Policies & Procedures - 5.7 Marketing & Industry Relations Board

- draft 08/1999, updated 05/2010 -

Purpose

The Marketing & Industry Relations Board is responsible for assuring cost-effective marketing program for the Society services, products, initiatives and activities. It is also responsible for developing liaisons with communication related enterprises to promote ComSoc products and services. This includes defining marketing strategies, policies and procedures for the Society, and working closely with staff on their implementation. The Director of Marketing & Industry Relations reports to the Vice President – Member Relations.

Organizational Structure

• Chair: Director of Marketing & Industry Relations
• Other members of the board are populated as specified in the Bylaws (article 6.4.7). The members are appointed by  the Director – Marketing & Industry Relations, with the approval of the Vice President – Member Relations

Activities

Actions and Objectives

• The Board will work with other directors, committee chairs or officers to identify marketing needs of other departments /Boards/committees; i.e., Meetings & Conferences, Awards, Education, Membership Program Development, Publications, Advertising, etc.
  
  
• The Board will serve as the primary volunteer interface with the staff’s Marketing Department head.
  
  
• The Board will prepare an annual operating plan and budget for marketing activities.
  
  
• The Board will be responsible for ensuring that an industrial relations plan exists, is udpated, and is followed.

Membership Initiatives

• Membership recruitment, retention, and recognition
  
  
• Member research - conduct membership surveys and analyses;
  
  
• Oversee the use of the ComSoc web pages for marketing purposes, including links to other organizations or patrons which may benefit ComSoc;
  
  
• Exhibit participation at conferences and trade shows
  
  
• Local chapter receptions at ICC and Globecom
  
  
• Presentation development
  
  

Traditional Product Marketing

• Product pricing
  
  
• Products and services promotions
  
  
• Product development
  
  
• Database research
  
  
• Electronic products and services

Industry Relations

• Identify new products and services that would attract industry people to ComSoc
  
  
• Review existing products and services to enhance their appeal to industry people
  
  
• Define package bundles of society products and services that could be sold to corporations
  
  
• Organize industry outreach activities and initiatives
  
  
• Industry-specific surveys and analyses

IEEE Relationships

• ComSoc representation on IEEE committees
  
  
• Coordination of activities with IEEE Operations Center
  
  
• Handle ComSoc branding, including coordination with IEEE branding initiatives

How to Make it Happen

• Collect and assess the practicality of marketing proposals
  
  
• Prepare short business plan for each marketing proposal
  
  
• To facilitate follow-through, the Director - Marketing & Industry or a member of his/her Board will assume leadership for specific projects
  
  
• Whenever possible, target dates will be set, and the responsible individual will prepare periodic ‘update reports’ to the Vice President - Member Relations and the Director – Marketing & Industry  (if appropriate). As needed, progress will be reported at BoG or OpCom meetings. (Reports will be submitted to the Vice President prior to these meetings.) When necessary, the Vice President shall ask the Director - Marketing & Industry or member of his/her Board to provide informal input to the Management Retreat.
  
  
• To successfully fulfill its goals, the Board must work with and keep headquarters staff informed of its activities; particularly, the Marketing Manager. Each report prepared by members for Board of Governors meetings will be copied to headquarters staff.