Copywriting: Your #1 Marketing Skill

A politically turbulent 2016 is closing out and uncertainty still looms for 2017. What’s the current economic situation and forecast for manufacturing? Join AMT’s Vice President of Strategic Analytics Pat McGibbon as he shares with Steve Miller, AMT’s resident Marketing Gunslinger, what he and other top economists see for the future.

Without a doubt one of the most famous, most remembered, and long-lasting brands in history is Santa Claus! He’s a pretty smart business man and has incorporated many very strong branding components in maintaining his place in the minds of children around the world! And maybe we can learn a few tricks from jolly old St. Nick. As we enter the 2016 holiday season, join IMTS’s resident Marketing Gunslinger, Steve Miller, for a fun and informative session as he analyzes the branding genius and longevity behind Santa Claus.

IMTS 2016 is literally a few days away! You’ll join over 115,000 other participants. You’ll be walking through 1.3 million net square feet of exhibit space. Over 2,000 exhibiting companies will be fighting for your attention and time. In addition, you’ll experience the Emerging Technology Center, the Advanced Manufacturing Center, Today’s Technology Center, drive a 3-D printed vehicles, see the new IMTS balloon…heck, we can’t even LIST everything here. So, yes, IMTS will be huge. And you want to not only enjoy your time in Chicago, but you want to get the most out of your visit business-wise and personally! Join Bonnie Gurney, Director - Exhibitions Strategy & Communications for AMT, and our resident Marketing Gunslinger, Steve Miller, as they share what’s new and top tips for getting the most out of your time and investment at IMTS 2016.

We know you're scrambling to get ready for IMTS. We also know you REALLY want to maximize your time and investment this year. Join our resident Marketing Gunslinger, Steve Miller, and Michelle Edmonson, Director- Exhibitions Design and Operations, as they spill the beans on some great last minute tactics for attracting your best prospects! Speaker/Host: Steve Miller, The Adventure

Although not 100% practiced, it’s pretty much understood that following up on your leads, sales, customer conversations, and other contacts made during IMTS is ... well, kind of IMPORTANT! How are you preparing for follow-up? Got the plan in place? Okay, but you might want to first hear what Steve Miller has to say about this critical component in hitting your highest IMTS ROI. You might find out you're not maximizing those results! Join Steve at 11:00am ET on Tuesday, July 19 to learn a follow-up approach most exhibitors don't practice, but yes, they should. Speaker/Host: Steve Miller, The Adventure

Have questions about registering your staff or how to invite your customers? Join Karen Lewis with CDS and Rachelle Muckle with AMT, who will review the various way to register your staff, how to register your exhibitor appointed contractor and how to track your badges. They will also review the customer invitation program, touching to the two ways to order customer invitations and how to manage the process. Speaker: Steve Miller Kelly’s Dad, Marketing Gunslinger

Join this podcast to learn how UPS can help you at IMTS 2016. Charlie Chung, with UPS, touches on the new UPS IMTS Logistic Centers we will have onsite as well as the new UPS relationship with Coyote.” Maggie Neill with Coyote discusses the advantage of using Coyote and Coyote's relationship with IMTS. Host: Steve Miller Kelly’s Dad, Marketing Gunslinger

Yes, you know social media is huge and, yes, you're probably using it at some level in your marketing. How can you use social media to promote your IMTS exhibit without sounding too "promotional" and irritating your followers? Which social media tools are even best for doing that? Join IMTS's own Monica Haley and Marketing Gunslinger, Steve Miller as they discuss (and possibly debate) how best to use social media to promote your participation at IMTS 2016. Guest: Monica Haley Host: Steve Miller Kelly’s Dad, Marketing Gunslinger

Commoditized products are impacting prices and margins, thus threatening companies in all industries, including manufacturing. Are you threatened, as well? Almost all industries today are struggling with the increasing commoditization of their products and services. This is putting considerable pressure on prices and margins and leads to fiercer competition. And not only the mass market is being affected: even more complex and innovative products are subject to increasingly technical and qualitative standardization. A 2014 study by Roland Berger and the International Controller Association shows that 63% of the companies surveyed are already facing the commoditization of their products and services, yet 54% have yet to take sufficient action to escape. You CAN separate yourself from your competition, but do you know HOW to do that? In this webinar Steve Miller will share his unique specialty: how a business can create an Uncopyable Advantage. Steve will talk about the three primary business elements that can push a company into the commodity trap and steps you can take to avoid it. Host: Steve Miller Kelly’s Dad, Marketing Gunslinger

With IMTS just 3 months away, learn practical ways to maximize your exposure before, during and after the show. Join John Campos from Gardner Business Media and Bob Kaplan from CMAC as they discuss the various ways to get your brand out there. They will cover sponsorship opportunities that are currently left as well as provide concrete ideas for you to build an IMTS marketing plan that will allow you to maximize your marketing dollars and attendee reach. Guests: John Campos, Gardner Business Media Bob Kaplan, CMAC Host: Steve Miller Kelly’s Dad, Marketing Gunslinger