Storytelling & Writing Virtual Conference

Forget polished scripts and corporate clichés—today’s audiences are craving something real. In this energizing opening session, Sean Tracey will explore how communicators can embrace the full spectrum of the human experience to craft stories that move people to think, feel, and act. Drawing on decades of experience in brand development and storytelling for purpose-driven organizations, Sean will share how honesty, empathy, and vulnerability can transform your narrative strategy from performative to powerful. You'll learn how to create stories that connect across departments, platforms, and audiences—helping you inspire internal alignment, external trust, and lasting impact.

Key Takeaways:

• Craft emotionally resonant stories that reflect your brand’s humanity
• Align messaging with organizational values and audience emotions
• Use real people and authentic language to break through the noise
• Tap into shared human experiences to build connection and credibility
• Leverage vulnerability and imperfection as storytelling strengths

Your LinkedIn posts sound professional. Your emails are conversational. Your proposals are formal. Your team writes differently than you do. Sound familiar? 

Most organizations unknowingly undermine their credibility through tone inconsistencies that audiences notice—even when leadership doesn't. The result? Fragmented brand perception, confused messaging, and missed opportunities to build trust.

In this session, award-winning editor and communication strategist Erin Brenner will reveal:

• The hidden costs of tone fragmentation across your communications channels
• Why treating each platform separately is sabotaging your professional credibility
• A practical framework for auditing your current tone consistency (or lack thereof)
• Strategic editing techniques that create alignment without losing authenticity
• Implementation strategies that work for teams of any size

Writing for SEO isn’t about gaming the algorithm—it’s about understanding what your audience is searching for and delivering it clearly, concisely, and compellingly. In this session, you’ll learn how to strike the right balance between optimizing for search engines and writing for real people. From modern keyword strategies and content structure to AI-enhanced research and intent-focused writing, this session will help you craft content that’s discoverable, scannable, and deeply readable.

Key Takeaways:

• Structure content to satisfy both human readers and search engine crawlers
• Apply keyword strategies that focus on user intent, not keyword density
• Integrate storytelling principles into SEO-focused writing 
• Use AI tools to streamline research and outline generation
• Optimize headlines, subheads, and metadata without losing voice or flow
   

Back by popular demand, Steve & Cindy take storytelling to the next level with practical strategies and real-world examples of what’s working today. Discover how to unearth powerful employee stories, ditch jargon, and write content that breaks through corporate clutter. You'll also learn how to navigate the feedback and approval process without diluting your message—so your best writing actually makes it to the finish line.

Key Takeaways:

• Turn corporate messaging into compelling, people-centered stories
• Make your audience (not your company) the hero of your content
• Uncover story gold within your own organization 
• Simplify without dumbing down 
• Set expectations and manage the internal review process
• Maintain voice, tone, and clarity—even after edits
• Gain buy-in from stakeholders without sacrificing effectiveness