July 1, 2023 marked the start of my year as President of the AMA Madison-American Marketing Association! Excited, terrified, proud, humbled, overwhelmed… so many words describe my feelings about the year ahead! 

But there are a few things I know for sure that help keep me laser-focused on our goals of growing the chapter.  

• The support system and network of volunteers is incredible
• Being with other marketers is invigorating and inspiring
• Stagnation kills

The most valuable commodity for a professional: time

I’m so grateful to work alongside our fantastic volunteers to produce excellent events, provide great resources, and be the region’s go-to source for marketers. One of my most treasured resources is AMA President-elect, Whitney L. Atkins. I remember cold calling her to volunteer for our chapter a few years ago and we  connected immediately! Since then, I’ve leaned on her for guidance and expertise which has been monumental to my growth as a professional. I hope to mentor and support others like she has been for me! There’s no other way to put it; I’m thrilled to work with her so closely this year and pass the reins her way in July 2024!

The dedication of our entire executive team and volunteer corps is outstanding.  They are always ready to jump in to complete a task, offer their expertise, and, of course, provide endless laughs when needed. They give selflessly the most valuable commodity: their time.

TikTok camaraderie will only last as long as a swipe

Some professionals are invigorated by the prospect of meeting new people at a networking event. In comparison, others find it hard to walk into an event where they don’t know anyone. That’s why I invest my time in events like AMA Madison’s. They’re set up to make networking fun and easy. Personally, I always have a blast meeting new people and growing my marketing knowledge.

The camaraderie from meeting a connection in person will sustain you far longer than watching a TikTok video and tapping ‘like.’ Come be with other marketers and find out who uses AI in their work or curses out Google Analytics G4 every day. Or maybe you’ll find your next best role without the arduous process of applying. No matter what happens when I’m with other marketers, I know I will always walk away refreshed and inspired. Please come say hello to me at our next AMA Madison event.

Expecting new results from old tactics is a strategy that doesn’t work

As marketers, we know iteration is the key to success. 

• Launch an ad and it doesn’t perform. So you have to tweak the criteria and try again. 
• Write an email subject line and the open rates are low. Resend to the unengaged with new language for A/B tests.
• Receive poor feedback. Lean in and learn instead of cowering or ignoring.

And this is what we’re doing for the chapter. We’re making changes. We’re evolving. We’re pivoting. Our results might not be exactly where we want them to be, but we will undoubtedly see a difference. 

This strategy has risks.  And sometimes, it’s an unpopular way to proceed. But doing the same things repeatedly is a great way to garner the same mediocre results.

More to come

There’s one final thing I’m sure of. I look forward to seeing our members and community friends at our events and connecting around Madison. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me anytime. I know I’ll be excited to hear from you!

Carrie Brown is the current 2023-24 President of the American Marketing Association Madison Chapter.  She has served in various other volunteer capacities since 2019.  Her ‘paid gig’ as a Marketing Manager for an ancillary employee benefits insur-tech start-up keeps her busy and iterating daily.  You can find her on LinkedIn enthusiastically posting about marketing and cheering on her network in comments across the platform.