ST. LOUIS, MO, January 27, 2014

Social networks, including Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook, have quickly become a popular place for consumer-oriented brands to reach potential customers and increase brand awareness and sales. Nonprofit and charity organizations have come to find that social media also presents a unique opportunity to allow their engaged and passionate fans to share news and messages with their friends. Because these organizations for social good typically face financial constraints, they’ve found social media to be a more affordable marketing channel for getting the word out.

Social Media Club St. Louis (SMCSTL), a professional community that aims to further local education about emerging trends, technologies and strategies in social media, receives over 20 requests per month from local non-profits seeking assistance in crafting strategies for engagement in social media.

To respond to this trend, SMCSTL has partnered with ready + willing, a non-profit that provides pro bono marketing and advertising assistance to other 501(c)3 nonprofits in the St. Louis area, to host a half-day summit on February 6, 2014, at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center.

“Many organizations don’t know where to start and feel overwhelmed by the many social networks out there,” said Erin Moloney, President of SMCSTL and Director of Digital and Social Media Marketing at St. Louis-based technology consulting firm, Perficient, Inc. “We see a lot of compelling things being done by community organizations using social media. We wanted to bring those people together to tell their stories and offer tips and guidance to St. Louis non-profit marketers and leaders.”

At the half-day conference, local leaders will present their experiences and discuss how non-profit organizations can most effectively harness the power of social media in their marketing efforts. 

 “Working with, and leveraging, limited resources has always been a key part of my career. It was natural for me to work with startups and help them find ways to move the needle in the most efficient way possible,” said Travis Sheridan, Assistant Vice President with the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership. Sheridan is a featured speaker at the event. Additional presenters include:

• Ed Reggi, Producer and Digital Strategist at the Nine Network of Public Media, PBS St. Louis KETC

• Ashley Riley, advocate for non-profit Gateway Pet Guardians

• Brianna Smith, Marketing Coordinator at FPWeb.net

“We live in a world plagued by negative news stories,” said Sheridan. “Social media allows for individualized journalism and greater editorial control than ever before. The organizations that have learned how to tell their story, demonstrate their impact, and communicate their value are the ones that can leverage a digital/mobile community to engage (in a number of ways).”

The summit is February 6th from 1-5:00 p.m. with a cocktail hour to follow. It is open to the public. Admission is $40 per person, and tickets can be purchased online.

Purchase tickets

Follow SMCSTL on Twitter at @SMCSTL and use #STLSocialGood to participate in the event on Twitter.

Follow ready + willing online at www.readyandwilling.org or on Twitter at @rw_org.

About Social Media Club Saint Louis

Social Media Club St. Louis (SMCSTL) is the Saint Louis, MO chapter of Social Media Club. Our goal is to foster a community in St. Louis that serves as a resource for learning about emerging trends, tools, technologies, strategies and opportunities. We do this by hosting events, sharing information and providing resources.

For media inquiries or questions about the event, contact Erin Moloney, President of Social Media Club St. Louis at stlouis@socialmediaclub.org or call 314-529-3557.