Session Overview:

Making the most of your communications efforts: Practical PR and Social Media Tips

Have you ever wondered how to get your firm in the media? Do you think only those firms with large PR budgets can do that? If you have ever thought about how to get your firm in the Media or how to even reach the media, join us for this ‘how to’ discussion for some tips on how you can get your firm noticed. This boot camp will consist of a panel discussion sharing some tricks of the trade, followed by an open forum on how you can help your firm today!  This session will feature a great panel consisting of PR professionals, a social media guru and marketing / communications professional.

The Coastal Committee of SMPS Atlanta will be hosting this Webinar Rebroadcast of an SMPS Atlanta Boot Camp Session in Savannah, Georgia.  Attendees will participate together in a group setting, and there will be an interactive Q&A discussion after the webinar.  

The event cost will be $10 per person, and lunch will be provided by the event sponsor.  Any questions about this event, please contact Stephanie Dammen-Morrell at 912.354.4626 or via email at [email protected] 

Event Agenda: 

11:30 - 11:45 am  Registration / Lunch / Networking
11:45 - 1:00 pm    Rebroadcast of Boot Camp Session
* Lunch will be provided by our event sponsor, Thomas & Hutton. 

Event sponsor: 

Session Learning Objectives:

• PR rules of engagement
  
  
• How to write a press release (when and if and what is the purpose)
  
  
• How to get in front of the right people with PR and Social Media
  
  
• Benefits of a PR plan whether internal or with a professional PR firm
  
  
• Benefits of a Social Media plan and how it relates to your PR plan
  
  
• Building your Social Media base
  

Featured panelists

Eric Keens, CPSM
Marketing Manager
Stevens & Wilkinson

Eric is a Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM) with over 18 years of demonstrated accomplishments in marketing, including branding, proposal generation, presentations and coaching, communications, client and team development, planning, and research. He currently leads the marketing department for Stevens & Wilkinson, a 99-year-old full-service integrated architecture, engineering and interior design firm. Eric has managed communications initiatives throughout his career and currently oversees Stevens & Wilkinson’s public relations and social media programs. 

Eric is an active member of the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) Atlanta, currently serving as immediate past president after serving two years as president-elect and president. He has also held positions as secretary and director of membership.

Sarah Zibanejadrad Beeson
Director of Business Development & Marketing
Oasis Consulting Services

Sarah Zibanejadrad Beeson is the Director of Business Development & Marketing for Oasis Consulting Services, a local woman-owned engineering firm specializing in environmental and geotechnical engineering established in 1996. In addition to her position with Oasis Consulting Services, she also serves as Communications Chair for Advance Atlanta, a grassroots organization dedicated to expanding transit in the metro area.  She previously worked in the digital marketing space and was the online writer for one of the nation’s largest advocacy groups, managing social media accounts with over 2 million followers.

Sarah received her Master’s degree in Business Administration (M.B.A.) from the University of Georgia and her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Georgia State University. In 2011, she was named Member of the Month by SMPS Atlanta for her social media efforts.

Mark Braykovich
Executive Vice President
The Wilbert Group

Mark Braykovich, executive vice president of The Wilbert Group, provides clients with a unique perspective on communications strategies. He combines knowledge gained from 20+ years in the media business with another decade in public relations to help clients craft the best communications plans, whether external or internal. He works closely with clients in each of The Wilbert Group’s key practice areas, including corporate, professional services and real estate, and also leads the firm’s crisis communications practice.  Before arriving at The Wilbert Group, Mark directed the PR efforts of Atlanta-based law firm Troutman Sanders, helping the firm gain extensive coverage of its expansion across the United States and in China. He also was a senior vice president for Hellerman Baretz Communications, a New York-based PR firm specializing in representing law firms and professional service firms.

Hank Sforzini
Senior Account Executive, PR + Communications + Marketing Professional
The Wilbert Group

Drawing upon 10 years of experience working with clients in the A/E/C and legal industries, Hank Sforzini, a senior account executive, leads several of The Wilbert Group’s professional services accounts, including a general contracting and architecture, engineering and interior design firms. His expertise includes media relations, corporate communications, content strategy, and social media. He has secured coverage for his clients in top-tier media outlets such as NPR, HLN, Bloomberg, Architectural Digest, Georgia Public Broadcasting, and Atlanta’s local ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC affiliates. Hank joined Wilbert after stints with two nationally recognized Am Law 200 firms and a leading technology consulting and design firm.