Good read: Omni-Channel Marketing Strategies Article

The American Marketing Association and Platt Retail Institute recently published a research article, Corporate Attitudes and Adoption Trends of Multi-Channel and Omni-Channel Marketing, to assess how organizations are addressing consumers’ changing buying processes. The article includes data on firms that are adopting omni-channel marketing (OCM) strategies, which is clearly something marketers and marketing communicators will need to address.

The report includes data on channels used, growth rates for channels, budgetting, channel ROI, and much more. Not surprisingly, social media has the highest growth rate. To better understand social media strategies and tactics, register for our May 23 day-long B.L.O.G. Seminar -- only $30 until May 16. 

The article is a must-read for IABC members and friends. Well done, AMA and Platt.

Getting this Profession to Greatness - IABC Cleveland's Role

A brief interview with Maya Angelou was recently published in Harvard Business Review’s (HBR) Experience feature. For me, it was a real treat because of Ms. Angelou’s deep care with words and how her undeniable spirit comes through.

I met Ms. Angelou when I was a high-school student. She spoke at a New York State Commission meeting that my English class attended when we were reading her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Her talk was powerful, but it was her presence that was – and I’m sure still is at 85 years-old – amazing. As we waited outside for our bus to take us back to school, she was waiting for her transportation near the building entrance. She saw us – a group of about 15 girls – and approached. I’ll never forget how she took the time to walk across a parking lot in late winter to shake our hands and bid us “farewell” as our bus pulled up.

The HBR article ends with the question, “As someone who’s known Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Bill Clinton and Barak Obama, what do you think makes a leader great?” Her answer was: A leader sees greatness in other people. You can’t be much of a leader if all you see is yourself.

That statement struck me because it seems like an original and truthful observation about leadership. It also made me think about our discipline of communications. To me, there is clearly greatness in our profession, but it seems to struggle to get there.

I think maybe the way to get there is to stop trying to “position” our profession and ourselves. We need to get to the truth of the value we bring and then work on ourselves. To stop criticizing so much of what we see because it’s done to us daily. To engage in discussion on any topic, even if just to ask questions. To ensure we are learning every day – about writing, business, technology, science, art, and everything else that informs us.

I firmly believe that through IABC Cleveland, we add to our communications community by creating an environment for learning and meeting others who are in our profession. IABC embraces the diversity of our profession. We have always realized that communicators need to know about all aspects of our profession because we seldom remain in the same focus throughout our careers.

For these reasons and others, think about coming to our May seminar on blogging.

And if you’ve never read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, you should. Angelou’s story is powerful and written with such care and passion for words. I know you’ll enjoy it.

– Betsy DuWaldt, IABC Cleveland chapter president