Social Media Expert Shares “Future of Marketing” with Region’s Nonprofits

On October 17, Gulf Coast Community Foundation presented “The Future of #Marketing,” a half-day seminar for nonprofit organizations led by social-media marketing expert and author Carlos Gil. Hosted at Art Ovation Hotel and attended by nearly 150 local nonprofit leaders and staff, it was this year’s signature event for Gulf Coast’s nonprofit capacity-building initiative, Invest in Incredible.

Gil is a San Francisco-based marketing executive and acclaimed keynote speaker who has led social-media strategy for brands such as LinkedIn and Winn-Dixie and presented at gatherings like SXSW and Social Media Marketing World. Gulf Coast invited him to help the local nonprofit community learn how they can use digital and social-media platforms to engage more support and maximize their impact.

“Sharing stories of impact is how nonprofits connect with donors and advocates, and digital is the future platform of storytelling,” said Veronica Thames, Gulf Coast’s COO, who oversees Invest in Incredible (I3). “Through I3, our Board makes it possible to offer incredible learning opportunities like this to our nonprofit partners, and the ultimate beneficiaries will be the community members they serve.”

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“I have attended a lot of training sessions over the years and this was, by far, the most engaging and educational,” one nonprofit leader said after the event. “Thank you for bringing Carlos to our community.”

All attendees received an advance copy of Gil’s new book The End of Marketing, which focuses on humanizing brands in the age of social media. The whole seminar, in fact, was a gift to the nonprofit community, according to Thames. “As we mark the 25th anniversary of Gulf Coast, we know that the anything we accomplish as a foundation is only possible through the work of strong nonprofit partners,” she said. “We see trainings like this as a valuable investment in their success.” In addition to the seminar's overflow crowd, Gil also shared insights with a group of consultants who work with area nonprofits through I3.

Gulf Coast has planned three follow-up workshops in 2020 focused on specific areas raised in Gil’s seminar: inspiring your community through social content (January); fostering user-generated content to engage supporters (April); and expanding reach through local media partners (July). Registration will be available in November at GulfCoastCF.org/events.

“The Future of #Marketing” followed last year’s signature I3 seminar “Strong Across the Board,” which featured a national leader in nonprofit governance discussing diversity, equity, and inclusion on nonprofit boards.

Besides group workshops, Gulf Coast’s I3 initiative also provides customized consulting services and free online resources for nonprofits. Learn more at GulfCoastCF.org/i3.