STC – Marketing Communication SIG

SoCon2011

Marketing Communications group members

You are invited to attend SoCon2011 on the 20th of October in London, UK, along with a discount for group members.

At SoCon2011 you will hear marketers from world leading businesses and brands discuss their journeys of discovery in social media. From building and nurturing communities to the El Dorado of monetisation and co-creation SoCon2011 will provide you with great ideas to incorporate into your marketing strategy and business plans.

The line up includes speakers from; Dell, Microsoft, The Football Association, Nokia, Warner Music Group, Qype, Wunderman, SEOmoz and more#8230;.discussing their marketing strategies, ideas, insights and sharing best practice.

Click here here for more info!

As a member of the Marketing Communication group you benefit with pound;100 saving on the price of a Conference Ticket by entering this code LINK13 whilst stocks last!

Request For Proposals

Marketing and Communications Strategists for Technical Communication Certification Program

The STC Certification Commission has issued this request for proposals (RFP) for the Certified Technical Communicator Program in order to perform an equitable and simultaneous comparison of certification marketing vendors.

Certification Marketing and Communications RFP

Statement of Need

The Certification Commission requests proposals for expert guidance specifically in the areas of marketing and communications for a new certification program. Assistance is needed in communicating with and influencing targeted stakeholders, and with building and implementing a certification marketing and communications plan. Certification provides value to practitioners, clients, and the profession of technical communication. The Commission needs to spread the word about certification to prospective applicants and employers.

Background

The Certification Commission is made up of members of the Society for Technical Communication (STC), which is a professional association dedicated to the advancement of technical communication. Technical communicators research and create information about technical processes or products directed to a targeted audience through various forms of media.

The Certification Commission was established to oversee a groundbreaking certification program, which launched in May 2011, awarding certification upon evaluation of performance-based portfolios against six broad areas of practice: user/task/experience analysis, information product design, project management, information product creation, delivery, and quality assurance. The Certification Commission expects to attract a broad audience of certification candidates as the program gains traction. The target audience will be technical communication practitioners, related industry professionals, and employers of technical writers and communicators.

Qualifications

Prospective vendors should meet the following qualifications:

• Marketing and communications experience
• Social media experience
• Knowledge of certification programs and/or accreditation

Information Requested

Interested vendors should submit proposals that include the following information:

• Relevant certification program expertise
• Relevant marketing and communication expertise
• A marketing and communications plan proposal
• Project management description/implementation plan
• Member/stakeholder development plan for target and drivers
• Staff description and proposed services/scope of work
• Professional references from clients (at least 3)
• Estimated budget (Proposals should also include estimated hours for any clerical support deemed necessary.)

Selection of Expert

The Certification Commissioners will use the following criteria to evaluate vendor quality:

• Staff qualifications and experiencemdash;Vendors will be evaluated on their marketing, communications, project planning (required), and any certification experience (not required but preferred).
• Vendor qualitymdash;As evidenced in samples of work, track record, and strength of references and/or testimonials.
• Project Plan and Deliverablesmdash;Evaluated based on the quality of the proposed methodology and deliverables, the creative use of media, and the vendorrsquo;s understanding of the Certified Technical Communicator Program and needs.
• Budget: Pricing will be evaluated on how favorably a proposed budget compares to the skill level and work to be performed as described herein and with past relevant experience.

Time for Response

Proposals are due by 1 September 2011. For questions about the certification program, visit http://www.stc.org/education/1232-applicationprocess or email Steve Jong, STC Certification Commission Chairman, at stevefjong@comcast.net. Please send proposals via email to Liz Pohland at liz.pohland@stc.org. A vendor selection will be made within 30 days. Vendors would start service by 15 September 2011 (or earlier, if possible).

Technical Editing SIG is Accepting Scholarship Applications!

On March 17, the STC Technical Editing SIG announced that we were accepting
applications for two $800.00 scholarships for students pursuing studies in
technical communication. The deadline for applying for the scholarship has
been extended to Sunday, June 19th, 2011.

For more information about scholarship eligibility, required materials, and
the submission process, please see the STC Technical Editing website:

http://www.stc-techedit.org/Scholarship

Please submit any questions through the Comments or Questions form at the
end of the scholarship information page:
www.stc-techedit.org/Scholarship

Come to MarCom’s Energizer Meeting at the STC Summit

Tuesday, May 17 @ 11:30 am | Room 306, Convention Center

For all Marketing Communication SIG members, wannabes and interested parties.

Please join us for an Energizer Meeting at the STC Summit on Tuesday, May 17 at 11:30 am.

Recharge your favorite SIG by participating in a little get-to-know-you mixer and plug-in to the stimulating discussion by contributing your supercharged ideas.

Coffee and cookies will be served in the form of Starbucks gift cards you can use at any Starbucks, including the one on-site at the conference center!

100 Best First Lines from Novels – American Book Review

American Book Review :: Home.

This is just a wonderful article – The 100 Best First Lines from Novels

2010 Marketing Communications Survey

The Marketing Communication Special Interest Group (SIG) is launching a concerted effort to add value for our members.

As technical communicators, the work you do may be very closely related to — or integral to — your organization’s ability to market and sell its products or message. The Marketing and Communications team would like your feedback to determine what initiatives you would like to draw upon to advance your career.

To gather these thoughts we are asking STC members to complete a short survey.

www.stc-marcom.org/survey.htm

Those who complete this short survey will be entered in a drawing to win one of three Visa gift cards, ($25.00, $15.00, or $10.00). In order to be eligible for the drawing please take the survey by September 16, 2010.

We look forward to hearing from you,

Thanks!

The Marketing Communications SIG Team

Louellen Coker
Deana Collins Morgan
Ruthmeri Gleason
Wendy Gordon
Paul Holland
Alex S Kelly
Cheryl Landes
Rebecca Taylor

Can Social Media Get You Work?

Picture this. STC member John, a seasoned technical writer, is looking for a new job. His LinkedIn profile lists his past positions, accomplishments, what he’s currently doing, and even some praise from coworkers. He’s linked to friends, colleagues, and other STC members, and participates regularly in the STC discussion group as well as others.

Bob is also in the STC discussion group and notices John’s intelligent posts. His company is hiring a technical writer, and he thinks John might have the qualifications for the job. He visits John’s LinkedIn profile and, impressed with his qualifications, sends him a tweet with a link, encouraging him to apply for the job. John researches the company and finds that the hiring manager is a friend-of-a-friend on Facebook.

John sends in his resume and asks his colleague to put in a good word for him to the hiring manager, Mary. She reviews John’s resume, checks his thorough Facebook profile and LinkedIn pages, and (following a link) reads John’s tweets. All become background information telling Mary that John would be perfect for the job.

Sound far-fetched? Not anymore; not in today’s social-media world. But only if you put in the effort. Join Rich Maggiani for an STC webinar, “Promoting Your Career through Social Media,” on Wednesday 23 June from 1:00-2:00 PM EDT (GMT-4), to see how you can make social media work for you. LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook all can be valuable social media tools to promote yourself and connect to an audience of prospects and employers. Let Rich Maggiani show you how.

Wednesday, 23 June
1:00-2:00 PM EDT (GMT-4)
Promoting Your Career through Social Media
Presented by Rich Maggiani
Members $79; Nonmembers $149; Student Member $29

Rich Maggiani, a communication consultant, is the president and founder of Solari Communication, a full-service corporate communication agency; an STC Fellow; and a director on STC’s Board. Rich views the world as metaphor. Through the solitude of mountaineering excursions, he gains the clarity that metaphors bring to an otherwise noisy world. Rich applies these insights to attain the simple, clear communication necessary to enlighten and bring people together toward a common goal. Read his related blog, Toward Humanity.

PR pros need to write more like gasp copywriters! | Article | Homepage articles

“Swallow your pride, take a lesson from copywriters and create enticing headlines that will get your work read.”

PR pros need to write more like gasp copywriters! | Article | Homepage articles.

The Slowest Loading Websites in the Fortune 500 [INFOGRAPHIC]

Interesting, if not as practical as could be desired, information.

The Slowest Loading Websites in the Fortune 500 [INFOGRAPHIC].

The Freelancer’s Toolset: 100 Web Apps for Everything You Will Possibly Need

Many of the tools we require are inaccessible, for a variety of reasons. Furthermore, often the simplest tasks take hours, or even go unaccomplished, because we don’t have the correct tool. This list provides an invaluable overview of resources we can use to increase our efficiency and effectiveness, without breaking the bank (no tool, however, for eliminating cliches).

The Freelancer’s Toolset: 100 Web Apps for Everything You Will Possibly Need.