PRSA PRism Award: Client Win
Marketing Works takes home PRism Award of Excellence for work with KeyBridge Medical
There is nothing that makes us happier than achieving great results for our clients, which is why we are excited to announce our latest client win.
Marketing Works has been awarded a Central Ohio PRSA PRism Award of Excellence in honor of the results achieved from our 2011 direct mail campaign with KeyBridge Medical Revenue Management.
The annual Central Ohio PRSA PRism Awards honor exceptional public relations activities across Central Ohio. Nominees are judged on campaign content, creativity, results, quality, technical excellence and appropriateness for the identified target audience.
Marketing Works was recognized in the direct mail/direct response category for our initiative to successfully implement a strategic B2B prospecting campaign with KeyBridge. Focusing on strategy and execution, the three part direct mail campaign helped KeyBridge establish brand awareness and top of mind visibility with their tier one prospects.
The three campaigns were designed to focus on target audience pain points and were developed to convey confidence in KeyBridge. Highlighted within the campaigns was KeyBridge’s ability to understand their audience’s challenges and their capability to offer solutions within their suite of services. Direct mail promotion in each campaign included a personalized mailer with a relevant gift or creative piece and downloadable white paper offering.
The results of the campaign were highly positive. KeyBridge formed 24 new relationships with their tier 1 prospects and through an end of the year brand audit survey it was revealed that the direct mail campaign had generated high levels of brand recognition .
While we are most thrilled about the results the campaign was able to achieve for our partners at KeyBridge, we are happy as well that Marketing Works received recognition from Central Ohio PRSA. Congratulations to all initiatives that were recognized at this year’s PRism Awards!
Small Business Success: A Surprisingly Accurate Fortune…
Those who follow Marketing Works on Twitter and Facebook may have noticed a posting we put up the other day with a picture of a fortune that our CEO, Brenda, pulled out of a fortune cookie over the weekend. “You will be unusually successful in business,” it read. Most of us have a tendency to devour our tasty fortune cookies and totally dismiss the fortunes contained inside, but Brenda had come into the office on Monday morning, completely ecstatic over this fortune. Sharing it with us during our morning meeting with a huge smile on her face, I could not understand why she was so excited. “Fortunes are never accurate,” I thought. After all, you make your own luck, right? You get out of things what you put into them and success can only come from hard work. Well…Brenda, who is one of the hardest workers out there, has finally had her devotion pay off and as a result, her fortune came true only a couple days after she opened it!
Wednesday afternoon Brenda received an email from the SBCA Community congratulating her on winning the 2011 Best of Business Award. This award, according to the SBCA Community (whose mission is to advance small business), is given out to individuals who ”are a valuable asset to their community and exemplify what makes small business great.” Dedicated to helping others understand that running a business is an obtainable goal, SBCA finds that motivated, hard working, daring, and driven individuals like Brenda are true role models for their cause.
So how did Marketing Works receive this award? According to the SBCA Community, over several weeks we were subjectively reviewed based on our:
1. Business biography
2. Website design and functionality
3. Search engine marketing efforts
4. Social media marketing efforts
5. Customer feedback and internet reputation
As always, we apparently came back with stellar reviews!
I speak for all of us here at Marketing Works, when I say (or rather write I suppose), CONGRATULATIONS BRENDA! As Brenda has exemplified, hard work, a positive attitude, and a little faith can go a long way. So, let me ask our blog readers out there, do you think the fortune she had received was just a coincidence? Or do fortunes really come true? Have you ever received a fortune in the past that also came shockingly true?
Learn the Art of Networking and What PRSA Offers to New Pros
Next Thursday (March 29), Marketing Works’ President, Brenda Stier-Anstine, will be presenting at the Columbus PRSA New Pros’ first open workshop at Camelot Cellars in the Short North. She will be sharing advice and tips to help make the most out of networking events. Do you know the proper placement of your nametag, successful conversation starters, how to properly end a conversation or which hand you should hold your drink? Leah Moon, PRSA’s National New Pros Section Chair, will also be present to discuss PRSA’s value for professionals with less than five years of experience.
All young pros are invited to come out, enjoy a glass of wine and learn useful tools for their career. Those interested in attending should RSVP to Jeana Harrington (jeana@gebencommunication.com) or Janelle Huelsman (janelle.huelsman@fahlgren.com) by Tuesday, March 27, 2012.
Who: Central Ohio PRSA New Pros Section
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, March 29, 2012
Where: Camelot Cellars, 958 North High Street. Free parking is available on 2nd Avenue, and metered parking is available on North High Street.
Cost: Free to all Central Ohio PRSA members, PRSSA students and non-members with less than five years of experience.
Utica Shale Congress 2012 in Columbus
Heard the buzz about Utica Shale? As connectors and advocates for economic development, we’re passionate about sharing information and resources that may play a role in moving organizations forward. If you follow the news, the emergence of the Utica Shale boom, is one of the most exciting and potentially profitable opportunities to hit the mid-west since the gold rush.
Columbus is the host for the upcoming Utica Shale Congress. Have no clue what the Utica Shale is? Let us tell you about it.
2011 was an amazing year for Utica Shale, a rock found right here in Ohio which has the potential to become a massive natural gas resource. The precious rock made seven deals in the area worth $6.7 billion, up from only one billion the year before. The Utica Shale Congress 2012 is a chance for individuals to meet and discuss the amazing potential of what may be one of the last untapped Shales in North America.
As valued media partners of Utica Shale, we want to pass our 15% discount on admission to you. To claim the exclusive Marketing Works discount, contact info@american-business-conferences.com or call (1) 800 721 3915 and quote ‘MW12‘ upon registration (terms and conditions apply). As well, if you register before March 9, you save an additional $200.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
What is it?
The Utica Shale Congress is the first operator-oriented initiative dedicated entirely to unlocking Utica’s liquid-rich potential.
When is it? April 30 – May 1, 2012
Where is it? Right here in Columbus at the Sheraton Hotel located downtown at 75 East State Street.
Who will be there? VPs, Directors and technical experts from the leading Utica operators. Among those attending are Burleson LLP, Gold Spur Trucking LLC, Schlumberger, Hull & Associates, and over 25 senior industry speakers.
Why you should go: This is a great opportunity to take advantage of a new industry, meet new prospects, and become educated on emerging trends.
To learn more, visit http://www.utica-shale-congress.com/
Tell us how you will utilize the Utica Shale Congress coming to Columbus in the comments below.
As attendees ourselves, we look forward to seeing you there!
Happiness at the water cooler: How to be, get and stay happy at work.
Looking for a quick hit of optimism to help your career? Pick up a copy of Beth Thomas’ Powered by Happy, a training manual that provides exercises on how to boost your performance, increase success and transform your workday.
Citing research from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania that states U.S. corporations with the happiest employees have a financial performance notably better than lower-ranked companies, Beth frames her book by endorsing the power of a positive attitude and how to use it to make the most of your daily 8-5.
She first challenges the reader to define what happiness is and then use that definition to outline where he or she wants to be in their career by the time retirement comes along.
First, to define happiness, she encourages the reader to follow these three simple guidelines:
- Your happiness definition should focus on things that will make you happy for a long time.
- Your happiness definition can have multiple components.
- Your happiness definition should reflect your dreams but also be achievable.
Now use these exercises to fuel your pre-retirement plan. Beth says that when you’re considering dreams for work, complete this sentence:
“At the end of my career, if I accomplish [fill in goal here], I would be satisfied.”
So do you see that happy place? Now work backwards; consult with life coaches or financial advisors on how you can best obtain that goal and make professional choices that align with that long-term objective.
There are many other great exercises and tips, but I’ll leave you with her recommended – and my preferred – mantra: When all else fails, just laugh. There’s no getting around lemons; sooner or later you’ll be dealt yours. But it’s how you handle the sour situations that make all the difference. Being powered by happiness means you make the choice, every day, to fill your mind with laughter, positive thoughts and gratitude. If you can train your mind to focus on the good, you’ll be set to get and stay happy at work!
Account Management Tips, Tricks and Best Practices
This past Thursday, Sarah and I attended an Account Management workshop downtown in Columbus. Organized by the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4 A’s), the workshop was lead by Sheila Campbell, a true account management veteran.
At the onset of the workshop, I was a bit intimidated. All other attendees seemed to have 5+ years experience and a multitude of high profile clients. But as we delved into the barrage of topics, realization set in that I was the one best positioned to benefit from this seminar. New to the job, at the onset of my career, it quickly became apparent that there was no time like the present to learn tips and tricks of the trade.
And so, I dedicate this post to all the other newly appointed account coordinators around the world. Hopefully these few bits of information gleaned from a seven hour workshop will steer you towards the path of success.
1. Constantly learn in order to constantly teach. – I am a big believer in constantly seeking to learn. And this not only benefits you personally, but your client as well. Don’t be fooled into thinking this solely refers to learning about marketing/advertising/PR. Read and educate yourself on any topic of interest; you’ll be surprised to see that it may be useful one day down the road.
2. Make sure you and others are doing work correctly the first time. – As the saying goes, “Never enough time to do it right, always time to do it over.” Make sure you are dedicating enough time and resources to get your task completed correctly the first time. Also make sure you are budgeting enough time for others to do this as well. Expecting quick turn around from team members at all times can lead to avoidable revisions.
3. Differences are usually discrepancy of style, not substance. – It is indeed a bleak outlook on the world to think that any separate person acts solely to make your life more difficult. In all honesty, this person simply works or communicates in a separate style. So before you become offended by a co-worker (or client!) action, stop and think how you can adapt to the situation. This will result in a more timely solution without the unnecessary bruised egos or hurt feelings.
While I would love to share all of my interesting nuggets from the workshop, I highly recommend you attend one yourself. Find more information on professional development events sponsored by 4 A’s on their website or organize a speech/program personally with our talented workshop leader, Sheila Campbell.
Small Business Forum & Leader Awards – Speaking Event
Marketing Works has an upcoming speaking engagement! Brenda Stier-Anstine, our CEO will be leading a discussion at the Small Business Leader Awards. Join her and be a part of today’s small business leaders.
Decision Making in Business: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
Brenda Stier-Anstine, Marketing Works
During this presentation, you will be a part of a discussion on business decisions. What are the worst/best decisions you’ve ever made in business? What tools or resources have proven helpful in decision-making? How have you overcome negative outcomes from a poor decision? These questions will spark a back-and-forth discussion with panel members who range from start-up business owners to veterans in the world of business. They will provide a unique perspective on the topic and share how decisions and outcome relate and differ from one position and industry to another. Finally, they will provide a unique opportunity for audience members to ask questions of the panel’s experience and receive feedback on their own experiences.
Tuesday, November 15
7:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
See Agenda
Renaissance Columbus Downtown
50 North Third Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
When you’re a business leader, there are always new issues to understand and lessons to be learned. The Columbus Chamber Small Business Forum will propel you ahead of the curve. Forum workshops are designed with small businesses in mind. Attendees will hear from industry experts on business-critical topics including:
- Business Growth
- Funding and Finance
- Human Resources
- Legal and Regulatory
- Marketing and Public Relations
- Organizational Leadership
Marketing Works adds new Account Coordinator/Market Analyst
Welcome to the Newest Member of the Marketing Works Team!
Marketing Works is excited to announce its newest addition, Arielle Babineaux! Arielle officially joined Marketing Works last Monday (9/26) as Account Coordinator/Market Analyst after successfully transitioning her internship into a full time position.
As Account Coordinator/Market Analyst, Arielle will be leading project management, formulating project objectives, assisting with the marketing development process, managing client social media platforms, and developing and tracking market analysis benchmarks and successes among other key duties.
Arielle has participated in communication strategy since 2008. With an eye for grammar and an understanding for Google Analytics, Arielle tells you what’s going to happen. Her experience ranges from social media platforms to success audits and product forecasting to composing articles, white papers and blogs to mediating communications between teams.
Born and raised right here in central Ohio, Arielle earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from DePauw University. She is also a part of the Management Fellows Business Honors Program, Delta Gamma Women’s Fraternity.
Marketing Works hires a New Account Coordinator
Welcome to the Newest Member of the Marketing-Works Team!
Marketing Works is excited to announce its newest addition, Bethany Cramer! Bethany officially joined Marketing-Works this Monday (7/25) as Account Coordinator and she’s surely already feeling right at home in Columbus.
As Account Corrdinator, Bethany will be leading project management, formulating project objectives, assisting with the marketing development process, seeking out new business opportunities, and leading client presentations and concept reviews among other key duties.
Bethany has over two years of experience as an intern with Dixon Schwabl and was then hired as Communications Associate for Flower City Habitat for Humanity, where she spent a year focusing on public relations, event coordination, and social media. She comes to Marketing-Works from Rochester, NY, and has a lot of great project management, social media, and PR experience to bring to Marketing-Works.
Bethany graduated from SUNY Geneseo with a Bachelor of Science Business Administration in 2010.