Marketers In Motion

Inspiring connection in a hybrid workplace is going to be key for fostering a culture of connection. Many of us have gotten used to learning, living, and leading from home. While this has created flexibility and autonomy among teams, this can also create a sense of disconnection and isolation. Demonstrating empathy for the changes we are all going through and understanding ways to restore energy and team member interaction are critical. Today we'll chat with our guest Mark Ostach as he provides us with ways to reignite human connection in a hybrid workplace leaving you filled with newfound courage to connect. Mark Ostach CEO, Leadership Coach & Facilitator Mark Ostach is on a mission to help professionals, teams, and leaders connect with themselves, each other, and their collective purpose. Ostach's goal is to restore energy and focus to organizations and individuals battling modern life's non-stop pace and growing sense of disconnection. A wellspring of energy and born empath, Ostach holds degrees in business, psychology and technology with an interest in behavioral neuroscience. A recipient of Crain's Detroit Business 20 in Their 20s and Oakland County's 40 Under 40 awards, he is determined to remind the world that human connection is the most powerful connection we have. A nationally recognized speaker on Digital Wellness and a frequent contributor to USA Today, Ostach has done two TED talks and spoken to thousands of people all over the country, encouraging them to embrace a culture of digital wellbeing. Show notes, resources & links available at amawestmichigan.org/ep34

‘Data-driven marketing' is a broad term referring to the process by which insights from data analysis are used to build targeted marketing campaigns. This process is both art and science. It blends the logical disciplines of data extraction and analysis with the out-of-the-box creativity of which data to unearth, which types of clues to search for within the data mounds, and how to use those insights to your advantage. Key Takeaways -Understanding the basic philosophical concepts behind successful data driven marketing, and that they often have very little to do with the data itself. -Recognizing that there are many aspects to a successful data driven marketing approach that require constant assessment and refinement, rather than just one cookie cutter playbook. -Recognizing the early warning signs that your data driven marketing campaign may not be on track. Keith Brophy COO, ADHD Online Keith Brophy is a West Michigan-based entrepreneur with a background of building various nationally-focused businesses.Keith is currently COO at ADHD Online, one of the nation's leading ADHD telehealth providers.Prior to this, Keith launched and served as Director for Business Lab at Emergent Holdings. He has served as State Director of the Michigan Small Business Development Center, CEO of Ideomed, General Manager of Enterprise Services at RCM Technologies, and CEO of Sagestone, among other endeavors. Keith has been on a range of for-profit and nonprofit boards for some of the region's leading organizations. He is a past Ernst & Young Michigan Entrepreneur of the Year, and companies he has led have received national accolades in areas including growth and innovation. Keith has been a speaker on future trends including testimony before state and national government bodies on business innovation, and has highlighted emerging marketing trends at the Latin American Marketing Association annual conference, among others. Show notes, resources & links available at amawestmichigan.org/ep33

As the world goes digital, marketers are inundated with data about customer behavior. To avoid being overwhelmed we need to have extreme clarity on the business outcomes we are seeking and the analytics that will guide them. Today we'll talk about best practices to achieve clarity on those objectives, how to find, and use the right analytics to measure success. Key Topics -Assessing Objectives -Determining Relevant Analytics -Interpreting The Data Joel Ombry Owner, Veracity Mine LLC Joel Ombry served in various roles including market intelligence, strategy, and analytics at Amway Corp. for over 26 years. Most recently he was a Lead Data Analyst in Digital Analytics in the Technology organization. Prior to Amway, he served as an Intelligence Analyst for the U.S Customs Service. He hails from Michigan and attended the University of Michigan and George Washington University in Washington D.C. Show notes, resources & links available at amawestmichigan.org/ep32

The majority of our AMA programming focuses on marketing, innovation, and problem solving for the organizations at which we work.  In this podcast we flip the script and put ourselves in the spotlight, discussing personal branding strategies and storytelling for a rewarding career. How often do you think about where you want to be in 5, 10, even 15 years? How can you create a network and surround yourself with colleagues that will challenge and inspire you to grow? What types of ongoing education, training, and certifications can help take your skillset to the next level? How can you keep your resume and portfolio updated with not only a laundry list of past responsibilities but a proven track record of success and accomplishments?  Today we'll chat with Angie Callen, Founder and Principal at Career Benders Inc, a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Professional Career Coach, and host of the new No More Monday's Podcast about how you should plan for the long term on your most impressive asset, yourself! Key Topics -Personal Branding -Career Planning -Professional Development -Networking -Job Seeking -Resume Writing -Interviewing Angie M. Callen CPRW, Founder & Principal at Career Benders Inc.  Angie Callen is the Founder and Principal of Career Benders, Inc., a full-service career and business coaching company providing personal branding, job search strategy, career change, and solopreneurial coaching for clients across the country.  As a former engineer, Angie takes a practical, action-based approach to coaching, which has helped hundreds of clients progress their careers, land amazing new opportunities, and seeing their entrepreneurial dreams come true. Angie has always believed people deserve to be happy in their lives and careers, despite society's continued acceptance of mediocrity. By inspiring confident professionals, Angie and her team help people rise above this norm, build confidence, discover their value, and align these elements for future purpose and satisfaction.  Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Angie has called the Colorado Mountains home for nearly 13 years. After spending six years in Boston between college and Colorado, Angie admits she's still got some east coast tendencies that are tempered by a life of adventure in the outdoors. When she's not logging hours on Zoom, you can find Angie, her husband, Jim, and their four-legged kid, Foster, whitewater paddle boarding, fly fishing, backpacking, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, or enjoying whatever the mountains have to offer.  Angie is also a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) accredited through the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARWCC). Show notes, resources & links available at amawestmichigan.org/ep31

Agencies and marketers alike are addicted to storytelling. The advent of so-called content marketing has been the equivalent of a speedball coursing through the craving veins of marketers who think that every problem can be solved by telling a better story. Soon they are going to miss a window of opportunity that will quickly end up in someone else's portfolio. If marketers and agencies don't come to terms in a hurry with the structural factors that have set the stage for experience-driven brand building, CEOs are going to tap other resources to do it instead. Experience design is the next frontier for brand-building. Key Topics -Experience Design -Customer Experience/Service -User Experience -Solutions vs. Products Russ Klein CEO, The American Marketing Association Russ Klein has quarterbacked teams for many of the world's foremost brand names—holding top marketing and advertising posts at Dr Pepper/7UP Companies, Gatorade, 7-Eleven Corporation, Burger King Corporation, and Arby's Restaurant Group. He has held leadership positions with Leo Burnett and FC&B advertising agencies. Russ serves on the board for PopSockets LLC listed as #2 on Inc. 5000 fastest-growing companies in America. His Burger King body of work, where he served as CMO/President, was recognized by ADWEEK as “The Advertiser of the Decade” for the 2000's…a distinction belonging to Nike and Budweiser in previous decades. Klein was again recognized as a seminal influence behind Burger King's recognition at the 2017 Cannes ad festival for marketing creativity; referencing several of his most popular campaigns including: Burger King's groundbreaking digital campaign, “Subservient Chicken” Ranked as the 6th greatest campaign of 21st Century by Ad Age Digital Ad of the Decade by the Wall Street Journal - Klein was responsible for “Whopper Freakout” Highest recalled advertising campaign ever measured by Nielsen's IAG Research among all advertisers Klein's innovation teams have generated billions in annual revenue including Keebler Soft Batch Cookies, Kleenex Softique Tissues, Burger King; TenderCrisp Premium Chicken Sandwich, Angus Steak Sandwich, Chicken Fries, Apple Fries, and Arby's; Hot Turkey Platform, Beef Brisket Platform, and King's Hawaiian alliance. Klein's impact on business performance as a CMO is unrivaled; being the only CMO to lead marketing for three major LBO-IPO consumer product deals that have garnered returns to shareholders of 447%, 442%, and >10,000%; each shattering records at the time for growth and shareholder return, over the course of his career. Under his marketing leadership Burger King same-store-sales grew at a 5.2% CAGR for almost seven straight years without a single negative month, while worldwide revenue grew over 45% during that same period. As CEO for the American Marketing Association, Russ is charged with the historic transformation of the AMA to become the essential community for marketers. Klein was nicknamed “Flamethrower” by an industry publication for his managerial risk-taking and provocative advertising; but he now aspires to be the torch bearer for all marketers. Klein is also architect of the seminal theory, Brand = Experience Story aimed at advancing the discipline of Experience Design for businesses. His work on “Tension in Advertising” is taught around the world as an educator resources from the Marketing Science Institute. He writes and teaches as one of the leading experts on building brands through experience design. His vision for the future of marketing is “A world in which everything is bought, and nothing is sold.” Klein also consults enterprises on marketing capabilities and strategic planning. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University and Harvard Business School Advance Management Program. Show notes, resources & links available at amawestmichigan.org/ep30

You have to pitch for money for your business or project. You have to tell your boss you deserve a raise. You have to explain why your project is going to be successful. In order to get to X ( the numbers), you’ve got to explain Y (the why). In this discussion we’ll talk about how the numbers tell the story AND how the stories tell the numbers.  We’ll also discuss: -How the numbers can tell a story -How to tell the story without boring people -How to get your audience to feel something -How the story AND the numbers make the ultimate impact Key Topics -Pitching Your Ideas -Data Collection -Assessing the Impact -Storytelling -Relating to Humans Melanie Spring International Keynote Speaker & Brand Storyteller Working as a brand strategist with businesses of all sizes - from big brands like Five Guys to brand new entrepreneurs - for the past two decades, Melanie once drove 7,000 miles in 3 weeks on the Live Your Brand Tour to find out why great brands work. The HUMANS were at the center of everything. Along the way, she noticed that every human had a personal story to share along with their brand story. Diving into the methodology of writing branded talks, she saw an even bigger pattern - people wanted to write their talks, yet focused on what they had to do at their "real job" instead of their bigger impact in the world. She knew she had to change this. As an international keynote speaker, brand storyteller, and public speaking trainer, Melanie took all of her corporate & personal branding experience and created a safe place for Kickass Humans to write the talks they needed to write so they could share it with the world through her course, SPEAK With Confidence. Melanie & her Crew travel the world creating branded experiences for humans like you to find your stories, build your confidence, and amplify your voices through their corporate public speaking and pitch trainings. When Melanie’s not playing with speakers & corporate folks or rocking the stage, she's living the vacation life - bouncing between Denver, a lake in Western New York, and coastal Florida chasing sunrises with her husband and her pup. Show notes, resources & links available at https://amawestmichigan.org/ep29

The truth comes with every phone conversation, every email or text received: your customer base is more diverse than ever. And nowhere is this new reality experienced more than in your brand’s marketing efforts. A marketer’s ability to navigate the shifting cultural landscape plays a crucial component in your organization’s ability to forge long-term success. With an ever changing marketplace, organizations who are considered to be the leaders in employee and customer engagement understand that opportunities to connect with new customers and increase marketplace presence are endless - but building these relationships take time. The dividends, however, are both tangible and sustainable. Key Topics -Cultural Competence -Multiethnic Marketing -Diversity -Inclusion Skot Welch Skot is the Principal/Founder of Global Bridgebuilders (GBB), a firm focusing on Organizational Development, Cultural Transformation and Inclusion. Global Bridgebuilders is an international team providing services to enterprises across the globe. GBB bases its work on the core belief that inclusion is a business discipline and that it should be leveraged across all that the enterprise does. To gain this leverage, the firm applies a continuous improvement model, anchored in metrics. Skot has been a global bridge builder long before he founded the company in 2006. Growing up in a military family gave Skot a unique perspective on diversity that he still carries and a passion for helping organizations tap into the vast experiences of their employees to create stronger businesses. Full show notes, resources & links available at www.amawestmichigan.org/EP27

Back in April, we planned to discuss how organic engagement reached an average low of .07% in 2019 and how can one ensure their message is being seen, but more importantly, heard, using digital media without the constant pay-to-play model? Since then, the pandemic hit and marketers have helped to shape how we communicate with audiences and bring new content, videos and events to life in virtual formats. How can we as marketers, in an age of digital content saturation, reinvent and find ourselves pushing to move our brands to the top of a sea of samesies? What we do is not unique, but how we do and share it can be. The key is to capture attention, amplify our message and keep our audience coming back for more. Ultimately, we are becoming a destination that attracts the right leads to your message without the constant need to spend more money on ads. Key Topics -Best practices to turn your followers into true fans, your clients into advocates and your community into collaborators without an ad budget. -The art of capturing attention organically and the flywheel formula and tools it takes to keep it. -How to take your message and become the "stand out" brand. Jeff DeHaven, President & CEO, Digital Mitten Jeff DeHaven’s passion for digital marketing began right after he graduated high school in 2003. At that time, Jeff launched the first social media agency in the Flint/Saginaw region. He specialized in training and consulting for MySpace. Over the years, DeHaven has served as president of Social Media Club, Vice President of Social Media Association of Michigan, producer of Michigan’s largest social media conference, and was the founder of Geek Breakfast. Today, Jeff works tirelessly to remain one of Michigan’s most known and referred to social media resources. His company (Digital Mitten) has had the opportunity to help clients utilize digital platforms, to raise awareness and revenue, from all over the state and beyond. Some of these companies include: TLC Television Network, Bavarian Inn Restaurant, Purdue University, Pioneer Sugar, and many more. In his spare time, DeHaven is honored to serve as the social media contributor to his local CBS, NBC, and Fox News Radio affiliates. He also produces a podcast series, maintains an online educational community, stars in an award-winning YouTube Series (“Digital Mitten”), and is currently working on finishing his first book. Full show notes, resources & links available at www.amawestmichigan.org/EP26

As we’ve all experienced, disruption can come quickly requiring nimble thinking and the ability to pivot. As we continue navigating these unchartered territories, marketers must remain resilient and focus on adaptability and reinvention. But, with all the change, it can be hard to know what direction to take and what strategies to put into place to adapt to the ‘new normal’. That’s why this year we’re focused on “Resilience and Reinvention” with programming designed to help marketers adapt to rapid change and find creative solutions to reinvent the way we do things. Key Topics -Adjusting & Adapting Marketing Strategies -Marketing Challenges -Marketing Strategies -Virtual Networking -AMA WM 2020/2021 Programming Ben Kaluski & Adam Clarke We’re excited to have with us two of our very own AMA-WM board members, Ben Kaluski and Adam Clarke. Both Ben and Adam are going to share with us a little about our upcoming season as well as how they’re seeing resilience and reinvention play out in the marketing space. This season, we’re welcoming Ben as the new AMA-WM President – he’s been with AMA for three years now and has served on the board helping with sponsorships and collegiate relations. In his day job he is the Director of Business Development for Freshwater Digital, a Grand Rapids digital signage and media company. We’re also excited to have Adam, our VP of Programming back with us this year and on today’s podcast. Adam is the President at 1 Bold Step, a Marketing Operations Agency in Grand Rapids. Detailed show notes, links and resources can be found at: www.amawestmichigan.org/EP25

The marketing metric of the next decade will be trust. There will be no more effective - nor more critical - way of building a brand than building a community who trusts you enough to advocate on your behalf. With trust in brands and advertising at an all-time low, there will never be a better time to build a human-centered marketing strategy. The tactics of this decade - data collection, tracking, endless ads - will not work in the next. Your customers are already telling you how to connect with them in a way that will grow your business. Are you ready to listen? Key Topics -Trust -Privacy -Personalization -Zero Party Data Cliff Seal Cliff is a Principal Designer at Salesforce, helping build world-class customer experience tools. Through talks and workshops given around the world, he helps companies become customer-centric by leveraging proven research and design strategies. He lives in Atlanta where he co-organizes amUX, a morning meetup for the city's user experience community. He also co-hosts TuneDig—a deep-dive music podcast discussing music history, theory, and culture. You can usually find him tinkering with ideas, standing at a concert (before COVID-19), biking, snowboarding, or defending the Oxford comma. Detailed show notes, links and resources can be found at: www.amawestmichigan.org/EP24

Communication is of utmost importance in times of crisis. During the pandemic many online platforms have offered tools that allow us to note our businesses as being temporarily closed, operating with restrictions, and/or provided the ability to post specific updates to our followers. With so many platforms, which should you be focusing on if you have limited resources? How have and how should you adapt your SEO strategy for the current marketing climate? In this podcast we’ll discuss why adjusting your SEO strategy is important, which business listings deserve your utmost attention, adjusting your marketing automation for the current climate, refocusing your content strategy on what’s relevant, along with some crisis communications dos and don'ts. Key Topics -SEO Crisis Strategies -Google My Business Updates -Automated Messaging -Crisis Content Strategy -Crisis Communications Best Practices Jason Dodge Jason Dodge is the founder and chief strategist at search marketing firm, BlackTruck Media + Marketing, where he works to ensure clients’ business objectives are translated into online marketing strategies that work. His passion for the ever-evolving world of search has only grown over his 17-plus years in the industry, eventually caving into his entrepreneurial nature and founding BlackTruck in 2009. Named one of Grand Rapids’ 40 Under Forty Business Leaders, he is active in the community serving on the Executive Board of Directors for the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, the Leadership Counsel for Small Business Association of Michigan and a regular contributor to the Grand Rapids Business Journal. Detailed show notes, links and resources can be found at: www.amawestmichigan.org/EP23

As marketers we understand branding, communication, and brand storytelling, but what happens when the landscape changes and we’re faced with a crisis? How do we shift our voice and tone from our normal day to day communication while maintaining our consistent brand and image? The Coronavirus is not just your average crisis, it’s a global pandemic. As the outbreak unfolded before our eyes, we were transformed from brand storytellers to the calming voice of reason and guidance for our organizations, coworkers, clients, customers, and followers. As the pandemic evolves, how can we continue being brand ambassadors while also balancing the delivery of important news and updates in an understanding and empathetic manner? Key Topics -Public Relations -Marketing -Crisis Communication -Working Remotely -Virtual Meetings Amanda St. Pierre Amanda is the Director of Advancement Communications at Aquinas College. She has worked in PR and marketing since 2004, primarily serving healthcare and community philanthropy organizations. Amanda earned Accreditation of Public Relations from the Public Relations Society of America in 2012. She is the current board chair of PRSA’s West Michigan Chapter and is a former co-chair of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Grand Rapids. Kim Skeltis Kim Skeltis, APR, owns Blue Blaze Public Relations, a solo public relations consultancy in West Michigan offering a full spectrum of public relations services – from strategic planning and strategy development to tactical implementation. Accredited in Public Relations through the Public Relations Society of America, Kim brings 20-plus years of communications expertise serving organizations from non-profits, to corporations, to government agencies. A veteran of the agency world, she offers the collective experience of working at two global PR agencies plus a boutique firm, in addition to her seven years of owning Blue Blaze PR. Detailed show notes, links and resources can be found at: www.amawestmichigan.org/EP22

With unemployment at 3% (as of 2/11/20) and upcoming demographic changes imminent, it's all hands on deck to help in the "war on talent." In the past, it was the HR department's responsibility to find and hire the right people. Now, successful companies are realizing that recruitment is every department's responsibility. Marketing teams are being tapped to assist HR and talent acquisition departments. What does that mean for your company? How does your marketing team tackle "all other duties as assigned" when it comes to attracting talent? And how do you integrate this new audience into your existing marketing efforts? This Lunch & Learn presentation was held before the onset of the Coronavirus Pandemic. At the time of the podcast recording on 3/23/30 we discussed the additional layer of the importance of HR & Marketing collaboration during times of crisis such as the now unprecedented global pandemic. Now more than ever, HR & Marketing must work together to communicate vital information to staff, clients, customers, followers, and the public. Key Topics -HR Marketing -Crisis Communication -Company Culture -Employment Brand -Recruitment Marketing Strategies -Marketing for Diversity -Selling the Community Cindy Brown Cindy Brown serves as the Vice President of Talent Initiatives and collaborates with other talent related organizations to address regional talent pipeline challenges. She worked jointly as Executive Director for Hello West Michigan and Vice President of Talent Initiatives for The Right Place for many years before stepping into her role for The Right Place full time. In addition, her experience includes project management and director of human resources. Currently, Cindy serves on the boards of West Michigan Works! Workforce Development and Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids. Rachel Gray As the Executive Director for Hello West Michigan, Rachel (Bartels) Gray leads the organization’s strategy, operations, and membership. She helps educate employers and prospective candidates about the region. Hello West Michigan is a talent attraction and retention organization promoting West Michigan as a great place to live and work. The organization, which helps member companies increase their rate of success in recruiting top talent, was the first organization of its kind in the country. Detailed show notes, links and resources can be found at: www.amawestmichigan.org/EP21

Part of the challenge of an effective multimedia marketing campaign launch is knowing where to begin and what to focus on. The goal is to gain immediate impressions and, most importantly, long term retention. Marketers at companies of every size grapple with market placement, brand awareness and cost efficacy. The purpose of content marketing is to create and share relevant written, downloadable, and visual media so your target audience can learn about you as a brand, your products and services, and your expertise. Video marketing is highly effective in appealing to and converting customers as more than 50% of consumers prefer video content over other forms of content like emails, social, and blogs. Podcasts are also one of the hottest new media channels for targeting specific audiences and establishing your brand as market influencer. In this podcast our panel discusses the most popular multimedia channels including videos, podcasts, photography, blogs and webinars to discover the best outlets to gain maximum engagement for your campaign. We'll explore pros & cons, tools & resources, and tips & tricks for each medium. We’ll also hear how our panelists have utilized these mediums to increase exposure with their own campaigns. Key Topics: -Visual Storytelling -Videos & Vlogging -Photography -Blogging -Podcasting -Webinars Panelists: -Brad Larabell of SHEFIT -Lynne Jarman-Johnson of Consumers Credit Union -Cynthia Kay of Cynthia Kay & Company Moderator: -Josh Janowiak Marketers In Motion Podcast Host & PodcastStoryPros.com Founder. Detailed show notes, links and resources can be found at: www.amawestmichigan.org/EP20

Visual Marketing & Photography is a major component of brand storytelling. Every photo and visual element you share is a direct representation of your organization. In this episode we’ll discuss the impact your company's own images make on all of your marketing materials. We’ll also reveal insider tidbits about how all images on the web are found by search engines, how search can tell when stock photos are being used, why that impacts your reach, and how original photography can lead to a significant increase in conversions. Key Topics: -Visual Storytelling -Photography Tips & Strategy -Digital Asset Management -Stock Images -Image SEO -Copyright & Usage Rights -Visual Marketing Trends Adam Bird Adam Bird of Bird + Bird Studio is part of a husband & wife team that works with a variety of clients nationally,  from their studio located in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids. His career started early freelancing for local newspapers while in high school and throughout college. This evolved into working as a freelance photojournalist for regional and national newspapers and news-wire agencies. With declining trends in the news print business and with the shift of entertainment and news online, Adam started a studio and became Adam Bird, Photographer. He’s also been an ongoing AMAWM sponsor and his team is responsible for all of our awesome event photos online at AMAwestmichigan.org. Detailed show notes, links and resources can be found at: www.amawestmichigan.org/EP19

Bill McKendry has been mixing business and nonprofit organization passion and purpose with clients for over 25 years. In this podcast we discuss how best to create brand and cause advocacy that creates win-win-win situations for both businesses and nonprofits alike. We’ll review examples from well-known companies like REI, Furniture Row, and JBL while discussing best practices. We also touch on ways to view public/private partnerships in a new light and offer a new perspective on the potential returns from these relationships, including: -RO Investment – Leverageable for the good of business, nonprofit and cause -RO Involvement – Engaging good done/felt by company, employees, customers, vendors, etc. -RO Impact – Measurably good for the people/things in need Key Topics: -Brand & Cause Advocacy -Cause Marketing -Nonprofit Marketing -Business & Nonprofit Partnerships Bill McKendry Bill McKendry is Founder + Chief Creative Officer of HAVEN | a creative hub and Founder + Board President of DO MORE GOOD Bill’s quest to help grow the impact of businesses and nonprofit organizations began in 1994 when he brought years of big agency and big brand experience to the table in co-founding Hanon McKendry – a nationally-recognized advertising agency that had dedicated up to 50% of its efforts annually to working with nonprofits. Since then, he and his teams have created and implemented marketing campaigns and branding efforts for a diverse mix of regional, national and international nonprofit and corporate clients, resulting in over 1,000+ award-winning programs. Three years ago, JDA Worldwide acquired Hanon McKendry and Bill served as Vice Chairman + Chief Creative Officer overseeing all creative efforts in the firm’s six offices (Atlanta | Colorado Springs | Grand Rapids | Indianapolis | Traverse City | St. Simons Island). Seeing a growing need in the idea generation space, Bill has recently launched HAVEN | a creative hub and is now independently running this specialty shop. HAVEN is a one-stop destination for strategic and creative ideas where a large network of agencies, alliances and freelance talent are custom-matched and blended uniquely by Bill for specific client needs and challenges. Detailed show notes, links and resources can be found at: www.amawestmichigan.org/EP18

EP 17: E-Commerce is a daunting topic for marketers everywhere. We'll work through 10 questions your e-commerce business can use to align and focus your organization for success. These include consumers and their experiences, your brand, products and services, technology, data privacy, innovation, markets served and what's around the corner for all of us. Key Topics: -E-Commerce Marketing -E-Commerce Evolution -E-Commerce & Communication Technology -Leveraging data, privacy & security -Distribution Channel Strategy John Tegner John Tegner has spent most of his career in the apparel and footwear industry, starting at Wolverine Worldwide and now at EssilorLuxottica and Costa Del Mar. He has worked to help large, global brands expand their traditional business models through the ascent of the Communication Age. John is passionate about brands and consumers and has a love for helping businesses think through how to best connect consumers to great products and services to improve lives and the world. John Tegner Vice President Direct to Consumer Costa Del Mar - EssilorLuxottica Detailed show notes, links and resources can be found at: www.amawestmichigan.org/EP17

EP 16: Over the years, we have become a society reliant on technology more than ever, and therefore, more "connected." We no longer knock on the door, we text them "here." We don't ask to see a manager, we either directly message the company or leave a scathing review on social media. Speaking of social media, businesses & brands used to get that for free, but in addition to only being able to reach a fraction of our earned following, the average return on ad spend on those platforms has plummeted over 90% over the past 3 years! So what's next? All of those "best practices" blog articles and professionals telling us: create snackable content; post on social media at *this* time; keep your newsletter to this length; be present everywhere, etc. have become outdated. Today we discuss how and why we need to go back to basics through building trust over time, quality content over quantity, and how to create authority-building content. Key Topics -Traditional Media -Digital Media -Customized Content -Gated Content -Podcasting -Blogging Jason Schemmel Jason is a Content Marketing Consultant who's been in the content & social marketing space for the better part of 8 years. He loves helping others realize their potential through working together, mentoring, or just cheering them on that they're on the right path. He has shared his knowledge at the Content Marketing World conference the past 3 years covering topics such as SEO, building online communities, and influencer marketing. In his free time, Jason also streams on Twitch playing games from his childhood as well as interactive games his viewers can play along with him. In addition , he streams monthly charity streams where his community has helped him donate over $2,500 to various non-profits & also has monthly Mental Health podcast, helping to break the stigma of talking about the sensitive topic. Jason Schemmel Content Marketing Consultant Host of the Get Shit Done Chat podcast On Twitter @JasonSchemmel Detailed show notes, links and resources can be found at: www.amawestmichigan.org/EP15

EP 15: E-mail isn’t the sexiest marketing topic, nor is it the most fun, but if done well it can lead to the best ROI of any tactic in your marketing plan. Regardless of industry and even though there is more noise in the inbox and more apps for consumers to juggle, e-mail continues to prove itself as the best one-to-one communication channel for brands and most preferred by consumers. But, marketers continue to struggle with their email efforts. Even some 26 years after the first email campaign was sent, marketers are still challenged by how to ethically grow subscribers, ensure deliverability, and create content that is timely, targeted, and relevant. Today we’re joined by Michael Barber (and his British Mum) to explore some of the best and most practical ways to improve your e-mail marketing, challenge your email conceptions, and discuss just why this tactic continues to be vitally important for marketers.  We’ll also discuss how to ethically grow your email subscriber lists and how to select the appropriate Email Service Provider for the job. Key Topics Design Best Practices Creating Relative & Personalized Content Building Trust with Subscribers Email List Building Strategies Selecting The Right ESP For The Job Michael Barber of Godfrey Michael Barber SVP, Chief Creative Officer Godfrey @michaeljbarber anywhere online Recently named one of Marketo’s 50 Fearless Marketers Detailed show notes, links and resources can be found at: www.amawestmichigan.org/EP15

After two highly engaged and attended SEO Smackdowns, we brought back this popular panel topic to kick off the 2019-2020 season with a bang. Get ready for some heated debates, the most current information, and fascinating perspectives on the ever-changing and quickly evolving word of SEO. Our panelists discuss and debate current trends including YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) voice search, algorithm changes, site optimization, maximizing Google My Business, along with many SEO tools and hacks. Panelists -Jason Dodge of BlackTruck Media + Marketing -Cayley Mosca of CDK Global -Caley Atkinson of Stow Company -David VandeWaa of OST Detailed show notes, links and resources can be found at: www.amawestmichigan.org/EP14

With brands and marketers increasingly taking up the torch of storytelling, partnering with publishers on native ads and leveraging content across their own properties, there are plenty of tips, tricks and approaches to be learned from the world of journalism. In this podcast we discuss the five most important journalistic best practices taught in journalism-school classrooms and used in newsrooms across the country, allowing brand marketers and content strategists to make high-quality and authentic content that abides by the best practices that make journalistic content compelling, effective and trustworthy. Key Topics -How to add trust to the content you create -How to set your content apart in a world of content-sameness -How to ensure your content is relatable and creates an emotional connection with your audience Melanie Deziel is the founder of StoryFuel, which consults with brands looking to create, expand or optimize their branded content teams, processes and practices. As a speaker, Melanie travels the world giving keynotes and corporate workshops that teach marketers, publishers, creators and companies how to create the best possible brand storytelling. Detailed show notes, links and resources can be found at: www.amawestmichigan.org/EP13

It's 2019, but ineffective, outdated and unhelpful websites still hamstring the majority of marketers. New technology and experiences continue to push the web forward every day, but often, sites go untouched for years. Your websites should be the cornerstone of your marketing efforts, not something you work around. Today we’ll discuss what you should be focusing on in 2019, how to start triaging what you have, and how to evolve from establishing a stable baseline to a sustainable practice of continuous iteration. We'll also cover how to tell if your site should be iterated, refreshed, or rebuilt based on your unique situation. Key topics -Discovery -Mobile's Effect -SEO -Content Strategy -Design -Future Proofing Josh Stauffer An optimistic believer in digital’s transformative power on the landscape of B2B marketing, Josh brings over a decade of agency experience to his role as CEO and president of Blue Flame Thinking. He has the hands-on experience of a former programmer mixed with the sharp instincts of a dedicated client partner. Both of which help him focus the agency, and its relationships, toward the future. Josh started making things at a very early age. His formative years were filled with hours of sketching, carving, building, painting and traveling. Detailed show notes, links and resources can be found at: www.amawestmichigan.org/EP12

It is easier than ever to create and maintain a website. However, there are many pitfalls and potential liabilities that quietly exist in cyberspace. Anyone publishing content online through a website should be aware of certain legal requirements, and some best practices, so problems aren’t inadvertently created. Key Topics -Keeping Your Website Legal -Using 3rd Party Content -Privacy Policies -Protection & Security -Regulatory Rules (GDPR & CCPA) -Intellectual Property -Terms of Use This podcast follows the outline of an Grand Rapids Business Journal Blog written by Jennifer in March, 2019. ***This podcast is to assist in a general understanding of the legal issues involved, and is not intended as legal advice.  Persons with particular questions should seek the advice of counsel.*** Jennifer Puplava Jennifer A. Puplava is an attorney at Mika Meyers in Grand Rapids. She practices primarily in the areas of intellectual property law and technology law. She helps clients protect their trade secrets, trademarks, copyrights and other intellectual property, and she assists clients with the negotiation, drafting and enforcement of related agreements, policies, terms and conditions and other documents. Jennifer received her law degree from Indiana University School of Law, cum laude, and her undergraduate degree from Saint Mary's College, magna cum laude. Detailed show notes, links and resources can be found at: www.amawestmichigan.org/EP11

EP 10 Why is differentiation important? Why should companies care? It’s easy to follow the crowd. It’s easy to blend in. It seems smart to do what other brands are doing. It feels safe. But it’s not. Successful brands stick out. They are different. They are unusual. Be proud of what your brand does and what it doesn’t do. Be proud of your brand’s strengths and weaknesses. Don’t apologize for your flaws and don’t try to fix them. Instead, exploit your brand’s imperfections. Key Topics -Customer Experience -Embracing your Uniqueness -Differientiation -Flaunting your Flaws -Being Weird (Micro-weirding) -Being Flawsome Stan Phelps Stan Phelps is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, and workshop facilitator. He believes that today’s organizations must focus on meaningful differentiation to win the hearts of both employees and customers. He is the founder of PurpleGoldfish.com – a think tank of customer experience and employee engagement experts that offers keynotes and workshops that drive loyalty and sales. They help organizations connect with the hearts and minds of customers and employees. Stan is a TEDx speaker, a Forbes contributor, and IBM Futurist. His writing is syndicated on top sites such as Customer Think and Business2Community. He has spoken at over 300 events in Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Ecuador, France, Germany, Holland, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Peru, Sweden, Russia, Spain, UK, and the U.S. Stan Phelps challenges leaders to think differently about their most important stakeholders: customers and employees. He inspires brands to be remark-able, showing them how to stand out in ways that customers and employees can’t help but talk about. His informative keynotes and workshops focus on the value of customer experience as a competitive differentiator, the role of employee engagement in building a strong corporate culture, and the impact of technology and purpose in business. Detailed show notes, links and resources can be found at: www.amawestmichigan.org/EP10

EP 09 With the constant changing Marketing Technology (aka martech) landscape, there are more options than ever available to businesses of all sizes for lead generation and engagement strategies. But with all these wonderful technologies available, there are strategies for selecting the right platform and understanding how these systems fit within your overall business technology systems. Today we discuss the concept of pace layering which provides a framework for businesses to organize and align martech systems with your business strategies. Understanding the concept of Pace Layering will help your company make timely and strategic business decisions with selecting martech systems. We’ll discuss key components of Pace Layering, how to apply it to your business and examples of how other businesses have utilized this concept. Detailed show notes, links and resources can be found at: www.amawestmichigan.org/EP9

EP 08 Today, staying agile and keeping an entrepreneurial mindset—regardless of business size, age or industry—is proving to be essential. As competition tightens, and industries continue to evolve and change, its questions like these that are keeping us up at night: How do you market a new business with little or no budget? What strategies, tools and tactics do you use and why? When should you hire out marketing, versus what can (and should) you, and your team do in-house? How much should you invest in marketing and how do you know when and where to invest your budget? This was the topic of a recent panel discussion held with four West Michigan Entrepreneurs. During the panel we discuss how these entrepreneurs launched their businesses, while providing lessons learned, insights and tools that all marketers can use on-the-job today. Since the panel was held in an Q&A format with a moderator we thought it best to record the panel discussion for rebroadcasting on today’s podcast. Panel Moderator Rebecca Dutcher Red 66 Marketing, PresidentAMA West Michigan Preside Elect Meet the Panel Jonathan Dodge Freshwater Digital, Executive Vice President Jonathan Dodge has well over 15 years of digital marketing and entrepreneurial experiences in paving new industry opportunities. He has co-founded successful start-up companies (including one of the first online food ordering platforms), served on a board of directors at his alma mater Michigan State University, consulted for several large web publishers, led the creation of the digital advertising department at Meijer, and managed digital strategy for Jack Morton Worldwide. He is currently EVP of Business Development for Freshwater Digital, a 9-year-old company in which he is a partner and joined as employee number two. Chris Ake Grand Apps, Co-Founder and Operating Partner Chris Ake and another founded Grand Apps in 2011, a mobile app development company. The company’s reach began locally in Grand Rapids, MI but soon expanded its mobile marketing services and began serving clients globally. As Chris grew this company over the past several years, he began investing in and launching more businesses. Currently he owns 6 companies, 4 are service-based companies and 2 are investments. Entrepreneurship and building companies are his passion and he is constantly sharing his journey. Erik Lauchié Carbon Stories, Founder Erik Lauchie is a young entrepreneur. He Founded Carbon Stories, a Michigan based creative agency in 2015 at the age of 19. Carbon tells its clients’ stories and shares experiences through numerous media forms, including; photography, videography, graphic design and print media. Since the start, Carbon has traveled around the world telling stories and sharing experiences. Erik’s motto is Create Daily. Karen Scarpino Green Giftz, President and Owner Karen Scarpino is the President and Owner of Green Giftz and Promotional Impact, a certified woman-owned business. Green Giftz is a high-design and eco-friendly branded merchandise company servicing clients like Steelcase, Herman Miller, Haworth, Stiles, Herman Miller, Chrysler and more. She is a member of the Chamber of Commerce CEO Round Table, a recipient of the Grand Rapids Business Journal Top Woman-Owned Business and West Michigan Women Brilliance Award Entrepreneur Award Winner. Karen has mentored students at Grand Valley State University and presented to the Michigan Diversity Council on onboarding and employee retention through successful branded merchandise programs. Detailed show notes can be found at http://www.amawestmichigan.org/EP8

EP 07 The silos between sales and marketing are legendary. If you’ve ever worked for an organization where the two departments live together in peace and harmony; consider your company a unicorn! It’s more common to hear how marketing folks think sales is comprised of a bunch of lazy divas and how sales folks think marketing is a bunch of creatives who make branded coffee cups and T-shirts (and don’t generate any real value). The evolution of marketing- the digital transformation of marketing – makes it possible to qualify and quantify marketing’s value and enforce the rules by which sales engages with potential customers. But only if you put the right processes and systems in place. Today we’ll be sharing insights on how the emerging field of marketing operations and the transition to “self-educating buyers” has changed the sales and marketing dynamic to one of the interwoven dependencies, with marketing coming first. From inbound strategies to a demand generation waterfall, to the necessary elements in a service level agreement between sales and marketing, we’ll offer up helpful tools to start breaking down silos and creating a path to marketing and sales nirvana. Key Topics Marketing Operations Bridging the Gap of Marketing & Sales Traditional & Digital Marketing Quantitative & Qualitative Data Detailed show notes, links and resources can be found at: http://www.amawestmichigan.org/EP7 About 1 Bold Step There is a gap between old marketing and new, and a general misunderstanding of the evolving role of marketing. It’s no longer just about the creative, but also the analytical, technical, and perhaps most importantly, the data. There’s the traditional marketing mix of product, price, place, and promotion (The 4 P’s), and supporting marketing mediums like print, mail, billboard, sponsor, and mass email. And then there’s the new mix of product, price, place, promotion, people, process and physical evidence (The 7 P’s), and new marketing mediums like inbound content strategies/blogs, personalization, social, predictive analytics, data-driven decisions, etc. Marketing personnel seem to be either traditional or digital, and rarely able to deliver both old and new or to step back and make sure that the organization is doing the right mix of both. That’s where we step in and bridge the gap. https://1boldstep.com/

EP 06 How do we create emails that people love? We can all agree that email marketing is one of, if not the most effective digital marketing tactics. The problem is that most marketers and organizations have abused the channel; leading to depressed open, clickthrough, and post-conversion metrics, as well as a love/hate relationship with all emails. To solve this problem, we need to rethink how we connect with people via their inboxes, radically reduce the propensity of sending campaigns simply because our organizations have something to announce, and expand the KPIs that dictate success. Key Topics Design Best Practices Creating An Experience on Mobile Platforms Creating Relative & Personalized Content Building Trust with Subscibers Metrics That Matter SPF, Authentication & Demark Policies Michael Barber of Godfrey Michael Barber SVP, Chief Creative Officer Godfrey @michaeljbarber anywhere online Recently named one of Marketo’s 50 Fearless Marketers Detailed show notes, links and resources can be found at: http://www.amawestmichigan.org/EP6

Influencer's Perspectives On Partnering With Brands EP 05 Influencer marketing. A popular buzzword and a top marketing trend but really, what does it mean? We know marketing pros across industries are looking for ways to integrate influencer marketing into their strategy, but doing so in a smart and authentic way remains a challenge. This was the topic of a recent panel discussion held with three of West Michigan’s brightest influencers on how you can harness influencer marketing in a way that makes sense for your business and brand. The panel discussed how you can approach, interact and work with influencers to help drive your marketing efforts. Key Topics -Influencer Marketing -Audiences & Follower Counts -Authenticity & Causes -Costs & Numbers Show notes available at http://www.amawestmichigan.org/EP5 Meet The Panelists Liz Della Croce The Lemon Bowl Liz Della Croce is the creator and author of The Lemon Bowl®, a healthy food and travel blog. Since 2010, Liz has grown a loyal following of health-conscious readers. Jill Gleason Good Life for Less (JillGG) Jill began her fashion blog, Good Life for Less, as a creative outlet for herself, but soon found that her blog inspired many women as well. Emily Richett HAPPY PR Emily Richett is the founder and owner of HAPPY PR, a public relations and marketing firm. Not only does Emily connect brands with influencers daily, but is one herself.

MarTech Decisions Begin With Knowing Your Audience and Your Business EP 05 With “Baby boomers” continuing to exit the workforce at a rapid rate, relationships between buyers and sellers are changing more rapidly than ever. Learn how to design winning processes and use technologies to help your business cultivate new relationships and secure existing relationships in the digital age.  Key Topics -CRM (Business Automation) -Social Media -Marketing Automation Show notes available at http://www.amawestmichigan.org/EP4 Dan McGraw of DPT Solutions Dan McGraw, CEO and Senior Business Strategist from DPT Solutions, a local business process strategy and automation company in Grand Rapids, MI. Dan has spent the last 20 years connecting people, process, and technology to drive business performance. He is a technology innovator and leader that is passionate about leveraging technology to help improve business outcomes through digital transformation and industry disruption. Outside of business, he is an avid cyclist and cycling coach, and enjoys competing in mountain biking, road racing, and the occasional triathlon. Dan McGraw CEO/Senior Business Strategist DPT Solutions dmcgraw@dptsolutions.com dptsolutions.com

EP 03 Boxed Water is a present-day David vs Goliath story of a small sustainable water company taking on the $60 billion plastic bottled water industry. How do you build a brand on a small budget when you’re up against multi-billion dollar competitors? How do you reach consumers with a complex message? Boxed Water has been able to build a brand by becoming a conduit between consumers and their growing desire to help the planet…elevating its proposition to be more than a water brand. It has empowered fans to plant over 790,000 trees in our national forests and on path to cleaning up 3,000 miles of beaches. In this podcast we talk about how companies need to build partnerships in order to differentiate themselves in today’s business environment- and why it’s more important than ever to listen to consumers (and not necessarily the trade). We discuss the challenges and learnings that Boxed Water has faced in its first decade and how to you can apply them to your organization. Key topics -Cause Marketing is Marketing, not a subcategory -Today's marketers need to approach branding with authentic values -How to leverage partnerships to build brands and differentiate themselves -The pitfalls you may find along the way Podcast Guest: Rob Koenen CMO at Boxed Water Is Better Detailed show notes, links and resources can be found at: http://www.amawestmichigan.org/EP3

EP 02 The social media landscape today bears little resemblance to the one many marketers are still operating in. Organic reach is dead, but in its place we have the best tools for targeting and attribution ever devised (and growing smarter every day). Free yourself from worrying about “frequency” and “best times to post,” and learn where you should be spending your energy. To extract the full measure of benefit from social media today, legacy “owned” channels like one’s website and email marketing have renewed importance as valuable datapoints to feed the self-optimizing machines of PPC advertising. Key Topics: -How the business application (B2B and B2C) of social media has changed in the last five years -Trends on the horizon and how to prepare for them -What makes for meaningful KPIs -How social media makes every other part of your marketing strategy more important Podcast Guest: Derek DeVries is a digital strategist at Lambert & Co. (previously known as Lambert, Edwards & Associates (LE&A)). His areas of expertise include social media marketing, crisis communications, online reputation management, digital branding, web development, and counsel on all things Internet-related. Derek currently works with clients that include the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), New Holland Brewing, the University Research Corridor (URC), Greatland Corporation, Ranir, Boulder Canyon Foods, and Wolverine World Wide. Detailed show notes, links and resources can be found at: http://www.amawestmichigan.org/EP2

EP 01 The new Marketers In Motion Podcast is powered by the West Michigan Chapter of the American Marketing Association. Marketing is our passion, and as a Chapter we hope to inspire dialogue, fuel creativity, and create a community for marketers everywhere. Our first podcast focuses on the AMA's mission, goals and benefits of membership. We also discuss the new Marketers In Motion Podcast and introduce our first round of podcasts which include.... -Social Media's Next Era: The Death of Social Media Engagement -Cause Marketing Is Marketing, Not A Subcategory -Marketing & Sales: Why Marketing Comes First -Marketing Tech Talk: Integrating Marketing Technology Into Your Organization Marketers In Motion Podcast Host: Josh Janowiak Director of Communications Sandy Pines Recreational Community Podcast Guests and future MIM Co-Hosts: Meahgan Pear AMA President / National Senior Marketer at BDO USA Rebecca Dutcher AMA President-Elect & President and Founder of Red 66 Marketing Marci Palmer AMA VP of Membership / Owner and Consultant at Champion Resources Detailed show notes, links and resources can be found at: http://www.amawestmichigan.org/EP1