Speaking
Rather than write this whole page in the third person and refer to how brilliant I am, I'm going to talk a bit about my style, favorite topics, and what other people say about my speaking.
Where I speak
I've presented at:
- Blogworld
- Internet Marketing Conference Calgary
- Search Engine Strategies San Jose
- SMX West
- SMX Stockholm (long flight)
- SEMPDX Searchfest, '08, '09 and 2010
- OMS Seattle
- Northwest Entrepreneur Network
- Pubcon Las Vegas
- Wordcamp Seattle
- The SDMA
- The WSA
- A bunch of others
I've been speaking about internet marketing since 1998. Please hold any remarks about my age for later.
Favorite topics
I'll speak about whatever you like. What I never do is promote my company or myself. My sessions are focused on teaching and entertaining. Some suggestions:
- Conversation marketing. My strategic overview of internet marketing, from search engines to e-mail to social media. Great for marketers looking to understand the online world.
- Web site reviews. I do a live review of one or more web sites, teaching the crowd along the way. This is a fantastic education tool, and provides real value to the site owners. See my Wordcamp presentation video, below, for an example.
- Web copywriting. Tips and techniques for writing great online copy.
- Search engine optimization secrets. How to move a your site up in the rankings, minus the hocus-pocus and nonsense you often hear.
- Connecting to your audience. Using social media and your site to build a real, positive connection with your audience.
- The changing online landscape. How new technologies, mergers and individuals are influencing internet marketing, and what it means for us marketers.
My style
If you read my blog, you have a decent idea of my speaking style. I use humor and directness, with a little creativity. I always strive to simultaneously entertain and teach. I'm never rude, and generally stick to a PG-13 script.
A little proof
Sure, you say, you can write a bit, but I'll bet you curl up in a ball as soon as you stand up in front of a group.
Fair enough. Here's a video of my presentation at WordCamp Seattle in 2009:
Aside from an occasional disappearance behind a concrete pillar (I had no idea they were recording) I think it went pretty well.
Also, never let it be said that I'm not expressive:
And, here are a few comments folks have made about my presentations:
Ian gave a fabulous presentation about Design and SEO and how they (should) work together and answered a lot of great questions.
Ian was a great presenter and you can tell he knows his stuff. Well worth my time.
An engaging speaker.
