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March 15, 2007 What a Difference a Year Makes
Last week, I was talking with Mike Kantor of Trade Promotion Management Associates, and he mentioned that it was his one-year anniversary with TPMA (congratulations, Mike), which started us discussing how very far the group has come in that time, and what further opportunities for growth and service to the industry still exist.
Among the accomplishments: a dramatically raised profile for the organization; increasing membership; record attendance at the general conference in Chicago last September; another successful conference last month in St. Petersburg, the first ever to focus on financial executives in TPM; a highly-regarded initiative on metrics; new research initiatives; an upcoming conference in San Antonio on trade promotion optimization directed toward sales and marketing executives (click here ); and much more.
The meetings have been well-attended, informative, and fun. Topics have been timely and stimulating, addressed by people who know what they’re talking about, and know how to provoke thought and discussion among their listeners. The sessions have been followed by events to promote networking, like a night game barbeque on a rooftop overlooking Wrigley Field, and a private party at the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg a few weeks ago. (The museum event considerably improved my previously lukewarm opinion of Dali; nothing could make me think well of the Cubs).
But there’s always more to be done, isn’t there?
Mike and I were in full agreement that everyone will benefit if TPMA has greater participation from the consumer durables and business-to-business sectors. CPG, durables and B2B all have much to offer in terms of differing approaches to trade promo and they also have much to learn from each other.
The growing convergence of the sectors means they need to share ideas. Everybody will benefit if TPMA provides the forum in which each group can both address the topics specific to their sector and share ideas across sectors.
The upshot of the conversation was a decision to form a B2B/Durables Council to address ways to increase participation by these sectors and to solicit input on the issues such companies want to see addressed. The first steps planned are to assemble a group of thought leaders in these sectors and to develop a charter for the group.
I plan to be actively involved, and I encourage others who want to see TPMA grow in this area to get involved as well. If you'd like to be a part of the Council or just want to share your ideas on what needs to be done, please contact me or Mike.
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©2007 HoukTPM E-mail: info@houktpm.com |