BarkWorld Expo (#BarkWorld), the world’s first and largest social media conference and expo held for pets, pet lovers and pet businesses will invade Atalanta, GA, USA, August 20 – 22.  So pack your bags and get registered because this hot ticket is going fast! #BarkWorld’s organizer, Denise Quashie, has worked day and night, sparing no expense, to make BarkWorld Expo a “must attend” event for anipals and anipal lovers alike. Let’s explore the hottest ticket in town: BarkWorld Expo!

What is #BarkWorld?

#BarkWorld is a three-day event focusing on using social media to communicate for, about and to pets, pet owners and pet-related businesses. #BarkWorld offers numerous keynote sessions for you to attend: one session will help you with how to get started using social media; another covers branding/PR/marketing; another track includes cutting-edge technology and tools; one covers blogging, Podcasts and analytics; and there will be a community involvement and non-profit track as well. You’ll enjoy numerous presentations, vendors and even a real live Twitter tweet-up concert!

At #BarkWorld you’ll learn, experience and participate in various presentations and interactive workshops that will help explain how to use social media for your pet/pet businesses:

1. “Twitction” – why pet owners choose to tweet for their pets
2. The anipal language – what to say and how to make friends
3. Blogging and search engine optimization
4. Distinction and engagement
5. How to get started and find the best platform for your social media strategy
6. Finding your pet’s voice and tips on branding your pet
7. Charity involvement and fundraising
8. Barking Out Loud – an interactive networking challenge

Great Registration Deals

At the registration price of only $129 for all three days, BarkWorld Expo is a great deal…but wait, there are Early Bird Registration discounts and savings!

Discount & Savings 1: Attendees will receive a $30.00 PETCO gift card with their registration; that’s an instant rebate and knocks registration down to only $99.00!

Discount & Savings 2: NY Times best-selling author, Spencer Quinn, is giving attendees a copy of Dog on It: A Chet and Bernie Mystery, retails for $25.00!

Discount & Savings 3: #BarkWorld’s meeting venue, Atlantic Station, is getting in on the giveaways, too. They’re giving #BarkWorld attendees an A-Card (discount shopping card to shops in Atlantic Station, which includes: restaurants, the hotel lobby and even a doggy daycare and dog food retail store, Doguroo).

With all of these savings, including the swag from #BarkWorld exhibitors and sponsors not mentioned, you can’t afford not to attend #BarkWorld – now that’s what I call pawsome!  Want to save more? Rumor has it that #BarkWorld speakers have discount codes… you can find them all on Twitter, so tweet them and say, “#BarkWorld code me, please!”

The Venue and Where To Stay

#BarkWorld attendees will experience Central Park at Atlantic Station, a city within a city sitting on 138 acres, this venue houses two million square feet of retail and entertainment space, and has numerous indoor and outdoor restaurants and movie theaters, as well as 11 acres of public parks (don’t forget to scoop your poop you crazy animals you!).

The official #BarkWorld hotel Twelve, is located inside Atlantic Station, steps away from Central Park and the meeting space for #BarkWorld. “This convenience will allow our out-of-town guests to visit Atlanta stress free, stay in the hub of the city and walk to all of the attractions,” said Ms. Quashie.  “Twelve is a pet-friendly, all-suite hotel equipped with complimentary Wi-Fi, complimentary computer with unlimited access, LCD flat screen televisions, full-size kitchens with stainless steel appliances including a microwave, toaster and coffee maker, a separate living room area, numerous restaurants and a lovely swimming pool.” Twelve offers a conference rate ($165 US/night for a deluxe one-bedroom suite, including pet fee) and upon check-in you’ll have a choice of a complimentary cat or dog treat if you bring your fuzzy one to #BarkWorld!  Call +1 404.961.1212 to book your room and mention BarkWorld.

If you prefer a little daily stroll, or complimentary shuttle, to and from #BarkWorld, don’t worry, Ms. Quashie has arranged a great deal at 
Hotel Artmore.  Located less than a mile away from Atlantic Station, this boutique hotel offers all of the comforts of home, including many of the amenities found at Twelve, served up in a the middle of Atlanta’s cultural art district.  Hotel Artmore offers a conference rate ($109/ US/night including pet fee) and also has a complimentary treat for your animal friend.  Call +1 404.876.6100 or toll free +1 800.548.5631 to book your room and mention #BarkWorld.

Keynote Speakers

#BarkWorld will have some of the most seasoned social media experts and animal lovers gathered together in one place to share tips and stories with attendees.  Whatever you do, don’t miss the keynote speakers that are coming to Atlanta from as far away as the UK just to share their stories at #BarkWorld.  This expo and the keynote speakers will motivate attendees to explore the electronic world with a whole new outlook, full of amazing, newly learned skills!

Carie Lewis, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Director of Emerging Media at The Humane Society of the United States.  Carie (@cariegrls) leads social media and online advertising campaigns for the nation’s largest and most powerful animal welfare organization. Carie plans, implements and evaluates these campaigns for the purpose of list growth and fundraising. Within HSUS (@humanesociety), Carie helps departments market their campaigns, issues and events online. Carie has developed a strong passion for using social networks, particularly Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare, for the purpose of community building.  Carie is a member of the Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN) and the American Marketing Association (AMA), and has been interviewed for articles on The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Fundraising Success Magazine and The Nonprofit Times. Carie also maintains a personal blog and Twitter profile. HSUS can be found on Twitter and Facebook.  Carie speaks on Friday at #BarkWorld.

Lynn Haigh is the creator/owner of the ever popular #PawPawty Twitter charity fundraising campaign for the anipal community. Starting a career as a window dresser, Lynn learned early on that creativity and marketing can make or break a brand. From there she moved into the financial services industry and was instrumental in implementing a series of Internet banks. Today Lynn is an independent project manager with a passion for pets and using the Internet to help save their lives.  With #PawPawty as her monthly online event, Lynn is able to help animals all over the world. In under two years Lynn has raised nearly $35,000 US for pet charities, worldwide! Her savvy tweets, through her beloved dog @frugaldougal, garnered her a second place finish in the Shorty Awards for the best online nonprofit activists making a real live difference in the world. Lynn speaks on Saturday at #BarkWorld.

Sloane Kelley, BFG Communications, Director of Interactive Strategy. At BFG Communications, Sloane (@sloanekelley) focuses on bringing content to life in the ever-changing social media world and developing digital strategies for brands like Coca-Cola and Moet-Hennessy. BFG is an award-winning full-service marketing agency with offices around the U.S. Their focus on digital and social media has gained worldwide attention, most recently for a job search that asked for applications via Twitter. BFG lets Sloane go on occasion so she can speak about social media and digital trends at events including Ignite, Social Media Club, Geekend and TEDx. Sloane is also the founder of the Savannah chapter of Social Media Club, @smcsavannah, and a co-founder of Geekend, an annual southeast interactive conference. Her dog, a Beagle/Basset mix, is James Bond, @jamesbondthedog, the inspiration behind a Twitter personality.  Sloane speaks on Saturday at #BarkWorld.

Natalie Malaszenko, PETCO, Director of Social Media & Commerce.  At PETCO, Natalie (@natalieatpetco) is responsible for developing and driving strategies to grow PETCO’s social channels in 2010 and beyond. Since joining the company in 2008, she has played a leading role in developing PETCO’s social media strategy, including the launch of the company blog, the PETCO Scoop, its official Facebook and Twitter (@petco) page and the award winning social movement, Generation Natural Pet. Prior to joining PETCO, Natalie held a position at Dell, and was part of the group that led and managed the industry renown Social Media Program. She was also responsible for successfully launching Dell’s first viral marketing campaign, Project Nerd Buddy, which earned a Silver ADDY. She also has a patent pending, submitted during her time at Dell, for a concept that improves online navigation to find symptom-based solutions.  Natalie speaks on Friday at #BarkWorld.

Agenda and Education

#BarkWorld sessions will be packed with great things to see, do, hear, feel, experience and explore.  All three days of #BarkWorld will have new and exiting topics and informed speakers, so make sure you study the agenda and select the sessions you want to participate in…there are over 20 educational offerings!  Remember: get to your sessions on time, because they will fill up and you don’t want to miss any of the great information… plus, there will be gift prize giveaways here and there, scattered throughout the expo.

#BarkWorld sessions are broken in to various “types,” designed to help identify “groups” of sessions associated by interests.  These session types include Branding, PR and Marketing; Blogging, Podcast and Analytics; Collars and Leashes; and The Dog Park.  But, you don’t have to stick to one type of session, explore the various offerings and make sure you select the variety that best matches your goals for attending the expo. Ms. Quashie has made it easy for #BarkWorld attendees to explore sessions by providing you with a detailed downloadable session description document for each day of the expo. Just click on the day below for your copy.

Day One: Friday, August 20, highlights include:

• Keynote speaker Natalie Malaszenk, PETCO presents: The Awww Factor & Beyond.  Twitter @petco and @natalieatpetco
• Catherine Ventura presents: Creating a Distinctive Social Media Voice. On Twitter at @catherinventura
• Lauren Spencer, Fetching Communications, presents: All Dog Parks Are Not Created Equal.  Twitter: @fetchinglauren
• Leslie May, Pawsible Marketing, presents:  Using Social Media to Market Your Pet Business. Twitter: @pawsiblemktg
• Shameeka Ayers, The Broke Socialite, presents:  It’s A Dog Eat Dog World: How Blogging Can Distinguish Your Brand. Twitter: @brokesocialite
• Emily Lux, EHL Creative, presents: Promo a No-Go? How to Create Click-Generating Promotions with Meaningful Results. Twitter: @ehlcreative
• Melissa Libby, Melissa Libby & Associates PR, presents:  Being “Social” to Help Your Non-Profit.  Twitter: @melissal @adoptagolden
• Keynote speaker Carie Lewis, Human Sociatey of the United States, presents:  Dealing with Social Media Meanies: Risks and Benefits of Putting Yourself Out in Cyberspace @cariegrls @humanesociety
• Taryn Pisaneschi, TSP Marketing, presents: Networking Session & Activity.  Twitter: @tarynp

Day Two: Saturday, August 21, highlights include:

• Keynote speaker Sloane Kelley, BFG Communications, presents:  I See Fido…On Twitter?!?!
 Twitter:  @sloanekelley @jamesbondthedog
• Natalie Malaszenko, PETCO, and Rick Rockhill, Natural Balance, presents:  Making Money in Social Media.  Twitter:  @petco @natalieatpetco @rickrockhill and @naturalbalance
• Kimberly Turner, Regator, presents:  When 140 Characters Just Isn’t Enough: How a Pet Tweeter Can Become a Successful Blogger.  Twitter: @kimber_regator
• Dana Runimas-Plazyk, presents: Pets on the Move: Utilizing Mobile Marketing to Enhance Your Virtual Presence.  Twitter:  @niqqi
• Caroline Golon, presents: All I Need to Know About Social Media (and Life) I Learned From My Cat.  Twitter: @romeothecat
• James Andrews, Everywhere and CNN Contributor, Carie Lewis, HSUS, Dr. Robert Forto, Denver Dog Works, presents: A Kitchen Table Discussion with Social Media Experts: Growing Pet Social Media in a Technology Driven Space.  Twitter:  @keyinfluencer, @cariegrls, @humanesociety, and @denverdogworks
• Keynote speaker Lynn Haigh, founder of PawPawty.com, presents: 1:1 Conversation with Lynn Haigh.  Twitter:  @frugaldougal
• Anipal Show & Tell!  Featuring: Da Shibbering Cheetos, Chet the Dog, Niqqi, I’m A Jack Russell, Anipal Times, Chili Dawg and more.  Twitter:  @ShibberingC, @ChetTheDog, @Niqqi, @ImaJackRussell, @AnipalTimes,
• Da Shibbering Cheetos presents: BarkUp Social!  Twitter:  @ShibberingC

Day Three: Sunday, August 22: Participate in various hands-on workshops (remember to bring your laptops), enjoy the Pet Charity Fashion Show; and save time for the numerous demonstrations and activities!

See You in Atlanta!

Well anipals, I don’t know about you but I’m selecting my outfits, packing my swim trunks, and reserving my spot at BarkWorld Expo!  Come join me and hundreds of other anipals celebrate and explore social media. Atlanta is a cool town where there’s lots to see, great food, glorious weather and BarkWorld Expo–a truly unique event designed to bring animals, animal lovers and animal-related business owners together in one spot to share information, network, exchange and expand knowledge, and most importantly: meet and make friends!  Ms. Quashie invites everyone to attend BarkWorld Expo where she will personally greet you and thank you for helping to make this pet Expo the best of 2010!

Note from the Publisher: Keep your eyes open for a Special Edition of The Anipal Times available in print only at BarkWorld Expo!

Tagged as: BarkWorld, conference, Dogs, facebook, Social Media, twitter