MediaPace : Setting the pace for business-to-business dialogue

Don’t Miss the ABM/FIPP B-to-B World Conference!

                     

For the first time ever, the world of B-to-B hits the Big Apple! Exchange ideas with your industry peers from around the globe and significantly increase your revenue and profits when the ABM/FIPP B-to-B World Conference comes to New York City this September 7-9. Join American Business Media, the International Federation of the Periodical Press (FIPP) and a melting pot of worldwide industry leaders to learn and discuss the hottest topics in b-to-b.   

Interactive sessions will address traditional magazine publishing, licensing and partnering, digital media, workforce transformation, integrated selling success, the face-to-face experience, custom publishing and much more.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to build your brand on a global scale, boost your events revenue and conduct business with industry professionals from around the globe – all without the travel expense!

Because New York City is so busy in September, ABM has shopped around to find you the best hotel rate in town! Discounted rates end Tuesday, August 26, so click here to reserve your room at The Roosevelt Hotel today.

For more information about the program or to register, click here. Need visa information? Click here.

New Media's New Journalist

It’s no secret that traditional media are weathering a hurricane of change. And recent headlines about magazine shutdowns, staff downsizes and advertising declines have left aspiring journalists less than eager to embark on their media careers. However, “necessity is the mother of invention” as they say, and the need to grasp the new media sea change has certainly inspired a phenomenon in the way journalists learn, train, think, act and produce. I know because I’m one of them.

I used to feel confident that my undergraduate English, journalism and communications courses would prepare me well for an editorial career. But it wasn’t until I gained real-world experience through internships at several media companies that I realized classroom knowledge just wasn’t gonna cut it. A wide variety of technical skills, including Web and video production, digital photography and graphic design, are now necessary to remain capable in the age of digital media.

In fact, according to The Village Voice, NBC recently approached the New York Film Academy to organize a program tackling the latest adjustments in newsrooms and graduate schools across New York City. Whether in film or journalism, students need to know how to capture clear images, how to record quality sound, how to use lighting and so on, says David Klein, the NYFA’s senior director. They also need to know the news and how to find it. That's where NBC comes in. Their journalists give talks and work with students on how to research, report and write stories.

The Summit Daily News says that advancements in digital technology allow just about anyone to play reporter – as long as they have the right tools and know how to use them. “Citizen journalism” is quickly redefining how information is conveyed to the masses, thanks to improvements in mobile technology for one. “Camera phones have already proven their worth within the news business,” the article says, and media conglomerates like CNN have since introduced opportunities online for user-submitted material. Establishing truth and accuracy is becoming more difficult as this trend surges, but that’s another story.

While it’s interesting to think that the next breaking news story may come from a recent passerby with an iPhone, one thing’s certain: If you haven’t already, start honing your technical skills before the digital transformation cuts your career short.

Posted by Kate Patton
k.patton@abmmail.com

Word of Mouth: The Underlying/Overlying Sell? A Customer's Personal Story ...

Recently I noticed a coworker receiving a package with the name Zappos.com written alongside the box. She immediately exclaimed, “Yes! They’re here,” and revealed a gorgeous pair of shoes from the cardboard box. We all “oohed” and “ahhed,” and several jumped online. For me, however, I saw several more Zappos boxes over time and heard several more choruses of “oohs” and “ahhs” and still hadn’t stolen a glimpse at the site. It wasn’t until I was “officially introduced” that I truly took notice.

In conversation with a coworker, she excitedly said to me: “You’ve got to check out this site!” What is it? “Tons of hot shoes and “free shipping.” I immediately, with her over my shoulder, jumped on the site. My colleague went on to explain that she gets her orders practically overnight and that the site doesn’t really advertise itself.

By now, a small crowd is at my desk, bright-eyed and anxiously scouring the endless pages of shoes. You can search by heel height, color, size, and they even feature a 360 degree, freely-navigable view of the shoe! I was so excited about this site, guess what I did? I told whoever would listen.

And there it is … the honest truth about our relationships with products. I have found time and time again, word of mouth about a great product or service is the best marketing tool out there. It wasn’t until after I was introduced to the site by another customer that I actually gave it notice.

Ironically, through the magic of marketing, I saw an ad for Zappos the very next day on the train. Was the ad in that same location before? Perhaps, but it didn’t really become visible to me until after I had been formally introduced. Seeing the logo upon deliveries and eventually in an ad solidified the product by branding. And isn’t that how successful brands (should) work; by solidifying the deal through connectivity and relativity?

However, what we often find are companies/marketers focusing on their brand, rather than their product or service, simply trying to sell their “wrapping” so to speak. Any marketer who’s ever been a customer, however, should know better.

By the way, those Zappos boxes come more often now, and so do the “oohs” and “ahhs.” Can anyone recommend a great place for lunch?

Posted by Samantha Sims
s.sims@abmmail.com