Marketing @ Work Case Study
Karen Albritton
2009-2010 Triangle AMA President

This month’s Triangle AMA meeting featuring a panel of leading health care marketers will be our highest attended meeting of the year and our largest turnout since MySpace filled the room in August of 2007 (yes MySpace.) If you know any of the panelists, you won’t be surprised. But, there’s more to this record-breaking meeting than meets the eye. It’s a great example of this year’s chapter theme – Marketing@Work.

Here’s how our local chapter is practicing what we preach: Like any good marketer, we started with research – not all of it statistically sound, but still useful. We know from member surveys we have a good number of members who work for health care organizations. And, in our attendance tracking, we have learned that panels, versus individual speakers, tend to draw higher crowds. Read more.

Janurary Meeting Recap: Taking a Stand - Ready, Set, Published!
Marissa Keller-Gusman, Syncfusion

Michael Chen, COO of Lulu.com joined the Triangle AMA for the January 2010 luncheon. Michael is a compelling speaker with an impressive resume. Chen gave a brief story of his background and outlined how he’d moved from China in 1999 to the US, made his way from working as a Real Estate Developer in Beijing to working in marketing. Chen’s latest position was with Red Hat, as Chief Marketing Officer. This past spring in 2009, he moved to Lulu.com and noted that there was a big transition for him moving from a B2B environment to B2C.

Lulu allows authors to self-publish and has revolutionized the publishing industry, especially for first-time authors. Now they have access to professional quality printing and online distribution that was once realm of a select few authors. Chen shares in Lulu’s founder, Bob Young’s vision of building a great company and contributing to the community at the same time. As Chen commented, “it’s a human right” to publish your work, to express yourself.

Click here to read full article.

Amy A. Stewart-Volunteer of the Month

For the past four years, Amy has worked with a fast-paced IT Reseller, Net Direct Systems (NDS). She manages partner relationships and plans demand-generation events and campaigns to increase the sales pipeline. While at NDS, Amy helped to create and maintain the collateral for their first go to market sales booklets for each of their 14 partners. She works closely with the inside and outside sales teams to run effective lead generation activities that produce the highest results. Her achievements include developing a unique event-planning process that has grown the number of attendees by more than 60% at numerous events across the country. Amy expertise lies in event planning, campaign development, implementation with a focus on generating qualified sales opportunities that produce real ROI results. She has a talent for team building and a dedicated work ethic. Amy grew up in Hickory, NC. She moved to Raleigh in 1998 to receive her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from North Carolina State University. While at NCSU, she made many friends and met her husband, Will. Amy and Will currently live in North Raleigh with their four-year old lab “puppy”, Hogan.

Ted Seward-Board Member of the Month

Ted Seward’s professional career includes sixteen years progressively more responsible experience in sales and marketing, including 12 years of business-to-business C-level sales and marketing. A proven, results-oriented senior executive with successful start-up, team building and strategic leadership expertise, Ted is adept at developing and delivering growth strategies to drive top- and bottom-line results. He is known as a high-energy, trusted and respected thought leader skilled at building linkages with industry partners, developing relationships with key players and cultivating customer satisfaction. Flexible and adaptive, Ted is eager and enthusiastic about taking on new opportunities.

Thank you Amy and Ted for your hard work!

New Direct Marketing SIG

The Direct Marketing SIG will focus on B2B and B2C Direct Marketing. The group is for members who want to discuss trends, address challenges and share best practices in Direct Marketing. The focus will be how to efficiently and effectively reach new prospects and retain/upsell current customers using direct mail and email marketing. The Direct Marketing SIG will meet at 8 am on the 1st Friday of each month at Capstrat. The first meeting will be March 5th.

Vote for Next Triangle AMA Board

Triangle AMA members were sent email invites on February 8 to vote for the 2010-2011 Chapter Board. These candidates are your representatives who shape the vision and objectives of Triangle AMA and ultimately deliver the targeted programs, resources, membership growth, and community that are of highest value to the membership. Triangle AMA leaders have the opportunity to broaden their careers while increasing the value of the association to the community by donating their experience, focused expertise, and personal time.

Please take the time to submit your ballot as voting ends on February 22, 2010.