It's hard to believe it's August, isn't it? The vacation season has come and nearly gone, and now it's time to ramp up for a fruitful fourth quarter. Your NorCal BMA board, like many of you, is busy planning and developing programs to fuel a fun and enlightening rest of the year. Our success in this endeavor will be measured in your success; we'll look back on 2003 and call it a victory if we helped you realize your full potential as a business-to-business marketer.

We're well underway in making good on our promise:

• Maximize your networking potential at this month's luncheon focused on "Mastering the Art of Influence Networking."
• Achieve your professional aspirations by becoming a Certified Business Communicator - our 11 class series starts in September!
• Realize your place in the spotlight - enter the Beacon Awards by August 22 to showcase your work and dazzle us with your brilliance.

What's the hottest topic in B2B advertising these days? It'd have to be "pay per click" (PPC).

Back in the dot com days PPC advertising was just another intriguing but untested idea: You get your ad in front of people searching online for information related to your products and services, and you only pay when someone clicks on your link. And the specific placement of your ad depends on how much you're willing to pay for each click.

Now, due to sophisticated and easy-to-use vehicles like Google's AdWords, PPC has more than proved its ROI mettle to jaded marketers like ourselves.

Haven't yet given PPC advertising a try? Read this month's feature article, "Top Tips to Write Effective Google Ads." It's an excellent introduction for marketers new to PPC and, even though written a year ago, the tips within it will continue to apply. The article appeared in one of our favorite B2B marketing e-newsletters, WordBiz Report.

Our second article, "Sixteen Proven Techniques for Generating More Qualified Sales Leads with Print Advertising," brings us back to the world of print. It was written by Mac McIntosh, who you might recognize as a regular contributor to BMA National's monthly print publication, The Business to Business Marketer.

Featured article: Top Tips to Write Effective Google Text Ads
By Debbie Weil, Publisher and Editor, WordBiz Report

"If you're just dipping your toes into pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, Google is a great way to experiment.

For a fee of USD $5, you can write your first ad and have it appear in Google search results within minutes.

I interviewed Andrew Goodman, author of the best-selling report '21 Ways to Maximize Your ROI from Google AdWords Select' for pointers on PPC advertising on Google..."
>> MORE

Another article about Advertising:

Sixteen Proven Techniques for Generating More Qualified Sales Leads with Print Advertising
By Mac McIntosh, CBC

Every month, "Focus On..." addresses a different marketing topic, including advertising (on- and off- line), public relations, event marketing, e-marketing, direct response, product marketing, design, marketing planning, websites, print production, vendor evaluation, channel marketing, and lead generation.

Get your name in ink: If you'd like to contribute an article about any of the above topics, contact Mike O'Sullivan.

BEACON AWARDS SUBMISSION DEADLINE EXTENDED
All entries must be received by Friday, August 22

The entry submission deadline for the 2nd Annual NorCal BMA Beacon Awards & Showcase has been extended by one week only. If you have not yet submitted your entry, don't miss this opportunity to dazzle us with your brilliance!

All entries MUST be received by Friday, August 22 as judging will take place on August 26.

Entries will be judged by a panel of prestigious business communications professionals from Bay Area corporations and agencies. Click here to see the list of judges.

This competition is open to any Bay Area client, agency or supplier that has created or produced business-to-business (industry, business, or professions) marketing communications in the past year. Visit the Beacon Awards website for details on categories, eligibility, submission requirements, payment, delivery address, and entry forms.

Award winning work will be displayed in a gallery setting at 2nd Annual NorCal BMA Beacon Awards & Showcase on Wednesday, September 24. Awards will be presented during lunch by our special guest, Rick Kean, executive director, International BMA. The event will include wine tasting, live music, and networking at the beautiful Pacific Athletic Club in Redwood Shores.

Every month, Member News highlights member accomplishments and introduces new members.

Cheskin's Denise Klarquist Promoted to Vice President of Marketing
NorCal BMA member Denise Klarquist has been promoted to vice president, marketing at Cheskin, a Redwood Shores-based strategic market research and consulting firm. She had previously held the position of director, marketing and design. Denise has over 20 years experience in marketing, design, and design strategy, including seven years with Cheskin. In her new role, she will be responsible for long and short-term corporate marketing and branding strategies.

imagination@work brings Milan Technology "Out of the Wilderness"
Milan Technology, Inc. has picked imagination@work to handle its advertising, sales promotion, and web design according to NorCal BMA member Tom Lauck, creative director, principal. Initial efforts will include an advertising campaign in reseller publications such as Business Solutions magazine. The first ad in the series will promote Milan's wireless networking products. Concurrent with the advertising projects, imagination@work will redesign Milan's sales literature to reflect Milan's new corporate messaging. A website redesign is planned for first quarter '04.

imagination@work, located in San Jose, specializes in working with organizations to create a broad range of marketing communications materials-including advertising, websites, direct mail, annual reports, corporate identity, brochures, trade show graphics, and more. The firm has a reputation for creative results, strategic marketing experience, competitive pricing, and outstanding service.

The Ideas Group celebrates 25 years
The Ideas Group is celebrating its 25th year of being in business, according to Nancy Coleman, CEO, who is a NorCal BMA member and former president. The Ideas Group has been working hard, delivering print and web communications for Beckman Coulter, FedEx Freight, and Microsoft Partner Solutions Center — as well as emerging companies like LifeMasters, Leland Fly-fishing Outfitters, and Jackson Hole Group. They are also celebrating the success of their content management tool, the Web Processor™, which has been built into all the sites they create. One of Nancy's favorites is www.cheskin.com.

Want Us to Showcase YOU? This is your opportunity to promote yourself. Maybe your company or agency secured a new customer or client or reached some milestone. Maybe you just got promoted. Whatever the case, we want to hear about it.

If you've got any achievements to share for the next issue of COPY, contact Lisa Bush.

A hearty welcome to our new members!