The meeting and event business is changing, quickly. Be it social, collaborative, hybrid, community, or virtual, the way we educate, engage, and motivate is different, today, and will only continue to change.
Enter Lara McCulloch; master marketer and expert on the pulse of where this new world is leading. Lara doesn’t follow, she leads, she defines, and she then shares it passionately, powerfully, and on purpose. In every interaction, I am amazed at her broad brand knowledge, her creative curiosity to know what is going on in the world, and her finely tuned thoughts which bring the relevant to the surface, communicating in a clear and engaging way the nuanced gist alongside the in-depth examples of what works in Social Media, branding and the event industry.
Lara is genuinely one of those secrets you want to keep to yourself, but you can’t help but share. Whether one-on-one, in small groups or in front of large audience, Lara demonstrates such professionalism as a presenter, with the antithesis of “PowerPoint speak”, her presentations are innovative, meaningful, and on the mark. She belongs to the future; is able to create a dialogue and solve problems in real time, and has no problem being a generous speaker, willing to listen and to help. That is why I have hired her and will do so time and time again. Absolutely brilliant.
BeeventsRyan Hanson
Lara was able to present how new web 2.0 technologies will change the world of live-marketing like no one else. Bringing her extensive marketing and web 2.0 knowledge together with outstanding presentation skills was truly impressive. We thought we knew it all. We were wrong.
Vok DamsColja Dams, CEO
I just wanted to let you now how much I enjoyed your presentation. I have been to six or seven presentations on social media in the last couple of years and yours was the best, bar none. I know the people new to social media were absolutely blown away – and there were ample tips and tricks for more seasoned users as well.
Lisa M. Hanslip, MA, CSEP
I was highly impressed with the delivery of your presentation on the use of social media to promote events. Your vast knowledge of marketing and branding was evident in all the sessions that you covered and for me especially, you drew my attention to how technology is changing the landscape of marketing and branding events. You also brought to the table the many tools available that I wasn’t aware of.
EMI Caribbean Ltd.Francola John
I sat in on your social media strategy session in Las Vegas and it was the one of the best classes that I attended. I loved your strategic approach – it was a welcomed change from a lot of other discussions about tactics.
Sticky Fingers RibhouseShelley Wolford, Marketing Director
Her strategic outlook to creative marketing is well honed from her years working alongside some of the best brand thinkers in the world, and this is combined with an intimate knowledge of events, theoretical, creative as well as practical. This unique combination of skills makes her a formidable talent in the event marketing industry. Her personal communication and presentation skills are beyond reproach. Lara oozes trust and “likability”, yet has the Intelligence, knowledge and practical experience to deliver. One of the best and one to watch for the future.
Imagination UKRichard Foulkes, Director
I attended two of Lara’s sessions at Catersource 2010; “How to Turn Customers into Evangelists” and “Socialize with a Purpose: Building Social Media Strategy with a Purpose”. Both sessions were clear, well organized and pertinent. Lara speaks about real time events and uses examples from business today to emphasize her point. Her perspective is fresh and honest and she understands that there is a range of attendees when addressing a room. In “How to Turn Customers into Evangelists” Lara will tell you why you need evangelists, how you create them and what to expect. There is no guesswork as to what the message is – she simply makes it accessible. Not every company is ready for a social media life and in “Socialize with a Purpose: Building Social Media Strategy with a Purpose” Lara explains the important litmus tests you must perform in order to determine if your organization should be living on line. If your company is ready, Lara will outline a successful strategy to great social media marketing. Lara has motivated me to look at how I use social media both personally and professionally and I know I will never understand digital culture the same way again.
ARAMARK Higher EducationChristina Devald, Regional Catering Director
