If you're in the sports industry or in a sport management program, this video explains my experience in finding the right program to be a part of.
After some good experiences and some terrible ones, I joined Women In Sports And Events (WISE). Regardless of gender, it's an excellent grassroots style program and they treat their members as welcomed guests.
IF you're in a college, then you're already in a networking group, but you still can't go wrong with WISE. But there's one organization I recommend you not join and it's the National Sports Marketing Network.
The National Sports Marketing Network does not have -- in my experience -- a good customer service track record. My story is personal in that I recently was sent an email to come to a member's only event, but then when i RSVPed -- after some hestiation because of the NSMN's terrible reputation in the SF Bay Area and after a friend encouraged me to do so -- I got the weird rebuff email.
When I enquired and expressed my displeasure with the email, the head wrote me back an even nastier email -- all for no reason. And also essentially threatened me if I shared the matter with you all.
So I'm doing so.
I trust you don't want that -- go elsewhere. Join Women In Sports Events and other groups. Or start your own group. But I do swear by WISE.
Blogs, New Media and You – A WISE Panel Discussion - A panel discussion featuring:
Rebecca Weeks - Real Girls Media Cathy Brooks - Seesmic, Inc. Irina Slutsky - Geek Entertainment TV Christine Kerner - KOFY TV20 Leyla Farah - Cause+Effect PR Paula Storti - Worldwalk Media Stephanie Quilao - Back In Skinny Jeans Patti Mangan - TangoDiva.com
Zennie Abraham - Sports Business Simulations
Monday, March 31, 2008 Time: 5:30pm - 8:30pm Location: Hotel Kabuki Street: 1625 Post Street City/Town: San Francisco, CA
The OBJECTIVE: For each audience member to be at least encouraged to start a website or a blog, use their email signature to connect to them, and link it with several social network pages…and understand how to use this assembly, and the value of what they have personally and professionally.
The secondary objective is pure networking. So the event will be one hour of networking followed by one hour of panel discussion. We open our doors to women who are part of the SF Bay Area New Media Industry to come to this event. There will be a raffle for a prize as well.
WISE members are encouraged to bring friends, and as this is an open recruting meeting, we're inviting you to come and become a member of Women In Sports and Events. See http://www.wisesf.com
We will take questions from the audience that are relevant to the discussion at the time during the talk, and have a Q and A session for general questions afterward.
1. Topic One: What’s a Blog and Why Should I Have One, Versus a Website? a. What’s a blog good for? (Marketing yourself, or your firm, etc.) b. How do I start a blog? (Where does one go? I recommend Blogger.com because it’s free and easy to use; what’s your view? What’s “BlogHer” all about?) c. But I’m not a writer! (Some think that they have to take part of their day to blog; is that true?) d. What are some common blogging mistakes and misuse? e. If I’m starting a blog for my office, what should I avoid doing? 2. Topic Two: Ok. I Have This Blog, And Now I Am To Link It To A Facebook and Linkedin Page? Why? Isn’t That Dangerous? a. What do I need a Linkedin and Facebook Page For? (Business connections; discovering events of interest.) b. Do Successful Business People Use Linkedin and Facebook – or MySpace? (What folks like AOL founder Ted Leonsis get out of Facebook and Linkedin,) c. What are some common ways that people misuse Facebook and Linkedin? 3. I want to start an online community for my office; what do I do? a. How can I use the work-based online community to help my work? b. What are common ways that work-based online communities are misused? 4. Topic Three: I’ve Got A Blog, Facebook, and Linkedin Pages and an online community at work – Now I need YouTube? Can It Help Me? 5. Can I Make Money From All Of This? How? 6. OK. I’m set up with all of this, but I’m not getting a lot of traffic. What do I do? 7. What are “Internet Trolls” and what should I do about them? 8. Questions from the audience.
For non-WISE members, the suggested donation is $20. WISE is a non-profit organization.
WISE is a national organization that brings women in the sports and event industries together to network and develop new contacts. This video was made at the WISE San Francisco Chapter quarterly meeting on February 27, 2007.
The San Francisco chapter, ran by Beth Schnitzer, Vice President of Market Development At Pier 39, is the largest WISE chapter in America. For more information on WISE SF, contact Allison Ross at wiseba05@hotmail.com
