Rebecca Adler, President PS AMA

[By Rebecca Adler, President - Puget Sound Chapter American Marketing Association]

We had a great turnout at MarketMix 2011 and I was excited to see so many new faces. By far my favorite part of PSAMA is getting to interact with our Marketing Community. Seeing so many diverse companies and industries sharing marketing best practices is what we’re all about.

Speaking of best practices, here are my quick takeaways from the three Keynote Sessions from PEMCO, Seattle sports teams and Virgin America.

Read the full article here.

This is the third article in a multi-part interview with Rod Brooks, VP and CMO of PEMCO Insurance. You can access [part 1 here] and [part 2 here].

3. Social Media

As we are talking about how Rod through the Word-of-Mouth Marketing Association started exploring the social tools like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, he addresses the value it gave him that made him so active with online activities.

Rod Brooks

“What I got from it personally and professionally came first, what I got organizationally came later. It was the ability to identify and find all those connections that after 30-35 years in this business, I had built and lost track of. I’ve probably had 50 lunches and coffees with people that I either used to work with or went to high school with, and so it has become very real.”

Rod also talks about the need of finding out what is good use of the social tools versus not very valuable connections.

“Today we have the tools that allow for much more efficient networking, but it’s not going to replace being there in person. It’s nothing to have 500 connections on LinkedIn if you never shook their hand at a conference. I get a number of people who say, ‘I think you’re in the same group that I think I might want to be in, shouldn’t we be LinkedIn?’ ”

About Information Overload and the Conversation

Given that Rod and I made our first connection on Twitter, I knew he was very active online and we got to the topic of information overload; I took the opportunity to ask how a senior business leader gets the time to participate online.

“Well, it is a little bit like trying to drink from a fire hose. I don’t try to filter everything or to read everything. Someone told me – I was in disbelief and thought it was an exaggeration – but the person said: ‘once you have been using this tool, you will find that what you want to know finds you; that what you’re searching for, and other relevant topics, will find its way to you.’ ”

“I found that to be true in my personal and professional life, where the news that I’m most interested in somehow either hits me in a newsfeed on Facebook, shows up on LinkedIn, or someone contacts me about something I might be interested in. So I don’t really manage the torrent of information, I make myself available to it and I try to catch what I can. “

Then Rod turns the problem upside down by shifting the focus away from the tools and the information flow to the opportunity to have a conversation.

“Social media is a noun. Think of that! It’s a place, it’s a thing, and it’s mostly a thing. And it means it’s a tool, like a hammer is a noun; like a screwdriver is a noun. ‘Social engagement’ is a verb. People need to focus on social engagement and decide which medium to use as a tool.”

However there is one tool Rod is using to catch the conversation when it matters and while it happens. He uses an alert tool that notifies him anytime anyone says something involving PEMCO. Even though he has a whole team that monitors what is said online he still keeps a tool running that allows him to personally engage in the conversation.

“Many people say, ‘Wow, I didn’t even know anybody other than my mom was reading this blog! I certainly didn’t expect an executive of the company I wrote about to say Thank You!’ So that’s a part of it, and the first thing I say every time I respond is: ‘Thank you for the mention of our company’ and if there is criticism, I say to them, ‘That doesn’t really sound like us, I’d like to know more.’”

Being in Transition

As we talk about networking I ask what advice Rod may have for people in transition between jobs.

“First of all, did they build a decent network before they were on their own? If you’re only focused and thinking about where you’re at right now, it’s great for your employer in the moment and it’s good for you in the moment. But it’s even better for your employer if you are continually learning and pushing yourself to a new level, and it makes you more valuable if in fact something does happen within your current employment.“

“If you’ve built a good network, then embrace the idea of continuous learning and sharing – you can flip the situation and you can say ’I’d like to reach out to my network and I’d like to learn from you. I’d like to understand what you might know.’ “

“But if you find yourself in the situation of having the need with no network to draw from, then what you can do is conduct part of your search in places of learning and networking.”

Rod uses a conference he recently spoke at as an example; during a quick poll he learned that four individuals were in transition. Rod’s point is that they were actively seeking new knowledge and networking at the same time. While that is key, he reminds me that you start any engagement with asking how you can help!

As our meeting is coming to an end, I ponder what Rod has shared with me. There are three things I will make sure to remember, that I will add to my own portfolio of career tools:

1. Build my network to grow and sustain my career and business aspirations. And always start a new conversation with asking how I can help!
2. Nurture my network and have it be ready when I need to call on it. Rod’s strategy of sending Thank You postcards is something I will adopt.
3. The Conversation goes before the Tool, meaning: don’t get too focus on Twitter or any other tool but focus on having a meaningful interaction with your customers.

That concludes the third and last article in the interview series with Rod Brooks. Feel free to add your comments and questions in the Comments area below.

This interview was conducted by Håkan Söderbom, social media advisor at Konsult Partners.

This is the second article in a multi-part interview with Rod Brooks, VP and CMO of PEMCO Insurance. You can access [part 1 here].

2. Nurturing your Network

Looking back at Rod’s career I wondered if there was any one key career enabler that he could identify. He nodded, and in his characteristic style he started telling a story from his early career as a marketing professional.

Rod Brooks

“You know, I think it has a lot to do with just doing what you believe to be the right thing, and doing it as well as you can. Schuck’s Auto Supply was a 70 store chain back then. Al’s Auto Supply was 7. Schuck’s had a much stronger position to market from, but the people at Al’s were like the little engine that could and wanted to compete in that arena. I think what Ron Weinstein at Schuck’s saw in the team at Al’s, and me, was someone who was making a bit of a difference. “

Rod goes on to explain that it wasn’t Ron himself that “discovered” Rod, but that Ron learned about this young eager guy at Al’s from manufacturer representatives acting as suppliers to both companies. The early shape of a professional reputation and network is starting to form.

The Power of the Handwritten Card

With that insight, I ask if he uses any of those experiences to guide his children who are at the beginning of their own careers. I am guessing his answer is going to be “build your network” however his sage advice surprises me.

“It’s just not that day and age when people send Thank You notes”

And Rod goes on to tell me about the power of the handwritten card. It dawns on me that while Rod lives an active online social media life, he carries with him some really strong relationship skills that we don’t often see these days, and he explains:

A handwritten and personal card leaves a lasting impression

“Send one card to the person you talked with and one to the person who helped you get access”.

While I ponder the impact of what he just told me, he turns around and brings out two boxes. One larger mahogany box and one smaller cardboard box. First he opens the wooden box to show me a collection of cards he has received, and he explains how he values each connection and the impression it has made on him. Then he opens the second box and shows me a pack of custom made cards, with a fun and personal caricature drawing of Rod himself. Rod tells me how he uses them.

“At least once a week, I send a card – I think about my week, and I ask my assistant to think about my week, and I ask, ‘Who did something special? Who can use a pat on the back or some simple recognition?”

Rod collects the cards and puts them away in their two boxes. Then he turns to another topic, something that gets me thinking about how perfectly attuned he is to take advantage of social media.

Ask how you can help!

“One of the nuggets of advice that I’ve been giving my kids and the students I mentor as they go out into the career world, is that when you walk into the room for a first meeting, what we often call an informational interview, even though you really want a job, you come in and ask a question before you start fishing. You say ‘Thank you for your time. I know I’ll benefit from talking to you today. I hope there is some way I can help you be successful as a result of our conversation too?’ And it surprises the person on the other side of the desk. “

Rod takes the scenario one step further by comparing that simple question against the one that may be top of mind with most of us “If you hired me, how much money would I make?” He leaves no doubt in my mind that asking someone how they can be helped makes a lasting impression.

“So those are the kinds of things that I advise both my children and young people early in their careers”.

Then he says the magic words.

”I think the most important of those things is relationship. I think the most important thing is relationship.”

Growing the Network

My next question is what Rod himself does to keep building his relationships. He starts chuckling and explains that he loves networking and that he is very effective at it; however he loves it so much he is not very efficient in how he conducts it. Again he surprises me by putting an interesting spin on networking. He sees it as a way to ongoing learning and staying up to date on the industry he is in.

“I try to build a network by saying, ‘Let me learn a little bit more about the industry I’m in.’ When I was in auto parts, I wasn’t a mechanic. When I was in grocery, I wasn’t a cook. When I was in software, I wasn’t a programmer. Now I’m in insurance and I couldn’t adjust a claim if you asked me to.”

“As a marketer, it’s important for me to find the association of the industry that I’m in, build a network there and keep learning. I always try to stay current and connected with people who are at a level slightly above where I want to be. And I genuinely care about the conversations I have with people. Listening is one of the keys. Everyone likes being listened to.”

Rod admits that at his current position and seniority it can be more rewarding to work with peer groups when they are doing clever things.

The Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal and Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Word-of-mounth vision. Click the image to read the full document.

Early on with PEMCO, Rod established a BHAG – The big, hairy and audacious goal to “Never have to advertise for a lead again” with an emphasis on “have to”. Rod basically realized that a good insurance business isn’t about running the latest marketing campaign; it is about building a referral-based business. With that insight firmly established he got an epiphany when he went to a CMO conference where he was introduced to Andy Sernovitz of the Word-of-Mouth Marketing Association.

As Andy was presenting Rod recognized how valuable the association’s work was and when he was invited to join WOMMA and subsequently become a board member and its President, he accepted. That was also when he started embracing the social tools.

“I went and met with [Andy] afterward, and he talked about getting involved with WOMMA, and to start learning and experimenting with some of these tools. So I did, and I adopted Facebook – later Twitter – somewhere along the way, LinkedIn. ”

[End of part 2]

In the third and last article, Rod shares more about how Social Media has become a part of his life. Read it here.

Rod Brooks

In preparation for MarketMix I have set out to explore what professional marketers are up to these days, and to get to know some of Seattle’s industry leaders. In this first interview, I met with Rod Brooks, VP and CMO at PEMCO Insurance.

Since Rod is one of the keynote speakers at MarketMix, he was an easy choice, but I did wonder, “How does one go about asking a senior executive at a large corporation for an interview?”

Well, you ask on Twitter of course! Surprised? You shouldn’t be with Rod – I got a reply within the hour! And it set the tone for a very interesting conversation.

In fact the conversation got so interesting I have split the interview up into several parts to make it more digestible. This first article focuses on Rod’s background and shares an outline of his career.

Information: Rod Brooks, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at PEMCO Mutual Insurance Company

• Graduated from Washington State University 1975
• Family: wife and seven children (4+3)
• Blog: http://www.rodbrooks.com
• Twitter: @NW_Mktg_Guy
• Board President: Word-of-Mouth Marketing Association
• Past President, MCEI, Seattle
• Board member and Award of Excellence recipient: Washington DECA

1. Building your Network and Your Career

I arrive at the PEMCO offices in downtown Seattle on a February morning. It is mid-week and since traffic is unpredictable, I arrive early, too early, which means I get to enjoy a hot drink at Cafe Vivace on Yale Ave, a local coffee shop supplying thick frothy lattes. As I later learn from Rod’s executive assistant Jill Mansfield, it also doubles as an unofficial PEMCO meeting room. Convenient!

Meeting Rod is like slugging a double espresso – as Jill shows me into his office, I am met by a whirlwind of energy and a big smile. Rod makes me feel instantly welcome and as we chat about the weather (his office overlooks the Cascade neighborhood and the emerging vibrancy of South Lake Union with a gorgeous view of the Olympic Mountains on an uncannily sunny February day) we start out on common ground. Since it is my prerogative, as the interviewer, I soon ask Rod to share a bit about his early career.

Rod Brooks (right) with Cougar mascot friend Butch (left)

Rod has traveled a long way through his marketing career. After graduating with a communications degree from Washington State University in ’75, he first moved from one junior job to another. The early network he built through those positions allowed him to be among the first to hear that Al’s Auto Supply in Everett was about to hire a new advertising manager. With that early insight he landed the job that would be the first important step in a remarkable career.

Once firmly established as a professional marketer for a small company, his inventiveness and hard work became noticed outside the company. As Rod expresses it:

“Just when you believe you’re the most happy doing what you’re doing – someone calls and makes you an offer that screws it all up.”

Rod earned the interest from Ron Weinstein, then the Executive Vice President at Schuck’s Auto Supply, which resulted in an offer and a relationship that lasts to this day. The early trust that was built between Ron and Rod evolved into a mentorship that has guided Rod through many of his career changes. In fact, Ron was instrumental in Rod’s next assignments as Vice President of Marketing at QFC, at Egghead Software and later at Coinstar. It is clear that Rod was able to enlist a sponsor to help his career. In Rod’s own words:

“The important story is: don’t burn your bridges, and make sure you hitch yourself to a wagon that is going in the right direction”

The impact Ron has had on the way Rod approaches the world, and business, is illustrated in one of Rod’s blog posts: The Edge which explains why he chose to name his blog “Seeing the Edge”.

Rod has many fun and insightful stories to share about his career. After Coinstar, he realized he didn’t know how to interview for a job, having been head hunted through most of his career – including being called three times by Ron about new career adventures. His friends gave him some good advice “You need to practice interviewing, use any opportunity you can!” The first opportunity to practice turned out to be with PEMCO, which had an open position for the Director of Marketing. Rod thought it would be a good interview practice opportunity, since he had already decided that he didn’t want to a) wear a tie to work, b) drive across the bridge and c) work in the financial services or insurance business. However, as so many times in Rod’s past, his career took on a life of its own.

In an industry that is known for a conservative and traditional approach, it turned out that Rod hit the company at exactly the right time when CEO Stan W. McNaughton was looking for a leader with great customer connections that could help take the company into the new millennium. Rod got hired, but it wasn’t an easy hiring process. As Rod describes it:

“[They] gave me a lot of opportunity [to practice], because I went through interview after interview after interview after interview”.

If somewhat unexpected, making a cross industry move and landing with PEMCO turned into a fantastic experience for Rod.

“It has been the most rewarding transformation and campaign that I’ve ever been involved in. The alignment of what PEMCO was trying to accomplish, the skill sets that I had, and the opportunity to make a difference, all kind of came together at the right time in my life and my career.”

I can tell that Rod really enjoys his marketing role in the insurance business. He describes how it is both challenging and rewarding. Rod calls it the Rubik’s Cube of marketing:

“The more hands that touch it, the more the colors change. The real job is getting as many of the correct colors aligned as possible. Insurance is one of the only products people purchase but hope they never use. Think about it: Insurance is a product most people don’t understand, don’t want to buy and when they own it they don’t want to use it. People frequently feel that they can only win by losing!”

[End of part 1]

That wraps up the first article. In the second article, you’ll hear about the career skills Rod considers most valuable.

Continue to part 2 of the interview here.

This post has been updated multiple times to accommodate new information.

There are many networking opportunities at MarketMix! This year we are extra excited since we have a new valuable feature: Structured Networking. Structured networking helps you plan your meetings ahead of time, for maximum effectiveness!

What are the benefits of structured networking?

• You know beforehand that you will have valuable meetings at the conference
• You hand-pick among the individuals you most want to network with
• Your meetings are to-the-point and effective
• You leave the conference with new business relationships

What are the next steps?

I suggest you start with this 4 minute video that shows how to create your networking profile and how to set up your first meeting.

Chance2Meet tutorial with Hakan Soderbom on Vimeo.

How do I express myself in the networking profile?

1. First of all, think about how you can help others. By focusing on what you can do for others, you will have more interesting meetings. Articulate your expertise, skills, experience and what you can contribute.
2. Think about what you want to accomplish with the networking. Do you want to find someone who can help you with a particular topic, do you want to find a peer to bounce ideas with, or are you open for just general networking and interesting people?

Profile suggestions:

I can offer:

Think about the areas where you have most experience and where your insight may benefit the person you are networking with. For instance:

• Corporate and small business branding
• Experienced with SEO and SEM
• Corporate communication
• PR/AR
• Small business startup
• Executive relationships
• Mentoring/coaching
• Product launches
• Event planning and execution

I am looking for:

Think about a project you need help with, a personal challenge you need expert advice on or something else that would be valuable to walk away with. Examples:

• Contact at Boeing (or company xyz) AR/PR team
• Peer coaching/mentoring
• Social media strategy
• Networking with peers (CEOs, VPs, project mgrs, PR, HR etc)
• Insight into launching medical products
• Advice on DM tools
• General open networking
• In career transition, looking for new job/project

Structured networking is provided by Konsult Partners. More information is available at http://konsultpartners.com/StructuredNetworking.aspx.

If you expect to network at a conference, it helps knowing who is coming. While we cannot tell you who the individuals are until they have made themselves available in the 1-on-1 structured networking system (go here to check it out), we can tell you what companies are represented.

You will have the opportunity to meet with people from the following companies:

[Attending companies as of 3/3/2011]

• AT&T
• Arryve
• Banyan Branch
• BCRA
• Bell Harbor Conference Center
• Bizgifts
• Blink Product Design
• Brandon Multichannel Marketing Services, LLC
• Bureau of Education & Research
• Cairncross & Hempelmann
• Catalysis
• Clarisonic
• Clark Nuber P.S.
• Classmates.com
• Collistic
• Comcast Spotlight
• Copacino + Fujikado
• Copernici Consulting Group
• CRG Events
• drugstore.com/Beauty.com
• Emerald City Graphics
• Europe Express, Inc.
• F5
• Fennec Consulting
• Fusionspark Media
• Gallagher Benefit Services
• GCDirect
• Golden Lasso
• GreaterGood Network
• Groundspeak Inc.
• Hacker Group
• Hansen Belyea
• Hembree & Partners, LLC
• Hipcricket
• Incline Marketing
• Intand
• Intelius
• iONexus
• Ipsos
• JAPS-OLSON COMPANY
• Jonova
• Kaye Smith
• KeyBank
• Konsult Partners
• KPS Health Plans
• Lionfish
• Litehouse
• Mail Advertising Bureau
• Market Decisions Corporation
• Marketek Consulting Group
• Marketing Philharmonic
• marketingeek, llc
• Marketry Inc.
• Martini Media
• McCallum Print Group
• Merilyn Moss Design
• Methodologie
• Microsoft
• Monster MediaWorks
• Moss Adams LLP
• Nology Media
• NTT America
• Pacific Lutheran University
• Paper and String
• PathGuide Technologies
• PEMCO Insurance
• Peoples Bank
• Point It
• Point North Design
• Pragmatic Marketing
• Premera Blue Cross
• Prep Sportswear
• Projectline Services Inc
• ProTeam
• Puget Sound Energy
• Quadrant Homes
• Qualis Health
• Razorfish
• RealNetworks, Inc.
• Red Slice
• Reeb Millwork
• Rusty George Creative
• Ryan, Swanson & Cleveland, PLLC
• SanMar
• Savage Direct Marketing
• Seahawks and Seattle Sounders FC
• Seattle Mariners
• Seattle Storm
• SEO Panda
• Shape Games LLC
• Simon Property Group
• SiteCrafting
• Slalom Consulting
• Sweeney Communications
• Symetra Financial
• Tacoma Public Utilities
• The Everett Clinic
• The News Tribune
• The Puyallup Fair and Event Center
• The Rainier Club
• The Seattle Times
• Tippr
• T-Mobile
• Tray Creative
• Trendline Interactive
• UC4 Software
• University of Washington Professional & Continuing Education
• UW
• UW Foster School of Business
• Verizon Wireless
• Virgin America
• Wanamaker Associates
• Washington Federal
• We Know Words
• WeatherBug
• WONGDOODY
• Woodland Park Zoo
• Wunderman
• YIU studio
• YMCA of Snohomish County
• Zephyr 47
• Zoppa
• Zumobi, Inc

2 minutes to go! I am just getting ready to follow the Super Bowl! Not because I actually enjoy football (apologies all fans) but because I want to see what mad, fun, stupid (you add here…) things that the Super Bowl Ads bring this year.

And don’t miss the ChalkTalk on Thursday! Hear the experts debating and analyzing the ads! http://psama.org/events/event_detail.aspx?id=127

From the website:

ABOUT THE TOPIC
According to Nielsen, 51% of Super Bowl viewers enjoy the ads more than the action on the field. And no wonder—at nearly three million bucks a pop just for the airtime, Super Bowl ads are some of the best entertainment on television all year. The game may be a dud but the ads will have tongues wagging about which advertisers are geniuses and which should be sent to the showers.

AAF Seattle (Ad Club) and PSAMA have joined forces once again and assembled an all-star expert panel to discuss the 2011 Super Bowl ads—what they tell us about the economic climate, the impact of the social media revolution on TV advertising, and whether talking babies can really sell stuff.

Join us at FOX Sports Grill to hear the experts and to chime in with your opinion during this lively and interactive discussion.

Referee:
Brock Huard, co-host of the Brock and Salk show at 11am weekdays on 710 ESPN

Starting Line-up:
Trish Cox, Senior Director, Advertising, T-Mobile
Sean Howard, Global Client Services Director, Wunderman
Andrew Christou, Executive Creative Director, Publicis
Rio Rossarne, Director of Strategic Advertising, Group Health Cooperative
Emory Thomas, Publisher, Puget Sound Business Journal

Whose story would you like to hear?

As I am setting out to conduct a number of interviews with marketing personalities in the greater Seattle area I would like to know whose story you would like to hear!

My idea is to explore thoughts on the current and future state of marketing, and also get insight into some key career decisions they made, or key skills they acquired, that brought success.

Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

Håkan Söderbom blogs for MarketMix. He is a social media advisor at Konsult Partners. You can follow his professional blog at http://workwire.konsultpartners.com.

When I met a networking consultant some time ago I shared my frustration that most people I met at networking events were only trying to sell me their services or products. This had led me to develop a mentality to avoid all service providers. That also led to the fact that I was not enjoying the encounters and certainly not benefiting from them.

What the consultant told me changed my attitude, and my success in networking!

She told me that I had to change my mindset – that I should spend more time learning about the person I was meeting. She didn’t say I had to listen to his or her product pitch, but she told me to explore what skills and background the person had, and in particular to figure out how I could help them!

There is a trick to it: Don’t start telling them how you can help (i.e. selling to them ) But start by asking questions. By exploring their background, focus, ambitions, challenges etc you will pretty soon find one or more areas where you can help. Maybe you can connect them to someone else you met, maybe you have some experience that can benefit them, maybe you have faced the same challenges.

In the process of figuring out how you can help them you may even come across an area where you are an expert. That is when you want to win their trust and make sure they know who to call when it matters. Avoid selling to them and the relationship will flourish. Instead, let them decide when they want to buy. (You will hear the same advice from me when we are talking about social media!)

The first time I tried this new mindset and strategy at a Linked:Seattle event, I was astonished at how much more I enjoyed the event. I have now tried it at multiple networking events, and I have made several new friends that I wouldn’t otherwise have valued.

Next time you meet someone, set your mind on figuring out how you can help them! Get to know them! Try it! You may find that all the fun in networking is coming back!

Do you have some networking tips to share? What works, and what is your networking nightmare?

Håkan Söderbom blogs for MarketMix. He is a social media advisor at Konsult Partners. You can follow his professional blog at http://workwire.konsultpartners.com.

Structured Networking

What is your most valuable asset? To be more specific, what do you value highest for a successful career and the ability to take on and successfully complete challenging projects? 

Depending on your background you may say education or maybe experience. What else? Ok, the headline gave me away! On that short list will also be “my network”!

My own experience from having started a marketing consultancy business 6 months ago is that all my new contracts have come in through my networking efforts, not through my other marketing activities, which is sort of embarrassing to confess…

Some start building a lifelong network while at school, others start later. No matter what, extending and maintaining a personal network is definitely a key activity for a successful career.

Since we have given ourselves the mission of making MarketMix the premier event for marketing professionals in the Pacific North West we decided to push the limits of the value we provide. And we have something special in store for you at MarketMix!

Here is a sample of what we are preparing for you:

• Structured networking – pre-booked meetings with the people that really matters to you. Arrive at the event with your list of meetings already planned.
• Casual reception and mingling – informal meetings allow you explore all the variety of skills and experiences among the attendees.
• Exhibition – meet with the experts, vendors and suppliers that will help pave the road for your business and projects.
• Topic roundtables – meet a whole group of people that you share an interests with!

If that is not enough, let us know what other type of networking you are looking for! We may be able to arrange it!

What do you say?

Håkan Söderbom blogs for MarketMix. He is a social media advisor at Konsult Partner. You can follow his professional blog at http://workwire.konsultpartners.com.