Archive for March, 2011
Secrets to Getting Great Speaking Gigs: Part III
This is the last post in my three-part series on how to get great speaking gigs at business conferences where you will not be a sponsor (i.e. you have not “purchased” your speaker spot). Strategically chosen speaking engagements position you as an industry thought leader with prospects, clients and others who can positively impact your business. Importantly, you are identified as a key conference participant as you network and build contacts before and after your presentation. In short–speaking engagements deliver positive outcomes for you, personally, and for your company. They are well worth the time and effort it takes to get them.
To recap my six prior tips:
1) Speaking at a top venue is a business-building investment. Allocate resources accordingly. 2) Make a conference hit list and go for the gold. 3) Stop talking to yourself. Talk to your customers. 4) Dig deep into conference research. 5) Identify the program decision-makers and be really, really nice to them. 6) Play by the conference rules. Adhere to the proposal submission schedule and use the forms provided.
You can review the complete posts: Part I, Part II
Now I’ll get to the heart of any speaking engagement–presentation content and how you deliver it.
CBD’ers compete in CADM’s Basic Course
We’re proud to have four colleagues enrolled in Chicago Association of Direct Marketing’s Basic Course. The culmination of the 10-week course is a team presentation for a comprehensive direct marketing campaign.
Each are on a different team, competing with one another … making for good-spirited fun around the agency. Jackie Wishau (top photo, pink scarf) represents Team Already Been Chewed (wonder what kind of day they were having). Ryan Shandley (2nd photo,back right, wide smile) is with Team Bumper-to-Bumper. Katie Whitmore (photo 3,front left in CBD purple) is part of Team Modern Marketing. Rounding out the competition is Caroline Beck, (bottom photo,front left, with black sweater) with Team Re-Image Chicago.
Thanks to Jackie, Ryan, Katie and Caroline for spending their Thursday evenings in class.
CBD'ers in CADM competition
Energy Marketers Need a Mobile Strategy
More people are using mobile for everyday communications, reducing time spent on laptops and desktops. Morgan Stanley predicts that sometime in 2013 mobile internet usage will overtake desktop usage, which means that both consumer and business marketers need to reach their customers using mobile.
Traditional sites may have more content than a mobile device can handle, making it difficult for users to see and access. From videos to lengthy content, this information may not be essential to your specific mobile user. For an easy example to view, go to espn.com on your mobile device and computer and see the difference.
Green Initiatives Impact Consumer Choice and Perceptions of Healthcare Providers
We recently commissioned a survey of healthcare consumers that focused on their awareness and perceptions of sustainable healthcare initiatives – as well as whether these initiatives impacted their choice of healthcare providers. Healthcare providers are seemingly always looking for ways to separate themselves from their competitors. They tout how they are #1 in certain practice areas, or received top marks from HealthGrades. There’s even a billboard out on a tollway in the Chicago area that stakes a claim to having the best word-of-mouth reputation in the area.
We wanted to find out whether a healthcare facility’s green initiatives could influence consumer preference for one provider over another. Bottom line: there is significant potential to do so.
International Higher Education Awards Honor CBD
Spring always ushers in new excitement including advertising awards season. And we’re thrilled to be starting off with a bang, winning a Gold and two Merit Awards at the 26th Annual Educational Advertising Awards sponsored by the Higher Education Marketing Report.
Gold Award "Your New Definitition"
CBD won Gold for the outdoor component of its “Your New Definition” campaign for Lake Forest Graduate School of Management (LFGSM).
Merit Award "Go Further In the Loop"
In addition, the outdoor for LFGSM’s “Go Further in the Loop” Campaign won a Merit Award,
Merit Award "Broad Thinkers Rise Higher"
as did a new media ad for their “Broad Thinkers Rise Higher” Campaign.
Winning awards for our creative is always gratifying. We’re an ROI-focused agency, so when the creative is recognized as superior that confirms without a doubt the synergy between great creative and great results.
The Educational Advertising Awards competition draws entries from around the world. The 2010 competition received over 2,500 entries from over 1,000 colleges, universities and secondary schools in the U.S. and abroad. The Higher Education Marketing Report is a leading publication for higher education marketing professionals.
Mobile begins to impact B2B food ingredients sector
Wow, everyone in the food ingredient and dietary supplement industry is crazy-busy! If my discussions with ingredient suppliers and finished goods marketers at this year’s Focus on the Future were indicative, opportunities continue to abound in this sector.
And speaking of opportunities … I had the pleasure of co-presenting with John Siefert, Virgo’s CEO. We talked about the emerging digital landscape and what it means to publishers and marketers. Most in the audience, and indeed those responding to the online survey we conducted in early February, have yet to embrace many social media or mobile tactics within their marketing mix.
Yet the raw data regarding such quantifiables as smartphone adoption (50 percent penetration in the United States by end of year) and the popularity of tablets (171 million by 2014) point to a truly mobile future.
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