If you haven’t booked your room at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel yet, make sure you do so before Friday, March 24! This is the cutoff for the hotel – if you don’t reserve a room by that date, you will not be able to save money on the NAMA room rate! The hotel is filling up so make your reservations today!

The early bird registration cutoff is Monday, April 3! Make sure to register by that date for the 2017 Agri-Marketing Conference, April 26-28, in Dallas, TX.

Key shifts in Ag Marketing are driving the urgency to act. This is caused by: Ongoing emergence of big data, shift of power to the farmer, increasing pressure to do more with less, recognition that loyalty drives performance and farmers are better informed today.

Traditional direct marketing, including direct mail, is still highly effective but should be combined with digital marketing and communications that integrates the messaging around a 4W (Who, What, Where and When) strategy for maximum efficacy.  Defining the Who, What, Where and When of Digital Marketing is key and a database strategy is essential.  Steven Rao, with Farm Market iD, will address.

1. What is Database Marketing?
2. The promise and potential of Database Marketing
3. How does Digital factor into this?
4. Marketing in a down Economy

Steven is a strategic executive with deep expertise in marketing, data and analytics with a broad industry background.  His expertise and knowledge, ranging from venture-backed enterprises to Fortune 500 companies, is valuable when working with clients to develop data solutions that will help achieve their strategic goals.  He brings a unique perspective to database marketing in agriculture due to his broad experience in delivering database marketing solutions across many industries.

Cost: $40 NAMA Members and $50 Non-members

Date: Thursday, March 30, 2017

Time: 1:00 p.m. Central Time

Click here to register!

NAMA and AAEA sponsored a reception in conjunction with the 2017 Commodity Classic in San Antonio, TX, with the support of the Chesapeake, Great Plains and Rocky Mountain NAMA chapters and BASF.

After hours of standing in the Trade Show, approximately 75 people took advantage of the opportunity to mix and mingle with fellow NAMA and AAEA members.

Don Loren Norton, 63, Lenexa, was born September 4, 1953, and passed away on March 13, 2017. Many of you knew Don Norton, who worked at Boelte Hall and was a MoKan NAMA member for years.

Don married Connie on Dec. 14, 1974, and they became the parents of two children, Shad Norton and Seth Norton. They have one grandchild, Kellan Norton. He was preceded in death by his parents and son, Shad. Survivors include his wife, son and grandson.

Memorials, in lieu of flowers, can be made to Lee Ann Britain Infant Development Center; Down Syndrome Guild of Kansas City, or Young Life Shawnee Mission.

Memorial service will be on Friday, March 17 at 2:00 p.m. at Heartland Community Church, Olathe, KS. Graveside service will be on Saturday, March 18 at 1:00 p.m. at North Inman Cemetery, Inman, KS.

Don will be greatly missed in the NAMA community. Our sympathies go out to his family.

Join the Iowa NAMA chapter for networking, lunch, and to learn from a panel of ag marketing agency experts discussing how the agency business is evolving. Learn how agencies are adapting to suit the ever-changing needs of their ag industry clients, along with an opportunity to ask the panel what you would like to know.

The panel includes:
Doug Jeske, President and owner of Meyocks, a branding and advertising agency focused on agricultural, food and health brands. Ag brands they work with include:
• AgDirect
• Agrilabs
• Dragotec USA
• Farm Credit Services of America

Pat Reese, Senior VP Media Director at Sandbox, an agency group with five locations who’s clients include large ag clients including:
• Elanco Animal Health
• John Deere Ag Equipment
• John Deere Financial
• Monsanto
• National Cattlemen Beef Association
• National Pork Producers Council
• World Pork Expo

Greg Ehm, Public Relations Director at Two Rivers Marketing, a leading B2B marketing agency based in Des Moines. Their ag clients include:
• BASF
• Bobcat
• John Deere Financial
• John Deere Power Systems
• Renewable Energy Group
• Titan Tire
• Zinpro

11:30 a.m. – Networking and Lunch

12 p.m. – 1 p.m. – Panel Discussion and Q&A

Questions? Contact Ellie Weiss or visit the website www.namaiowa.com.