Speaking

Mary Charleson, MBA, CSP, marketing educator, speaker, author & strategist

CSP business keynote speaker Mary Charleson delivers marketing and social media strategy insight to associations, corporate audiences, entrepreneur groups, and the education sector with actions to get attendees achieving better results. Her unique combined experience as both a marketing strategist and a travel content creator make her an excellent choice for a marketing focused keynote to a travel industry audience.

With marketing, social media and digital trends always custom applied for the client or industry, she delivers inspiring stories and examples, backed with proven methods, so audiences walk away with actionable take-home value.

Her “Top 10 marketing and consumer trends” keynote is revised annually. It features research on why the trend is happening, and what actions attendees should take. There is an opportunity for industry examples to be customized specifically for client needs. Her “Social Media Content Marketing for the Travel Industry” is particularly popular with travel-based clients due to its highly customized examples and niche industry insights. The “Think Like a Media Mogul” keynote helps people understand the importance of leveraging owned, rented, earned, embedded and paid media to represent their brand in a unified manner, while maximizing exposure. Her “Customer service as marketing” presentation addresses how customers now control the digital narrative, but we control their experience – a critical piece of marketing as we emerge from the pandemic. And Mary’s “Five-Minute Marketing Tips & takeaways for the time-starved” addresses marketing challenges the client or industry is facing, with selected storytelling vignettes, offering actionable time saving strategies based on the latest trends.

Mary’s programs center around trends, insight and actions, so people walk away with usable strategies that they can implement immediately. Her presentations have been a great fit for conferences, annual general meetings, Franchisee events, association gatherings, university faculty/admin sessions, and sales team events.

Mary is the perfect fit if you want to:

• Be inspired and entertained while learning about marketing
• Receive actionable marketing advice catered to your industry

Mary is the author of two books, Word of Mouth Mouse & Mobile and Five-Minute Marketing. She is a member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers and the Global Speakers Federation. Mary is one of fewer than 12% of speakers globally who hold the designation of CSP (Certified Speaking Professional), the international measure of excellence for professional competence and proven experience.

Her career spans over 25 years in media, advertising and education. She has been a popular marketing instructor at City University of Seattle, NYIT (New York Institute of Technology), Capilano University, Acsenda School of Management, and guest lecturer at UBC Sauder School of Business. Mary has worked with hundreds of business and organizations to improve their marketing efforts through consulting and speaking. A contributor to Business in Vancouver since 2002 and a monthly marketing columnist for the Huffington Post, her work has also been published in the Globe & Mail, the Toronto Star, the Vancouver Sun, Marketing Magazine, Strategy, Zoomer, Cottage and Outside magazine. She is frequent guest on CBC TV news offering her opinion on marketing and business trends.

In 2018 Mary launched a new business venture called CarryOnQueen.com, a site focused on travel content creation. (She hasn’t checked a bag in 20 years!) An extension of her passion for writing and travel, she enthusiastically accepts speaking engagements from the travel sector – advising travel businesses, associations and content creators about best practices in marketing and media.

Mary is a graduate of the University of Waterloo, and City University of Seattle where she did her MBA in marketing.

What you can expect:

• Prompt attention – You’ll speak directly with Mary. Phone calls returned. Deadlines met
• Custom presentation – Highly customized content that fits your industry
• Low maintenance – No hand-holding required. Comes prepared and arrives early
• Deva free zone – Mary is about as down to earth as they come

Your event experience:

Pre-event

• Client call to inform the customization of content based on your needs, audience profile
• Willing to produce a customized video to include in your emails or embed in your registration page, which can significantly increase registrations
• Provide a newsletter or blog content article for you to use in promoting the event

During the event

• Arrives early to be able to incorporate customization from the event
• Willing to participate in networking and socializing with attendees. Plus she’s fun!

After the event

• Willing to pre-record content delivery in a virtual format, to be made available to attendees for a limited time via a private YouTube link after the event. This can help reinforce the message, or be shared with those unable to attend the session live

Mary travels from Vancouver, BC Canada

 

 

Mary is a member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (CAPS). She is also a Certified Virtual Presenter. View her eSpeakers profile here.

 

TOPIC #1

Top 10 Marketing & Consumer Trends

This presentation is updated annually to include the most important trends as they relate to consumers and marketing. Each trend is presented with insight on why it is happening, and what actions businesses should take to mitigate threats, and maximize opportunities. Highly customizable, content examples are drawn from the client’s industry to maximize insight and applicable recommended actions. It can be easily adapted for a travel industry, association or content creator audience. Available in face to face or virtual.

For 2024 the five consumer trends are

1. From WE to ME
2. Fatigue and rebellion
3. Craving re-connection
4. Segmented and divided in new ways
5. Live for the moment

The Five marketing trends are:

1. Digital media regulation
2. Changing nature of social media
3. AI omnipresent
4. Customer service void
5. Hidden communities

Learning outcomes:

• Gain an understanding of changes in consumer behavior –important post pandemic
• Utilize top consumer trends to find opportunity for your business or industry
• Understand how to adapt new best practices in marketing, particularly for online digital and social media
• Explore new ways to communicate your message post pandemic utilizing digital platforms

 

TOPIC #2

Unpacking Marketing Strategy for the Travel Industry

 

Learning outcomes:

• Learn how to approach social media with an informed strategy that saves you time and effort
• Learn how to select social media platforms well aligned with your target audience
• Learn how to leverage word of mouth and storytelling through increased engagement and sharing
• Gain insights to maximize your free publicity

 

TOPIC #3

Think Like a Media Mogul: How to leverage your brand in multiple media channels

This presentation helps attendees think like a media company in their approach to marketing by using owned, rented, earned, embedded and paid media. The session focuses on the use of owned media – the stuff you control and produce content for such as e-newsletters and blogs, and explores the use of rented media – social media that you use to broadcast and engage, but are ultimately at the mercy of a landlord. Content explores in detail the use of platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn as tools for broadcast and engagement in this capacity. Attendees also learn about earned media – how to get free publicity, and embedded media – how to become a published or broadcast authority using the reach of an established media player like the Huffington Post, CBC or the Wall Street Journal. The session is rounded out with strategic direction on utilizing paid media. Participants learn how to punch far above their weight and budget using content marketing, and leveraging all media platforms.

This presentation can be customized with examples drawn from a client’s industry to really make the content meaningful and actionable for your team. Available as a keynote, or adapted for break out or workshop format, this presentation is available in virtual format as well.

Learning outcomes:

• Learn how to approach social media with a strategy that achieves your goals and doesn’t waste time.
• Learn how to leverage word of mouth and storytelling in your media efforts.
• Gain insights to maximize your free publicity.
• Learn how to use various media and marketing efforts to create community with your customers.

Download presentation sheet HERE

 

TOPIC #4

Customer Service as Marketing

Customer service is now a major part of marketing, because customers increasingly own our message and share it with others through word of mouth – both online and off. This means that online and in person interactions matter more than ever.

During the pandemic we witnessed dramatic shifts in consumer behaviour, and many of those changes have now become permanent. Managing the customer experience in this new environment has been challenging, particularly with staffing shortages and supply chain issues post pandemic. This presentation explores the fundamentals of exceptional customer service in this new environment, as one of the best marketing practices you can implement right now.

We consider how the customer journey has shifted, and ways to validate pinch points in customer interactions, with an eye on finding opportunity in the new gaps. We also explore ways to maximize the positive impacts of customer interactions, as well as leveraging online platforms to support staff efforts. Customer “touch points” before, during and after purchase are framed from the in-person perspective and virtual online lens. And we drill down into industry segments to find customer service opportunities that not only maximize retention efforts, but ensure existing and new potential customers continue to be strong brand ambassadors for you in their communities.

Expect a presentation that includes current marketing trends related to customer service and best practices, and some creative inspiration from both inside and outside your industry, to challenge your thinking.

This keynote can be delivered with Q&A at the end, or as an extended time workshop where attendees can roll up their sleeves and participate in group exercises to generate ideas that will put best practices to work for your business or industry. This presentation is available in face to face or virtual format.

Learning outcomes:

• Explore each step in the customer journey with a post pandemic lens, to ensure exceptional customer service
• Re-evaluate your communication channels to ensure you are where your customers are
• Learn new ways to leverage customer experience and brand story, so customers do your marketing for you
• Understand how to adapt new best practices for social media as part of your customer interaction efforts

 

TOPIC #5

Five-Minute Marketing: Tips, trends and takeaways for the time-starved

Mary inspires business leaders to understand trends and generate new ideas to make marketing more effective. Pithy, often irreverent, but never short on actionable insights, information is presented in a compelling and memorable way; through research, storytelling, and in short 5-minute segments on a variety of marketing topics. After gaining insights on the challenges that a client or industry is facing, Mary selects a series of 5-Minute Marketing insights to meet the client’s specific needs, while considering current market trends and opportunities.

Consistently updated with insights from Mary’s marketing blog www.fiveminutemarketing.com and her popular weekly e-newsletter, this dynamic audio and video rich presentation can stand alone as a keynote, or be modified for a breakout session or workshop. Available in face to face or virtual.

Download presentation sheet HERE

 

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“I can’t thank Mary Charleson enough for being a keynote speaker for WPN Bellingham. Our group of professional women was thrilled with her presentation. Not only did she customize it specifically for us, she also delivered excellent, usable information that we could apply to our businesses that same day. Mary is a media and marketing expert and she was savvy enough to leave the jargon at home and really speak to us in layman’s terms. We’ve already had requests to have her back.” – Jessica Renner, Speaker Chair, Womens Professional Network Bellingham

“Mary’s presentation got everyone thinking of how the power of word-of-mouth is amplified by word of mouse and mobile in the digital age. Rich with compelling, real-life examples, Mary’s presentation reflets her highly attuned perspective on how an organization’s reputation is built or broken by the way stakeholders interact with its brand.” – Victoria Miles, Conference Chair, Canadian Association of Communicators in Education

“Our team took some great ideas away and we’re already using them for our trade show next week and an event at the end of the month.” – Michael Drake, Director of Sales, Tourism Vancouver Meetings & Conventions, International/Canada

“Many thanks for the excellent presentation on how to leverage our media for marketing. Judging by the note takers during the presentation there was some keen interest.” – Henry Walthert, Executive Director, Wood Preservation Canada

“Mary is an engaging and dynamic speaker whose presentations on marketing and sales are entertaining and content-rich. When we featured Mary as a speaker at a marketing event, our audience was very diverse, yet we were delighted at how relevant she made marketing trends and tips to everyone. Mary GETS it – she has a solid grasp of how marketing works, and she is particularly adept at communicating in a clear, simple and convincing way. Her passion for her industry shines through in her speeches. We were impressed with her authentic, personable approach and her broad expertise and examples across the marketing landscape.” – Gail Tibo, Peter Legge International Institute of Sales Excellence Presentation Series Chair, Principal at Incisive Marketing

“Mary has a knack of conveying marketing concepts in a fun way, through real-life examples, videos, and anecdotes for our clients at Small Business BC. She is always ready to address questions, tailor responses, and conjure up relevant tips, thereby demonstrating her expertise on the topic.” – Leo Chow, Education Services Manager, Small Business BC

“Mary has great knowledge of marketing and media that she shares in a compelling way with business audiences. Her message resonates particularly well with entrepreneurs who are looking to leverage their efforts for maximum impact with minimum expenditures.” – Cathy Kuzel, Chair, The Connected Woman

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Reframing Relevance in Uncertain Times: Small Business BC April 2020 – Virtual Presentation

13 Pandemic Consumer Marketing Trends: finding opportunity during Covid19 / A virtual presentation for The Grand Connection Nov 20, 2020 to 100+ global attendees (presentation at the 00:32:50 – 1:08:00 mark)

Finding Opportunity in 13 Pandemic Digital Marketing Trends | Deep Dive – a follow up discussion Dec 19, 2020 to allow attendees of the Nov 20 event to dig deeper into business examples

The links below show a series of video examples for Mary’s “5-Minute Marketing” keynote content.

Five-Minute Marketing: We are all connected

Five-Minute Marketing: Content is King, but creating community is Queen

Five-Minute Marketing: Disruption

Five-Minute Marketing: Make your message sticky

Five-Minute Marketing: Going Private in Public

Five-Minute Marketing: Word of Mouth

Five-Minute Marketing – full length keynote

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Download Mary’s speaker sheet HERE

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Fiveminutemarketing.com was thrilled to be nominated for the Top 10 Social Media Blogs 2017 by Social Media Examiner. Here’s what a few folks had to say in submitting their nomination:

 

I nominate Mary Charleson’s www.fiveminutemarketing.com for the 8th Annual Social Media blog awards. In the past year alone Five Minute Marketing has explored such topics as brand trust in the new economy; the personality of grand brands; and what happens when beer commercials choose reckless over responsibility. One of her most thought-provoking posts of the year followed on the heels of the Trump election victory, as she delved into a world of frustration tuned out by the mainstream media–and its audiences. The writing is tight, smart and to-the-point, and Mary sticks to her five-minute promise so you can get on with your day a little savvier than you started. – Victoria Miles

I would like to nominate www.fiveminutemarketing.com. Mary Charleson and her blog arrive without fail every week and I always look forward to reading it. She offers great, down-to-earth tips and her material is often current with the days news, or with what’s happening in her life. When it comes to a blog which offers value, Mary is simply the best. – Kathy Lynn

There are many blogs that inspire, educate, infuriate … *smile* that i consider worthy of a nomination. My preference? Mary Charleson’s Five MInute Marketing www.fiveminutemarketing.com Relevant, applicable information delivered as if she were sitting across from you with a coffee in her hand and you were the only person she was speaking to. – Cathy Kuzel

I nominate www.fiveminutemarketing.com.  From a content standpoint, I always find this blog thought provoking and very well written. Beyond that, it has actionable ideas I can apply in my own business–that makes it particularly valuable.  One of the many bonuses is that there are references to current examples of creative marketing ideas, including videos that I always feel compelled to watch (interesting examples that link directly to the content of the BLOG).  And . . . because it comes out on Sunday, it is the only BLOG of the many I subscribe to that I always have time to read! – David Gouthro

I nominate Mary Charleson’s blog Five Minute Marketing http://fiveminutemarketing.com. She offers fascinating insights on up-to-the-minute trends. I get the sense Mary has a rapidly growing following who appreciate her personal touch and useful advice. It’s like having coffee with a smart, funny friend who wants to help you understand trends and grow your business. – Karen Spiers

I would like to nominate Mary Charleson and her fiveminutemarketing.com Mary is always relevant in a world inundated with route marketing. Mary is current, relevant and when she suggests it is customizable to gain your own voice with her suggestions. I look forward to her blogs and articles. She is a must follow for me. – Sydney Scott

I vote for http://fiveminutemarketing.com which always has practical content with useful lessons to apply to almost any business. In particular, I find the insights from current marketing campaigns and ideas on how to apply those learnings for greater success most relevant – and the blogs are always user friendly, written in plain English. – Collene Hansen

I nominate Mary Charleson at www.fiveminutemarketing.com Her weekly blog is informative and always has a new marketing twist delivered in a brief, interesting way. – Ed Daley

I strongly nominate Mary Charleson’s blog: www.fiveminutemarketing.com. It is very easy reading and the contents are relevant and relatable. Mary uses a story-telling style and relates everyday incidents and up-to-date company examples to come up with “lessons learned”! My weekend coffee is never complete without reading the fiveminutemarketing.com blog. Start reading it and you’ll get hooked as well! – Tess Ireneo-Manalo

I nominate Five Minute Marketing Tips from Mary Charleson from BC, CANADA. Her information is very current, useful to independent business owners who manage their own marketing content to those working in organizations with a huge marketing department. Everyone can learn about buying or earning social media. Plus her tips are provided is in small chunks of easy to read info every Sunday morning – like clockwork! – Patricia Lalonde

For consistent, timely and pertinent information with marketable ideas every week I nominate fiveminutemarketing.com – Jay Daley