Ed Schipul Presents Social Media Communication Trends to Chicago Chapter of International Association of Business Communicators

CHICAGO, IL -- (MARKET WIRE) -- April 10, 2007 -- When Ed Schipul says "delicious," during a luncheon, chances are he's not talking about the food. The expert in Web marketing is more likely talking about the social media Web site, del.icio.us, where users share online content and links. Mr. Schipul, president of Schipul - The Web Marketing Company (www.schipul.com), is scheduled to provide an overview of social media trends in presentations to the Chicago chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) on April 18th.

Mr. Schipul's luncheon presentation, "The Public in the Machine," will explore how tools such as Twitter and Web sites such as YouTube, Flickr, Technorati and Wikipedia can help organizations reach, engage and establish close bonds with their target publics. For those who want to apply what they learn from the luncheon, Mr. Schipul will lead an interactive workshop "Trends in public relations technology," to provide participants with the know-how they need to utilize social media technologies in real and profitable ways.

"There is a constant stream of new Web-based tools being introduced that can have an enormous positive impact on companies and their brands, but it's very challenging for business communicators to keep track of what's happening," said Schipul. "As Web users are increasingly being given the ability to contribute and edit content, it is essential that professional communicators understand how to harness the possibilities that come with fostering social networks."

While sites like YouTube, MySpace and Flickr remain among the most visited social media sites, Schipul says other currently lesser known social sites are rapidly growing larger community and influence bases. He recommends keeping track of the following:

--  Threadless, a community of designers and fashion enthusiasts that shop
    and vote on clothing designs online;
--  Flixter, an online community for movie fans;
--  Jambo, an online site that alerts you of nearby members and
    consolidates all of your online identities; and
--  Twitter, a site that connects you to thousands of users simply
    answering the question 'What are you doing?'
    

The luncheon is scheduled from 11 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 18. The luncheon will be held at Maggiano's Little Italy, 516 N. Cark Street in Chicago. Cost for the luncheon and workshop is $70 for IABC members and $100 for non-members. The cost of the luncheon only is $30 for members and $40 for non-members. Additional information and online registration is available at www.iabcchicago.com.

About Schipul - The Web Marketing Company

Schipul - The Web Marketing Company developed and builds on the Tendenci® membership management software. Schipul is based in Houston, and provides marketing services on the Internet to a variety of service industries in local, national and international markets. Schipul's clients include Clear Channel Exhibits, National Pharmacy Technician Association, The Children's Fund, Wolff Companies and DPK Public Relations. Additional information about Schipul is available at www.schipul.com and www.tendenci.com.

About IABC

The International Association of Business Communicators is a global network of communication professionals committed to improving organizational effectiveness through strategic communication. Established in 1970, IABC serves more than 13,500 members in 67 countries, 100 chapters and 10,000 organizations. For more information about the Chicago Chapter of IABC, visit www.iabcchicago.com.

Contact Information: Contact: Dan Keeney, APR DPK Public Relations 832-467-2904 Email Contact