Next lunchtime seminar – Friday 5 April 2019
The Geneva Communicators Network is pleased to announce our next lunchtime seminar for 2019:
Please register online >>
About the speaker:
The Geneva Communicators Network is pleased to announce our next lunchtime seminar for 2019:
Thank you to all the participants of our recent lunchtime seminar on “How to use storytelling to drive change” with Elissa Bertot of Elissa Bertot Communications, held on Friday 8 February 2019.
During the presentation, Elissa identified 6 components of storytelling: the title, the hero, the quest, the struggle, the secret weapon, and the happy ending. She expanded on the 3 most critical ones: the hero, the quest and the happy ending. The Hero being your audience, not your organization so the focus should be on them. The Quest is your audience’s challenge/pain, something they want changed which you must identify in order to sell them a solution. And the happy ending is your audience’s desired outcome, the transformation they want to achieve (with the help of your solution).
Those who missed it or want to share with colleagues can watch the recording of the live stream on Facebook.
Below, are some images from the event (thanks to Geraldo Pestalozzi www.gpestalozzi.com).
Look out for our next event in the Spring.
Glenn, Patricia and Ekaterina
Dear Communicators,
The Geneva Communicators Network is pleased to announce our first lunchtime seminar for 2019:
In this lunchtime seminar, you will learn a step-by-step storytelling framework you can apply to any communication, regardless of your audience. By the end of the seminar, you will know how to craft a compelling story that reaches your audience and changes minds, attitudes and behaviors.
Fee: CHF 30.- per person includes drinks and snacks
Elissa Bertot is a communications strategist, copywriter and trainer. Through her consulting company, Elissa Bertot Communications, she helps organizations create stories that inspire action. Since 2015, Elissa has consulted for international organizations, non-profits, NGOs and small/medium-sized companies, helping them develop brands and messages that drive change. She also leads tailored communications workshops, teaching storytelling and brand strategy to communications teams and business owners. With more than 12 years’ experience in branding, communications, PR and marketing in Fortune 50 corporations, agencies and now as a consultant, Elissa is on a mission to change the way organizations communicate from the inside out.
Thanks to the many communicators who came to hear Ekaterina Filippova’s presentation about Facebook ads. Participants learned different techniques on how to master Facebook Ads and felt more comfortable integrating these into their strategies to effectively promote their products, services or initiatives.
Below are a few photos of the event courtesy of Geraldo Pestalozzi photography.
Stay tuned for details about our next event, which will be an evening apero.
The Geneva Communicators Network is pleased to announce our next lunchtime seminar on Friday 9 November 2018.
With the enormous volume of content published on social media every day, many organisations struggle to be seen and heard by their target audiences. Visibility on Facebook can be particularly tough to crack due to the changing algorithms and diminishing organic reach. So how can you effectively reach your audience without breaking the bank? Facebook Ads can be a very cost-effective promotion tool but they need to be done right to bring the best results for your budget.
In this lunchtime seminar, you will learn how to master Facebook Ads and will walk away with actionable tips on how to more effectively promote your organisation to your target audience.
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Thank you to the many members who attended D. Helen Shapiro‘s presentation last Friday on the new EU data protection rules – General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which came into effect on 25 May 2018. It was a very enlightening discussion and worth a follow up to ensure that you know your rights both as a business and an individual.
Below are a few photographs from the event, courtesy of photographer Geraldo Pestalozzi www.gpestalozzi.com

This presentation will explore the realities behind the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), an EU law that comes into effect on 25 May 2018. For communicators – even those outside of the EU – the GDPR has significant impact on how you collect and store audiences’ data. We will look into some useful definitions, learn some of the language needed to approach the subject and formulate a basic road-map to compliance. Our speaker approaches the topic in a very practical way, with strong emphasis on down to earth risk management and explaining the “rules of the game” for GDPR.
Date: Friday, 1 June 2018
Time: 12h30 to 14h00
Location: The Swiss Press Club, Route de Ferney 106, La Pastorale, 1202 Geneva.
Fee: CHF 30.- per person includes drinks and snacks – please register online >>
About the speaker:
D. Helen Shapiro is a GDPR & innovation consultant. Her business acumen is firmly set in sales, global operations, compliance and physical risk management / cross border secure logistics. As a trainer, she focuses on GDPR-compliance organizational transformation, leadership skills, governance, process optimization and risk management.
Helen is a sought after mentor in various accelerators (e.g. MassChallenge Switzerland, IBM AlphaZone) and a recognized judge in business competitions (e.g. CyberChallenge at GCSP, Masschallenge CH). She is a member of the international advisory Board to Cyber-Aid.org at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy.
Helen spent over 17 years in risk management, security & international physical trade, and over 10 years in professional corporate training. In her last corporate position she ran AMS (Americas) region for an enterprise class global software company.
Thank you to all the GCN members who attended our GCN lunch event on Friday 13 April. A special thanks also to Vincent Lusser, responsible for communications at Geneva State’s Department of Town and Country Planning, Housing and Energy for his insightful presentation, presenting the innovative urban developments in Geneva and highlighting some of the communications challenges linked to their promotion.
Below are a few images captured by photographer Geraldo Pestalozzi.
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Thank you to the many members who managed to attend our GCN lunch last Friday 2 March, in spite of the challenging weather.
Thank you also to Michael Gentle who gave an interesting presentation on “What the press can teach us about business writing”. Below, a few shots of the event.
Our next event will be held on 13 April at the Geneva Conference Centre (CICG). Stay tuned for details shortly.
The GCN Team

Michael Gentle, Founder and CEO, The First Three Lines, www.thefirstthreelines.com

Michael Gentle, Founder and CEO, The First Three Lines, www.thefirstthreelines.com

Questions from participants on “What the press can teach us about business writing”

Networking lunch following the presentation.

Thanks to Fiza Kahn from Safran Cuisine for her excellent catering.