Melissa Harrison

We need to stop categorizing concepts and “generational marketing” and realize that all marketing is generational. Depending on what you deem a generation cut-off date, there are 5+ generations in the workforce. That’s all kind of buying power and a whole lot of different communication tactics to sort through. What does this mean for your target audiences? Your communication strategies? Your Snapchat streaks? Before you get too far down the ‘bright and shiny’ new media road, let’s talk about how each generation is different, yet similar, and how you can account for their communication needs in your next marketing strategy development sesh.

It’s time to take a digital-first approach to business. And if we learned anything from the 2020 pandemic, it was the need to remain vigilant throughout the digital landscape when we didn’t always know which way was up (or understand the ever-changing channels and audiences). This is your year. Stop the ‘shoulds’ and start the ‘will dos’ to make effective connections with your customers online. This session will uncover the current state of consumers, their digital channels of preference and how to develop a new way of thinking—to keep empathy in digital marketing, reach audiences where and how they need, and stay motivated (and organized!) in your digital content creation.

Marketing plans are an essential part of the business. A fluid marketing plan that moves with you as the market evolves is even better. And thus, we all know that planning is half the battle. This workshop guides participants through marketing basics and the need-to-know components to develop a solid marketing plan. Melissa will present her 10-step approach to marketing planning along with considerations and research you can do prior to setting your plan. She’ll also speak specifically to the implications of COVID-19 and how to adjust your marketing plan accordingly.

In wake of COVID-19, we saw a dramatic shift in the way we do (and market) business—how to make critical decisions and cancellations, how to communicate effectively throughout day-to-day changes, how to revamp communications to be in line with current sentiments and experiences. Hindsight (like most crisis) is 20/20. In this session, Melissa covers how to set up ongoing content strategy plans throughout the year and the tools to support you in this effort. Learn what to talk about during the downtime and

how you can leverage engagement and channels already set when crisis happens. We’ll explore video tools, content calendars, and ideas for mitigating stress on your event when unknowns creep up.

Melissa explores various aspects of organic and paid social media campaigns to put you on the right track for launching your first set (or subsequent sets) of campaigns. Concentration will be given to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and email marketing. Learn which social media channels appeal to which audiences:, how to set goals for paid media campaigns, tips for organizing your content (and planning ahead), and best practices for measuring results.