Tomorrow morning I'm addressing two groups of marketing students at St. Norbert College in De Pere, WI. While I'm officially there to discuss the role of marketing in business, marketing as a career, and marketing oneself as they hit the career path, you can be sure that weblogs will find their way into the conversation. For those of you reading from academia, I would like to issue a challenge to our students to 'innovate their way into promising careers' by using tools like weblogs and other vehicles of self promotion, credibility building and wide-scope social networking.

While I realize that younger generations are typically quicker to adopt technology, I'm always amazed at the disconnection from the outside world, especially the marketing world from marketing students, that I typically witness in classrooms.

If your students are blogging, or if you're encouraging them to blog, would you please leave a comment with a link?

Thanks!
[Cross posted from the AMA Weblog]

Raj and I simply haven't been able to write fast enough to get this year's academic/marketing paper into the MMA conference in Chicago in March. Bummer, that's always a fun conference that's easy to get to.

However, as Raj indicates, the center of balance is slowly shifting to Europe in the marketing arena. More and more Europeans would rather have Americans visit there than come this way. I see no harm in checking out the UK for a marketing conference, so that's what we're shooting for.

This year's paper (yet to be released) will be sent to the AM2004 Conference being held in Cheltenham July 6-9, 2004 and is being hosted by the University of Gloucestershire Business School.

I recently got an email from the SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) group at a local college seeking ideas on promoting SIFE and acquiring new members.

Rather than create these in a vacuum, I'm posting these ideas here in case other colleges are searching for ideas on promoting SIFE within their schools.

1. Get a dedicated SIFE website where students can learn all about the organization
   and communicate with the organization leaders.


2. Have your college IT dept change all of the screen savers on campus computers
   to a SIFE screensaver. Point prospective members to the SIFE website


3. Add a weblog (similar to this one) to the site. Update it regularly with
   SIFE happenings, local business issues, topics for discussion, member bios,
   etc. Keep it fresh


4. Ask your business/communications/xyx dept. professors to speak in each of
   their classes and hand out some info on SIFE. Take signups on the spot. Develop
   your pitch, and go for it.


5. Develop a compelling value proposition/one page flyer for SIFE - Focus on
   features, advantages, and benefits of joining SIFE at your school. For example:
   1. Valuable projects to help global community, brilliant students to work
      with, sense of accomplishment
   
   
   2. Networking opps, expand opps. in local marketplace, real world experience
      through SIFE projects
   
   
   3. Enhance you public speaking skills, explore your passions, etc...you
      get the point.


6. Have one of your members (or several) write regular "SIFE issue focused"
   columns in the school newspaper, or local newspaper city paper if you are
   so inclined.


7. Publish press releases to the college paper, as well as to the local papers
   and business journals to get exposure for your organization and build your
   presence.


8. Try for a college TV station spot, or better yet, a community television
   spot to gain exposure and spread your message


9. Have a SIFE sidewalk chalk day. Get all of your current members to write
   'pro-SIFE' messages all over campuses. Leave the SIFE web address.


10. Start a series of discussions w/ local business leaders in the evenings
    to draw out potential members. Offer food - that will really get them out.
    Be sure to pitch membership during the sessions! Topics could include:
    1. Marketing yourself in a tough job market (doing something different
       to get the job).
    
    
    2. Staples of a successful business career. What to do, and not to do in
       your first job.
    
    
    3. Career 'Face-Off'. Invite someone from the financial sector, marketing/creative,
       or and a non-profit to debate the pros/cons of various career paths


11. Make a SIFE movie about the cause, the members, and how great it is to be
    in SIFE. Set it on your website, tell all your friends, and try to get it
    to 'go viral'.


12. Evangelize SIFE to everyone you know!