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News from the NY Capital Region Chapter of the American Marketing Association Fall 2012

perceptions

The New York Capital Region chapter of the American Marketing

Association (NYCRAMA) has announced the finalists for the 18th Annual Mark of Excellence Awards. A distinguished panel of marketing professionals from across the country chose our twelve finalists that will continue on the path to collecting a 2012 Mark of Excellence award. The three category winners will be named at the October event.

The NYCRAMA Mark of Excellence Awards event showcases highly effective marketing campaigns from within the Capital Region. This year, the awards ceremony will take place on Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at Glen Sanders Mansion in Scotia.

NYCRAMA continued, from 2011, entry categories based on the client’s overall marketing budget. In doing so, the association has been able to level the playing field and elevate the results-driven campaign competition. Each category will produce one winner the night of the event. Unique among marketing award programs, the Mark of Excellence is based on both creativity and demonstrated results.

“We are thrilled to recognize these twelve finalists for their achievement in marketing excellence,” said Nigar Hale, President of NYCRAMA. “The nominees are a reflection of the diversity and marketing expertise within New York’s Tech Valley region.”

For more information on the Mark of Excellence Awards event, registration details, and advertisement opportunities, please visit www.nymarketing.org/moe.

2012 Mark of ExcEllEncE awards finalists (no specific order)

MEGa-MaRKETING CaTEGORY Campaign: iChoose600 • NY State Department of Health Marketing Partners: Zone 5 & HN Media

Campaign: Epilog integrated campaign • Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc.Marketing Partner: FingerPaint Marketing

Campaign: Science on Display • EYP Architecture & Engineering

Campaign: ensights e-Newsletter Display • EYP Architecture & Engineering

Campaign: Fresh Ideas Tradeshow Campaign • EYP Architecture & Engineering

MID-SIZE MaRKETING CaTEGORY Campaign: “Fallbany”– UAlbany’s Fall Festival • University at Albany Marketing Partner: Trampoline Design

HOME-GROWN MaRKETING CaTEGORY Campaign: Living Our Tradition Strategic Plan Launch • Siena College

Campaign: The “Calling All Cooks” Family Recipe Showdown • Marrello Restaurants Marketing Partners: B95.5, Different Drummer’s Kitchen, & Hannaford Supermarkets

Campaign: Declaring Independence Requires a Strong Voice • The Police Benevolent Association of New York State: Agency Law Enforcement Services Marketing Partner: Corning Place Communications

Campaign: “Playing With a Full Deck” Custom Card Campaign • Velocity Print Solutions

Campaign: Branding Plug Power to POWERAHEAD • Plug Power Inc. Marketing Partners: Dill Design and Advertising, Empire Exhibits and Displays, L&P Media

Campaign: TWELVE and Raising Dough Community Fundraising Programs • DZ Restaurants

18tH annUal Mark of ExcEllEncE awards finalists

Mark YoUr calEndars

18th AnnuAl MArk of ExcEllEncE AwArds October 2, 2012Glen Sanders Mansion, Scotia

Be a part of the biggest marketing networking event of the year!

The evening will honor 2012 Marketer of Excellence, George R. Hearst III, Publisher and CEO of the Times Union, as well as our campaign finalists and category winners.

rEgistEr EArly! www.nymarketing.org/moe

nEw MEMbErsNYCRaMa would like to welcome the following new members to our organization. If you know anyone who is interested in joining, please contact VP Membership Kim Hickok at kim.hickok@webinstinct.com for more information or visit nymarketing.org.

• Debra Addya • Katie Bruce • Joseph Blechman • Mary Cimo • Jennie Donohue • Jennifer Dwyer • Shari Hand • Norma Heim • Ann Marie Lizzi • Sharon Marmora • Kelly Reardon • Amanda Stopera • Barbara Mitchell • Susan Radzyminski • Ping Zhao

not a nYcraMa MEMbEr? consider Joining — Here’s why! • Unparalleled networking opportunities

and access to the best marketing minds, practices and connections in the Capital Region.

• Compelling luncheons and roundtables, featuring regional and national presenters speaking on timely and relevant topics.

• Members-only benefits, including: - Access to the online Job Bank and Member

Directory - Access to online newsletter archives, book reviews and past speaker presentations - Discounted rates for events - Ability to promote work via Member News submissions (published on the website and in the newsletter) - Invitations to members-only events

Plus, NYCRAMA members also belong to the AMA – one of the largest professional associations for marketers in the world – and its international network of over 30,000 marketers across North America.

Contact VP Membership Kim Hickok at kim.hickok@webinstinct.com for information on membership or visit www.nymarketing.org

nEEd HElp? Members can report changes of address, phone, e-mail, etc., or obtain chapter information by contacting Kim Hickok, VP Membership: help@nymarketing.org.

Fall 2012 www.nymarketing.org Page 2

MobilizE YoUr MarkEting bY brookE ManriqUE, Senior Project Manager at Behan Communications, Inc.

Have you incorporated mobile marketing to your marketing mix? Chances are, you should. Here’s why:

The Numbers Don’t Lie Like it or not, mobile phones are a huge part of everyday life. How many people do you know who don’t have a smartphone or tablet? A new report by

Cisco, “Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast for 2011-2016,” indicates that by 2016, there will be more than 10.3 billion mobile-connected devices worldwide. Considering there are only 7 billion people in the world, it’s a very significant number. The same study also reveals that mobile data traffic is expected to increase 18-fold by 2016, revealing the continuing significance of smartphones in our everyday lives.

The Definition Keeps Expanding A common misconception is that mobile marketing is all about text messaging. According to the Mobile Marketing Association, mobile marketing is defined as “a set of practices that enables an organization to communicate and engage with their audience in an interactive and relevant manner through any mobile device.” As a marketer, you should figure out how your consumers are using their smartphones and target accordingly using social media, mobile-ready websites, daily deal websites, web-adapted e-mails and mobile apps.

It’s Engagement at Its Best The key to mobile marketing is real-time engagement with consumers. Smartphones allow people to instantly read reviews, check facts, get contact information and make purchases on the fly. Engage with your customers through existing social media channels — Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Google+ and others — to help your brand gain instant online and mobile credibility. By optimizing your social media channels with company branding and key message points, your company will be one step closer to mobile-readiness.

People Will Look for You People often search the web using their smartphones. It’s quick and easy, and allows for real-time fact checking. Take a minute to search on your phone browser for your company, or search using some keywords that an average person might use to find your company. Like what you see? If not, develop a targeted mobile search plan to make your website more web friendly for mobile users. Create mobile-friendly copy, along with mobile call-to-actions that allow users to “click-to-call” or “click-to-text.”

Jump in with Both Feet Mobile marketing will only get more daunting if you wait, so there is no time like the present to get your mobile marketing strategy started. Still feeling apprehensive? Set aside the mobile component and approach it the same way you would a more traditional marketing channel. The same marketing principles apply. Figure out where your customers are and what they’re doing — and meet them there.

If you haven’t already planned for mobile marketing in 2012, don’t wait. Mobile marketing really does matter.

This article first appeared on the Behan Communications’ blog, The Buzz.

If you have a case study or article you’d like to share with the members of NYCRAMA, email VP Newsletter Brooke Manrique at brooke.manrique@behancom.com.

Unique design for diverse clients.

Sponsoring the design of this AMA newsletter. www.declareservices.com

Fall 2012 www.nymarketing.org Page 3

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As I begin my term as President of NYCRAMA, I would like to offer these lesser-known facts about our very own regional marketing association:

• NYCRAMA is one of three chapters in New York State with a geographic span from the Hudson Valley, Utica-Syracuse and north to the Canadian border.

• NYCRAMA is one of only twelve chapters to be recognized by International Headquarters as a Chapter of Excellence.

• NYCRAMA’s prestigious annual Awards Event, Mark of Excellence, scheduled for October 2, is being held for the eighteenth straight year in a row.

• NYCRAMA has engaged an experienced Board of Directors and committee volunteers of 30 marketers strong (which is made more impressive when compared to the national AMA average of 8-15 volunteers!)

These points underscore the relevance and dedication of our Chapter to the marketing profession. It is indeed a privilege to have my turn at leading this fine group of marketing professionals. NYCRAMA’s mission is to elevate the marketing profession by delivering career development, educational opportunities and best practices for winning and keeping customers. Our goal is to listen and respond to our marketing community and offer superior programming, volunteer and networking opportunities. I am thrilled to lead this Chapter and put forth my commitment to moving forward the twenty-one year legacy of NYCRAMA’s dedication to the marketing profession.

Initiatives underway include the development of a fifteen-month programming calendar that will include at least four networking events, six luncheon programs and six breakfast roundtables, as well as the Mark of Excellence annual event. Additionally, the chapter will soon launch a new website that will include direct feedback on design from the membership at large! We also plan to host focus groups and conduct a comprehensive membership survey to ensure we are meeting the needs of the Tech Valley marketing community.

I am thrilled to have the privilege to lead NYCRAMA forward to build strength and opportunity for all who share the goals and aspiration of our Chapter. The tireless efforts and dedication of many is a welcome mat for those looking to join us – just reach out via email or twitter and send me a note!

Warm regards,

Nigar Hale NYCRAMA President 2012-2013 nhale@nycap.rr.com Twitter handle: @nigarhale

Nigar Hale

cHaptEr officErs PRESIDENT Nigar Hale The Chamber of Southern Saratoga County nhale@nycap.rr.com

PRESIDENT-ELECT Catherine Herman University at Albany chmerman@albany.edu

SECRETARY Rosalyn Rufer Empire State College Rosalyn.rufer@esc.edu

SECRETARY–ELECT Jan Smith Multilogue Consulting jsmith@multilogue.com

TREASURER David Lurie Bond St. Custom Clothiers dwlurie@hotmail.com

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Laura Lachell Correctional Eye Care Network Services lauralachell@gmail.com

ExEcUtivE advisorY boardPAM CASSICK Chief Executive Officer, The Mailworks

RoBERT CLANCY Principal, Spiral Design Studio

ShAWN GoNzALEz Vice President of Advertising, Price Chopper Supermarkets

JohN DEMERS Vice President, Advertising & Public Affairs, Capital District Physicians Health Plan, Inc.

STEPhEN MADARASz Director of Communications, CSEA

STEPhEN RIBNER President, Fact Finders

DEAN RUECKERT President, Rueckert Advertising and Public Relations

DAvID SChULTz President, Media Logic

G. ThoMAS SELFRIDGE President, Albany Valve & Fitting

RoBERT WITKo President, Fort Orange Press

ToDD MoShER President, Zone 5

past prEsidEnts‘11-’12 lAurA lAchEll Correctional Eye Care Network Services‘10-’11 AliciA dEEring Informz

‘09-’10 cynthiA nAglE Statewide Financial System

’07-’09 courtnEy rEMington Audio-Video Corporation

‘06-’07 dAwn McgrAth Travelers Insurance

‘05-’06 BoB turAn The Creative Advantage

‘04-’05 nicolE stEin SEFCU

‘03-’04 JEnnifEr c. wilson RealtyUSA

‘02-’03 sAndy PoguE The Epicurean

‘01-’02 roBErt clAncy Spiral Design Studio, LLC

‘00-’01 lindA MAthEr Rueckert Advertising

‘99-’00 Judith wEBstEr Webster Direct Marketing, Inc.

‘98-’99 lisA rEAlE-PAZiEnZA The TriZetto Group

‘97-’98 AMy BEllcourt SCA Tissue North America

‘96-’97 MArk shiPlEy Smith & Jones

‘95-’96 MAry Ann kEElEr Fact Finders, Inc.

‘94-’95 BEtsy BEck hAMilton EB Hamilton & Co.

‘93-’94 PAul schurr School of Business, University at Albany

For the complete list of Board of Directors, go to www.nymarketing.org

Fall 2012 www.nymarketing.org Page 4

at his earliest convenience, and (2) that the candidate would be too expensive to hire. Even worse is the assumption that the over qualified candidate is on a downward career slope—a has-been with all his best years behind him.

There are, however, many valid reasons job seekers wish to downsize to jobs with fewer responsibilities. Whatever your reasons, tailor your resume to fit your current career objective.

3. Your resume is crammed with information, but not the right kind. Pity the poor recruiter who must get through 200 applicant resumes before lunchtime. If your resume is in the pile, it will get a quick scan in less than 30 seconds. If you have a resume that is disorganized or full of dense blocks of text, how will the recruiter learn anything about you?

You’ll catch the recruiter’s attention if you have a clear, easy-to-read resume that highlights your skills and accomplishments, even at a glance. Fill your resume only with the skills needed for that particular job, and you’ll go a long way toward getting a recruiter’s attention.

4. Your resume has too little information. While the “strong, silent type” may be attractive in men, it just plain flops in a resume. A resume that looks more like an outline just doesn’t give the reader enough to work with. Recruiters don’t want to guess what you did at your last job. You need to include enough information to give prospective employers a vision of the possibilities if they choose to hire you.

5. Your resume doesn’t include accomplishments. Remember, as a job seeker you are selling your talents, and you are competing with many others who have the same qualifications as you do. Accomplishments give recruiters a reason to choose you over others for the interview short list.

Give screeners ample reason to select you for interview. Highlight how you have saved time, increased efficiency, cut cost and increased client satisfaction. After all, if you don’t tell them, nobody else will!

If you use this five-point checklist to restructure your resume, you’ll soon hear back from recruiters who appreciate qualified, articulate and confident candidates.

rEcrUitErs not calling YoU? five reasons why—and how to fix itbY dEboraH walkEr Certified Career Management Coach

You’ve been hoping for a new job, but your phone is silent. No recruiters calling, no job offers. Maybe it’s time to reassess.

Does this sound like your job search efforts?

If this describes your situation, you are not alone. Many talented, qualified job seekers get ignored by recruiters and hiring managers simply because their resume has one or more of the following problems.

1. Your resume highlights your lack of industry experience. Most recruiters are looking for a point-by-point candidate match when screening resumes. Industry background usually ranks high on the list of qualifying issues. If you don’t have experience in that industry, your resume is going straight to the circular file—unless you can give them a compelling reason to keep your resume in the stack.

If you lack specific industry experience, but you know you have the basic skills for the job, try highlighting your transferable skills instead. Job seekers who lack industry experience can make it past the resume screener by proving their ability with skills they have that transfer from industry to industry. Look at the skills they need, then figure out how your background is a match.

2. Your resume shouts “Overqualified!” Nothing scares off a recruiter faster than a candidate who is obviously overqualified for the job. The two main concerns are (1) that the candidate would soon get bored and leave

giving backNYCRAMA will honor Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region at MOE 2012 as recommended by our Marketer of Excellence, Mr. George R. Hearst III. Consider a $5, $10, or even $25 donation: www.kintera.org/htmlcontent.asp?cid=630240

In these complex and confusing times, children need a caring adult to be a mentor and a friend — someone they can talk to, have fun with, and learn from. Your donation will help provide mentors to vulnerable children in our local community!

tHanks to oUr sponsors!We are grateful to our sponsors for their generous support and ongoing partnerships. The enormous amount of time and talent they contribute helps us in our efforts to provide you with the highest quality events, programs and services.

To recognize their contributions, we place sponsor ads in our monthly chapter newsletter Positions & Perceptions. We have also posted a full listing of their names on our web site: www.nymarketing.org. Please access these resources for further information about how you can enlist their services.

Alchar Printing / 274-2421 Ambrosino Design / 587-4628 Backman Writing / 449-4985 Castle Photography / 455-8855 Declare Creative Services / 796-4500 Fact Finders / 242-2000 Fort orange Press / 489-3233 Informz / 888-371-1842 JCB Specialties Inc. / 459-0566 Julia zave Photography / 225-6967 Miller Printing / 842-0001 readMedia / 429-2800 or 800-552-2194 Solasus Web Solutions / 907-4432 Spiral Design Studio / 432-7976 The Creative Advantage, Inc. / 370-0312 The Mailworks / 435-9300

Fall 2012 www.nymarketing.org Page 5

sHooting tHE brEEzE An interview with hank Blank Inquiring minds want to know: Is Hank Blank your given name? On my birth certificate it says “Henry,” but about ten years ago, when I started my own company, I started going by Hank. I’m a big believer in personal branding, so “Hank Blank” jumped out as a unique name for myself and my firm.

What inspired you to become a marketing professional? I was lucky, to be honest. My extended network—in this case, my college roommate—recommended me as a potential candidate to his marketing agency. I interviewed, secured the job, and landed McDonald’s as my first client.

What do you see is the next evolutionary shift in the field of marketing? Who can predict the future? Marketing is all about innovation, so I can say with confidence that we have been through tremendous change over the past decade with the introduction of new technologies. I believe the next shift could be how marketers cope with all of the demands of staying current in a world that is changing at warp speed.

You were born in Toronto and your siblings were born in Poland and lebanon. How would you describe your global marketing perspective? It’s a global village, and with my background, I have a good perspective of diversity. You have to network with diversity in mind—be purposeful and deliberate about it. If you only network with individuals that are similar, you will have a very “vanilla” perspective on marketing. The more you can network with diverse people, the more you can expand your solutions set—and the more you become valuable to you company.

Based on your experience, is there one statement that summarizes all of the marketers you’ve met? Smart people are everywhere.

Hank Blank was interviewed by Brooke Manrique, Behan Communications, on Aug. 6, 2012.

Hank Blank of marketing firm Hank Blank, Inc. is a national speaker and spoke at NYCRAMA’s September luncheon.

an oUtsidEr’s pErspEctivE bY barbara wisnoM, cpcc Executive & Business Coach The Third zone

“Would you be interested in conducting a board retreat with our local AMA Board?” came the question from Nigar Hale, incoming president of NYCRAMA. I didn’t even have to think

about the answer. “Of course!”

Being a solopreneur in the Capital Region for the past 16 years, I know about NYCRAMA. It’s THE organization to belong to for networking and learning from experts in the marketing world. And now, I was actually going to work with NYCRAMA’s Board of Directors.

My role would be to facilitate a kick-off meeting to celebrate Nigar’s presidency motto: Inspire, Invest, Invigorate. Using this as a framework, I created an outline for the meeting that was based on SOAR, an organizational analysis based on appreciative inquiry. SOAR stands for Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Results.

In preparation for the meeting, I witnessed the board in action at the final meeting of the 2011-2012 year. What I saw was a group of dedicated professionals, volunteering their time to NYCRAMA. It was clear: These folks meant business. The leadership seemed strong, with a focus on keeping vision and mission of the organization alive. There was talk of providing quality programs for members, strengthening the member base through strong recruitment and retention efforts, and taking concrete steps to improve communication.

A couple of weeks later, it was time for the kick-off meeting. As the meeting

began, it was clear that many board members couldn’t attend (as we all know, summertime is a difficult time to organize evening meeting due to many competing commitments). I started by asking the group how to communicate the results of the meeting to absent board members. This generated a spontaneous and lively discussion about communications between board members: what works and what doesn’t. It led into a more comprehensive, open and honest discussion about what is and is not working for the organization. The outcome was unanticipated, but exhilarating! The agreement was to evaluate the current structure and function of the Board, with an action plan to keep board members engaged and informed.

My experience with the NYCRAMA board was energizing, challenging and positive. Your NYCRAMA Board is talented, creative, and insightful – and, perhaps most important, willing to do what it takes to move the organization forward. I am grateful to have worked with them.

Fall 2012 www.nymarketing.org Page 6Non Profit OrgU.S. Postage

PaidAlbany, NY

Permit No. 370 P.O. Box 13145Albany, New York 12212-3145

Promoting Best Practices ForWinning & Keeping Customers

Fall . 2012

votE for tHE pEoplE’s cHoicE award winnEr! It’s your chance to have a voice! Check out the work of our campaign finalists and vote for your favorite. There are two easy ways to vote:

1. Scan the QR code on the left with your mobile device.

2. Visit http://goo.gl/7tJyi

note: QR, or “Quick Response” code is a two-dimensional barcode readable by dedicated QR readers and smart phones with cam-eras. Smartphone users who’ve downloaded a QR reader app can use QR codes to quickly view a dedicated landing page