By Cam Bishop, CEO

Great ideas are born out of necessity. Many of us here at Ascend Integrated Media have recently felt a tremendous need for easily accessible, reliable and authoritative information and resources as we have faced caring for our aging parents. In fact, the number of us Ascend Baby Boomers and the level of our need within the last calendar year has escalated and raised our awareness to critical. The fact that we, as a custom publisher, could do something to fill this obvious void made this need our mission.

Let me tell you my story. I’m a 50+ boomer with aging parents. Until recently, I was blessed with two octogenarian parents who were in amazing health and living life with vitality. Divorced for years and both single, my mother lives the metropolitan area and my father lives two hours north of Kansas City in a rural community.

By freakish bad luck, both became seriously ill within the same week. My mother was hospitalized with some critical internal issues, while my father suffered a semi-debilitating stroke. Happily, both survived and recovered over several months … several long, difficult, arduous months.

To achieve full recovery, my siblings and I suddenly found ourselves scrambling to find and prepare for our parents’ post-hospital needs. Their needs included home health care, physical therapy, rehabilitation, medical equipment, transportation, home safety products, fall/emergency alert systems, house cleaning and food service, to name a few.

We needed information and we needed it fast so we could make the right decisions. We found ourselves frustrated because there was no readily identifiable, much less easy-to-use reference source, guidance or directory of products, tips, how-to information and services. It was compounded by the fact that our family had no prior experience dealing with these matters. We didn’t know what to even look for, where to turn or who to ask.

Although there were bits and pieces here and there on websites or in government brochures, there was nothing comprehensive or easy to use. Too often, the content we found was generic and not relevant to our community. Making matters worse, many websites were only interested in turning me into a lead that they could sell to someone.

As we worked through our needs and began to research how others are dealing with aging parent care challenges, we discovered that we are by no means alone. There’s a profound need for family help. Many of the stories are heart-wrenching. We conducted focus group research about aging information and resources, which brought tears to our eyes.

We concluded there is a need that is both wide and deep for all information related to caring for aging family members. And, equally important, as a planning tool for us Baby Boomers as we near retirement age.

So, we introduce Ascend’s Golden Guide.

This is the authoritative resource for metro-specific directory information and education. The print, digital and mobile platforms are designed to provide one-stop, how-to resource information as seniors and their family members make life transition decisions.

Stay tuned for the website’s launch in late February. 

By Cam Bishop, CEO

Too many channels, too little time. It has never been harder to create, coordinate, manage and monetize media surrounding trade shows.

There’s pre-show, during-show and post-show communications. Worse, it has to all be available in print, digital and mobile media. And now there are tablets too.

It requires military precision in planning, scheduling and management. Otherwise, it can easily get out of control. No continuity; miss-timed delivery; reader confusion due to inconsistent messaging, look, feel and style across media channels.

The good news is, you don’t have to face it alone. Ascend Integrated Media is a unique custom content agency that has specialized in working with trade shows, events and associations for 30 years. Ascend creates, manages and delivers fully integrated event communications programs. Everything our 55 employees develop for our more than 50 association clients can and is delivered in print, digital and mobile media.

We do it every day, executing more than 500 client projects each year including more than 100 editions of show daily newspapers with live daily news.

Ascend Integrated Media delivers award-winning content when your customer and attendees want it, where they want it and how they want it. Count on it.

Find out what our partners like PCMA, American Thoracic Society, National Association of Convenience Stores and Produce Marketing Association already know. Call today to learn how we can partner with you to integrate and even monetize your communications programs.

By Maria Arnone, Vice President Media Development

I recently attended the annual PCMA Education Conference in San Antonio. The conference was filled, as usual, with networking, top-flight education and fabulous food. (PCMA knows how to host their meeting planner constituency!) It also offered some excellent general session speakers who knew how to inspire.

One of these was Mark Scharenbroich, a National Speakers Hall of Fame member and Emmy Award winner. When Mark first started speaking, no one at my table was sure what to think of his blend of self-deprecating Minnesotan humor and comic physicality. It could have gone entirely wrong, to be sure, in front of this discerning group of meeting professionals. He even admitted — onstage — that for him, this was a big-time engagement, and that he was more than a little nervous to be presenting.

But soon after, he drew us in with his authentic stories of average people deepening their human connections. And really, isn’t that what we all want? Because when we connect with others, it makes us feel more connected and valued.

Mark formulated his “nice bike” principal when, quite by accident in August 2003, he drove by the Harley-Davidson 100th anniversary in Milwaukee. From his totally unhip beige rental car, he observed the interactions between bikers. He noticed that two words really connected rider to rider that day: “Nice bike.”

More than flattery, he believed that this simple phrase was emblematic of something deeper: an authentic and validating human connection. Throughout his presentation, and in his book, Nice Bike, he gives example after example of people doing simple acts of kindness or service for one another that acknowledges the other person, honors them and connects with them. From teachers showing little kindnesses to students to CEOs knowing something about every team member in their company to veterans sharing an amazing positive attitude in the face of terrible injury, the Nice Bike principal inspired listeners to make purposeful connections in an isolating and technology-driven world.

He reminded attendees to start with your oldest friendships and reclaim them through reconnection. How many of us get so bogged down with living our day-to-day life that we neglect what is oldest, truest and most important to us — our longtime friendships and family relationships? He told a wonderful story of reconnecting with his father, a crusty war veteran who never said “I love you” when Mark was growing up. Through asking questions to learn more about his father’s life, Mark was able to understand him better in his later years. And Mark was able to witness his father’s authentic connection with a group of Vietnam vets during a special trip to D.C. together. Mark got to see his father put into practice — naturally and beautifully — the “Nice Bike” philosophy in a meaningful way.

All of us wish for authentic, meaningful connections with our family and friends, peers, customers and employees. Nice Bike is a way to consciously work to acknowledge, honor and connect with others around us. You can find out more about Mark Scharenbroich at www.nicebike.com
 

By Tim Nass, Vice President, Media Development

Bundling has become a popular word in our vernacular. If you’re like me you’ve seen or heard the term used the most in the countless number of mailers, television, radio and Internet ads where utilities are offering to “bundle” your various forms of communication into one monthly package. Yes, I need my mobile. Yes, I need speedy Internet. Yes, I have to have cable. Put them all together to save me money and reduce the number of companies I have to deal with — that makes for a very BIG YES.

I’ve found more than a few recent examples where an organization has many different vendors and/or departments providing piece parts of the services required to publish their member periodical. Content may be created internally and then that content is sent out for editing. From there it could be sent out for design/layout and then returned for final review. Now it goes to the printer. Quite possibly the printer doesn’t have the capability for mailing so from the printer the publications are sent to a mail house for final distribution. Who’s providing the digital component for the publication? You add in a separate firm to sell, track and invoice for the advertising and you’ve got quite a lot to manage.

Ascend provides a complete staff of publishing professionals that successfully handle and execute all facets in the periodical publishing process. We’re quite unique in that we have a seasoned and experienced sales team (which delivered more than 4.5 million in royalties to our clients in 2011) to go along with a talented group of editors, designers, digital programmers, production and printing specialists that deliver publications on time and on budget. The expertise of the entire team working together in one location provides a bundling experience that is both financially and efficiently rewarding for our clients.

So, if you’re responsible for publishing your association’s magazine and you have a number of internal and external resources providing various services to get that publication in your members’ hands, via print and/or digital, ask yourself: What can bundling do for me? 

By Eric Jacobson, Vice President, Media Development

It takes more strength to ask for help than it does to not ask for help. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. Rather, it’s a sign of knowing when to seek assistance to help you become more effective and successful.

Athletes seek out trainers. Professionals of all ages engage with mentors. Budding actors work with acting coaches.

And, in nearly every case, the associations with whom we partner had the strength to ask for our help. Each had pain. Communication pain. Decreasing meeting attendance pain. Poor vendor performance pain. Workload pain.

Rather than ignore and struggle along with that pain, they asked for help — sometimes reaching out to us, sometimes opening up during a call or meeting initiated by us.

Having worked with dozens of associations for the past 30 years, we are good at listening to the pain an organization is experiencing and then recommending options and possible solutions. Those recommendations include the best practices we witness every day as we create custom print, digital and mobile content designed to engage audiences, increase meeting attendance and build membership.

Here’s a list of the most common pain points we hear from associations. Which ones match up with your pain points?

1. Our internal staff doesn’t have time to sell ads into our print and digital products.

2. Our exhibit sales vendor isn’t communicating effectively with us.

3. We need to make our meeting more eco-friendly.

4. Our staff has been reduced and we no longer have the ability to create content in-house.

5. We don’t have internal expert medical writers.

6. We need to generate more revenue by better monetizing our journals, meetings and special events.

7. We have too many vendors and our projects feel disjointed.

8. We need to communicate more effectively with our members via texting, apps, tablets and other electronic channels.

9. My Board wants a whole new approach for our marketing and communications.

Perhaps not surprising, many of the associations who shared their pain with us recently needed assistance increasing their revenue. Then, by listening to their needs, strategizing with them, understanding their competition and fully immersing our sales team, we have produced these types of results:

• 139 percent of the goal/expectation for the first quarter of 2012, and already at 129 percent of goal for the first half of 2012 in less than two months of effort.

• 127 percent growth in number of advertisers in an association’s publications in 2011 versus 2010 when a different vendor worked on the project.

• Increased advertising revenue by 30 percent between 2010 versus 2009.

• Increased sales by 16 percent in 2011 versus 2010.

The first step when you have a pain point is to acknowledge that pain. Then, share that pain with someone you know likely can be of help. Ask for help. Listen to the options offered to you.

What are your pain points? What is preventing you from asking for help?
 

By Barbara Kay, President

Social media, whose intent originally was meant to enhance online social engagements and exchanges, has now become a core element of association and company marketing. It no is longer enough to have an eye-catching logo, name and robust website.

With the ongoing evolution of social media, organizations have new ways to communicate and interface with their constituents. And, likewise, social media also provides a new platform for members to communicate with their association.
Social media can become a powerful means for publicizing and leveraging an organizations’ brand.

Social media is the new frontier — and it is wise to consider the legal matters that can pop up in these uncharted waters. There are some basic social media “facts of life.” For starters, from defamation to copyright infringement, there are legal issues that social media misuse can trigger.

You absolutely must understand the boundaries. Social media legal expert Bob Koback recommends you take a look at Facebook’s terms of use. It is “a 17-page contract that obligates you to behave in a certain manner,” he says. Koback strongly advises that you understand the boundaries. “Information on one social media site can be shared with another — as an example LinkedIn can link to Twitter — and that information may not make sense or be appropriate for Twitter,” he explains.

Koback reminds organizations that what you say — and who says it — on social media sites matters. As an example, “Comparisons, whether it be about product or services — must be objective and truthful, and you must be able to back them up. The FTC’s truth-in-advertising rules apply,” he offers.

Copyright and intellectual property rules apply as well. “The law is very clear that the employer has no right to control what employees put on their private (social media) accounts,” Koback shares. That said, it absolutely is necessary for organizations to have rules about who speaks online for the company. Koback recommends a policy memo.

The social media-use policy is important because what may seem like business basics to company executives, may be foreign concepts to employees. Even if your organization does not use social media, remember the vast majority of your employees do. Some examples of what you need to consider include: Can your employees post information about your organization or company? Can they post about other organizations? Does it matter whether they do this during business hours or from home after hours?

Another social media legal expert, Lisa Callaway, recommends that you train your people. Your policy should make it clear that “only employees designated and authorized by the employer” can post, edit or delete content on the company’s social media, and that the business’ ‘“anti-harassment and EEO policies apply to the use of social media in the workplace,” she explains. “Employers must be careful about what they put out there.”

Bottom line, it would make sense to review your company’s liability insurance, as social media coverage is not always included.

So, embrace the marketing and branding opportunity social media offers. But consider first, if you have not already, what makes up your social media use policy? 

By Cam Bishop, CEO

“I saw an angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”

This is a quote attributed to Michelangelo. For some reason, it was only quite recently that I ran across it in something I was reading. Unfortunately, I can’t say where I read it. I find that I read so much these days and in so many different media — print (yes, I still read a ton of print!); computer-based web or email; tablet-based web, email or app; or smartphone-based web, app, email or text. Then, did it come from a news feed, LinkedIn or Facebook? Who knows — I am just happy to remember the information with some semblance of knowing that it came from a credible source.

But, I digress. I was stopped in my tracks by the Michelangelo quote above. Because of the impression this statement made on me, I did a little quick research. He also is attributed with saying, “In every block of marble, I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me, shaped and perfect in attitude and action. I have only to hew away the rough walls that imprison the lovely apparition to reveal it to the other eyes as mine see it.”

Michelangelo’s philosophy here impresses me on both a personal and business level. On a personal level, I am a bit of a painter. Acrylics on canvas only — no formal training and all abstracts. I don’t claim to be good or even mediocre, but I do enjoy it. It’s something that I discovered just a few years ago. The thing is, with his quote, I discovered that I do at least one thing the same way he did it. I feel like now there is hope for me. I have found that I actually have to complete the painting in my head before I ever put paint on canvas. Sadly, I’ve been working on a painting in my head now for at least a year. That’s not the point, however. The point is: It’s all about the vision thing. You can’t start without a vision of where you are headed.

Thus, the relevance to business. Here at Ascend Integrated Media, we have two visions. One for our business — the direction we are headed and the goals we want to achieve. And one for each of our many valued clients.

For our company, our vision is to continue to build a creative custom-media agency that provides thoroughly integrated and highly creative work that helps our clients solve problems and achieve their goals. The great thing here is that this really is a lifelong or at least career-long journey and, so far, it’s been successful and very cool.

For our clients, we begin our solution-based conversations by gaining an understanding of their vision and, in many cases, helping them to formulate and formalize that vision when it has not already been clearly developed and documented. This helps us to establish a vision for the tools, techniques and content solutions we will create to fulfill that vision. Understanding vision helps our creative team deliver optimum creativity, which has been totally validated by the 28 national and international media awards they’ve been recognized with in just the last year or so.

We love and find great satisfaction in the win/win scenario of executing the “vision thing” on multiple levels and turning that block of marble into an effective print/digital/mobile integrated media solution.

How has having a vision helped you achieve your goals?
 

By Barbara Kay, President

Maintaining standards of excellence is a common theme across many organizations — particularly in today’s highly competitive market. 

Developing a simple plan to achieve excellence is not easy. Achieving excellence and maintaining it — and then constantly improving up on it — is an even bigger task. Jim Collin’s books, Good to Great and Built to Last, address this subject so well. To build a culture that is geared to always improve is a key component.

It begins with having the right people on board — people whose internal mechanisms are disciplined, self-motivated and whose work ethic includes doing their best — always.

There isn’t a miracle formula. Rather, it really boils down to a somewhat mundane but consistent set of practices that create and maintain a consciousness — whether it be in your staff or your customer. It happens in baby steps. There is no big, “Eureka!”

A protocol of directive questioning, which creates a new awareness or clarity in terms of what is and isn’t working, is an important component of best practices. There are mini “aha” moments as the answers to the questions indicate what needs to be done. This involves teaching people how to interpret the answers to the questions in order to modify the game plan day in and day out. The reflex of maintaining an open mind while constantly realigning, rethinking and reviewing the game plan on the fly is what this practice can achieve.

Do this with your staff as you strive to maintain excellence in the practices that deliver best products and customer service. It can be valuable to have your staff develop the questions — what makes the products or services good, competitive and valuable in the eyes of the customer, and what other facets of products/services should the customer be thinking about? Taking time to do this gives clarity to what a group is doing that is already very good — providing specific language they can use among themselves, with customers and the outside world regarding the organization superior. This builds a “winning spirit” within the enterprise.

This exercise also gives everyone a voice, and through that, makes them accountable, instilling the feeling of being part of something that is moving, improving and winning. If you are thinking, “This is not rocket science,” you are right. The “magic” lies in maintaining the discipline — the steady practice of this drumbeat. People always perform better when they have a clear sense of purpose and when they know what the guidelines are.

When teams embrace this approach, it fosters collaboration and reduces, if not eliminates, “silos” within an organization. Individual egos are reigned in and aligned, and as milestones are met, a greater sense of individual and team fulfillment is achieved. That consistent stream of accomplishment and fulfillment is important, as there will be no single moment of “we have won the war” — but rather an ongoing acknowledgement and celebration of the milestones along the way that maintain excellence. That is worthy of acknowledgement and celebration. Those tiny epiphanies give clarity in terms of what is being achieved, and clarity feeds excellence.

What will you do today to begin the process of achieving and maintaining excellence within your organization? 

By Cam Bishop, CEO

Several years ago, the American Business Media association sponsored the development of a hardbound book on the centennial anniversary of something to do with the publishing industry. One of the final chapters was dedicated to prognostications about the future of publishing and media. The typical kind of stuff about when print will be dead, how everything will go to the Internet, etc. (This was long before anyone was really forecasting the incredible growth in mobile.)

At that time, I was a member of the board of directors of ABM, so I was one of the select few who got to play visionary, look into our crystal balls and forecast the future.

My thought and quote for the book focused on the future of the U.S. Postal Service and their problems remaining viable. Not much has changed as they still, to this day, continue to have their heads in the sand and refuse to make the tough decisions and change to reflect the mail volume and cost structure of the times.

The essence of my position on their need for change was the fact that the Postal Service was, at that time, about to announce another ridiculous double-digit rate increase. It became clear to me that the laws of economics would prevail at some point. People would find creative and alternative ways to communicate and reach other people and businesses when it simply became too cost-prohibitive to use the public mail system. Volume would decrease, so the Postal Service executives, in their infinite wisdom, would continue to raise rates to offset the declining volume and thus create a self-fulfilling prophecy as they spiraled downward towards nonexistence.

My flashback to this book and my quote was triggered by an intriguing story in the spring 2011 issue of the Custom Content Council’s magazine, Content. The article provides highlights on a new research study that was conducted for the association by ContentWise magazine about the growing trends in custom content and custom publishing. More companies are using more of their marketing budgets for custom content. And they are doing so for very good reasons: To educate or retain customers and/or for brand loyalty. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, print remains the dominant medium for these media-based efforts to connect with customers.

And that’s where the irony and connection with the good old Postal Service comes in to play. Some wise person once said that every weakness can be a strength. Dramatic drops in paper mail — at least that is what I am experiencing — have reduced our daily mail clutter whether at home and work. Therefore, the competition for reader attention has been reduced — a lot. That leaves a huge opportunity for custom content to gain increased exposure and readership and to really stand out. The post office’s failings have created an opportunity for custom content in general, and print in particular, to become an exceptional value for marketers.

Do you plan on using print in your custom marketing efforts? How do you plan on reaching your customers?

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The Event Mobile App Score Card: Buyer Beware!

Last year, we produced mobile apps for 18 major trade shows. For this year, we expect that to increase exponentially. Increased understanding of the value of mobile communications and the fact that we are working with a new technology partner, Sherpa Solutions, will drive our growth. Also, the fact that the Sherpa event-focused app is absolutely state-of-the art in both functionality and features.

I can characterize the Sherpa app in this manner because I have spent countless hours over the last four months searching out and evaluating event-related mobile apps. Based on my research and analysis, I’ve come to the conclusion that mobile apps are in gold-rush phase. It’s like the wild, wild West out there. Or, perhaps more relevant, mobile is like the Internet in the pre-dotcom-bubble period. By my count, there are at least 55 companies that claim to have a mobile app for events. I have a list.

Now, here’s the thing. Everyone looking to pick a mobile app vendor tends to focus on the obvious questions. Is the app a WAP or a true native app? And what functions can it perform? Buyers simply are not asking what is perhaps the most important question: Is the company financially viable? Show owners need to be certain that, come show time, their app provider will still be in business.

The simple but hard fact is that the vast majority of app builders will go out of business because there are just too many of them and not much money can be made from these apps right now. It would take a whole bunch of event apps to make a viable business at today’s market rates, which range from $2,000 to about $20,000. Companies that provide an event app as just one part of a much broader product line and those who have been in business for more than six months to a year are a far safer choice.

Buyer beware.

By: Cam Bishop, CEO

Based on attendance at a recent workshop held by the Association Forum of Chicagoland interest in integrated media is huge. Integrating traditional print content across digital and mobile platforms is of increasing importance as organizations see their audience accessing information in different ways at different times.

Dave Fellers, of Fellers Consulting, chaired the sold out, three-hour workshop that featured myself along with our director of content, Rhonda Wickham. The workshop included integrated media success stories provided by Jackie Beaulieu of the Healthcare Conventions and Exhibitors Association.

A number of attendees were either not familiar with or concerned that they lacked the real-time content-management systems robust enough to serve content across print, digital and mobile platforms. However, the recent data on the increased usage of mobile devices, generated much interest in the discussion of delivering content via mobile devices and specifically in mobile apps.

Three important reasons why mobile is crucial to your communication plans:

1. 85 percent of the U.S. population has a cell phone today and 100 percent will have one by 2013.  – Pew Research

2. 126 million people or 39.5 percent of the population will be accessing the web via mobile browser by 2013.  – eMarketer

3. Mobile ad revenues are up 80 percent in 2010 to $743 million and should top $1.1 billion in 2011 and $2.4 billion by 2014. – eMarketer

Top five things to know before you take your content mobile:

1. Not all app developers can build an app to work and look the same across all cell phone platforms. Make sure they can build apps for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, iPad and Windows OS platforms. Ask the developer to demonstrate the apps so you can see how they look on each device.

2. There are true native apps, browser-based WAPS and hybrids of the two. Know the differences; the pros and cons, so you know what would work best for you; and what you are getting for your investment.

3. Make sure there is a marketing plan around the app — you can’t just “build it and they will come.” Know who is responsible for creating the plan, executing the details and measuring the outcomes.

4. Clarify who will create and manage the content that will reside on the app. It is a great deal of work to have constantly updated content, especially during an event. Make sure you have appointed someone to be in charge of this, and that he or she has the knowledge and manpower to do it.

5. Know whether there is sponsorship/advertising real estate within the app, who will sell it and how revenue will be shared.

What is your biggest hurdle when considering entering the mobile arena with your content?