Join NAMA next month for the 13th annual NAMA Boot Camp, August  9-11 in Kansas City. Whether you’ve just entered the rough working world or one who’s been through the NAMA Boot Camp drill before, sign up for this program today to learn more about the agri-marketing industry.

Find what you need to know on the Boot Camp Website and check out the full schedule below:

Tuesday, August 9

8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. — MoKan Ag Tour (optional)
This tour is a hands-on experience and includes visits to Heins Dairy, Ag-Power Dealership, Peters Orchard and Plattner Farms. The bus will leave the hotel at 8:00 a.m. and return by 3:00 p.m.

4:00 p.m. — Boot Camp Registration

5:00 – 6:00 p.m. — Welcome Reception

6:00 – 7:30 p.m. — Opening General Session, Dinner & Networking Activity
Kick off the Boot Camp with a networking activity designed to help you get to know fellow attendees. 

Wednesday, August 10

8:00 a.m. — Continental Breakfast

8:30 – 10:00 a.m. — General Session 
Doing Your Job Better
Gail Calhoun, President, Calhoun Consulting, Inc.
The ability to identify and adapt to different communication styles within your organization is a critical component of success. Whether you’re new to your career or just looking for some helpful hints, this session will highlight tips for communicating with team members and managing expectations to make sure you’re delivering the best work possible. Gail Calhoun is president of Calhoun Consulting, Inc., a Minneapolis-based sales communication and executive coaching firm. 

10:00 – 10:30 a.m. — Break

10:30 a.m. – Noon — General Session
Producer Panel
Moderator: Jared Spader, VP of Strategy and Business Development/U.S. Operations, AgCall
Learn how to communicate effectively with producers. The producer panel has become a Boot Camp favorite and attendees won’t want to miss the valuable insights from producers.

Noon – 1:30 p.m. — Luncheon
Farmers and Media: How Usage is Changing and What This Means.
Jack Semler, Readex Research
The world of communications is changing every day. Digital communications channels in particular provide information to all of us at light speed. How are these evolving channels affecting farmers and ranchers, and what is the impact on mainstay traditional channels? The latest survey is complete, and Jack Semler of Readex Research will present the findings. Come and learn how the world is changing in ag and what this means for agribusiness in the future.

1:30 – 2:45 p.m. — Breakout Sessions (choose one)

A Year in the Life of a Producer
This highly interactive session will address basics of the industry along with issues and challenges.  Hear it straight from the producer.

Lessons Learned from a Career in Crisis Management
Season Solorio, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
Every organization will eventually face the moment when something goes wrong, affecting your people, products or reputation. This session will offer practical tips for managing a crisis based on the real-life experiences of an ag communicator who has helped manage producer recalls, oil spills, pink slime and the media onslaught that accompanies a crisis.

2:45 – 3:00 p.m. — Break

3:00 – 4:00 p.m. — Breakout Sessions (choose one)

The Economics of Commodities
Mike McGinnis, Successful Farming
Markets and commodity trading are critical elements for farmers in order to have a sustainable business model. Today’s break-out session will give the audience an overview on commodity trading, and the key factors which effect market prices.  What does the future look like for agriculture?  Come and learn some basic commodity-grain marketing information to help grasp how trading, business planning and future contracts all work.

The Creative Department’s Dirty Little Secrets
Tug McTighe, Callahan Creek and John January, Sullivan Higdon Sink
This talk is about how you, as a non-creative type, can learn to communicate better with the creatives you work with or employ. It’s also about creative types learning to understand themselves and what makes them tick. Want to become a creative whisperer? Then this is the ticket.

4:30 – 6:30 p.m. — Off-site Reception
A shuttle will take attendees to a special reception at Snow and Company. Snow and Company is an artful frozen cocktail bar located in the heart of the Crossroads Art District of Kansas City, MO.  Check it out at www.snowandcompany.com.

Thursday, August 11

8:00 – 8:30 a.m. — Breakfast

8:30 – 9:00 a.m. — General Session
Farm Radio Connects
Mindy Oberly, Marketing & Communications Manager, NAFB
Farmers are information seekers; helping them make operation decisions for today, tomorrow and the future. Learn how farm broadcasting continues to connect with producers coast-to-coast on a daily basis.

9:00 – 10:00 a.m. — General Session
Tech Trends That Are Changing Marketing
Sara Steever, Paulsen
Innovation and invention in technology will never again be as slow as they are right now. As savvy marketers, we must learn to see opportunity in this technological chaos especially as the pace of change accelerates. Sara will cover topics including consumer behavioral changes, Internet of Things, big data, artificial intelligence, neuromarketing, and virtual reality. As marketing evolves, we must also have strategies in place for staying current and sorting out fads from important long-term trends.

10:15 – 11:30 a.m. — Closing Session
Winning the Name Game – How to Create Unforgettable Names
Mollie Young, Nametag International
A series of letters. A word. That’s all a name is. Choose the right one, though, and it can create magic. It can change behavior. It can be the difference between success and failure. It can live for generations. It doesn’t matter if you are naming a seed, a fertilizer, a tractor or even a new company, creating a great name is imperative. Find out what the secret is to creating unforgettable names. Learn how to reach your key audiences through naming, and make sure your brands are speaking the right language in this global world.

11:30 a.m. — Meeting Adjourn

REGISTER NOW!