James Coutts

Speaking

Here are my main topics, which can be tailored to any group’s needs. To discuss a booking, contact me.

Second Life: a new third place?
* For those looking for new ways of building relationships with their
visitors or customers and interested in exploring new perspectives on
what they might want.
* What can you do for the residents and the residents do for you?
* Second Life Tour – places to go, things to do, economic information
* Case studies on businesses already in Second Life: their purpose and
outcomes.
* How Second Life may fit with your organisation. Engage audiences in
ways you could not before. Are Second Life residents potential visitors,
customers or donors?

Blog or Be Blogged
* Tour of the latest web technologies (emphasis on blogging)
* How they are changing the internet, your business models, and how and why you should use them in your company
* Overview of how web technologies are changing, what this means for websites and for your business
* Blogs: why and how not
* Blogging don’ts
* RSS
* Podcasting
* WIKIS
* Flickr
* YouTube
* Second Life

Talks in development include:

Going to the bingo – what the arts can learn from the commercial world
Real-time learning: why websites and fruit machines have something in common

Coming up:

12/13 May 2010, Museum & Heritage Show, London, ‘Going to the bingo’, two seminars.

I’ve spoken at:

*June 2008, Michigan State University, School of Journalism, Edinburgh, Seminar.
*February 2008, Museums and galleries marketing day 2008, London, ‘Second Life: a new third place?’, Seminar.
*March 2007, Forward Scotland and six partner organisations, Stirling, ‘Blog or Be Blogged’, Keynote.
*February 2007, Falkirk Council, Visual Arts and Crafts Department, Callendar House, ‘Building a website: Practical advice on creating and maintaining your site’, Keynote.
*February 2007, British Council and Scottish Arts Council, International Curators event, ‘craftscotland international activity’, Keynote.
*November 2006, talkdo – the national conference for public and voluntary sector communicators, two workshops, ‘PRactical new media: know your blogs from your RSS’.
*October 2006, Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, Breakfast Workshop, ‘Blog or Be Blogged’
*2006/5 A number of keynote talks for regional Councils and Associations: ‘Good Foundations: Marketing Your Craft Online, ‘Email Marketing and Online Selling’
*2006/5, craftscotland AGM, Keynote.
*April 2005, Applied Arts Scotland Conference (Edinburgh College of Art), Keynote, ‘Reaching People with the web’.
*2005, Scottish Arts Council Alumni Meeting, Keynote

TESTIMONIALS
We heard some really good feedback and delegates were enthusiastic about your session.‘ [from conference organisers]
[I enjoyed] the presentation and learned about lots of new developments (some stranger than others!).
Thanks for a very informative session.’
New and interesting ideas to think about.’
A great overview to the current technologies used on the web. The workshop covered more topics than I expected and gave me more areas to explore in the future.’
Very knowledgeable on the subject and answered questions very well.’
Cheery and easily understood.’
A talk from a boffin.’
A very good and concise catch-up for those of us who are not tuned into Internet developments on a daily basis.’
The facts and no padding.’
A good genuine presenter – you could detect the passion and knowledge once started into each subject area.’
I liked the pace.’
Warm and engaging speaker who was obviously well versed in his subject.’

To book James as a workshop/breakout or keynote speaker for your next association/company meeting or corporate event, contact James.