Indy MBA: ‘Tis the Season!

For most students, I think, the holiday season brings one favorite gift – Winter Break!  Of course, while the academic world observes an extended term of R&R, the company I still work for keeps trekking forward. Regardless, it’s been a welcome change to have my evenings & weekends free after surviving the ‘FINALS’ season.   I’ve adopted a few survival tips that have really helped the scholastic side of my work life:  1) Use the study guide, 2) Skip procrastination, and most importantly 3) Befriend classmates. This last activity has proved to be most beneficial because of the increased number of ’help resources’ for my struggles with difficult concepts or assignments.  Each classmate brings different strengths, and drawing on the knowledge of others has greatly accelerated my learning. Besides, I needed those friends to celebrate with at BW3’s after we all finished.   I feel good; another semester over, quite a bit more knowledge gained, and stronger bonds made with my colleagues. Looking forward to next semester! 

The David meets Goliath Story: Small companies beating larger competitors

Yes, it’s a well-honed story, but it can work! Small companies have fewer people often closer to the frontlines and to customer needs and desires. Capture that energy to compete with well-funded, but often more “tactically distant” competitors.

Come to our January AMA luncheon with Barry Rosen.

Website technology meets marketing reality

The 5 C’s of Search Engine Optimization
brought to you by the Indianapolis chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Many business communicators are looking for ways to increase their organization’s or client’s Web site usage by allowing for higher position on a variety of search engines, but feel clueless on how to effectively implement such an initiative. Join us Tuesday, Jan. 16 at 11:30 a.m., at the Marrott, for “Web site Technology Meets Marketing Reality: The 5 C’s of Search Engine Optimization.”

The event is open to all business communicators or those who want to further optimize their Web site presence. Attendees will learn from Indianapolis expert and president of Site Strategics, Inc., Erin Sparks, just how search engines work and how to optimize search engines results for their organization or clients.

Cost is $25 for IABC members and $30 for non-members. RSVP online by Friday, Jan. 12, at indyiabc.com.

Holiday special — the wine six-pack from Kroger

Sometimes selling more is all about the using the right packaging. Hats off, then, to fairly local, Cincinnati-based Kroger.

During the holiday season, when spirits entail giving, thanksgiving and gatherings of friends and family, the joy of this time of year often involves food and spirits! While I like my favorites of micro-brew beers, I find that wine fits these refined holidays much better. We REALLY like our Merlots, and Kroger has its own wine/food hints. So, though Danielle, Indy Kroger marketing exec Kevin Kotanski’s colleague, told me the Caddy’s been around for a few years, I was happy to finally find the Kroger six-pack “Wine Caddy” for myself.

Best regards to you in this Christmas season! And remember: Christmas isn’t “officially over” until Epiphany, so, feel free to share those seasonal feelings and spirits a bit longer…

Holiday Hubbub: Networking & Shopping – What Fun!

It’s a powerhouse networking/shopping/holiday kickoff collaboration between AMA, BMA, PRSA, SMPS, the Ad Club of Indianapolis and SIMON Malls.

AND it benefits the children of the Simon Youth Foundation!

Sunday, November 19, 6 – 9 p.m. , Keystone at the Crossing

You come for the networking and bring friends to shop!

Indy AMA Professional Services SIG

There’s a [evening] time and a place…and wine and cheese…and marketing shop talk.

Go rub some shoulders and elbows and talk professional services marketing — it IS different!

Register here.

Vods, pods, blogs & RSS: the new Web marcom vocab

Our friends at the Indy chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators snagged a couple prime “new Web” communicators, MediaSauce marketing director, Jacob Leffler, and Ryan Hupfer, “MySpace for Dummies” author and social network expert.

Shoot, yes, you should go for 30 bucks! Tell ‘em we sent you!

IABC luncheon meeting, Tuesday, October 17 (hope there’s room for a few guests)

Indy AMA Professional Services SIG

Our first get-to-know-you meeting

November 9, 2006, 4 – 6 PM, secret location (email)

Marketing professional services is different than marketing products, and requires a different approach.

Come learn the secret handshake of the Indy Professional Services SIG and:

• Network at quarterly gatherings with other professional services marketers
• Share challenges and solutions
• Participate in seminars on professional services topics

Talk to some local PS pros:

Fred Bingle – fbingle@binglerg.com
Cindy Culbertson – cculbertson@bsals.com
Amanda Welu – amanda@krmontgomery.com

Last day to register for our October luncheon

Lessons from the Pharmaceutical Industry
Staying ahead of the curve when your sales model doesn’t work like it used to

Our October 10 luncheon will be about the experience G & S Research uses to improve customer/sales interactions. George Grubb, Principal, and Jill Wangler, Senior Marketing Director are presenting.

Hurry, register!

105 (great) posts to our AMA survey and the drawing winner is..

IU Professor Kimberly Miloch, Sports Consumption Researcher, was chosen for our survey drawing, using random.org to draw the name. Congrats Kim!

[from Prof. Miloch's IU web page] …my research primarily examines the role of three factors in increasing sport consumption and cultivating fan loyalty: fan satisfaction, fan identification, and media influences.

We will be processing the survey results in the coming weeks, publishing the cool stuff and using it all to guide our Chapter and our program planning.

Thanks all!