The National Association of Government Communicators is running it's comms school in Louisville, KY May 10 - 12 and as official media partners for the event, we've had the great opportunity to hear from the speakers who will be delivering a selection of amazing sessions.
What is your session for NAGC called?
Born to Run with a Human Touch: Being a Boss of Video Storytelling
Without giving too much away about your session, what do you hope to cover that is of benefit to attendees of the NAGC comms school?
* Identify key themes that drive emotional connection.
* Collaborate with like-minded people to ease the communication workload.
* Develop a process that makes content creation and dissemination easier.
* Develop relationships with journalists and influencers to get your message out to the right people.
Tell us a little about what you do and how you got there
Professional Wearer of Many Hats isn’t something you can put on a LinkedIn profile, but it may be the best way to describe Dan Farkas. Dan is a Lecturer of Strategic Communication at Ohio State University, where he teaches courses on research, strategy, content creation, measurement, and analytics. The BBC and Mashable are some of the media outlets that have featured Dan as a thought leader on the changing landscape of strategic communication and how we can make the most of it.
Dan is also a business owner who practices the craft when not chasing late homework assignments or his two kids. His latest venture is PassPR, a venture that aims to bridge the gap among higher education, the needs of employers, and the capacity of students. In a former life, Dan earned more than 20 awards for his work in television news. His work appeared on CNN, MSNBC, and SI.com. You can now hear him on The Strategic Communicator Podcast, part of the Marketing Podcast Network.
What do you love about your job?
I help people use communication to make the world a better place.
What’s the hardest thing about your job?
Helping people see their full potential.
What are some of the more memorable events you’ve had to deal with in your role and what lessons did you learn?
I interviewed John Cena in my old TV days. He's big. When I asked him about music, we went from interview to conversation. That's where the best moments happen.
What is it about communications, media or crisis comms that interests you so much?
Everyone can communicate. Not everyone can do it well. Minding that gap is an adventure.
Can you give some advice to those who want to start a career in Government communications?
Stories win. Find them.
What are your favorite tools you use to do your job more effectively?
Lumen5, LinkedIn, Audacity
Are there any books, podcasts or any other resources you would recommend for the comms pro?
Marketing Podcast Network (lots of good shows, even mine) Simon Sinek is great too.
What would you say to anyone in a leadership role about having a PIO who might not have one?
You need one...yesterday. They are your eyes and ears of common sense.
Is there anything else you would like to tell us about, recommend or promote?
The Strategic Communicator with Dan Farkas podcast. 20 minutes of actionable ideas and life insights from people much smarter than me.
