What a great time to be a marketer. Sure, I know budgets are shrinking and jobs are not as plentiful as they once were. Still, what other profession is in the midst of such profound and exciting change? What profession has as the ability to influence so many facets of daily life?

Two weeks ago the AMA and Capstrat hosted an event where we explored the intersection of gaming and marketing. Gaming represents more than a new form of entertainment or new medium. It's a new way for organizations to communicate and marketing will play a key role.

Just this past week the country and the world watched the conclusion of a political campaign where marketing, specifically digital marketing, was credited with forever changing how we choose our elected officials.

Proving facts to management is always a difficult task. During our October meeting Susan Moore and Elissa Fink demonstrated their technique for telling a great story with data that can help you communicate the important facts in a memorable way. We have all faced the challenge of having too much information and data that our key points can get lost in all the data. In order to make an impact that will travel beyond your presentation or meeting, you have to bring the facts and data to life.

Susan Moore, whose global work and results were published in the book, Wake Me Up When the Data is Over, has held senior management positions with Microsoft and Eastman. Elissa Fink is the Senior Vice President of Tableau Software. Together, these two dynamic business leaders addressed the fundamental shift in how we see and process data.

Triangle AMA November Meeting

Social Media has afforded Dell with additional ways to connect with customers. Currently Dell uses a host of social media technologies to connect, communicate and resolve customer support issues across dell.com.

Our speaker, Sean McDonald, Director of Communities and Conversations, Global Communications for Dell Inc., talks about the ways in which Dell, Inc. listens and converses on personal blogs, 3rd party forums, Second Life, Twitter, Facebook – wherever the conversations are occurring about Dell, and their technologies.

Sean leads the design and operation of Dell’s online community activities on Dell.com and online conversations off dell.com. An online community affords Dell.com users with an experience to Learn, Share, and Explore technology with variety of content and interactions. This year 250 million visits will occur on Dell communities including Dell Community Forum, Direct2Dell, and Idea Storm. Dell communities operate across 6 languages. Dell is mentioned approximately 5000 times every day on non dell websites. Sean and his team join these web discussions-adding value by resolving customer issues and answering product questions.

Date: November 20, 2008
Time: 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM
Venue: Raleigh Convention Center, Room 305
2 East South Street Raleigh, NC

Click here for Registration and Event information.

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AMA Branding Boot Camp

Effectively leveraging your brand strengths can help you establish competitive differentiation and customer loyalty regardless of your industry, product or service. The AMA Branding Boot Camp is a new professional development opportunity that will give you the understanding and tools to enhance your brand’s strength. The Boot Camp will be held on December 4-5, 2208 at The Solution Center in Durham.

By attending you will explore fundamental brand concepts that will:

• Help you evaluate your current brand
• Identify ways to strengthen and improve your brand
• Develop plans and tactics for implementation

Participants will learn:

• Identify the essential building blocks of a successful brand
• Factor brands into your organization’s overall success
• Develop an effective brand architecture
• Create a compelling brand position
• Conduct marketing research to evaluate and track brand progress

Who Should Attend

• Marketing professionals, business managers and entrepreneurs who are interested in improving their brands
• Graduate of the AMA Marketing, Nonprofit, Research & Marketing Planning Boot Camp
• Experienced marketers who want a refresher on branding fundamentals

Click here to register now for this exciting, two day event!

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AMA Members Special Pricing at Internet Summit

The Inaugural Internet Summit will showcase and promote forward thinking and thought leadership on topics related to the internet economy and web oriented technologies. The event is being held at The Friday Center in Chapel Hill on November 19, 2008. At Internet Summit 08 join hundreds of executives, business strategists, entrepreneurs, investors and marketers for expert content on internet trends and opportunities created by web 2.0 technologies, social media, online advertising, widgets, online video, and other essential new web oriented technologies. Hear from industry leaders and innovators on the future of the industry, how to capitalize on the shifting dynamics of the internet and tap into its unlimited business potential.

The event is filling up fast and should sell out in the next few weeks, so register now with the code “AMA50m” for $50 off registration. Register online at www.internetsummitevent.com.