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Amazing work by the RMU AMA

I wanted to share some of the successes the RMU AMA chapter has achieved so far. It should be noted much of the success this year can be attributed to the marketing faculty. 

MEMBERSHIP: Currently, 68 members are signed up as paid members of the organization, which is a new record (and exceeded our revised goal of 65 members)! AMA is not only the largest organization within the School of Business, it is now one of the largest organizations on-campus This would have not been possible without our faculty members welcoming the group into the classroom. In addition, almost every marketing professor had a referral attached to a member's registration form. Below are a few of highlights of our membership recruitment:

• Faculty referrals and in-class visits accounted for ~30% of all generated memberships. 
• Underclassmen membership doubled to 42% from last year.
• The gender gap closed within the organization. Females used to outnumber males 2:1; the demographic levels are now balanced.
• 60% of members opt for mobile payment, which is in-line with last year's mobile payment launch. 
• 25% of members are not marketing majors; 12 different majors are represented within the organization. 

MARKETING WEEK: I am proud to announce Marketing Week was very successful; attendance  increased 222% over last year. The organization adopted a new strategy for this week-long event. Only two of five events were open to all students, which created a perception of exclusivity for paid members. In addition, a unique mix of experiences was offered to members (such as a certificate program), which created value-added opportunities and encouraged members to attend multiple sessions. 

CHAPTER PLAN: The organization submitted its chapter plan immediately following Marketing Week. Special thanks to Dr. Marco for reviewing and critiquing the chapter plan; she spent a few hours with me on revisions and provided numerous ideas for the community outreach and fundraising sections. Twenty-six new events, activities, or functions will be implemented for continuous improvement of the organization, in addition to a number of existing ones. I attached a copy of the chapter plan. If there is anything in the plan in which a faculty member would like to assist, we would be gracious for any support!

REGIONAL CONFERENCE: The organization travelled to the University of Toledo last weekend to attend a regional AMA conference. Four members and three officers took advantage of this opportunity. Emily Nobers and I competed at the last-minute in a marketing strategy competition; we received first place!

UPCOMING EVENTS & ACTIVITIES: 

• AMA is hosting a Yankee Candle fundraiser; we receive 40% net proceeds. If anyone is interested in purchasing a candle, please reach out to one of the offifcers or myself. 
• A canned food drive is taking place through next week. Please encourage any of your students to drop off non-perishable food items in front of Jill's door. 
• In partnership with the Massey Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, AMA is hosting a Monthly Marketer Speaker Series during Entrepreneurship Week. Lawyers from K&L Gates will discuss "Protecting your Brand", which deals with patents, trademarks, and other intellectual property owned by a firm or oneself. The event is Tuesday, November 14 at 2PM in Hopwood Hall. Please encourage your students to attend (we will take attendance if any faculty member needs a list). 

Thanks again for all of the support this school year. The officers and I look forward to a continued partnership between the faculty and students!

David Bursic, Jr.,  AMA President

Attention Marketing Students-Internship Opportunity at WordWrite Communications, LLC

WordWrite Communications LLC is seeking driven, motivated and hardworking students looking to make an impact in PR and social media for the spring 2018 semester. As an intern at WordWrite, students will have the opportunity to expand the digital presence of the agency, the freedom to implement their own ideas, and earn Inbound Marketing certification through HubSpot. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to become involved with the Pittsburgh HubSpot User Group by working collaboratively with our digital and inbound marketing specialist.

Successful WordWrite interns are great writers and have working knowledge of social media platforms, and are looking to learn and expand on their techniques for each platform. Interns are responsible for daily social media posts and interacting with followers. Along with social media duties, students are also responsible for blogs, research and press releases on an as-needed basis. PR and communications is a fast-paced industry, and successful interns are able to adapt to client and agency needs accordingly. WordWrite interns are capable of coming up with their own ideas and presenting them during weekly meetings. Our interns are involved in many different projects and gain a deeper understanding of the public relations field through writing, inbound marketing, understanding buyer personas and learning the culture of WordWrite Communications.

The WordWrite Intern will be responsible for the following depending on the day and objectives for that week:
• Attending team meetings and sharing new ideas
• Inbound Marketing certification
• Managing social media channels using Hubspot tools
• Crafting social media weekly calendar
• Conducting research to support agency on client projects
• Providing PR support as needed 

Role description
1. WordWrite Social Media
a. Develop weekly social media calendar for the firm for each social media platform
b. Understand the specific nuances of each platform, its audience and how to increase leads
c. Work collaboratively with our account coordinators and digital and inbound marketing specialist to create social strategy
2. Inbound Marketing Certification
a. Interns are required to become inbound marketing certified in order to post, check and become active on WordWrite

    social media and other tools
b. Inbound marketing allows you to become involved in the Pittsburgh HubSpot User Groups (HUG)
c. Event planning of Pittsburgh HUG meet-ups
3. WordWrite Public Relations
a. Provide support to account staff on various client projects on an as needed basis
b. Prioritize tasks and responsibilities dependent on client need
c. These can include research, crafting media lists or providing on-site event support

 Qualifications:

Students interested in applying should be a junior or senior majoring in communications, journalism, 

public relations, marketing, writing or a related course of study. Academic credit may also be received

 for our internship.

Must have:
• Knowledge of PR fundamentals and the ability to put PR skills to use
• Excellent writing skills and knowledge of AP Style
• Knowledge of Microsoft applications
• Social media experience preferred
• Ability to work independently with a curiosity to learn
• Strong interest in inbound marketing and the HubSpot platform
• Attention to detail
• Experience with Adobe Creative Suite a plus

Please submit your resume through ColonialTRAK or directly to Louis.Spanos@wordwritepr.com

 For more information about WordWrite Communications, LLC, please visit http://www.wordwritepr.com/

FYI STARTUP JOB FAIR

Looking for a new gig?  Check out our Startup Job Fair THIS Thursday, November 16th from 4 to 6 p.m. It will be held on CMU's campus.

 

 

 

The fair is open to ALL whether you're a student, a professional, or anything in between.  No university affiliation necessary to attend.

Learn more at: https://www.meetup.com/Pgh-Tech/events/244672722/

 

Want to learn more about Technology? https://www.meetup.com/Pgh-Tech/events/243012646/

2017 Thanksgiving Holiday Season Hot Topics

Dear Marketing Students:

Faculty and staff members would like to wish every Marketing student a Happy Thanksgiving.  Robert Morris University will be closed on November 23, 2017 and November 24, 2017.  

Thanksgiving Day Dinner
Every year, we asked ourselves, how many calories will I consume on Thanksgiving day. Well, according to the American Council on Fitness, they said we will consume around 3,000 calories on Thanksgiving day and 229 grams of fat.  The American Council on Fitness recommends controlling your portions while eating your Thanksgiving dinner.  The American council on Fitness recommends eating turkey, white and dark meat, with skin (6 ounces), Gravy (one-third of a cup), Mashed potatoes (1 cup), cranberry sauce (one-third of a cup), green bean casserole (1 cup), Sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows (1 cup), dinner roll (1), butter (1 tablespoon), pecan pie (1 slice), vanilla ice cream (one-half of a cup) and red wine (one glass, or 5 ounces.  For more information about Thanksgiving day dinner, please log into https://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/how-many-calories-do-you-really-eat-thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day Store Closures and Openings
We all know Marketing students love shopping for Christmas gifts on Thanksgiving day but watch out, your favorite store might be closed on Thanksgiving Day.  The following stores will be closed on Thanksgiving day.  They include: A.C. Moore, Ace Hardware, At Home, Burlington, Costco, Dillard's, Dressbarn, H&M, Half Price Books, Hobby Lobby, Home Depot, IKEA, Lowe's, Marshalls, Mattress Firm, Nordstrom, Office Depot and OfficeMax, Party City, Patagonia, Petco, PetSmart, Pier 1 Imports, Sam'sClub, Sears Hometown Stores, Shoe Carnival, Sportsman's Warehouse, Sprint, Staples, The Original Mattress Factory, TJ Maxx, Tractor Supply and West Marine.  If you would like a full listing of Thanksgiving day closures, check out this link: https://bestblackfriday.com/blog/stores-closed-on-thanksgiving-day-2017/

The following stores will be open on Thanksgiving day. They are: Sears, Kmart, Target, JCPenney, Macys, Kohl's, Rite Aid, Walmart, Best Buy, Toys R Us, Family Dollar, Walgreens, Dollar General, Big Lots, Boscovs and many more.  If you would like a full listings of Thanksgiving day openings, please check out https://www.theblackfriday.com/stores-opening-on-thanksgiving.php 

Black Friday
Do you know your history about "Black Friday".  Well the term Black Friday started in the 1950s from store managers and factory supervisors. There are three theories about Black Friday. They are Absent Workers, Philadelphia Traffic Cops, and Accounting from Red to Black.  For more information about the History of Black Friday, please log onto https://bestblackfriday.com/user-guide/black-friday-history

Of course the day after Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday, is one of the biggest day for shopping for Christmas gifts.  The Black Friday predictions for gifts are televisions, video games, smartphones, clothing, tablets, laptops, toys, and more.  If you would like more information about Black Friday predictions, please see  https://bestblackfriday.com/blog/black-friday-2017-predictions/

Make a Difference in the Life of Someone Else

Dear Marketing Students-

The American Marketing Association is supporting the PNC Turkey Trot by donating nonperishable food items to at-risk families in the Pittsburgh region. In conjunction with the YMCA and PNC, the RMU AMA will help support the cause and the overall goal of 5,000 pounds of donated food items. The students and faculty in the RMU Management Department are also supporting this cause and we have challenged them to a competition for which department can collect the most donations. So please bring your donated items to the second floor of Massey Hall; right outside my office #230, Dr. Jill Maher. Together, let's support this important cause. Deadline for donations for the PNC Turkey Trot is November 17, 2017.

Thank you in advance for your generosity in making a difference in the lives of those in need.

For more information about AMA, visit www.rmuAMA.org

Temporary Marketing Assistant with VisitPittsburgh

About VisitPITTSBURGH

VisitPITTSBURGH is the official tourism promotion agency for Allegheny County. Established in 1935, VisitPITTSBURGH is a non-profit organization dedicated to generating convention, trade show and leisure travel business for the Pittsburgh region. 

Our two primary objectives are to tell the great Pittsburgh story to a national and international audience, and to attract overnight visitors to our region. Pittsburgh is a red hot brand, and we want to continue to fan the flames to ensure Pittsburgh remains the Must Place to Visit as proclaimed by so many media outlets.Today, thanks in large part to the considerable efforts of VisitPITTSBURGH and our Partners, the Greater Pittsburgh region attracts more than 11 million overnight visitors each year. Overall, tourism translates into a significant impact on the region’s bottom line, more than $5.6 billion in direct spending by overnight visitors to Allegheny County alone.

 

Temporary Marketing Assistant 

VisitPITTSBURGH - Pittsburgh, PA 15219

$12 an hour - Temporary

Job Summary This temporary position starts in January and ends in December 2018, limited to 1,000 hours. $12/hour pay rate, no additional benefits provided. Start and end dates are flexible. Prefer an undergraduate or graduate student, working towards a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Marketing, Sales, Management or Business or related field. 35 hours/week during the summer, minimum 3 days/21 hours per week during the academic year. Available to work extra hours, if needed. Transportation to and from work is unpaid. VisitPITTSBURGH is the official tourism promotion agency for Allegheny County, a nonprofit organization, dedicated to generating convention, trade show and leisure travel business for the Pittsburgh region. Responsibilities and Duties Assist with marketing and promotions projects aimed to attract leisure and convention travelers to the Pittsburgh region. Execute duties that support the Marketing Department’s goals. Manage calendar of events. Administrative duties. Planned Projects Spearhead coupon project for both online distribution and a printed brochure. Participate in development of marketing strategies such as media planning, proposal reviews and web content development. Assist with development of marketing campaigns and special events. Communicate with cooperative advertising partners to collect assets, manage creative and distribute content to media outlets. Evaluate new emerging media or technologies and make recommendations for their use and applications within VisitPITTSBURGH. Collect/analyze campaign data including web traffic, engagement and click through rates. Qualifications and Skills Professional and organized self-starter, takes the initiative. Logical and a team player, able to multitask and stay on deadline, in a rapid-pace work environment. Strong oral and written communication skills. Website or blog writing experience preferred. Plan, organize and execute assigned tasks and duties. Manage priorities within changing conditions to meet deadlines and achieve project goals and objectives. Good interpersonal skills, including tact, diplomacy, creativity and customer service. Work proactively and independently to accomplish assigned goals. Proficient in MS Office Suite. Photoshop skills a plus. Knowledge of social media highly preferred. Benefits No benefits are provided. Provide a cover letter with your application, along with two writing samples. Job Type: Temporary Salary: $12.00 /hour Job Location: Pittsburgh, PA Required education: Bachelor's Required experience: Marketing: 2 years

https://www.indeed.com/cmp/VisitPITTSBURGH/jobs/Temporary-Marketing-Assistant-e1d1f52d84ed54d9?sjdu=Zzi_VW2ygsY1fzh3Ma9ZsE4zIT1NTXCwgFBhdjeTC3NqOf69HZDxEIgiYAnICCb6wY5VEY1bkGS_NfrwFoKMX88OPU9a9jyqvl2XbDWy63li2gP-BZ8ob9fDgnsjwwBdNLzQIkSlpnp8wHw4RVjXq-cA8hSna9bRtu5btViA8o4

Annual Veteran's Day Celebration

Please join us as we salute RMU faculty, staff, and students who have served the United States of America in uniform during the Veterans Day Brunch Friday, November 10 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Westinghouse Room in Yorktown Hall. 

 

All are invited to attend this brunch, whether you served in the military or just want to show your respect. Our guest speaker is Dan Pultz, military coordinator and coach at TEAM TBI and a retired Marine Corps officer and Vietnam veteran. We will also be making a very exciting announcement regarding the RMU VETS Center, which you won’t want to miss. Please RSVP by Friday, November 3 at

http://www.rmu.edu/vetsbrunch. 

 

We look forward to seeing you there!