Business Marketing Association Minnesota Chapter

• 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?

Everyone understands the importance of listening to the Voice of the Customer (VOC) and on October 28, 2009, Michael Happe, V.P. and General Manager, Commercial Division, the Toro Company shared with BMA-Minnesota how the breadth and depth of the company's industry relationships that drive innovation and customer loyalty. Happe outlined how organizations can activate their most important "P" - people - to increase the "Volume" and "Clarity" of VOC in the value chain and how to strategically extend your professional social network to improve the bottom line, enhance brand image, and increase loyalty in served market(s).

On September 24, 2009, BMA-Minnesota welcomed Steven Woods, Chief Technical Officer at Toronto-based Eloqua. An industry leader in using information technology solutions to automate marketing procedures, Woods shared with attendees his perspective on how companies can use customers/prospect's online behavior (aka Digital Body Language) to drive revenue through more qualified leads, increase efficiency and effectiveness of marketing campaigns, align marketing and sales, and demonstrate value and accountability.

On August 18, 2009, BMA-Minnesota explored results-oriented Web site measurement. Led by Kristen Findley, senior interactive planner at Carlson Marketing Group, the session focused on how to maximize Web analytics tools using business objectives and key performance indicators, how Web analytics can be applied to e-mail, media and even social sites, and how to translate the data into meaningful business results.

On May 28, 2009 BMA-Minnesota explored how business-to-business organizations should handle management and leadership challenges during a recession. Led by Keith Peterson, vice president of marketing communications at Ceridian, the session touched on the power of transparency, rising above corporate politics, the law of influence, setting priorities and boundaries, as well as responses to tough questions for marketing communicators regarding budgets, staffing and ROI.

On April 2, 2009 BMA Minnesota hosted Brian Carroll, CEO of InTouch, for a discussion on B2B lead generation. Brian, an industry guru, is the author of Lead Generation for the Complex Sale (McGraw-Hill 2006) and the B2B Lead Generation Blog.

On March 11, 2009 BMA-Minnesota presented a panel discussion on how business-to-business (B2B) marketers can use social media to boost their performance metrics and support a customer-centric business model.

On January 22, 2009 BMA Minnesota kicked off its 2009 professional development program series with an exploration of the emerging "Buyer Marketing" sales and marketing strategy. Led by Hugh Macfarlane, founder of Math Marketing and author of The Leaky FunnelTM, the session discussed the emerging customer-centric sales and marketing strategy that is changing the way businesses organize and manage their combined sales and marketing funnel.