Are You Prepared?

Face it, you’re treading on thin ice. Take a real hard look within your organization and ask yourself: Am I really prepared for the challenges I’ll be facing in the next year? If you’re honest, the answer may give you pause — and well it should.

In the (almost) 15 years we’ve been publishing PROMO, we haven’t seen as much change in the marketing business as we have in the last two years. And guess what? You ain’t seen nothing yet. I won’t use this precious space to recap all of the developments that have shaped this industry over the recent past (if you’re a PROMO reader, you know it all anyway). But two major observations warrant a mention: One is the rush of non-traditional package goods companies into the world of promotion marketing; the other — and this is the scary one — is the influx of people from marketing, sales, operations, and finance with limited experience in the details, complexity, and nuances of this very specialized field.

Promotion is not for amateurs. An integrated promotion program is like a multi-engine airplane, with many moving parts that have to work together flawlessly. The margin for error is razor thin.

Over the years, PROMO’s editors have been invited into Fortune 500 companies to offer perspective on industry trends, best practices, and other issues gained from our 15 years in this business. Now, we’re pleased to announce that PROMO has joined with EXCELeration Training & Consulting to formalize an ongoing series of in-depth training programs designed to bring knowledge and training to corporations, agencies, and supplier companies across the country and around the world.

We’ll be offering both “public” regional seminars around the country as well as customized internal programs ranging from half-day to multi-day events that address specific company challenges. Our offerings will include “PROMO U: Fundamentals of Promotion,” which we’ve been offering with EXCELeration at PROMO Expo for the past two years; “Striving for Best-in Class Promotions,” a hands-on interactive brand-building course; “Promotion Planning for Professionals,” a two-day course that intertwines promotion theory with practical application; as well as other offerings to be developed throughout the year.

EXCELeration’s client list is a Who’s Who of brand marketing companies and promotion agencies, ranging from Clairol to IBM to Kraft Foods to Aspen Marketing to News America Marketing, and dozens in between. Our joint programs will combine proven training methodologies with PROMO’s access to case studies, research, and industry perspective to provide participants with a unique series of high-quality training programs.

We’re kicking off this series at PROMO Expo, which takes place this month (Oct. 22-24) at Chicago’s Navy Pier, where thousands of marketers, agencies, and suppliers will converge for three days of education, networking, and fun. In today’s challenging business environment, savvy promotion is more vital to your relationship-driving marketing strategy than ever. PROMO Expo is designed exclusively to deliver the information, ideas, and strategies you need. Here are a few of this year’s highlights:

• Hear the inside secrets behind the success of Disney and McDonald’s exclusive strategic marketing alliance. Keynoters RJ Milano, vp of USA marketing at McDonald’s Corp. and Grant Palin, vp of corporate alliances at the Walt Disney Co., share what they’ve learned through their collaboration and how they’ll apply it strategically going forward.
• See the results of new break-through research in a landmark study that analyzes the effect of promotion on overall corporate performance. Learn how successful brand marketing strategies can impact the bottom line for a company and its retail partners.
• Attend pre-conference workshops, case studies, clinics, and chat rooms — choose from a 38-session conference program, all completely new, presented by the industry’s sharpest minds, with content designed exclusively to address your critical needs and challenges. New this year: The 150-Idea Breakfast Roundtables, your opportunity to share info and ideas on trends and strategies from 15 topics in a small group setting.
• Join hundreds of your colleagues at The PRO Awards 2001 Dinner & Presentation Ceremony, where PROMO Magazine honors the winners of the best promotion campaigns in the U.S. from the past year. See the creativity and ingenuity behind the winning campaigns. Leave with new ideas and renewed inspiration.
• Tap the expertise of 300 of the industry’s leading vendors in the PROMO Expo Exhibit Hall — find what you need to create memorable and effective campaigns, all under one roof.

For information on attending PROMO Expo and the PRO Awards, call 800-927-5007 or visit promoexpo.com. For more information on the PROMO/EXCELeration training programs, visit promomagazine.com or call EXCELeration at 800-497-0036.

Whatever you do, make sure you’re prepared for what’s ahead. I hope to see you later this month in Chicago.

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