Category: Blog

Have you ever considered giving a professional presentation on your marketing expertise? In the American Marketing Association (AMA), we love to learn how our community members are leading the way in the marketing industry. Here are a just a few of the ways that speaking at an AMA event can help you connect, grow and succeed.

Get in front of your ideal clients and contacts.

Professional associations already provide the ideal setting to meet your future clients, colleagues, and employers, but handing out business cards can only get you so far. Giving a presentation in AMA is far more effective networking than shaking hands at the bar! You can make a lasting impression on dozens of professionals in the short span of an hour. Your presentation style will give attendees an idea of what it’s like to work with you – and you may see new opportunities on the horizon within a matter of days!

Establish yourself and your company as a thought leader.

Your clients have access to more options and information than ever before, and they want to work with businesses and consultants with proven expertise, not just a slick advertising campaign. Show them what you’re made of! Speaking to your AMA chapter provides an opportunity to tell a room full of industry professionals what you can offer, and why you’re the best person to offer it, through your knowledge and firsthand stories of success. If your presentation provides a time-saving tip or a valuable idea to attendees, you’ll be the first person on their mind when they need help in the future.

Hone your public speaking skills.

An estimated 27 million Americans fear public speaking. Are you one of them? The idea of standing before a crowded room and saying the right words can impart anxiety to even the most outgoing of us. However, public speaking is one of the most essential skills that employers seek in managers and executives. Your AMA chapter, the community that marketers turn to for learning and idea sharing, is a perfect place to practice your public speaking. An experienced chapter member may be willing to mentor you to make your presentation the best it can be. AMA offers opportunities to present to audiences of different sizes and levels of expertise through its Signature Luncheons, Coffee Talks, and other special events.

Give back to your community.

Think for a moment about the people who helped you get to where you are in your career today. In marketing, no one can make it alone – and presenting to AMA is a meaningful way to give back to your professional community. If you’ve got something worthwhile to say, don’t keep it to yourself. Your presentation could change the course of someone’s career!

Want to try your hand at presenting? Contact our Programming Director at programming@charlestonama.org to find out about upcoming opportunities.

Kelly Nelson is the immediate past president of AMA Charleston and an MBA candidate at the College of Charleston. She has given two presentations on email marketing through AMA Charleston’s Coffee Talk series.

With the Southern C Summit fast approaching, it might be helpful to review your elevator pitch since there will be many opportunities for networking. In my work at the William and Mary Mason School of Business MBA program, one of our focuses is getting the students to answer that initial question in one sentence. You might be thinking to yourself, “That’s impossible!”  With a little bit of practice and using the tips below, you will be prepared to make a lasting impression.

Let’s make a few things clear up front; the answer to “what do you do?” is not your job title. If you have read some of my past articles, you might have a head start if you have already discovered your Why, How and What. The answers to these branding questions apply to your personal brand as much as your business brand. If you want someone to be interested in you, you must be relatable, authentic, energetic, clear, concise and most importantly, leave them wanting more. That’s a lot to swallow, so let’s break it down.

In a networking environment, the best way to start a conversation is to ask someone “what do you do?” Keep in mind, that even as you wait to answer back, it is important to be truly engaged and interested in what the other person has to say in order to set the tone for an authentic exchange.

When the tables turn and they ask you what you do, be prepared with one dynamic sentence or compelling statement.

1. Be clear and concise: Instead of saying “I am a Account Manager” say “I am in business development in the accessory market where I help match clients with the products they need”. As in the case study of one of my Artist clients, she now says, “I create lasting memories for clients through my medium of texture, color and fabrics”. Both of these options help the receiver visualize what you do.
2. Be prepared to back up your statement with an example: The next question usually is “Can you give me an example of what you do?” If you are prepared with what I call “short stories” of your accomplishments, this step will be easy. You do not need to recite your resume. Practice by writing down some of your major accomplishments in a concise manner, being specific on why and having an example of what you do. And remember, it is all about the benefit sell. If you have been listening to the person asking the question, you will be able to relate your experiences and examples to their area of interest. For instance, if you are in Business Development, talk about how you were successful in matching clients with appropriate products and how they were happy with the results. Or, in the case of the Artist, she could talk about how she created a pillow out of a fond memory that created a heirloom for an family.
3. Practice: If you practice, the answers to these questions will role off your tongue in a relatable, authentic, energetic, clear and concise manner. Try it out on friends and family before you come to the Summit and get feedback.
4. Leave them wanting more and know how to follow-up: The Summit is all about connecting, collaborating and creating. Know your industry and try to leave your audience with an interesting fact. It could be a new trend, or something you read about their industry. If you have your audience asking questions and wanting more, then you need to have a follow up strategy. Suggest connecting through the Summit app, or set a time to catch up for coffee during the Summit. Even better, follow-up after the summit with a handwritten thank you note.

Practice makes perfect as they say. Be ready and be interesting as you arrive at the Summit. There are many new friends and lasting relationships to be made, both personally and professionally, if you are an engaged listener and prepared with your story.

Written by Louise Pritchard for The Southern C Blog.

Louise Pritchard is an experienced professional with progressive leadership roles and a successful track record in cross-industry strategic market development, relationship management and business problem solving Ms Pritchard brings her creative problem solving and critical thinking approach to each client. Her passion and drive is evident in helping each client to discover the “ah-ha” moment when new ideas and strategies transform their brand strengths into results for their company, Ms. Pritchard founded Pritchard Volk Consulting, LLC, in 2001 after nearly 30 years in the business arena. Her experiences with FORTUNE Magazine, as Southeast Division Manager, Director of Marketing of Holiday Inn Worldwide, Director of Marketing of Egleston Childrens Hospital and other high level marketing positions helped her form the philosophy and process for her consulting business. She is also an Executive Partner at the Mason School of Business, College of Williams and Mary MBA program.

She is a Auburn University graduate and an avid SEC football fan. With four grown daughters pursuing their careers in various part of the country, she and her husband enjoy their off time visiting them in Charlotte, Savannah, Atlanta and LA.

Silence is a powerful tool that can enhance our listening abilities. Many of us, though, are uncomfortable with silence entering our conversation. This awkward feeling compels us to jump in with a story to match theirs or a witty comment to bring a laugh, especially if the topic is emotional. Rarely, do we sit with the silence that passes between us.

I saw a friend at the grocery store. She was having a difficult day. She started to vent. I wanted to add my story. Then I remembered. Silence. I put my finger over my mouth to remind myself to keep it closed. I listened. I said “Wow, that sounds tough. Tell me more about that”. I became her sounding board. She paused and I was tempted to interject. Then, I recalled my finger over my mouth. I waited. It seemed like forever. I thought that at any minute she would look at me and say, “What?” But she didn’t. She continued her train of thought with a deeper clarity. When she said goodbye, she thanked me for my wonderful advice. I chuckled since I had given her zero advice. I gave her more important gifts: my ear and my time.

Combining silence with other components of reflective listening can build connection and trust. The five components are 1) attending behaviors, 2) acknowledgements, 3) door openers, 4) silence, and 5) reflectively responding. The first three components are discussed in previous columns of the Moultrie News. Not all of these ingredients are necessary in every dialogue, but each conversation needs to be wrapped with empathy to have the maximum effect.

This compassionate silence is not the cold shoulder or punishment. It is the exact opposite. It is walking beside the other through their trials and joys, putting ourselves in their place long enough to imagine what it’s like to be them. It invites the speaker to go deeper with their thoughts, pain, excitement, etc. without us redirecting the conversation. It is stilling our minds as well as our voice. One way to quiet your thoughts is to imagine your mind as a white board and practice wiping it when you begin a conversation.

Silence and reflectively listening can be highly effective when someone is upset with you and needs to vent. This is a real challenge, for many times we feel attacked and want to retaliate. If we do not take the first 15 minutes of the conversation personally, the speaker’s emotional level will return to equilibrium and their logic will be restored. Then, and only then, can a productive discussion occur.

I invite you to practice silence this week and see what happens. Some people, myself included, find silence extremely difficult. For months, silence was the only skill I worked on because I knew that being quiet was hard for me. I purposefully refrained from taking ownership of the conversation so others could be heard. I gave people space to solve their own problems in my presence.

If you catch yourself forgetting your homeworking, lightly cover your mouth with your finger to remind yourself of the gift you are giving by being a sounding board. It will be hard not to tell someone what to do, but worth it, when you participate in their growth. Finally, wrap all communication with empathy.

Julie Chapman is a facilitator for a community based communication skills training class, which is offered for free by a nonprofit, Our Community Listens. The content was developed by Barry-Wehmiller University; a leadership training facility for Barry-Wehmiller, Inc. Charleston is one of five communities in the U.S. that is piloting the life-changing curriculum to see if employing new skills can change communities. Contact Leigh Ann Garrett for information regarding upcoming classes: Charleston@OurCommunityListens.org