Summit Offers Strategies For Successful Marketing
Event highlights trends and best marketing media
Shenandoah University’s Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business is partnering with Winchester-based consulting agency Encore Elite Partners to hold a marketing summit later this month.
The fifth annual EEP Marketing Summit — previously the Go Blue Ridge Travel Annual Marketing Summit — is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 27 in Halpin-Harrison Hall in Stimpson Auditorium on Shenandoah University’s main campus.
Shenandoah University is delighted to host the annual EEP Marketing Summit this year and in years to come. It’s a great way to build on the foundation established by the annual business symposium, and it helps the business school achieve its mission, which is to educate students to be successful, principled leaders with a global perspective.”
Associate Professor Giles Jackson, Ph.D
Initially, the event’s mission was to address the marketing needs of the local tourism and hospitality industry in the Shenandoah Valley. This year, the event will offer a full day of sessions on strategies for marketing success for all businesses and industries in Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland. Students at Shenandoah University and other local universities and community colleges are invited to attend.
The summit will highlight the best marketing media for different generations. Social digital media is the number one concern, with most businesses struggling with how to pick which channels are best for their products. There is also the newest marketing trend in 2019 — influencer campaigns.”
Nancy Craun | Owner of Encore Elite Partners and producer of the marketing summit
Rita McClenny, the chief executive officer and president of Virginia Tourism Corporation, will kick off the event at 9:30 a.m. This year is the 50th year of the corporation’s Virginia is for Lovers brand campaign.
“The brand is one of the most successful tourism identities here in the United States,” Craun said.
Other speakers include Shannon Johnson, brand director of Virginia Tourism Corporation; Susan Zirkle from The Martin Agency, which handles brands like Geico, CarMax, Benjamin Moore, TIAA, Land O’Lakes, Virginia Tourism, and Colonial Williamsburg; and Georgiana Dearing, founder of Virginia Foodie and owner of Water Street | Marketing for Manufacturers.
Attendees will also learn how to work with the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business through internships, pilot studies and a mentoring program. Businesses attending the summit will hear from four professors in the business school about “The SU Experience.” Explore the relationship one can have with Shenandoah University. Associate Professor Giles Jackson, Ph.D, will also have an open workshop enrollment for businesses wanting Shenandoah interns this summer.
View the conference schedule:
9:00 am – 9:30 am
Welcome and Introduction of Keynote Speaker
9:30 am – 10:15 am
The Brand: 50 Years of a Brand: Tradition blending with new generations
Rita McClenny | President & CEO, Virginia Tourism Corporation The staying power of a brand that has endured the test of time and the evolution of Virginia is for Lovers.
10:30 am – 11:00 am
Brand Promise: The one thing you want people to know about YOUR brand
Georgiana Dearing | Founder, Virginia Foodie & Owner Water Street Marketing for Manufacturers
11:10 am – 11:40 am
Target Audience: How to map the purchase process for your particular product
Dr. Giles Jackson | Professor of Marketing, Shenandoah University
11:45 am – 12:15 pm
The Reach: How to attract, inform, engage, and sell to your Audience
Nancy Craun | Founder & Owner, Encore Elite Partners with Shannon Johnson & Susan Zirkle
12:30 pm – 1:25 pm
Lunch Break with Networking
1:30 pm – 2:00 pm
The SU Experience
Dr. Fritz Polite, Dr. Giles Jackson, Dr. Sally Kim, & Dr. Montressa Washington
Explore the relationship you can have with Shenandoah University. From pilot studies, business mentoring program, and entrepreneurship, SU’s School of Business welcomes the opportunity to work with local businesses.
2:10 pm – 2:55 pm
Break Out Session 1
- Internship Workshop: Book your intern for Summer 2019 from Shenandoah University | Dr. Giles Jackson
- How to work with a limited marketing budget | John Judy (Moderator), Seth Miller, Carissa Zanella, Rene Hollebrandse
- Photography Tips: What you need to know | Kerri Mariano, Lauri Bridgeforth, and Cory Hammons
3:05 pm – 3:50 pm
Break Out Session 2
- #Hashtags: How to use them to your advantage | Georgiana Dearing
- How to have a successful Influencer Campaign | Allison Mayhew (Moderator), Amy Mascot, Alexie Malloy, Liz Thomson, and Christie Horgan
4:10 pm – 5:00 pm
Interactive Case Study: Video Marketing
Join for a master class to learn how Squatty Potty, a U.S. company that sells a unique footstool, launched its first-ever viral video campaign in October 2015. During this interactive case analysis/discussion, you will gain a better understanding of how digital marketing, social media campaigns, social media influencers and social media analytics are relevant for any business in today’s market.
Funding Scholarships
The registration fees are funding scholarships allowing Shenandoah University students to attend American Marketing Association conferences in 2019.
Scholarships are valuable tools for opening doors for promising young people. One of our priorities is to build students’ professional networks by sending them to market trade events where they can learn best practices and position themselves to capitalize on new and exciting opportunities. The marketing summit helps bring us closer to this goal.”
Associate Professor Giles Jackson, Ph.D.
Encore Elite Partners specializes in digital social media campaigns for the tourism and hospitality industry. Best known for its community-marketing ecosystem that allows businesses to collaborate together on marketing campaigns, EEP’s four communities include Go Blue Ridge Travel, Va Kids Trail, Taste of Blue Ridge and Blue Ridge Bride.
