Our Vision: To be the nation’s leading marketing association

Our Mission Statement: To elevate the Houston marketing community and its diverse members through superior educational opportunities, networking, and career resources

Overview - The Houston Chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA Houston) has witnessed tremendous growth and success.  In 2004-05 we achieved a Level I chapter status and were awarded the coveted Chapter of the Year for 2003-04. In 2005-06, we were again awarded this prestigious honor. With this heightened position in AMA comes the daunting task of “continuing excellence” in our chapter growth. 

This decision helped us attain dramatic results for our chapter:

·         AMA Houston went from being fifth to second in the nation, with 949 professional members.

·         Committee volunteerism increased to 172 (up 29%)

·         Board turnover improved going from 40% last year to 9% this year (just four out of 43)

·         Monthly luncheon attendance averaged 152, up 38% and 26% above goal.

·         SIG workshop attendance grew to 1,311; 33% above goal.

·         Crystal Awards entries were up 28%; company participation grew 67%; attendance hit 494 - up 30%.

·         Marketer of the Year entries reached 211, more than doubling, and attendance hit 171 - up 50%.

·         Cash sponsorships grew to $52,000 and in-kind exceeded $233,000.

·         Total assets grew by $56,000, up 22% from prior year

The most thrilling achievement for us – watching our professional membership go from fifth to second in the nation.  By the end of the Spring Campaign, 151 new members joined for a 15.59% increase resulting in us being the Level 1 and 2 winner.  That, coupled with a 78.5 percent retention rate, our chapter grew from 820 members at the end the previous year to 949 this year. 

As conveyed by the theme of our CEA entry, 2007-08 was a pivotal year.  We were at a crossroads and had to make some hard decisions, which had tremendous results.  We see this entry as a parallel to film documentaries that capture scenes of events that turn challenging circumstances into rewarding experiences. So throughout this entry, we invite you to sit back and relax as we take you “Behind the Scenes to The Making of a Pivotal Year.”  

This summary will focus predominantly on the “big picture”, specific NEW initiatives for our chapter and the ways in which our chapter excels beyond convention.  It has been our goal to create a collaborative culture on our board.  As a result, this entry is the result of a cohesive, team effort of many board members.

Scene 1:  Setting the Stage

In movie terms, the first step in creating a film is to set the stage by identifying the scenes you need “in the can” in order to truly embody the story you want to capture.  Here is concise list of our specific “scenes” – our main new achievements this year. 

·         Increased membership to 949 from 820 in June of last year, up 16% and 15% above our goal

·         Surpassed all estimates on retention reaching 78.5% (our goal was 70%); 85% member satisfaction rate (mostly and completely satisfied)

·         Broke the $300,000 level for the first time for Houston Chapter assets and revenues minus expenses; achieved 21% net income on revenue far surpassing our goal of 10%  

·         Hosted a record breaking average of 152 attendees at our Chapter Luncheons - up 38% from the previous year and surpassed this year’s goal by 26%; rated a majority of “very satisfied” on our surveys; first time to secure cash sponsors for every luncheon (totaled over $3,400).

·         Hosted an unparalleled Marketer of the Year event - 211 nominations (up 210% from the previous year); 26 Category Winners (only 16 the year before); 171 attendees (27% over our goal); $5,775 net income (up 30% over last year).

·         Held a record breaking Crystal Awards – 299 entrants (28% higher than last year), 494 attendees (up 30%) $24,000 net profit (84% over our goal)

·         Every SIG event was profitable for the first time ever! - 82% over goal (no small feat with 8 active SIGs)

·         Increased SIG event total attendance to 1311 – 37% over goal

·         Started our second CMO Advisory Forum (3 meetings held, 14 members) – meeting our goal to offer more focus on senior marketers

·         Increased local value of membership – Created Member Incentive Program; Members-only Q&A  session and free event drawing at SIG events; discounts on national workshops and events; and Member-only LinkedIn network

·         Stabilized the board – only 4 resigned (out of 43 and 2 were due to family illnesses) compared to 16 the previous year

·         Developed formal Succession Plan complete with Development Plans for identified future leaders

·         Developed intranet for board (sponsored!) and improved the look and content of our Web site.

·         Held a SIG Boot Camp – pivotal step toward preparing incoming SIG Co-chairs – 96% attended

·         Launched social networks – LinkedIn (Members only); Facebook group; Blog

·         Re-branded our chapter – new branding to better tie to IH and update look to align with our vision and mission 

·         Created Corporate Memberships  - 3 companies signed up within first 2 months (21 new members)

·         Created “AMA Houston Gives Back”, our charitable giving arm and awarded first recipient (a non-profit marketing professional) with trip to AMA’s Non Profit Conference 

·         Had record breaking Job Referral Newsletter year – 313 listings (57% above prior year)  

·         Secured unprecedented numbers in sponsors with $52,000 in cash and $233,600 in in-kind.

Scene 2: Developing the Script – Chapter Plan and Board Retreat

This stage involves defining the plot and creating the story line your film will take. It is the defining structure of the film and without it, the documentary cannot be made.  

Our goal this year was to better include the entire board in chapter planning and goal setting.  In the past, the chapter plan was created “in a vacuum” with the President, President-elect, Immediate Past President and VPs primarily creating it.  With a board of over 40 members, we took a more strategic, collaborative approach that would build overall board ownership and accountability.

To begin, we held an in-depth discussion of what our vision and mission mean and how we will know when we’ve accomplished them. Next, we reviewed our Annual Chapter Survey so we could all be accountable to what our members want. (We learned our members sometimes have a very different perspective than our board members!)  We also conducted our first SWOT analysis to identify our strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats. From these discussions, board members, led by their respective VPs and Directors, developed our chapter plan using a strategic template created to provide structure and consistency (see appendix L2).

With such a large board, we needed to get to know one another on a social level, so we kicked off the retreat with a Happy Hour the evening before.  At the retreat, we included an interactive Ice Breaker, Ice Cream Social break and Happy Hour at the conclusion.  Knowing that volunteers are the backbone of our chapter, we also took time at lunch to brainstorm how to recruit, engage and reward our wonderful volunteers (see appendix L1). 

Scene 3: Casting - Leadership

Without a stellar cast, no film can be a success. They must be carefully selected and skillfully coached in order to give award winning performances. Some have leading roles and other supporting ones, but each cast member is essential. It could be said their most important role is making audiences want to be part of what is happening on screen.    

Excellent leadership of AMA Houston was a primary goal for our chapter. Strong leaders ensure success, and they are our best chapter ambassadors. Since the previous year saw high turnover and burnout, our first step was to rebuild and energize the board. 

Leadership Summit – Preparing and motivating our incoming board was the first order of business.  For the 2007 Summit, the Houston chapter sent 12 people and 13 in 2008 – in both years, more than any other chapter.  This was by design, not by accident.  Attending Summit is the best start for a healthy board. It is imperative for Houston board members to see the bigger picture and gain insights from past and current leaders from around the country. This year we paid 100% of expenses for all attendees (see appendix L5).

Board Structure – In the previous year, most board members acted as though they reported directly to the president, causing confusion and frustration. This year, we reorganized into defined areas of responsibility and reporting structures creating less stress and better accountability.  In addition, a stronger Communications plan was needed.  A new communications structure was built to include Brand and Marketing communications, Web, Media Relations and Event Communications.  As a result, we were able to re-brand our chapter with a new logo and brand promise, launch a Blog, Facebook group, LinkedIn community and intranet. (You will notice our old and new logos in the Appendix since we transitioned to the new one this year.) We also improved our Web content and branding, created an online photo gallery and increased our press (twice a much as the previous year) (see appendices G, L7, L9 and P).

Staying on Track – We created a Scorecard (tracked monthly) to help board members focus on their own progress toward goals and to increase accountability (see appendix L3). This tool also allows us to celebrate our successes as they happen. For our SIGs, we held our first SIG Boot Camp to train incoming and returning co-chairs.  We also created new processes for SIG co-chairs. (see appendices L6 and L7).  The result was reduced uncertainty, better structure, greater board satisfaction and excellent events (see appendix S). SIG attendance was 37% over goal and income was 82% above goal.

Mid-year Retreat – Keeping the board energized mid-year helped us finish the year strong. This year we budgeted heavily and 9 board members went to the event in Dallas (see appendix C).

Executive Director and Chapter Administrator – As our chapter size grows, we must respond to increased needs to ensure members continue to receive exceptional value. To help relieve pressure on the Executive Board, we upgraded our Exec. Director’s role by establishing more streamlined accountability and increasing his duties - i.e., Scorecard, SIG financial oversight, etc. To lessen the burden on our board in general, we expanded our SIG Administrator’s role into a Chapter Administrator.    

Executive Board – A critical strategy was to re-engage the Executive Board as a strategic arm and counselor for the President.  Last year, the President made critical decisions in a vacuum, which at times had unfortunate results. This year, collaboration was the President’s leadership theme and as such, made all important decisions by consensus.  We restarted quarterly Executive Board meetings to addresses issues such as forecasting year-end results, Succession Planning and this CEA (see appendix L4).

Outreach – As leaders, we reached out to collegiate and non-profit organizations.  New this year:

-          AMA Houston Gives Back - To address local non-profit needs, we created AMA Houston Gives Back, a charitable giving fund managed by a committee appointed by the President and seeded with money from our Opportunity Fund. The committee awarded its first “gift” - underwriting travel costs for a non-profit marketing professional’s trip to AMA’s Nonprofit Conference. (Our future plans include allocating funds to struggling chapters around the country.) We also continued our sponsorship of the AMAF (Honor Roll), contributing over $4,000 – the most we’ve ever contributed (see appendix K).

-          Outreach to Chapter Leaders:  After our very successful Spring Membership Campaign, we created a video providing information about everything we did, posted it on YouTube and sent AMA Professional Chapter leaders an e-mail with the link (see appendix K).

-          Rice University Partnership - We established what we see as a long-term partnership with Rice University’s Jones School of Business on their nationally renowned MBA marketing competition. We provided judges and exposure at AMA Houston events. As a result, we were able to recruit a Jones School professor to lead our second (new) CMO Advisory Forum and promote AMA to their marketing students (see appendices K and M).

Scene 4:  On Location – Membership Value

To create an epic film, you need a great location for the backdrop of your story. Once there, the cast and crew must know exactly what is expected of them.     

Houston is a dynamic, growing city with untapped potential for our chapter.  This year, we reached out to complementary organizations (non-competing in nature) and “industry stronghold” organizations that could ultimately strengthen our membership because they are ripe with “AMA candidates”.  These included:

-          Greater Houston Visitors and Convention Bureau (GHCVB) – The GHCVB partnered with us to host a Pre-OTC (Energy) Conference event attended by 210 people. With a pitch from the podium about the AMA and a table featuring membership flyers, applications and Energy SIG brochures (manned by 2 people during each break), we obtained 3 new members directly from this event. Not to mention making our brand synonymous with energy, one of our most target-rich audiences (see appendix S).

-          Houston Communications Alliance - Hosted by AMA, PRSA, HAF and more, we brought together people from all areas of marketing for 2 high-powered social events.  Organized by AMA Houston’s Hospitality Chair, the events drew 1,900.  With our Membership team on hand, including a table, membership flyers and applications, we obtained 20 members at these events (see appendix S).

Membership Successes – Our membership efforts this year focused on creating more membership value The larger we get, the more we have at risk, so keeping members engaged is critical. As such, we

implemented several initiatives (which also attracted new members):

-          Created Member Value Strategy – This included new offerings of a Member Incentive Program (businesses offer discounts on product/services); Members-only Q&A session and drawing at SIG events, LinkedIn Community, discounts at national workshops and events. (see appendix P)  We also increased the spread between member and non-member fees to create even more membership value for non members to consider

-          Corporate Memberships – We created our own version of a Corporate Membership. When 5 or more employees from a company join, they each received 2 free event certificates.  We secured 3 Corporate Memberships within the first two months of this offering adding 21 new members (see appendix M).

-          Increased volunteers – Engaged volunteers stay members.  They’re our best membership ambassadors.  We created a Volunteer Coordinator position to match interested members with volunteer roles.  We also leveraged our popular Job Referral Newsletter to list volunteer openings (filled 10 positions). This, plus our two Volunteer Fairs resulted in a 26% increase in volunteers (see appendix P).   

New Programming – Programming is our cornerstone. We continually look for new programming opportunities to meet member needs. Based on our Annual Member Survey, we created 4 new programming initiatives.  The first reached two underserved areas - Public Relations and Advertising – with 95 people attending. We also converted our Hispanic Marketing SIG (will launch next year) to a Multicultural SIG to better serve Houston’s diversity.  Since members tell us they want national events brought to Houston, and since AMA Houston has had challenges getting IH to provide them, we decided to create a national-level platform of our own.  We contracted a national-level trainer for a workshop to be held in Houston. (Members-only event scheduled in Oct. 2008.) (see appendix M). We also launched our second CMO Advisory Forum with 14 members and 3 events (see appendix S).

Cash Sponsorships – Area businesses know the value of sponsoring our chapter events.  This year, we focused our sponsorship efforts by leveraging our board members relationships with businesses.  This resulted in $19,663 in regular event cash sponsorship and $52,000 in cash sponsorships overall.  Luncheons cash sponsorship alone went from zero ($0) the prior year to $3,450 this year.

General Luncheons - A staple of membership, our luncheons surpassed all expectations.  By restarting our pre-event mailers and publicity and by focusing on the 2x3 board in the box truth (hot topics, hot speakers and hot companies), we increased attendance 60% from the previous year surpassing this year’s goal by 26% and rated a majority of “very satisfied” on our surveys.  Using our new sponsorship strategy, we were able to secure cash sponsors for each luncheon (totaled over $3,400) (see appendices L3 and S).

Scene 5:  Awards Ceremonies – Special Programming

No film experience is complete without awards.  Honoring the cast and crew for exceptional performances and work inspires them to continue their standard of excellence.

Recognition and Rewards – We ask a lot from our board so recognition and rewards are critical to motivating and keeping them fresh. This year, we started Board Member Happy Hours and held 2 events at upscale, posh locations with more than 20 board members at each. (see appendix C)  We also started rewarding our Board Members of the Month by inviting them to CMO Advisory Forum events and to sit at the head table at luncheons.  Executive Board members were recognized at a private dinner with each given a unique Waterford Crystal wine glass to symbolize the diversity they bring to our chapter along with their unsurpassed excellence. For other volunteers (non board), we held our first Volunteer Happy Hour event. This free event held at a trendy new restaurant drew over 150 attendees (see appendix B).

Crystal Awards - The Crystal Awards is the Houston Chapter’s annual signature event.  It is well publicized within the AMA at the national level, but we always want to top the year before.  Last year was problematic, however.  Dissention resulted over creative ideas dividing the committee, production pieces weren’t shown at the event as promised to sponsors, etc. To safeguard against this happening again, our Executive Director was placed in an “evergreen director” position as an overseer of future Crystals leaders.  This resulted in a booming committee of 36 (only 9 the previous year) and unprecedented success including 299 entrants (28% higher than last year), 494 attendees (up 30%) $24,000 net profit (84% over our goal) and $24,500 in cash sponsors and $115,000 in in-kind support (see appendix S).

Marketer of the Year (MOTY) – Our Marketer of the Year has grown extensively in three short years from a presentation at our luncheon to a record-breaking upscale evening soiree. To “touch” industry leaders who might never have heard of the AMA, we put out an aggressive Call for Nominations and sought after new industry segments.  The year-over-year results were: 211 nominations (up 210%); 26 Category winners (up by 10); 171 attendees (27% over goal and 50% over prior year), $5,775 net profit (up 30%), and $7,000 in cash and $25,000 in in-kind sponsors (see appendix S).

This executive summary covers the highlights of our leadership triumphs, our growing and dynamic programming and our phenomenal membership achievements.  The rest of the entry gives a more in-depth look at “how” we accomplished our goals. We hope you have enjoyed the “previews”.  Ultimately, we never take our successes for granted; we know we’re only as good as our last blockbuster.  And like Steven Spielberg, we continually strive to surpass ourselves with every new film.