APPR Seminar: Virtual Conferences and Webinars
March 23, 2021
The All Points PR team held our monthly seminar, hosted by Senior Director Bailey Hewitt with presentations from six other team members, on attending conferences and webinars. Typically this time of year, our team is just getting back from the IFA Convention after a week of learning and networking opportunities. This year looked a bit different, but five APPR team members virtually attended the IFA and shared their biggest takeaways from the sessions.
Bailey kicked off the seminar by discussing her experience with keynote speaker Seth Godin, who advised his audience to make a change by telling stories. So many of our favorite brands found success in telling stories. For example, Starbucks turned a traditionally to-go product into a destination with its push to meet a friend for coffee. As storytellers, it’s our job to create “a tribe of others” and tell people what’s out there.
Senior Account Lead Katie Gibbons sat in on Jimmy John Liautaud’s seminar. Founder of widely popular sandwich concept Jimmy Johns, the chain halted its franchising initiatives in 2003 due to failing stores. Jimmy John shared that of the 70 failing stores, most were not following the systems and processes set forth by the brand. As a franchisor, it’s important to look for franchisees who have a passion for the industry and want to get started for the right reasons.
Next, we heard from Senior Account Lead Mackenzie Coopman about the importance of creating a defined franchisee profile. Narrowing down the ideal candidate allows you to better target prospects—not just by who they are, but where they are. This includes looking at their soft-skill sets, values and backgrounds.
With so much of the franchise discovery process happening virtually, Director JoeyLauren Jiracek says that some virtual events are here to stay, even after the pandemic. Virtual Discovery Days allow potential franchisees to meet more team members. Video is becoming a necessary tool with virtual tours, follow-up messages and connecting with franchisees.
Additionally, team members Alana Guggenheim, Rachel Nehring, Cole Koretos and Jonathan Bazar shared insights from webinars hosted by Cision and Hootsuite on public relations and social media lead generation respectively.
As an agency, we’re always looking for learning opportunities for our staff. Many of our associates and account leads have taken virtual courses to apply their knowledge to our agency. By offering employees additional training opportunities, we’re investing in the advancement of their careers while adding value to our clients.
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