Kathie Thomas, Director of Innovation, Fleishman-Hillard, was a panel participant for the breakout session, Tapping The Power of Innovation to Create Sizzling Solutions, at the 2009 Agri-Marketing Conference. If you missed that session at the conference, you’ll want to sign-up for this webinar!

Thursday, May 21, 2009 ~ 1:00 p.m. (CENTRAL TIME)
How To Spread Innovation Across A Willing-But-Distracted Organization

Surveys show that top managers of global corporations are convinced that innovation and creativity are critical to the future success of their companies. However, these same managers are sometimes slow to implement the training, tools, and process changes needed to support the spread of innovation throughout their organizations. While their intentions are good, the ever-present demands of customers, investors, and other stakeholders just keep getting in the way. What can you do to move innovation from your organization’s wish list to the top of its to-do list? Fleishman-Hillard Director of Innovation, Kathie Thomas, offers a lively, interactive session, packed with proven tips and strategies on how to inspire and promote innovation in a well-intentioned, but distracted, organization.

This practical workshop is designed to help you:

• Identify your company’s innovation hot button
• Enlist senior management support
• Successfully pollinate innovation throughout your organization
• Build awareness and inspire employee engagement
• Create easy-to-use tools
• Evaluate results

You’ll come away equipped to develop a practical roadmap for nurturing a climate of creativity that consistently converts fresh thinking to competitive advantage.

To register visit https://payment.nama.org/webinar.htm.

Thursday, May 21, 2009 ~ 1:00 p.m.
How To Spread Innovation Across A Willing-But-Distracted Organization

Surveys show that top managers of global corporations are convinced that innovation and creativity are critical to the future success of their companies. However, these same managers are sometimes slow to implement the training, tools, and process changes needed to support the spread of innovation throughout their organizations. While their intentions are good, the ever-present demands of customers, investors, and other stakeholders just keep getting in the way. What can you do to move innovation from your organization’s wish list to the top of its to-do list? Fleishman-Hillard Director of Innovation, Kathie Thomas, offers a lively, interactive session, packed with proven tips and strategies on how to inspire and promote innovation in a well-intentioned, but distracted, organization.

This practical workshop is designed to help you:

• Identify your company’s innovation hot button
• Enlist senior management support
• Successfully pollinate innovation throughout your organization
• Build awareness and inspire employee engagement
• Create easy-to-use tools
• Evaluate results

You’ll come away equipped to develop a practical roadmap for nurturing a climate of creativity that consistently converts fresh thinking to competitive advantage.

To register please visit https://payment.nama.org/webinar.htm. Cost for the Webinar is $35.

NAMA’s third webinar “Maximizing Your Trade Show R.O.I.” will take place this Thursday, February 5 at 1:00 p.m. (Central Time) and will last about 1 hour. Cost for the webinar is $35.

The webinar will be hosted by Scott Hanna of Skyline Displays. You will learn key skills, such as:

• Measuring Objectives
• Selecting the right shows and booth spaces
• Budgeting – doing more with less
• Designing an effective exhibit
• Promoting Your tradeshow exhibit
• Selecting and preparing the right staff
• and more!

This is an excellent opportunity to get people together for a chapter meeting at minimal cost.  You might be able to gather a number of your members together in a conference room and perhaps even offer refreshments.
To register for the webinar, visit http://payment.nama.org/webinar.htm.

Note: If you sign up for a Trade Show Booth at the 2009 Agri-Marketing Conference in Atlanta by February 4 you will receive a complimentary registration for the this webinar!

Don’t miss the next NAMA Webinar, Maximizing your Tradeshow R.O.I., on Thursday, February 5th at 1:00 p.m. central time. Our speaker will be Scott Hanna of Skyline Displays.

What do you do at a trade show? Now, more than ever, your tradeshow marketing program must generate sales and profits. Scott Hanna with Skyline Displays will help you get results by revealing the essential aspects of a successful tradeshow program.

You will learn key skills, such as:

• Measuring objectives
• Selecting the right shows and booth spaces
• Budgeting – doing more with less
• Designing an effective exhibit
• Promoting your tradeshow exhibit
• Selecting and preparing the right staff
• and more!

To register for the February 5th webinar, visit http://payment.nama.org/webinar.htm.

Note: If you sign up for a Trade Show Booth at the 2009 Agri-Marketing Conference in Atlanta by February 4 you will receive a complimentary registration for this webinar!

Registration
The registration for the 2009 Agri-Marketing Conference, Hot Ideas, Sizzling Solutions, is open. The conference will take place April 15-17 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Register now to get the payment in your 2008 budget year! Registration rates remain the same as in 2008! Early registration rates will end on March 25, 2009. After that, late rates apply.

For the latest Agri-Marketing Conference information visit http://www.nama.org/amc.

For registration information visit http://www.nama.org/amc/registration.html.

To register online now for the conference, visit http://www.nama.org/amc/register.html.
In addition, hotel reservations can now be made online. We are pleased to have this year’s conference at the beautiful Atlanta Marriott Marquis, which has just completed a $185 million renovation.

Hotel rates are $115 single/double (that’s not a type-o folks, it’s really $115!). The hotel cut-off date is March 17, 2009. Reservations made after March 17 will be subject to higher rates and potential unavailability.

Once again, we will be offering two room blocks, one for the professionals and one for the students.

To make your hotel reservations under the professional block, visit http://www.marriott.com/professionals.

To make hotel reservations under the student block, visit http://www.marriott.com/students.

Connection Point
Every year at the Agri-Marketing Conference, professionals involved with selling products and services into the agricultural marketplace gather to explore the latest in techniques, trends and practices. If your target audience includes agrimarketers, you can’t afford to miss the 2009 Connection Point.

In today’s world of voice mails and e-mails, the Connection Point offers a unique opportunity for face-to-face contact.

Connection Point Hours
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15
6:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m. Best of NAMA Celebration/Trade Show Grand Opening

THURSDAY, APRIL 16
12:30 p.m.–2:00 p.m. Luncheon
3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Break
5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. Closing Reception/ABEF Silent Auction

For more information on the Connection Point visit http://nama.org/amc/ts/connection.htm.

To sign up for booth space now visit http://nama.org/amc/ts/signup.htm.

Note: Exhibitors who sign up for a booth by February 4 will receive a complimentary registration for NAMA’s February 5th webinar on Maximizing Your Trade Show R.O.I. with Scott Hanna, Skyline Displays.

NAMA’s second webinar, The Confluence of Social Networking and Mobile Marketing: The Value Proposition for Agribusiness, will take place Thursday, October 9 at 1:00 p.m. Central Time.

Social networking refers to a broad class of web sites and services that allow people to connect in innovative and meaningful ways with friends, family, and business colleagues, as well as collaborate with people who have similar interests.

Social networking has become a global phenomenon, and going mobile with it is the next big thing. We’re now seeing millions of users of LinkedIn, MySpace, Facebook and other social networks interacting with their virtual spaces while they’re on the move.

We’ll spend an hour with John Gilbert, Bader Rutter, examining the place where social networking meets mobile marketing, and understand the possibilities for marketers in the agribusiness space.

Register now for the webinar at http://payment.nama.org/webinar.htm. You will receive a confirmation email with the log in information for the webinar.