MINNEAPOLIS (October 20, 2009) – Having great ideas for how to help your business is one thing, but without being able to demonstrate certain success, it’s difficult to convince others that your marketing strategy is worth implementing. To address this key issue, the Minnesota chapter of the Business Marketing Association ( BMA-Minnesota ) will host “Building a Better Business Case for Marketing” on November 17, 2009.

Sponsored by Online Marketing Connect and led by Pat LaPointe, managing partner at MarketingNPV , the session will explore how to build a solid business case for marketing programs and enhance the credibility of your recommendations.

“ As marketers, it is easy for us to understand the inherent value of our efforts, but expressing that value to decision-makers can be a challenge when dollars and cents are the primary measurement,” said Heidi Wight, vice president of programming for BMA-Minnesota. “Translating the benefits of a marketing communications strategy so that all stakeholders understand is crucial for credibility.”

Also presenting is Aaron Kahlow, chairman and founder of the Online Marketing Summit and its related educational arm, the Online Marketing Institute . Considered one of the leading educators in online marketing, Kahlow has a unique ability to translate online marketing technology jargon into simple and easy to understand marketing and business terms.

Together LaPointe and Kahlow will address the universal questions:

• How can I define the benefits of proposed actions in a more financially astute manner?

• How can I credibly assess risks and uncertain paybacks when I have so little data or history to work with?

• How do I build a business case that gets respect for its thoughtfulness and discipline, even if it doesn't get funded?

• Where does online marketing like search, email, social and website fit into the mix?

• How are world-class brands taking an integrated planning approach in order to obtain budget?

• Why must business-to-business companies consider social media components for 2010?

The event will be held on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at the Metropolitan Ballroom in Wayzata, Minn. and will run from 8:00 to 10:15 a.m. Registration and breakfast will begin at 7:30 a.m. The cost of the event is $30 for BMA members and $45 for non-members. Attendees can register online at www.bmaminnesota.org through November 12, 2009. There will be a limited number of walk-up registrations also are available.

About Pat LaPointe

Pat LaPointe is the Managing Partner at MarketingNPV, a highly specialized consulting firm that builds marketing dashboards, marketing ROI/analytical frameworks, and brand scorecards that measure the creation of economic and strategic value for both the short and long term. Pat directs the development of client solutions for CMOs in the areas of marketing measurement processes, tools, and skills to determine the financial return from marketing investments. His book Marketing by the Dashboard Light: How to Get More Insight, Foresight, and Accountability from Your Marketing Investments is a pioneering work on the topic of marketing dashboard development. A well-known speaker, Pat is a regular panelist and chairman at ANA and AMA events, and has served as a guest lecturer at Wharton School of Business, MIT, and at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. He is a frequent contributor to the ISBM and serves on the Board of Directors of the Business Marketing Association.

About Aaron Kahlow

Aaron Kahlow serves Chairman & Founder of the Online Marketing Summit and its related educational arm, the Online Marketing Institute . Aaron speaks frequently around the nation, and his best practice ideas are frequently seen in his columns for ClickZ, MarketingProfs, Online Strategies Magazine, Electronic Retailer, iMediaConnection, BtoB Online, MarketingSherpa, SearchEngineWatch, American Business Media and his personal favorite, Online Marketing for Marketers Blog . He is a recognized authority on the subjects of Social Media, Email Marketing, Web Site Usability, Search Engine Optimization, Web Analytics and overall Web Strategy. Most recently, Kahlow was named as one of the “Top 40 entrepreneurs under the age of 40” by Metropolitan Magazine and served on the International Board of Directors for the Business Marketers Association (BMA) as well as advisory capacity for the Direct Marketing Association, High Tech Marketing Association and Interactive Marketing Association.

About Business Marketing Association

Business Marketing Association is the leading professional resource for business-to-business marketers and communicators. The organization develops and delivers services, information, skill enhancement, and networking opportunities that help its members grow, develop and succeed throughout their marketing careers. For more information on BMA-Minnesota, visit www.bmaminnesota.org .