Internet Seminars and Consulting
Summary: Doug Fox helps dancers, choreographers and dance companies create successful websites and social media campaigns. He keeps costs low and empowers clients to create and manage their own content.
Doug's practical educational programs offer nuts-and-bolts guidance, hands-on demonstrations and case studies on how to plan, build and implement an effective Internet campaign.
A Focus on What Really Matters in a Tough Economic Climate
Doug's programs are built on the premise that dancers have specific objectives and constraints:
1) Budgets: Dancers and artists have limited budgets to create and enhance their Internet presence. So all costs must be kept very low.
2) Concrete Objectives: Dancers and artists want to achieve specific, measurable objectives as a result of creating their websites and social media campaigns.
3) Self-Empowerment: Dancers want the Internet and technology know-how they need to manage and update their own content (text, pictures and videos).
Overview of Doug's Educational Program
Part I: Goals and Case Studies
We start by addressing the key goals that dancers have for their Internet presence (website, email campaigns and social media initiatives). And we then analyze and discuss the Internet campaigns of dancers and dance companies who have successfully achieved these objectives.
Dancers and dance companies usually have a combination of the following objectives:
1) Increase ticket sales
2) Build and sustain audiences
3) Generate publicity
4) Get more bookings, gigs and teaching opportunities
5) Network with industry colleagues
6) Improve fundraising efforts
7) Integrate online and offline marketing efforts
8) Sell merchandise and DVDs
9) Monetize online content
Part II: How-to Create a Low-Cost Internet Presence
(Website and Email Updates)
- Use low cost and open-source content management systems (CMS). Modify pre-built templates, designs, layouts and navigation systems when possible.
- Create (or work with designer to create) logo, graphics and navigation images that can be reused throughout your website.
- Make strategic use of compelling, high-quality dance photos and videos that can be easily replaced when desired.
- Use intuitive content management tools to add and edit text, pictures and video on an on-going basis.
- Create and promote an email newsletter/blast.
- Use your regular email correspondence to maximum advantage.
- Bear in mind that different types of people visit your website and want different types of information: audience members, presenters, funders, press and other groups.
- Keep things simple, interesting, elegant, edgy and energized. (Well, it depends on the audiences you want to reach).
Part III: How-to Develop and Implement a Social Media Campaign
(YouTube, Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and other sites)
- Learn how to use a digital camera and video camcorder. Also learn to use image and video editing software programs.
- Upload your pictures and videos to popular image and video sharing sites such as Flickr and YouTube.
- Sign-up for popular social networking sites such as Facebook to create profiles, groups and events.
- Take advantage of popular calendar and event listing sites.
- Explore microblogging applications such as Twitter and decide if it is right for you.
- Determine whether you should create a blog. Blogging is not for everybody.
- Learn to market, share and communicate through your mobile phone and relevant applications.
Part IV: Internet Strategies That Get Results
- Measure the on-going success of your website and social media efforts.
- Learn the keys to increasing traffic and building a larger online audience. And stay focused on the details that really matter.
- Devote sufficient time to communicating with and sustaining your online audiences and networks.
- Always emphasize the "social" in social media. The personal touch makes a real difference and is often unexpected.
- Describe what you do and your upcoming performances in clear, engaging prose.
- Create marketing campaigns that have a high probability becoming viral successes.
- Don't get fancy, don't get elaborate. Keep things simple and straightforward and always be consistent.
Part V: Software and Technology That You'll Want to Master
Depending upon how much of a do-it-yourself approach you take to managing your website and social media efforts, you will want to master some or all of the following software programs, technologies and content management skills:
- Adding and editing content (text, pictures and video) to your website, blog, email newsletter and social media sites.
- Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo, Flickr, Twitter, blogging software and any other social media sites that you use on a regular basis.
- Email broadcast software such as Constant Contact.
- Digital camera and video camcorder, and software for editing and saving your images and video clips.
- Graphic design and illustration software to create your logos, navigation links and other images for your website.
- Mobile phone and relevant applications.
- Online ticketing applications.
- Web-based fundraising applications.
- Map applications for giving website visitors location and direction information to your events and performances.
- Online event calendars for promoting your performances and other programs.
Summary
Doug's educational programs offer very practical advice and include hands-on demonstrations of most of the software programs, web-based applications and technologies that are discussed. If Wi-Fi is available during the program, participants can test and explore Web-based applications and services discussed during the workshop.
Contact Doug Fox
If you would like to learn more about Doug's Internet-focused educational programs and consulting, please contact him in the following ways:
