President's Message: July 2023
“Summertime and the living is easy”…said no marketer in 2023. This summer we all seem to be moving faster than the speed of light on meetings, industry programs, qualifications, proposal responses, keeping up with brand management, and honestly anything else that seems to be leftover while others go to Disneyland. So, it was with great admiration and honor that SMPS SFBAC took a breather from the hustle and bustle and gathered on Thursday night, June 29, in celebration of the profession.
I was asked that night what was one of the things I was most proud of from my term as chapter president. As I looked around the room, I said that night was a success. But I meant more than just pulling off another lovely, celebratory evening. I meant creating opportunities for us to come together as a community of practitioners.
There is a long way to go before the chapter reaches the level of participation that we saw before the Covid pandemic. During Covid, our industry lost professionals and the rise of remote/hybrid work has pulled our chapter geography apart. We have not found that perfect mix of events and professional opportunities that will reshape the chapter into a vibrant, hybrid, post-pandemic gathering place.
We will keep trying though. And we need you to help. The Chapter is working on gathering data for the Three-Year Strategic Plan. Last month I invited you to focus groups and this month I want to encourage participation on the Google Jam Board and membership survey. The Jam Board is available at this link:
https://jamboard.google.com/d/1ZWsJXbRSur-ogVlXOcWfkHznFevdWad40CUsBexgiLA/viewer?pli=1
Leave us a post-it about what you think the Chapter’s top priorities should be in the areas of member engagement, modernizing the Chapter, inclusion of all members, balancing educational needs across stakeholders, and recruiting/retention.
We are also issuing a chapter-wide survey, which you can find at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/978NNP2.
Answers in both these areas will inform the upcoming Board discussion on the Chapter Plan. And, as always, if none of these methods work for you, share your thoughts with me directly.
Laurie Lumish, CPSM
Director of Marketing & Business Development, Degenkolb Engineers
[email protected]
President, SMPS SF Bay Area Chapter
