Notes from IABC Southern Region Conference
25th September 2006 by Lorenzo Sierra, ABC
Before IABC’s current regional alignment, US District 5 (southwestern US) was well-regarded for its annual professional development conference.
As the new Southern Region, the tradition of high-quality programming at a reasonable cost ($399 US/members) continues. This year’s conference is in Kansas City.
From a branding perspective, my belief is that the conference will continue to achieve great heights. It’s not about the chapters, the region or the association itself.
It’s about the people.
Having attended many District 5 conferences, I’ve been able to establish and maintain meaningful relationships with some of the brightest people in the business. It was the opportunity to engage with those people that encouraged me to invest my time and professional development dollars into this conference.
The personal aspect of branding was brought home by Mike Swenson, president, Barkley, Evergreen and Partners Public Relations. In his morning session “Doing Well by Doing Good,” Swenson reiterated that point that regardless of the sophistication of a branding effort, it always comes down to people.
I am sure that many of you are already beginning to plan for your 2007 marketing year. As you develop those strategic plans, always keep in mind how you can engage your internal and external audiences to promote your brand.
And for all of you who serve as regional IABC leaders, I strongly encourage you to begin your tradition of providing members a quality conference. It will help you raise funds. And best of all, it will help you engage your members.