FGIA’s webinar program has been going strong since 2015, offering information on topics of industry interest – typically at no cost and open to the public. Previous topics covered in 2020 included field testing, security glazing, Florida Product Approval Program changes and financial management in a COVID Economy. But did you know the FGIA live-tweets from every webinar that is made available to the public? You can follow along with coverage of each session on Twitter.Using the hashtag #FGIAwebinar, FGIA Marketing writes live-tweet threads during...

Prior to my time with FGIA, I worked for a start-up in downtown Chicago. It was a new company with a lot of venture capital, and they invested deeply into portraying a fun, quirky company culture. With lime green walls and indoor swing sets, word quickly spread about the company’s culture. At one point, we had a game room, but it was almost always empty because everyone at the company was always too busy to enjoy it – perhaps a more telling detail about what...

As 2020 comes to a close, most of us don’t have the luxury of getting the usual staff group photo for the annual company holiday card. That doesn’t mean you can’t still send your best wishes to customers and clients this holiday season. However, whether you need to collect employees’ selfies holding up signs of greetings or you need to coordinate a group photo on Zoom, time must be on your side to pull this off. Here is some guidance on how to craft your...

It is time for a new social media news roundup, in which I share some added features or major moves being made over at our favorite online networking platforms. This fall, there are changes happening to how Facebook users can interact with Instagram content, an explanation of why Twitter revamped its Trending Topics section and a breakdown of LinkedIn’s new features, which include video calling capability and LinkedIn Stories. Let’s get into it!View Instagram Stories Directly Through Facebook: The Verge reported on this news, which...

As we know, GlassBuild 2020 could not take place in person this year due to COVID-19 concerns. However, event organizers were able to pivot to a new format quickly, leading to the creation of GlassBuild Connect! This glass- and fenestration-centric online experience is taking place September 1-30 at GlassBuild.com. The biggest thing many will miss this year is the in-person contact folks usually enjoy at GlassBuild. While online is not a replacement, there are still many opportunities to connect with others “at the show.”When sharing...

The global spread of COVID-19 has changed the landscapes of many institutions, and social media is no exception. Businesses need to find creative ways to stay present in their customers’ minds, and social media - a contact-free tool - is going to play a huge role in working toward this goal.A July post on Social Media Today shared some predictions made by marketers about the future of social media in a post-COVID world, including theories that creative skills will be more valuable and that “honesty,...

The first-ever FGIA Virtual Summer Conference went well, complete with excellent panel discussions and updates, many pertaining to how to handle the fallout of COVID-19. While the virtual nature of the event meant participants were not able to spend their usual time together in person, it didn’t mean they couldn’t still share and connect online. The virtual happy hours were a big hit with a variety of topics from marketing to technical and costumes to cocktails.Here are some social media highlights from the conference, thanks...

It’s been a while since we last checked in with some updates about how social media is changing, which means it’s time once again for a social media news roundup! Here is a summary of the biggest moves being made in the social media world this spring, and how they could impact your business.InstagramInstagram is reaching out to smaller businesses to help them through the current COVID-19 crisis. Some tools it is rolling out include a “Support Small Business” sticker which can be used in...

By now, you have probably heard that the FGIA Summer Conference will be held virtually, due to the spread of COVID-19 and requests by government leadership to shelter-in-place. This event, previously intended to be held in Chicago, IL, will be hosted on Zoom instead, with sessions taking place on a single track for participants’ convenience. The event dates remain largely unchanged with the conference taking place Tuesday, June 23 through Thursday, June 25. Registration for the virtual Summer Conference will open the week of May...

With the current spread of COVID-19 impacting businesses’ hours and ability to remain open in order to serve customers, there has been an increased need to communicate new developments quickly. Social media can be a great way to get out updates fast, but these missives must be handled properly, or else they might only cause more confusion – or get lost in the shuffle. Here are some tips for sharing breaking news announcements with your social media followers.Tell your staff first: Maybe you will have...