydney conference is taking place on 16-17 April 2013.

Our target audience is made up largely from top-level marketers from Fortune 500 brands.  However we also attract a smaller number of SMEs who want to learn more about how they can use innovative marketing campaigns to drive new business.

SMP: What is it that iStrategy Sydney 2013 does that?s different to other events in this space?

HH replies with:

?    The level of speakers ? we bring in some of the biggest names in digital and social so you can learn firsthand from the best in the business about what works and what doesn?t.  We have worked and are working with Jimmy Wales, Brian Solis, Randi Zuckerberg and Jeff Hayzlett to name but a few. 

?    Twitter presence during the conference ? the reach across Twitter #iStrategy was over 18,000,000 at our London conference in May 2012.

?    Experience on site for delegates, sponsors and speakers alike. We pride ourselves in ensuring our customers are at the centre of what we do and have a first-class experience at our conferences. From the pre-event contact to the day and all the takeaways after the event.

SMP: How long has the conference been going in this region and can you point us to any presentations or video to give us a flavour of what it?s about?

HH: iStrategy conferences have been taking place since the beginning of 2010. iStrategy Sydney 2013 is the 5th conference we?ve run in Australia.

We have a whole host of videos on our YouTube channel.

Our specific Australian playlist is also on YouTube.

An example of a video is below.




SMP: How are the two days structured ? what?s on offer?

HH: There are approximately 37 sessions across the two days. Some run concurrently so you can choose between four split stream sessions and tailor the program to your specific interests. There are keynote speeches, interactive workshops, case studies, master classes, panel discussions and an iPitch; where contenders battle it out on stage for a maximum of six minutes and you (the audience) vote for the best pitch. Day one is closed off by The Social Club, where the conference MC does a round-up of the key learnings from the day.

For an example see iStrategy Melbourne 2012.

SMP: What will be the highlights of the iStrategy Sydney 2013 conference that attendees should be aware of?

HH: One of the main highlights will hearing from speakers like Ken Segall, Jason Hincks and Stuart Bartram. Also the variety of learning and networking opportunities is definitely a key benefit for anyone attending the conference.

SMP: What are the most important things that attendees can take away from the iStrategy Sydney 2013?

HH: Attendees have access to the entire delegation during networking sessions and the opportunity to learn social and digital best practice from leading brands. 

SMP: Where can the delegates keep abreast from the latest from iStrategy and what are the likely to learn?

HH: Our website is a good place but the best for real time information from us and also other delegates has to be on social media. Follow @iStratbuzz and #iStrategy and you?ll hear about the latest speakers and sessions, as well as discussions with other delegates past and present.


SMP: Can you tell us about the other global iStrategy conferences (where and when they are)?

HH replies with:

Two more global events from iStrategy currently include

iStrategy Miami
23-24 April 2013

iStrategy The Hague
14-15 May 2013

Visit the iStrategy website for latest and more conferences to be announced.

SMP: What are the low moments of what you have been doing so far (and in regards to the iStrategy conferences)?

HH: Low moments? That?s hard. I would say a low point was when the Wi-Fi failed at our San Francisco conference in January this year. Our events have a heavy focus on live Twitter interaction to inform discussions in real-time during the conference so the lack of Wi-Fi was a real loss. 

SMP: What are the high moments of what you have been doing so far (and in regards to the iStrategy conferences)?

HH: The biggest high for me is being on site meeting the delegates and seeing how happy they are to be learning so much from some fantastic, inspiring speakers. Other big moments were seeing we had trended on Twitter in the US at our Chicago conference in October last year and that we reached over 18 million Twitter users at our iStrategy London conference back in May 2012.

SMP: What was the most challenging part of building on the brands presence in digital environments (including social media)?

HH: Ensuring we stay ahead of the curve. The digital marketing world is an ever-evolving place and you have to be quick to keep up. Luckily that?s what we enjoy doing. 

SMP: Why is it essential that delegates are aware of the latest marketing expertise and direction over he next 12 to 18-months (and how is iStrategy delivering on this)?

HH: The digital marketing space is an ever changing landscape with some many new developments coming at your from all angles it is a challenge to simple hear about them all let alone work out what is best for your business and how you can use it generate revenue.

What we do is bring all that information together in one place with people who are trying and testing these new technologies and ideas and sharing with you their successes and fails. Information like that is priceless. 

SMP: Is there anything else we should know, or is there anything that you?d like to share?

HH: If you?d like to learn more about the latest digital and social media marketing trends, then check out our multi-authored blog.

SMP: Best way to contact you and iStrategy Sydney 2013 and the other iStrategy conferences?

Email or Twitter are good ways to get in touch but you can also fill out a form online, use Facebook or LinkedIn; whatever works best for our customers.

Email iteam @ istrategyconference.com
Twitter @iStratbuzz
Facebook
LinkedIn
iStrategy conferences website



SMP: What did you have for breakfast / lunch?

HH: I had a crumpet and some porridge for breakfast this morning.

SMP: What?s the last good thing that you did for someone?

HH: Sent my friend a bouquet of flowers to cheer her up.

SMP: If you weren?t working on iStrategy Sydney 2013 what would you be doing?

HH: I?d love to be a professional photographer on a wildlife shoot in the Serengeti.

SMP: When and where did you go on your last holiday?

HH: Majorca for a long weekend in October.

SMP: What was one of your New Year resolutions (why did you choose it) and have to you stuck to it. If not, why not.  If you have, how?

HH: To get outside on my lunch break more rather than sitting at my desk all day everyday. I?m doing ok at that one.

SMP: What?s the first thing you do when you get into the office of a morning?

HH: Open up my emails, then make breakfast and eat it while I?m reading them all.

SMP: If you had a superpower what would it be and why?

HH: Invisibility ? the things you?d find out ☺

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