Note: Session topics subject to change.

Most box office franchises get stale fast – think “Hangover 2.” But this 3CMA conference mainstay continues to put people in the seats! This session is all about SHARING fabulous ideas. Heck, why do all the work when someone else has done it for you? Hear from 3CMA vets about best-practice and cutting-edge ideas that work. Sit back, learn and steal, er, borrow from the best!

It’s time to leave Jurassic Park and head for the 21st Century. As if 60 Ideas in 60 Minutes are enough? Not in today’s hyper-social world. This session focuses on what works when it comes to the top social platforms of the day.

C’mon, even your parents have them. I-Phones, Droids, tablets, etc. See how local government is harnessing the power of apps to better serve the public. It’s app-solutely imperative that you make the time to take in this session so you too can harness the power of emerging technology.

It’s not impossible, really. Learn to sift through the “Mud” to deliver “Epic” quotes that will frame the issue for a growingly distracted audience. Tips on working with the media to your advantage will make you a pro in front of the cameras and microphones.

Tweet with the best. What works – or doesn’t -- when messaging 140 characters at a time. Go ahead, count ‘em here. That’s right 140 exactly!

Join “The Social Network” and see what lies ahead for this cyberspace behemoth. Keep pace with the flurry of new launches and mobile updates tied to the universe’s favorite way to communicate. Uploaded photos per day on Facebook? About 350 million. How will you reach your audience without it?

Are the days of the inexorable bulldog city beat reporters behind us? Mostly. Discover new trends in media reporting and how to stay ahead of the pack to get the most out of your media coverage.

A love story…about the sinking of Titanic? That’s crazy talk. Well, maybe not. See what the creative-class legions of local government have dreamt up. You just might be pleasantly surprised. Listen and work these wacky ideas into your own workaday lives and become the King of the World!

Tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, mass murders. Sadly, this stuff happens. How you react, and how you prepare your people to react, will make all the difference in the world. There are some very definite do’s and don’ts to crisis communications. Don’t be caught off guard when the big story hits. “Good Night and Good Luck.”

Crisis communication is a long process that can last days to weeks depending on the story. But how you react in the Golden Hour will go a long way to softening the blow. Learn what you need to do first when the big one hits, turning “The Darkest Hour” into “The Sweet Smell of Success.”

“Hey, we can use my uncle’s barn, Betty can make the costumes, I’ll get the band together and we can put on a show!” It worked for Mickey Rooney and the gang, but that ship has sailed. See what cutting-edge ideas will bring people together in your community in the 21st Century.

“Squirrel!”  Let’s face it, people are busier than ever. Getting their attention – and keeping it – is more difficult than ever before.  See what platforms work best to deliver critical news on your services and programs to an increasingly sidetracked public. “Squirrel!” 

Online platforms like IdeaScale and UserVoice give a unique twist to community involvement, but there’s also some very real risks to these popular crowdsourcing tools. See what’s right for you with testimonials on what works and what does not.

Dial “M” for Messaging. OK, a few of us are still clinging to old style forms of communication. How do you reach us? Fax Machine? Find out the best ways to engage the ones still living in the 20th Century world of interaction.

And the Oscar for best original screenplay goes to…Become an award winning writer with this valuable session that helps you focus on your target audience while managing the message – and – the method. 

As budgets remain tight, it’s more important than ever to have a strong set of performance measures and an effective way to both gather data and report on our successes. This session will provide practical and effective ways to convey your Oscar-worthy value to the organization.

Get out your “Silver Linings Playbook” and get ready to take notes as we enter the mysterious Cloud. What is it, how does it work and what silver lining does it hold for you? You’ll find out here.

Warning: this session has not yet been rated. Juggling chain saws can be far less dangerous that working through those most sensitive issues. Managing information and the balance of how much to share is a tricky, tricky thing. See how others have worked through some sticky stuff and what they learned in the process.

Hit the red carpet in full stride on your way to a wonderland of creative local government film making. Always a popular event, the annual festival highlights the best of the silver screen on 3CMA’s silver anniversary. From PSA’s to full-blown programming, you’ll come away with plenty of ideas to take back to your own city or county. BYOP (Bring your own popcorn).

Don’t be an “Identity Thief” when it comes to brand management. Each of us has a unique story to tell, and a unique character that should be captured by our brand. But are we doing that? And how do we ensure that the entire organization buys in to the concept? Get practical tips on developing and managing your community’s unique brand and message.

One of 3CMA’s greatest assets: The “Help, Please” Q&A portion of the newsletter. Now, for the first time ever (EVER!), we answer the most common questions at one convenient session. In 3-D no less. Worth the price of admission and then some.

Ever feel like the man behind the curtain pulling all the levers with little to show for it? Hear how you can manage better, agonize less and harness that inner Great and Powerful “Wizard of Oz” that’s churning inside of you. You know who you are…don’t miss this one.

Crisis communications on a national stage. Hear from those closest to this tragic mass shooting. How they dealt with a stunned community, grieving families, the media horde and a national debate centering on the politics of gun control.

A seasoned crew of local PIO’s shares life experiences from the Valley of the Sun. Monsoons, floods and 122-degree heat can make for interesting circumstances. Come and hear the strange -- and the sage advice that follows.

If you build it...they might not come. It’s not “A Field of Dreams”, it’s reality. Busy schedules and new technologies are changing the expectations for how governments interact with their residents. Learn proven techniques to increase participation by empowering your residents on their terms.

Data mining techniques are drilling down deeper than ever – making better sense of your survey and crowdsourcing results. Learn some of the proven techniques to help you absorb, gather and deliver the facts and figures in a meaningful way. They’ll be left speechless at your “Beautiful Mind.”