Future-Proofing Business with Content Strategy

NEW DATE AND VENUE: WED 23 JANUARY, HUB KINGS CROSS

For our first event of 2013, we’ll be talking business. How can we use the principles of content strategy to make our organisations future-proof? What does structured content have to do with business strategy, and why is it so difficult to implement? What does multi-channel commerce mean for established companies’ business models, and how can we apply the principles of agile development to content strategy?

Join us for a combination of two fantastic full-length presentations, an interactive “fish-bowl” panel, and our popular “content strategy speed dating” activity where you get to network, share your experiences, and pepper the speakers with questions over a glass of wine (or orange juice). It isn’t just about learning from experts, it’s also about sharing what you know with your peers.

Essential information

What: The London Content Strategy Meetup

When: Wed 23 January 2013, 6:30pm–9:30pm

Where: The Hub Kings Cross, York Way (3 minutes from Kings Cross St. Pancras station.)

To get your ticket, choose “RSVP” and pay £9 via PayPal. It only takes a minute, and you don’t need a PayPal account.

Ros Mackenzie: Future-Proofing TUI Travel with Content Strategy

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We’re delighted to present a talk from long-time meetup member Ros Mackenzie (http://twitter.com/Rosmack), General Manager of Content Strategy at TUI Travel. Ros is an experienced e-commerce professional with a broad multichannel background and over 28 years experience in the travel industry. Ros has had numerous management roles with TUI Travel.

TUI is the UK’s largest tour operator. Key brands include Thomson and First Choice, who between them account for half of the mainstream market within the UK and Thomson Cruises. Sub brands include Sensatori, Thomson Couples, Thomson Family Resorts, First Choice Holiday Villages and SplashWorld resorts. Tonight, Ros will explore how the use of content strategy will help to future-proof the business for multi-channel distribution.

Lauren Pope: Agile Content Strategy at uSwitchforBusiness

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We’re delighted to welcome meetup member Lauren Pope (https://twitter.com/la_pope/), who’s worked as a content strategist at leading price-comparison website uSwitch and now uSwitchforBusiness (http://www.uswitchforbusiness.com/), a leading business energy broker. Her talk is called Agile Content Strategy (or how I learned to stop worrying and love the Post-it), and it’s the story of how she makes the best content with limited resources, as part of an agile multi-disciplinary team. Every organisation can learn something from Lauren’s approach, which is about learning by doing, extreme prioritisation of your time, and collaboration with other disciplines.

About speed dating

For the speed dating activity, we'll split into random groups based on the number on our name badges, for four rapid discussion sessions at four "stations" around the room. Two of the stations will be clinics with our speakers and the other two will be "gamestorming" sessions run by Jonathan and Richard (the organisers.) You'll stay with the same group throughout the activity—this isn't about meeting everyone in the room (that would be impossible), but about interacting with people you haven't met before, and hopefully starting some new relationships.

Schedule

6:30pm Arrive, grab a drink 6:50pm Welcome 7:00pm Ros Mackenzie: Future-Proofing TUI Travel with Content Strategy 7:20pm Break (refresh your drink) 7:30pm Lauren Pope: Agile Content Strategy at uSwitchforBusiness 7:50pm Interactive fishbowl panel 8:10pm Break (refresh your drink) 8:25pm Content Strategy Speed Dating 9:05pm Drinks and informal networking 9:30pm Event ends

Thanks to our sponsor: GatherContent

We’re delighted to welcome the GatherContent (https://www.gathercontent.com/) crew to their new home in London—they've just moved down from Aberdeen. Join us in thanking them for supporting the community—and try out their fantastic service while you’re at it. There’s a free trial.

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GatherContent is a simple online tool that helps you plan, structure and collaborate on website content. They’re kindly offering meetup members 50% off the first month, if you use the code “CSFEB” at http://www.gathercontent.com/signup (https://www.gathercontent.com/signup). Thanks, guys!

Our venue: The Hub Kings Cross

We're delighted to be back at The Hub Kings Cross (http://kingscross.the-hub.net/), a co-working space set in a beautiful listed building 3 minutes walk from Kings Cross station. We’re delighted to bring this month’s London Content Strategy Meetup to their evening event programme. The Hub has a great open plan space called the gallery, with a full cafe and bar.

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