Letter From the President- Cindy Fox
Greetings to our Members and Friends:
Many of you may have noticed that the American Marketing Association is going through a rebrand. We would like to explain why and what it means to you as Members/Friends of the American Marketing Association-Charlotte Chapter.
As Marketers, we understand the importance of a strong brand. In the past, each chapter has been allowed to create their own logos and other collateral, some of which fit with the brand and some that didn’t. One objective of this rebrand is to unite all our many chapters behind one strong brand. We want you to understand that all the chapters are working together with our international organization (now called the Support Center) to ensure that you are provided a community essential to all marketers-inspiring curiosity, fueling advancement and providing connection, this move is to make that collaboration more apparent.
As part of the brand evolution, the AMA is working to meld together thought leadership from its academic community and experts from the industry to deliver the most relevant and compelling knowledge for today’s marketers. With the most useful, current and rigorous content, the AMA will continue innovating as the marketing world’s best place for learning, curiosity, debate and connections.
If you haven’t visited our Support Center’s website lately, AMA Source , check it out-you will find a variety of topics addressed and some questions for you. A main focus of the new intellectual agenda an exploration of Seven Big Problems that marketers around the globe are wrestling with. These seven problems were compiled by asking marketers all over the globe what they thought were the most important questions confronting marketers now. Your Charlotte Chapter will join in this exploration of these seven problems in a variety of ways, so watch for opportunities to hear more about these compelling problems and how you can share your expertise/experience on these topics.
Let us know if you have any questions, Thanks for your support of the American Marketing Association-Charlotte Chapter!
How much should you be spending on digital in 2017?
By: Patrick Rouillard
According to projections from eMarketer, 2017 will be the first year where digital marketing budgets exceed TV in the US. They also anticipate that by 2020, digital spend will surpass TV by 36%. Likewise, in the article “The End of TV’ from the January 2017 issue of marketing news, the authors identify one of the advantages digital has over other media as the ability to establish a social connection with the audience. They said, “online customer experiences are continually being designed by marketers to create the cultural and emotional bonds that ensure higher degrees of engagement and social acceptance”.
What does this all mean?
Probably what you already realized - digital marketing is here and obviously not going anywhere. That much is clear. However, what might not be as clear is the amount of marketing dollars you should be allocating towards digital. You want to increase the spend, but by how much and through what channels?
If these are questions you and your team are asking, you’re not alone. In fact, digital transformation of the modern corporation is listed as number three on AMA’s 7 Big Problems in Marketing. And one of the key points made is that an increase in digital means less of a one-sided conversation between seller and buyer and more of a back and forth exchange. As well more communications between buyers.
How do you best navigate these changes as a marketer?
This Wednesday January 25th you take can take a big step forward to answering some of these questions by attending the latest presentation in AMA Charlotte’s Digital Series - Tips for Planning Your 2017 Digital Marketing Budget. You’ll get expert tips, strategies, and best practices for planning your digital budget from Cassie Bernat, a social media marketing expert who is currently ACN’s social media and content marketing manager. Cassie has worked with brands such as Chiquita, Fresh Express, and Off Broadway Shoes.
So why continue to ‘guess’ about your digital spend for 2017? AMA Charlotte is here to help. Register here for tickets!
Maximize Your Social Media Footprint
By: Caitlin Rodermund
It is no surprise that social media is a driving force for most businesses in the 21st century. But it is not just about creating these accounts; it is about using them to your advantage. Many factors can determine whether your post gets that double tap likable quality or vanish into cyber space. A strong social media presence can have a huge impact on the success of a business. So how do you maximize your social media footprint? Here are a few helpful tips to get you on the right path to successful social media.
1. Timing is everything
Posting successful content on your social media pages is correlated with the timing of each post. It is important to look at the analytics and see when your followers are mostly online and active. It is important to get the timing right so the most amount of traffic sees the your post.
2. Follow through with posts
If you are a business that likes to have multiple events a month you need to be posting about each one of those events. Not only do you need to post about the upcoming events but also recap on the previous one. The smart strategy would be to take as many pictures as you can at the event and post one of those. It also helps keep your account consistent and reliable.
3. #Hashtags, locations, and tags
Hashtags are essential in all of your posts in order to reach as many people as possible. They do not always have to be super creative but make them relevant to the posts. If you are posting about exercising put hashtag #healthy. People who search the word healthy will see your post pop up and it might enhance their interest. Locations are necessary because they allow you to notify the audience of your location without having to add it into your caption. People can then click on your location and see where you are and other posts with that location. Also, if you are collaborating with another company/organization make sure you tag them. They might repost your posting and show it to all of their followers.
You might think all of this is trivial in the grand scheme of daily operations but it will make a difference. Social media is only getting bigger and staying in tune with all of the added features is essential to being successful with online marketing. While it might help to have a savvy social media coordinator not everyone can hire one. These hints will help your business get that second look from all your followers and non-followers. Never stop thinking of creative ways to spice up your social media and add that extra flare to your business. If you are interested in more aspects of social media and marketing I highly suggest joining AMA. Check out the Charlotte AMA social media accounts and website and learn how to get involved.
