Category News

Research & Analytics: Converting Data into Brand ROI

Traditionally, market research and data analytics operate as two separate entities and are viewed as distinct functions: the former focused on consumer perception and the latter on insights obtained through internal resources such as sales, profits, and projections. The big question is: how can business communicators combine analytics and market research together to execute successful campaigns for their brands?

Join us Wednesday, October 16 for an in-depth conversation with Heather Ball, Vice President of Marketing for 20|20 Research, as she shares her insights on how to effectively use research and data to make strategic marketing communications decisions for your brand.

Topics in this presentation will include:

  • Audience Identification: Identifying the right audiences to target and anticipating their needs
  • Brand Perception: Where does your company land in its market and industry?
  • Customer Experience: Keeping customer satisfaction and brand reputation strong based on feedback and data.
  • Direct & Social Feedback: Using analytics to understand what’s working and what isn’t for your audience.

About our presenter 

Heather Ball is Vice President of Marketing for 20|20 Research.  In this role, she is responsible for strengthening the company’s brand, as well as the development of the marketing strategy and campaigns. Before joining 20|20, Heather held a variety of marketing and communications positions in the financial services and banking industry, most recently serving as Director of Marketing for Comdata.  She has an MBA from Vanderbilt University. 

Event information

Schedule

11:30am-12pm – Networking
12:00pm-1pm – Presentation and lunch

Location

Waller Law
Nashville City Center
511 Union Street, Suite 2700
Nashville, TN 37219

Parking / transportation  

  • Ride share options: Uber / Lyft 
  • Waller Law Parking Garage on Union Street (limited visitor spots) — validated by Waller Law
  • Open Lot (as part of the Waller Law building) on 6th Avenue
  • Valet at the Hermitage Hotel – $13 up to 2 hours, $18 over 2 hours
  • Parking garages at the Library or McKenzie Methodist Church (one block away) 

Reserve  your spot!

Register today – we look forward to seeing you! 

That’s a wrap on the 2019 Music City Gold Pen Awards!

Thank you for joining us in recognizing business communicators from across Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky for their professional achievements and brand campaigns.

About the event

We presented the 2019 Music City Gold Pen Awards on August 28 in Nashville. Danielle Breezy, Chief Meteorologist from WKRN-TV Nashville News 2, served as emcee and presented 38 awards in categories ranging from internal communications to nonprofit campaigns. Photos from the event are posted on IABC Nashville’s Facebook page.

From our president 

“It is an honor for our chapter to recognize these communications professionals for their outstanding work and campaigns,” said Sarah “Birdie” Loeffler, IABC Nashville president. “From internal communications to public relations agencies, this year’s group of winners displayed the very best in business communications throughout Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky and are paving the way for our region to be recognized as one of the nation’s top locations to be a communications professional.” 

Thank you to our sponsors! 

This year’s event was sponsored by Keycom, a lifestyle marketing communications firm, and Tracy K. Johnson from Camera Sutra Stud.io photography.

Congratulations to our award winners! 

The award winners represented a range of industries, including strategic communications, public relations, non-profit, marketing, media relations, health care, and more. The teams at Keycom and McNeely, Pigott and Fox (MP&F) Strategic Communications both took home numerous awards for their work in change communication, community relations, government communications, communication research, nonprofit campaigns, media relations, corporate social responsibility, and special events. This year’s award winners include:

  • Kerry Burke, Cigna
  • Jacob Burns, MP&F Strategic Communications
  • Nancy Cooper & Dr. Forbes Walker, Aries Clean Energy
  • Kellie Davie, Keycom, Nashville Fashion Week
  • Julie Davis & Sharon Harper, Brookdale Senior Living
  • Laura Haynes, MP&F Strategic Communications, First Bank
  • Drew Ruble & Carol Stuart, Middle Tennessee State University
  • Genma Holmes, GSH Media
  • Jessica Hopson, Lovell Communications
  • Sarah Hunt-Blackwell, MP&F Strategic Communications
  • Paul Ladd, World Christian Broadcasting
  • Birdie Loeffler, NDC, Inc.
  • Sara Salisbury, MP&F Strategic Communications
  • Julia Stump, Volkert
  • Millie Wert, MP&F Strategic Communications

 

Love That Heals + A Brand That Delivers: A Case Study on Thistle Farms

Since its founding in 1997, Thistle Farms has become one of the region’s fastest growing nonprofit social enterprises dedicated to helping women survivors recover and heal from prostitution, trafficking, and addiction. From providing a two-year residential program and medical services to offering on-the-job training and employment opportunities, Thistle Farms has empowered hundreds of women to overcome their past adversities through the most powerful force in the world: love. 

Join us Wednesday, May 15, for an in-depth conversation with Thistle Farms CEO Hal Cato, as he shares his insights on one of Nashville’s unique and beloved nonprofits.

Event information:

Schedule:

11:30am-12pm – Networking
12:00pm-1pm – Panel Discussion and lunch

Location:

The Cafe at Thistle Farms 
5122 Charlotte Avenue
Nashville, TN 37209

About the event: 

This interactive presentation will include an overview of:

  • Thistle Farms’ recent brand refresh
  • Evolution of Thistle Farms’ business model and financial structure 
  • Understanding nonprofit audiences 
  • Brand messaging and authenticity 

About our presenter: 
Hal Cato, CEO, Thistle Farms 

Thistle Farms’ fearless leader since 2015, Hal embraces the ever-changing nature of his day-to-day role as CEO. Whether leading a board meeting, weighing in on product development, getting to know the new women at one of the residences, or driving the mission in any number of ways, Hal keeps his eyes on the end goal: healing and employing survivors. Hal is uniquely qualified to address both the mission and the business of Thistle Farms given this extensive experience in the nonprofit and private sector, which includes founding Hands On Nashville, The Youth Opportunity Center, The Bright Horizons Foundation for Children, Zeumo, as well as serving as CEO for the Oasis Center from 2001-2011. Hal has been recognized as “Nashvillian of the Year” by the Nashville Scene and “Best in Business – Nonprofit Sector” by the Nashville Business Journal. 

Reserve your spot! 

Register today – we look forward to seeing you! 

  

From keywords to intent: Energize your content strategy for 2019

Mark your calendar for our next professional development luncheon Wednesday, February 20, and join us for an in-depth panel discussion that will energize your 2019 content strategy. This is an event you do not want to miss! 

Whether you’re building your first strategy or you’ve been using the same approach for a while, it never hurts to revisit your content strategy plan — to make sure it’s innovative, strong, and intentional.

Come hear from Nashville’s top content strategists as they share with you their insights on how to maximize your brand’s content strategy in the new year! They’ll deliver their recent findings on the latest trends, winning tools, and their own stories of how to build a successful strategy that’s unique to your brand.

Reserve your spot today for this “must see” event! 

Event schedule:

11:30am-12pm – Networking
12:00pm-1pm – Panel Discussion and lunch

Meet our expert panelists and moderator:

Laura Creekmore
Director of Taxonomy and Content Strategy at Syndigo

Laura Creekmore has been making tech and content hold hands and play nice for more than 20 years. She is director of taxonomy and content strategy for Syndigo, a platform for suppliers and retailers to organize and share product content. For 10 years, she ran Creek Content, a consultancy focused on communications and content strategy for organizations in complex fields like health care and financial services, and before that led digital media at content marketing firm Hammock Inc. and co-created Smallbusiness.com. She has taught content strategy as an adjunct faculty member at Kent State University.

Laura graduated from Vanderbilt University and has a master’s in information science from the University of Tennessee. She is a member of the Rotary Club of Nashville, and a member of the board of directors for the Association of Junior Leagues International, the Oasis Center, and the Tennessee Justice Center. She is past chair of the board of Nashville Cable, and a past president of the Junior League of Nashville. She speaks and presents workshops on content strategy, content marketing, breaking through a cluttered media landscape, connecting with your audience, public speaking, and nonprofit governance issues.

Cynthia Floyd Manley
Director, Content Marketing and Social Engagement at Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Cynthia Floyd Manley directs content marketing and social media strategy at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, one of the largest academic medical centers in the Southeast. She leads an award-winning social media program for the Vanderbilt Health and Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital brands, along with My Southern Health, a consumer health content site.

Manley began her career as a newspaper reporter and editor and is still considers herself a “journalist at heart.” She has served in a variety of roles at VUMC, including public information officer, publications editor, and marketing manager, as well as communications officer for Vanderbilt’s National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center.

She serves as an external advisor to the Mayo Clinic Social Media Network, is a member of SocialMedia.org and SocialMedia.org/Health and is active in the Association of American Medical College’s Group on Institutional Advancement.

Jesse Spear
Media & Content Marketing Strategist at redpepper

Jesse Spear is the Media & Content Marketing Strategist at redpepper — a creative agency in Germantown known for its work with Cracker Barrel, Slack, and Mars.

After growing up on Long Island, NY, she made her way south, earning her B.A. in both Media Studies and Spanish from the University of Virginia, then receiving her Master’s in Marketing from Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management. During her year at Vanderbilt, she realized her affinity for Nashville, agency life, and BBQ nachos.

At redpepper, she’s responsible for the agency’s internal content strategy. Jesse has made subject-matter expertise a strong pillar of redpepper’s content portfolio. Her efforts have led to a 219% increase in blog traffic, the implementation of a unique content calendar structure, and fine-tuned targeting tactics. As a newcomer to Nashville’s agency scene, she offers a fresh perspective on the importance of a creative, cross-platform content strategy.

Moderator Sarah “Birdie” Loeffler
Content Strategist at NDC, Inc.
IABC Nashville President

Sarah “Birdie” Loeffler is the Content Strategist at NDC, Inc. and has been a dedicated member of IABC since 2014. In 2018, she received the President’s Award for exceptional contributions by a chapter member to the health and growth of the chapter.

Birdie has a technical writing background and specializes in translating technical information into easily accessible and creative language for marketing purposes. At NDC, she oversees the marketing content strategy to provide a personalized experience between the NDC brand and their customers.

Reserve your spot today for this “must see” event! 

 

IABC Nashville Announces 2019 Board Of Directors

Special thanks to PR Newswire for news release distribution.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — The International Association of Business Communicators’ Nashville chapter (IABC Nashville) announced today its 2019 board of directors.

“We are honored to have such a talented and diverse group of business communicators serving on our board this year,” said Sarah “Birdie” Loeffler, IABC Nashville president. “As Nashville’s only global-affiliated professional organization for communications practitioners, it takes a substantial amount of time and effort to produce relevant and beneficial programming for our members. I am confident that this group will accomplish this tremendously.”

The new board consists of experienced communications professionals in the region from various industries and specialties, including public relations, marketing, internal communications, graphic design, corporate communications, instructional design, and more.

2019 IABC Nashville Board of Directors

  • President: Sarah “Birdie” Loeffler, NDC, Inc.
  • President-Elect and Vice President of Social Media: Mollye Dietrich, HCA Healthcare
  • Past President: Gene Boulware, The Vincit Group
  • Secretary: DeAndra Mack, CoreCivic
  • Vice President of Finance: Lysa Rigo, Communications Consultant
  • Vice President of Membership: Kristin Appelman, Concept Technology, Inc.
  • Vice President of Professional Development: Kellie Keyes Davie, Keycom PR
  • Vice President of Communications: Kerry Burke, Cigna
  • Vice President of Awards: Mich Michaud, Metro Nashville Public Schools
  • Vice President at Large: Genma Holmes, Holmes Pest Control, GSH Consulting, LLC
  • Vice President at Large: Ryan Stout, Astute Communications
  • Vice President at Large: Lynn Yates, Freelance Writer/Media Consultant

The goal of the 2019 board of directors will be to help its members and other communications professionals in the region to enhance their career goals through professional development workshops, networking events, accreditation, and work recognition through its annual Music City Gold Pen Awards.

To learn more about IABC Nashville and its upcoming programs, visit us at Nashville.IABC.com or on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

About IABC Nashville 
IABC Nashville is the local chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators, serving middle Tennessee and southern Kentucky. The Nashville chapter is one of more than 100 chapters in 70 countries, with a mission to provide professional development and networking opportunities to members, as well as the larger communications community. In 2017, they received the Small Chapter of the Year Award for outstanding efforts to bring professional communicators together in significant and inspiring ways.

The chapter is diverse, with members representing agencies, government, corporations, universities, and nonprofit organizations. IABC Nashville also offers ties to job bank services and the annual Music City Gold Pen Awards program. IABC is the only place to connect with communicators globally.

SOURCE IABC Nashville

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