E-News : April 13, 2010 

 

  

ABM Blows into the Windy City TOMORROW … It’s Not Too Late to Join!

Don’t miss the opportunity to network with your industry peers in Chicago while learning strategies to succeed in today’s challenging business environment, during ABM’s Second Annual Chicago Regional Program.

The program will feature sessions on expanding a print marketing campaign into a multi-media program across multiple channels; developing an editorial strategy for your brand and applying it to different products in print, in-person and online; and the ever-transforming sales process.

Speakers include:

• Justin Bill, E-business Manager, The HallStar Company
• Larry Greenberger, Group Publisher, Cygnus Business Media
• Jan Ludwig, President, Allured Business Media
• Greg Watt, President & CEO, Watt Publishing Company

BPA Worldwide will follow the program with an afternoon session on digital media trends. Both sessions are FREE for ABM and BPA members. Click here for the latest agenda or to register.

Then, save the date for ABM’s first-ever Cleveland Regional Program on Thursday, April 29.

 

 

ABM's Talent Management Committee
Explores the Virtual Watercooler This Thursday

This Thursday, April 15, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM EST, ABM’s Talent Management Committee will welcome Susan Friedfel, an associate at Proskauer, who will discuss the “Virtual Watercooler,” or how employee blogging and social networking are blurring the lines between work and play, and what employers can do about it.

Contact Kate Patton for information on how to tune in.

 

 

Top Media Moves

Junta42 announced the updated Top 42 Content Marketing Blogs. Reviewed by Junta42's team of custom-content experts, the list of over 350 blogs includes some of the best-known marketing blogs, as well as up-and-comers that are shaping the content marketing conversation. This quarter's top content marketing blogger is Jay Baer, author of the Convince and Convert blog.

ON24, Inc. announced the launch of an open webcasting platform which enables customers to create completely custom experiences and integrate applications developed by third-party developers. This open cloud platform also enables enterprises to deliver “social webcasts” and features enhanced interactivity capabilities.

The Canadian Gift and Tableware Association (CGTA) announced that it has acquired the Alberta Gift Show and the Montreal Gift Show from dmg world media (Canada) Inc., a division of Daily Mail & General Trust plc. The Jordan, Edmiston Group, Inc. (JEGI) represented dmg world media in this transaction and acted as its exclusive financial advisor.

Crain Communications Inc. announced that David Klein has been promoted to Group Publisher, Strategic Initiatives.

Bloomberg L.P. announced that Oke Okaro has been named global head of mobile for the Bloomberg Multimedia group.

 

 

Request Your BPEF Intern Today!

Looking for an intern at your company this summer? ABM’s BPEF internship program is looking to place its students in internships at our member companies. The students are applying, but we need your participation and commitment to make the program a success again this year. Visit www.bpefinternships.org for more information, or contact John Beisner to request your intern now.

 

 

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Job of the Week

Manager, E-mail Marketing, Ziff Davis Media 

In addition to the “Job of the Week” highlighted in each issue of E-news, ABM has recently expanded its online job board to better reach out to the membership and media community with quality career opportunities. Powered by mediabistro.com, the site is updated constantly with openings across the country and enables you to search by industry and location. So what are you waiting for … Click here to begin your search!

 

  

  

Court Overrules FCC, Backs Comcast on Net Neutrality

In a setback for ABM and other proponents of net neutrality, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled last week that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) exceeded its authority when it found Comcast in violation of FCC net neutrality principles.  Comcast had slowed down traffic on its Internet pipeline from file-sharing services such as BitTorrent, in violation of the net neutrality principle that all legal network traffic should be treated equally.

The Court’s unanimous decision means that, under current law, the FCC does not have the power to discipline Internet pipeline providers like Comcast with respect to net neutrality principles.  The decision has been interpreted as a major setback to net neutrality.

“Net neutrality” refers to regulations that prohibit certain kinds of disparate treatment of certain Internet users or messages. Generally speaking, the net neutrality debate pits Internet content providers, who mostly favor it, against Internet pipeline providers (such as cable and telephone companies), who mostly oppose it. As an Association comprised of content providers, ABM supports government regulations that assure customers are able to receive non-discriminatory access to the lawful Internet content of their choice, in accord with the level of service to which they subscribe.

While last week’s ruling was a blow to FCC enforcement of net neutrality, it has not closed the door on the net neutrality. Several possible routes for net neutrality regulations remain open.  For example, the FCC could seek authority to regulate pipeline providers under its statutory authority under Title 2 of the Communications Act to regulate telecommunications services.  It could proceed with its pending net neutrality rulemaking, hoping to distinguish the Comcast decision (made in the absence of formal net neutrality regulations) in the event of a challenge to those rules.  Or it could defer to Congress, which clearly has authority in the area, and has been considering net neutrality legislation for some time now.

 

  

Third Generation of B-to-B Leaders
Takes the Stage at ABM’s Annual Conference this May
Book your room at The Charleston Place Hotel by Thursday
to receive the reduced rate

In less than a month, May 2-5, ABM’s 2010 Annual Conference will converge on Charleston, SC, to deliver strategies for capitalizing on the next generation of b-to-b media and information services, straight from experts who are leading the charge.

On Tuesday, May 4, you’ll hear firsthand from some of business media’s rising stars on their vision for the industry’s future, during “The Next Generation: Where Are You Leading Your Company?” Chris Crain, VP, Crain Communications; Randall Friedman, VP/Group Publisher, Lebhar-Friedman; and Greg Watt, President & CEO, Watt Publishing, will discuss where they see opportunities for growth for their businesses, what they’re investing in, and how their companies are adapting to a changing b-to-b landscape. You’ll walk away with new insights you can utilize as you make decisions for the next generation of your business.

Click here to view the full agenda and register now. Rooms are still available at the Charleston Place Hotel for our special rate of just $199/night. To book your room, call the hotel directly at (888) 635-2350 and mention ABM’s Annual Conference to receive the reduced rate (available until April 15).

Interested in sponsoring this event? There are still opportunities available … Contact Jane O’Connor for more information.

 

  

Three Media Teams That Can't Afford to Ignore Twitter

Social media is rapidly becoming integrated with workflow operations, and can offer media companies cost-saving solutions in any economy. Twitter, in particular, has evolved from a simple micro-blogging platform into an opportunity to cut costs and work smarter for several teams across your organization, including marketing and communications, editorial and sales.

1.Top of mind when considering Twitter is networking and communications—and the service can be effective for building brand engagement—but savvy media marketers are also using Twitter for crowd sourcing. As media outlets focus more on information services, finding out exactly what your audience wants and needs becomes invaluable for speed-to-market.

Tweet a call to action to your trusted Twitter associates and get real-time intelligence for free.

2.Editorial teams are stretched thin these days, but that does not negate the need for well-sourced, quality content. Twitter can help harried writers find reliable sources, track trends and get word-on-the-street reactions to breaking news faster than any media outlet.

Help a Reporter Out (HARO) is a free resource that connects journalists with reputable sources. For journalists on deadline, HARO tweets source requests out to its network of members. Journalists can use Twitter on their own to solicit their network directly for real-time responses.

Editors long on time but short on ideas can use Twitter to find out what is interesting their network and audience at any given time. Topsy is a search engine dedicated to topics that are trending on Twitter and yields not only inspiration, but resources for information about those topics.

And Tweets from thought leaders can also be used for last-minute quotes, or as springboards for blog posts and op-eds.

3.Travel budgets have been slashed and many sales representatives are lamenting the subsequent lack of face-to-face time with potential partners. While nothing can replace a real-time connection, accessing event attendees and their feedback on a conference or trade show is simple using Twitter. Most events assign a predetermined hashtag (keywords and search terms on Twitter indicated by a “#”), which can usually be found on an event's Web site or by contacting its media liaison. (If no hashtag is assigned, try searching for the event name using Topsy, or use Twitter's integrated search capability.)

Once attendee tweets regarding the event are located, sales reps are armed with a valuable and free list of leads interested in a given topic, as well as their personal thoughts and responses to that topic.

  

  

ABM Committees & Councils Team Up to Explore Mobile Apps for B-to-B Industry

During ABM’s Executive Forum last November, Jeremy Gilbert, professor at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, took the stage to introduce attendees to “the new journalists” and the latest innovations in storytelling. He pointed to the large and rapidly-growing mobile market, the 26.1 million smartphone subscribers in the U.S. and the 2 billion-plus apps already downloaded from the iTunes App Store. However, citing the very few b-to-b apps currently available, Gilbert pointed to “B-to-B Burst Opportunities” for ABM members.

Following up on Gilbert’s presentation, Martin Hensel, president of Texterity, joined ABM’s March 23rd Production & Manufacturing Technology Committee meeting to showcase his company’s innovative suite of mobile app platforms – iPhone, iPad and Android – as well as its mobile Web platform. He focused on reader engagement goals, the mix of magazine and Web content selected, and the surprisingly strong early metrics.

Hensel also shared some significant metrics for one particular app, including the number of sessions per user (five, versus two for a typical b-to-b Web site) and average session length (21 minutes, versus four for a typical b-to-b Web site).

This is the kind of extraordinary engagement that is driving publisher interest in mobile apps, and ABM is ready to take the lead in exploring and identifying such opportunities. Hensel will advise a group of representatives from several ABM committees, including Production & Manufacturing Technology, Editorial and Digital Media. They’ll gather during ABM’s Annual Conference next month in Charleston to explore the possibility of ABM developing a mobile app for the industry.

Stay tuned to E-news as developments unfold.

  

  

This Week on the ABM Video Network:
ABM’s Digital Media Council Explores Lead Generation

Reflecting ABM's new strategic plan initiative to deliver real-time insights and information to members within the various operating functions of the b-to-b media company, the Association's newly-revamped Committees & Councils have set their agendas and priorities for the year, which include more innovative, educational meetings.

On April 1, ABM's Digital Media Council delivered on that goal with an engaging presentation: Guest speaker Bruce Bergwall, VP, Business Development, CompareNetworks, explored lead generation models and shared how his company merges technology, content and domain expertise to produce industry-focused marketplaces that change the way professionals gather product information, discover new technologies, and communicate with vendors.

Visit www.AmericanBusinessMedia.com to view Bergwall’s presentation on-demand.

  

  

Forrester Research Reveals Impact of Social Media on B-to-B Buyers

According to the latest Forrester Research study created exclusively for American Business Media members, social activity cannot be ignored. The study, entitled “The Impact of Social Media on B-to-B Buyers,” reveals why and how ABM members should integrate social media with other media platforms to optimize the way b-to-b marketers reach business decision-makers.

Join ABM and Forrester for a free, members-only webinar on May 12 at 2:00 PM EST, dedicated to the study’s key findings, including:

• The role social media plays in b-to-b buyers' purchasing decisions
• The attitudes of b-to-b buyers toward social media and interaction
• Why social media cannot be ignored
• Tactics to incorporate social activity and traditional channels into an integrated offering
• The prevalence of social media experimentation in the b-to-b marketing space
• The most engaged markets by industry
• Ways to engage business buyers on social media platforms in order to increase brand awareness 
• And much more!

Click here to register now.

                                                                                                                                  

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