Press Release – 17th April 2014
“Carlow to Host South East Social Media Conference”
100 business owners from Ireland and Wales will descend on Visual on 8th May 2014 for the first South East Social Media Conference being hosted by the Local Enterprise Office - Carlow. The conference is the first major event for the new Local Enterprise Office established by Carlow County Council and is organised in association with the South East Regional Authority , University of Wales & Trinity Saint David. 20 enterprises from Wales will be coming to Carlow as part of the conference to share their insights into social media usage and experience Carlow over a 3 day development exchange. The conference is part of the ACT Project which exists to help SMEs across West Wales and South-East Ireland better understand social media and digital marketing, helping businesses take advantage of the opportunities and potential it offers for business growth.
"Over the past number of years Social Media has become an important tool for enterprises and a key feature in the marketing and promotion of companies" said Kieran Comerford ,Head of Local Enterprise. Speaking about the conference Comerford said "Social media is public, recorded and discoverable. So there’s tremendous upside for everyone who uses it and subject to your company having a strategy the more people who talk about you and your company on social media, the further the conversation carries and your marketing message".
The conference will feature a variety of different elements and include speakers such as Adrian Weckler, Technology Editor, Irish & Sunday Independent newspapers , International speaker Paul Hayes CEO of Beechhut and Joan Mulvihill , CEO of the Irish Internet Association. This free of charge event is available to all business owners and their key staff and places are limited and allocated on a first come , first served basis. To book your place e-mail kcomerford@carlowcoco.ie or call 059-9130880
Conference Programme
8.45 - 9.30 Registration & Tea/coffee
9.30 Welcome / Introduction from Terry Harmer, MC
9.45 Joan Mulvihill, CEO, IIA
10.15 Adrian Weckler, Technology Editor, Irish & Sunday Independent newspapers
11.00 Coffee break with selected ACT Project case studies
11.30 Keynote: Paul Hayes @paulhayesman
12.15 On-stage discussion and open forum‘Move Your Business Forward with Social Media’
13.00 Lunch
“The ACT Project (2012-2014) exists to help SMEs across West Wales and South-East Ireland better understand social media and digital marketing, helping businesses take advantage of the opportunities and potential it offers for business growth”This event is being run under the Advanced Communication Technologies ACT Project. ACT is an INTERREG IVA cross-border Ireland-Wales initiative co-funded by the European Union. For more information on ACT, visit www.actirelandwales.com follow @ACTIrelandWales or contact ireland@actirelandwales.com
Guest Speaker:
Paul Hayes is CEO of Beachhut and a marketing strategist, consultant and PR professional. Having originally been the Marketing Director of Havok and Demonware, two of the most successful Irish technology start-ups, Paul started his own firm, BeachHut, which specialises in providing services and mentoring to technology start-ups. He has worked with hundreds of Irish technology companies and start-ups and is a Senior Mentor for the NDRC Launchpad programme as well as the founder of Games Ireland.Paul developed a unique brand of market strategy named Market Wolfing which focuses on the entire operation of a business as well as the industry in which it operates trade show activities in the United States. He organises and operates multiple technology companies’ trade show activities in the United States each year.Paul is a sought after speaker and moderator/host He has spoken, hosted and interviewed at international events such as the Web Summit, South by South West in Texas and various industry vertical events in the healthcare, gaming, renewables and fintech sectors. Domestically he has hosted the Launchpad LiftOff investor showcase and the Irish Internet Awards for the last 3 years.
