Upcoming Events

Upcoming Events in 2018

All of our monthly events are held from 7:30 – 9 a.m. on the third Thursday at Brio Tuscan Grille, 502 Nichols Rd, Kansas City, MO 64112 on the Country Club Plaza.

JUNE 26, 5:30 – 8 p.m.

Masters Review Volkswagen PR Crisis

How well did Volkswagen handle its PR crisis?

According to the New York Times, it was “Forward, Reverse, U-Turn.” Now you have the opportunity to hear an analysis from our own local expert, Matt Tidwell, PhD. Matt did his dissertation on this topic and will share the highlights to help us all learn from the company’s successes and failures. Join us at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 26, at Brio on the Plaza for drinks, dinner and a roundtable discussion where we ALL get to weigh in.

5:30 p.m. Drinks

6 p.m. Dinner

No registration fee. Buy your own drinks and dinner. Register to reserve your seat or contact Julie B. Smith to reserve your seat. Questions? 816.520.0565.

BRIO Tuscan Grille, 502 Nichols Rd., KCMO
June 26, 5:30-8 p.m.

Register Now!

July 19, 7:30 a.m.

You Finished a Campaign. Time to Uncork the Champagne?

Hop off the deadline treadmill and begin your next project in the Zen zone of measurable marketing.

Whew! Your campaign is finished and it feels good. But what did it actually accomplish? It’s easy to get caught up in deadline-driven messaging and move on to the next project. But before you do, let Tara Saylor, a program manager for internal and executive communication at Cerner, help you make your next campaign better. Tara will explain how you can practically:

Determine how to measure success at the outset
Make the most of the pre-campaign stage
Work effectively with stakeholders
Crush it!
Measure and report
Celebrate

August 16, 7:30 a.m.

Hit the Marketing Bull’s Eye With a Buyer Persona

Tired of throwing blindfolded?

Many marketing approaches have the accuracy of a shot in the dark. Surely we’ll hit something if we keep trying, right? But what if we actually crafted messages our audience wanted to hear? It doesn’t have to be a guessing game. Tricia McKim, a veteran marketer and now the owner of Tricia McKim LLC, will share how to use and create a buyer persona so that your efforts pay off. A buyer persona is different than a buyer profile, which can be gleaned from public sources and your database. For that reason, a persona is much more valuable to your brand.

This presentation will:

Help you understand a persona and how it is created using your most important source: the customer (or near-miss customers)
Help you make the most of an existing persona, targeting your communications to match the needs of your audience
Explain how you can work with a pro to create a persona
Share the DIY option for creating a persona on your own

September 20, 7:30 a.m.

Where’s the Panic Button?

Learn how to craft an effective response before the crisis.

In today’s fast-paced, 24×7 world, crises are bound to happen. Disgruntled employees with guns, unexpected accidents on a job site, data breaches and “group think” social media outrage offer just a few examples of possible crisis situations. It’s not about if you’ll experience a crisis, but when one will happen. Gain a deeper understanding of the potential crises you could face and practical steps you can take now to manage your reputation.

Presented by Sheri Johnson, president, Morningstar Communications

Oct. 18, 7:30 A.M.

Net Totality: Turn Your Website Into a Marketing and Branding Powerhouse

Learn to make the most of your existing site and how to re-launch and blow up your brand.

Social media is all the rage, but you’re only a renter on the social space. When it comes to your website: You own it. There’s no more important component to your brand, no matter your type of business or organization. Whether you’re re-launching a website or making the most of what you’ve got, you’ll learn actionable steps from our panel of experts to move you forward.

Presented by:

Mohammed Azeem, digital marketing strategist, ConstellationCK
Gabe Braddy, development lead, Hallmark.com
Steve Green, president and CEO, Blue Rivet

Know a great speaker?

We’re always looking for new speakers for luncheons, conferences and special events. If you know someone who would be of interest to KC IABC’s members and guests, let us know.