SOWIB的动态

Day 7 of My 12 Days of Inspiration: Honored to Judge "The Nationals" and Arizona's MAME Awards ??? 2024 has been an unforgettable year, filled with opportunities to contribute to industries I deeply respect. Among the highlights was the incredible honor of being selected as a judge for not one but two prestigious awards programs: The Nationals and Arizona’s MAME Awards (Major Achievements in Merchandising Excellence). Why These Awards Matter The Nationals celebrate the best in marketing, sales, and design for the home building industry across North America, showcasing innovation and creativity that sets the standard for excellence. MAME Awards honor outstanding achievements in Arizona’s home building industry, focusing on the creative strategies and impactful designs that elevate communities. What Made This Experience Special I had the privilege of joining panels of top-tier industry professionals to review and score entries that reflected the absolute best in branding, marketing, and design. Over several days, we reviewed hundreds of submissions—each one inspiring in its own way. These awards embody innovation, creativity, and a commitment to excellence—all values I aim to bring to my own work in branding, marketing, and AI-driven strategies. Memorable Takeaways: The future of branding and marketing in the home building industry is bold, creative, and powered by cutting-edge tools like AI. The dedication and passion that goes into crafting campaigns and designs for these awards are unmatched. ?? Favorite Quotes from the Judging Experience: "This is where innovation meets heart—campaigns that don’t just sell homes but create communities." "Reviewing the submissions reminded me why I love this industry: it’s about people, stories, and the creativity that brings it all together." Looking Ahead I’m inspired by the ingenuity and dedication displayed by this year’s nominees and winners. The lessons learned from reviewing these standout entries will undoubtedly inform my own work as I continue helping brands break boundaries and drive results through thoughtful strategy and creative execution. Thank you to The Nationals and MAME Awards committees for trusting me with this responsibility. I’m excited to see how these industries continue to grow and innovate—and to be a part of that journey in 2025! #TheNationals #MAMEAwards #BrandingExcellence #JudgingHonors #MarketingInnovation #CreativeStrategy #CommunityBuilders

A well-deserved award can be a powerful marketing tool that shouldn't be ignored! An award can help to: ?? Shine a Light on Your Achievements: Awards validate your hard work and showcase your success to potential clients. They say, "Hey, we're good at what we do!" ?? Boost Credibility & Trust: Third-party recognition adds legitimacy to your brand. People see an award and think, "They must be doing something right!" ?? Get Noticed by New Clients: Awards generate buzz and put you in front of a wider audience. It's free publicity that attracts new customers who are looking for the best. ?? Motivate Your Team: Winning (or even being nominated) is a morale booster for your team. It shows their hard work is valued and inspires them to keep striving. Ready to turn your accomplishments into marketing gold? Let's work together on those awards submissions!

From gaining new clients to improving brand visibility and social presence, to everything in between...when our clients win, we win ??

It's that time of year again, when our feeds are flooded with "best of the year" lists, awards, and accolades for marketers. While many of these recognitions are well-deserved, if you work for a smaller brand, you might feel unnoticed or left out--and it's perfectly okay to feel that way. It doesn't make you a jealous person or mean that you are somehow less for feeling that way. And while it's true that most of these lists and awards only feature work from major brands or large agencies, that doesn't mean that the work of marketers at smaller brands isn't just as creative or impactful. So, to those of you working day in and day out on small brands without much budget or national name recognition, I just want to say--I see you.

While I’m not a genie ??♀? , I can demystify the ICSC Global Award MAXI judging process. One misconception is that small-budget marketing initiatives can’t win against international entries with typically larger budgets. Not true. One my of $2,200 programs won the coveted prize. Each entry is judged independently based upon the criteria outlined in the MAXI rules, earning a score. If the score reaches a defined threshold, it will be awarded the coveted Silver or Gold MAXI. The entry is based upon its own merit, not how it compares to other entries. A category can have no one worthy of an award to multiple winners! If your retail real estate marketing program innovatively solves a business problem with effective results, enter it. Don't let a wrong assumption ?? stop you! I may not be a genie, but I’m a MAXI judge and award winner. So enter your program by February 7.?Link in comments. Good luck!

Are you wondering how to break through the noise of a crowded market? As a new company it's difficult to build brand recognition facing established players. Follow these few tips to build recognition and finally stand out from the crowd!

Let's celebrate the great marketers you work with by nominating them for AMA Chicago's #MarketerofTheYear Award! Applications open today -- please share with your networks so we can recognize them the amazing work they do for your organizations! Details and link to the application, below. #marketingawards #marketingleaders #marketingteam #celebratemarketing

The Music of AC/DC - "A Lesson to Define a Consistent Brand!" What can you learn about Branding from the Legendary, Iconic band AC/DC and their Music? I’ve always described AC/DC as an aggressively smooth hard rock band that stays right on the edge of metal. Their music also has a certain high-energy groove to it, which is why the Atlanta Falcons used to come out of the locker room listening to “Hells Bells.” This kind of authenticity is exactly what defines Branding—and how your Brand can last long-term. AC/DC has remained true to its core Hard Rock sound since they started in 1973. Just as Coke stays true to its refreshing drinks and red branding, or how Corvette sticks to its high-performance sports cars, AC/DC has always stayed true to its groovy, Hard-Driving Rock sound. Again, their Brand is their style of Hard Rock on the edge of Metal music, and they’ve never shied away from it since the hit album Back in Black. In Branding, you stick to your consistent message across all marketing platforms, driving it into people’s minds at every opportunity. It is a relentless pursuit of pushing the same, consistent message every time on every email, letterhead, business card, LinkedIn post…..Every marketing and communication opportunity. As the great entrepreneur https://lnkd.in/e83vruy7, Tim Cambias told me once, “You say it all day long in Sales!” One of my first customers, Terry Allen—the then-Marketing Director at American Megatrends—taught me this point on Branding in 2002. He said to me after lunch one day, “Develop a slogan and put it on everything—every email, invoice, letterhead—and drive it into their brain and gut every chance you get.” “When you stay true to your Brand’s message & identity, you create long-lasting recognition and trust.” Back to AC/DC and Branding Too many people think marketing comes before branding, but they’ve got it wrong. Branding always comes first—you define who you are, your core values, and then stay true to it, driving it internally to your employees, clients, and prospects at every opportunity. Doing so reinforces your marketing efforts, doubling, tripling, or even quadrupling your company’s, products’, and services’ uniqueness. Companies that can drive their Brand internally, with clear values and a consistent message, are 100 times more effective in the long run. But it takes daily consistency and commitment once you’ve defined your brand. Great brands like Coke, Corvette, and QuikTrip always stick to their core, consistent message, just as AC/DC has stayed true to their signature hard rock sound. Chris Dwyer Authentic Brand Storyteller & Content Marketer | SEO Writer & Lead Generation Expert “Define your Brand and Keep it Rockin!” #branding #authenticwriting #authenticstorytelling #authenticcopyrighter

The dark side of awards (from someone who's been behind the scenes) Our local advertising association’s entry deadline is today, and the Oscar nominations were just announced. Everywhere you turn, it seems society wants us to crave those shiny trophies - those markers of "success." Here’s the thing though I have my fair share of advertising awards, and you know what? They only silenced my imposter for a day or two. They didn’t magically make my career trouble-free. They didn't release the secret your-ideas-will-always-be-creativite formula. And during my time leading the local advertising association I was witness to several award committee decisions. That's when I realized "success" is murky & messy. The standards I was striving for were tenuous at best. In fact, it left me thinking - if this doesn’t feel like success, then what does? This is the unspoken side of accolades and recognition. They’re wonderful in the moment, but they don’t always fill the deeper need for meaningful impact, purpose, or fulfillment. And that’s where many mid-career professionals find themselves: + We’ve climbed the ladder, achieved the goals, maybe even collected a few awards along the way. - But now, we’re staring at a plateau, wondering, “What’s next?” The answer isn’t in the next award. It’s in reconnecting with what truly drives us. If you’ve won all the trophies and still feel like something’s missing, maybe it’s time to rewrite your definition of success, one that’s meaningful, sustainable, and uniquely yours. ?? What’s your take? What are awards good for? _____________ Follow Jackie Brown, ACC for tips to reclaim your value and redefine your future.

I don’t have much experience working with community colleges before being at Enrollify. I'm embarrassed to admit that...but I admit this because listening to Maya Demishkevich on #TheHiddenGem has been such a learning moment for me in my career. As someone who only attended and worked for 4-year public institutions, the more I hear about the work being done at community colleges, the more I realize how vital they are to the success of our education system—and to so many students who rely on them for accessible, high-quality education. It’s also a reminder of how much there is to learn when we take the time to listen to people with different experiences. Maya’s insights have given me a deeper appreciation for the unique challenges and opportunities in this space. If you’re in higher ed and haven’t explored this topic, I can’t recommend it enough—it’s such an important part of the bigger picture in higher education.