The following is a comprehensive offering of educational sessions for each of six tracks. We'll be adding presentations for each session as we get them. Check back from time to time to see what's been added.
Track 1: Marketing Your Gateway: The Ins and Outs of a Successful Marketing Plan
This track explored real tools for creating and carrying out a marketing plan to attract visitors and deepen the understanding that connects people with the Chesapeake and how to use the Network's co-marketing advantage and build the CBGN brand.
Topics included:
- Tourism Marketing 101: What Are the Best Ways to Market a Gateway? (A1)
- Marketing Waves: Latest Marketing Trends and Best Practices (B1)
- Branding Together: Your Gateway and the Network (C1)
- Public Relations in Action: Publicizing Your Gateway and the Network (D1)
- Packaging Your Gateway (E1)
- Measuring Marketing Success: How Do You Know If Your Marketing Is Working? (F1)
Track 2: Gateways as Classrooms
This track explored learning to design and implement dynamic education programs that serve the needs of diverse populations, connect to local curriculum and state education standards, support Network goals, showcase your site's Chesapeake resources and stories, and increase your site's marketability.
Topics included:
- Assessing and Integrating Your Site's Resources (A2)
- Assessing Institutional Capacity and Staffing (B2)
- Working with School Systems to Optimize Your Educational Program (C2)
- Assessing and Meeting Community Needs (D2)
- Fundraising for Educational Programs (E2)
- Distance Learning Gateways Style (F2)
Track 3: Enhancing Your Business IQ
This track explored increasing your business savvy with practical advice on topics from developing a business plan and nurturing a board of directors to operating a gift shop and holding a successful special event. It covered learning sound business practices for fund raising, managing income, board and staff development, and more.
Topics included:
- Growing Your Organization (A3)
- Developing A Business Plan (B3)
- Membership Care and Feeding (C3)
- Boosting Your Donations (D3)
- Maximizing Your Operational Income (E3)
- The ABC's of Obtaining Grants (F3)
Track 4: The Five W's of Interpretation
This track explored the core questions in developing budget-minded, mission-based interpretive plans: Who is your audience? What is your mission? When do you collaborate? Where do you start? Why strive for excellence? Plus, how do you project costs, raise funds, and plan budgets for interpretation?
Topics included:
- What's Our Mission? Exploring Mission-Driven Interpretation (A4)
- Who's Our Audience? Understanding and Using the Tools of Interpretive Evaluation (B4)
- Why Working Together Creates Success: Building Community Partnerships and Civic Engagement in Interpretation (C4)
- How to Plan for Interpretive Program Expenses (D4)
- Where to Start: Lesson Plans to Strategic Plans and Vice Versa (E4)
- When to Tell: Interpretive Signage (F4)
Track 5: Lights! Camera! Action! Delivering Effective Interpretation
Learn by doing was the mantra in this practical and highly interactive track about three modes of interpretation: live programs, interpretive writing, and visual media. The track explored learning how to evaluate the quality of interpretive programs and materials as you explore methods of effective delivery.
Topics included:
- Interpretation: Telling the Story and Connecting to Visitors (A5)
- Planning and Designing Interpretive Media (B5)
- Interpretation: Telling the Story and Connecting to Visitors - Planning the Program (C5)
- Interpretation: Telling the Story and Connecting to Visitors - Practicing Effective Delivery (D5)
- Making Connections through Writing: Basic Skills - I (E5)
- Making Connections through Writing: Interpretive Writing Skills - II (F5)
Track 6: Making Stewardship Connections: Gateways as Models
A healthy Chesapeake watershed depends on all of us. What can Gateways do to inspire good resource stewardship? Explore best practices in stewardship in a practical way: How can a Gateway model stewardship? How can you involve visitors? What are effective ways of interpreting and inspiring stewardship?
Topics include:
- Envisioning the Possibilities: Developing a Stewardship Action Plan (A6)
- Shaping the Gateways' / Chesapeake Code of Conduct (B6)
- Help for Making Your Gateway an Effective Stewardship Model - Partners, Funding, Assistance (C6)
- Interpreting Stewardship (D6)
- Green is Good! Sustainable Design for Museums, Parks and Gardens: I (E6)
- Green is Good! Sustainable Design for Museums, Parks and Gardens: II (F6)
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