2002 Agri-Marketing Conference. (Catch the Rhythm).

Make your plans now to attend the 2002 Agri-Marketing Conference & Trade Show, April 17-19 in Nashville. Scheduled activities include the Best of NAMA/Golden ARC Awards Ceremony, keynote speaker presentations, professional development track programs, the Trade show, networking receptions and the Student Marketing Competition.

Kick-Off Session

Dr. Steve Lundin will kick off the opening general session with his

presentation on the Fish Philosophy. The Fish Philosophy claims it can bring the joy of living to the places where we make a living.

According to Lundin's best-seller FISH!, "it is fashionable today to believe that we should not settle for anything less than doing what we love." The danger is, that if our quest for ideal work focuses us on the future, we will miss the amazing wonderful life that is available today, in this moment."

Dr. Steve Lundin is a writer and filmmaker with a rich history in business, graduate level business education and management. His best selling book FISH! has continuously been a Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Business Week best-seller for over a year. Lundin is a business professor for whom soul is a corporate asset. He has passion, curiosity, hope-and the ability to articulate insights that will help you see your work, and your world, differently. He has been a think tank executive, a camp director, a national sales manager and a business school dean.

General Session

The general session on Friday morning, April 17 will feature "Management Strategies for Survival." Hank Moore will bring insights and help crystallize the strategies and methodologies of corporate strategy.

Moore's presentation will uncover the key elements of the process behind decision-maker "think tanks," impact future progress, relearn knowledge and apply Big Picture vision of the changing Agribusiness world.

After the "big picture" presentation there will be an "Agribusiness picture" presentation using the insights and methodologies of Hank Moore to frame the future of American Agriculture.

This part of the session will reveal the results of pre-conference interviews with industry leaders. In addition, a live panel of industry executives will combine to share some of the most timely insights on the way we do business. They will examining the projected trends, how the industry will change and how it will affect your organization.

Closing Session

Closing the 2002 AgriMarketing Conference & Trade Show will be Erik Wahl who will deliver a unique program using his artistic skills to create a visual metaphor for building a vision. During his presentation he will not only inspire attendees but artistically paint an abstract image to underscore his message. Wahl's special blend of warmth, humor and experience will help identify unchallenged roadblocks to success.

As the landscape for business continues to change, a clear vision is the key to successfully navigating tomorrow's uncharted waters. No matter what kind of organization -- from small companies to large corporations -- employees at all levels can better embrace the future by becoming more innovative.

By breaking apart traditional thinking, challenge yourself to redefine commonly held assumptions and misconceptions about "creativity," "goals," "success" and "vision." Sharpen your creative skills and identify a personal style for inspiring yourself and others to rethink vision and purpose.

Marketing Communications Keynote Session

The Marketing Communications professional development area will begin with the keynote session Emotion Marketing-the Hallmark Way. Vicki Lenz explore emotion marketing and what's been missing to harness the power of emotion -- until now. Hallmark has found a way to harness this power and Lenz will share the meaning for marketers and their customers. All customers are human beings and their buying decisions are influenced by emotion. This session will provide insight on the value-satisfaction-loyalty-profit equation and how to make it add up and the right mix of facts, figures, relevant examples and stories from inside and outside the industry. It will also provide a different way of viewing customer relationships and a new means for making those relationships long lasting and profitable. Attendees will come away with ideas on how to deliver value based on customer's needs and an immediately usable marketing tool:The Value Star.

Vicki Lenz is a Louisville, Kentucky-based author and speaker. She was selected exclusively by executives at Hallmark Cards, Inc. to help share their success secrets in the best-selling book,Emotion Marketing: The Hallmark Way of Winning Customers for Life (McGraw-Hill, 2001). She is also the author of The Saturn Difference, featuring loyalty lessions based on the car company.

Marketing Communications Breakout Sessions

The first Marketing Communications Breakout Session is entitled Making the Most of Shrinking Budges: The Value of Grassroots Marketing. Jamie Greenheck will show that grassroots outreach is a strategy politicians and innovative marketers have employed successfully time and again. In an economic climate-where budgets are dramatically shrinking, it's a cost-effective strategy agri-marketers can rely upon to build momentum for an idea or product. Attendees will delve into case studies and insight into how successful grassroots campaigns can reap big results.

Greenheck heads Fleishman-Hillard's global Food and Agribusiness Practice, with more than 100 specialists serving 150 clients representing virtually every link of the food chain. Greenheck applies the company's unique "farm to fork" emphasis to provide a firm understanding of how agribusiness and food industries are connected.

The second session The Mid-Size Grower vs. the Super Farmer: How Do They Differ? will show the results of a market research study of over 100,000 growers. These results provide interesting insight into the differences and similarities between a 250 to 500 acre farmer vs. the Super Farmer, raising 1000+ acres. How seed and agricultural chemical brand purchases differ between these groups as well as tillage practices and use of contracted services.

Presenting this session is Linda K. Rader, vice president, market relations for AGDATA. Rader has two decades of experience in consumer and agricultural marketing and sales, including work in e-commerce and market segmentation.

The second presenter is Dave Wilson, Vice President of Farm Progress' Marketing Services Division, which provides individualized database and publishing services to numerous agricultural and food industry companies. Prior to Farm Progress, his career included Research Director with Customer Development Corporation, Peoria, Illinois and an analyst post with the Department of the Army.

Product/Species Management Keynote Session

The Product Species Management Keynote Session is entitled Brand Building for Your Future and will focus on the the philosophy, strategy, guiding principles and "best practices" to create, build, maintain and manage brand success. Ira Blumenthal, a global expert on brands, branding and strategic alliances, will uncover branding from the practice and execution, to the importance of brand association, brand equity, brand essence and brand extension.

This session will detail the advantages and benefits of brand and branding and how brands have differentiated themselves. Attendees will also hear how agribusiness brands have positioned themselves and changed. Blumenthal will also teach how to create effective, efficient, professional brand management.

Ira Blumenthal is an international business development expert. As the founder and president of CO-OPPORTUNITIES, an Atlanta-based consulting company, Ira has counseled world class clients such as Coca-Cola, Nestle, Exxon,Wal-Mart, United Airlines and others. Ira is an award-winning author of Ready, Blame, Fire! and is a business leader who has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Entrepreneur, CNN and more.

Product/Species Management Breakout Sessions

The first Product/Species Management Breakout Session is a real success story of how one company and its agency achieved double-digit monthly growth, based on carefully detailed strategic plans that span both salespeople and marketing tools. Based on detailed research information, careful analysis and bold" street smarts" positioning actions, a new all-natural cat litter made of whole-kernel corn was nationally launched out of an agriculture company into a brand new market for them. All the steps and details in the comprehensive strategic plan will be unveiled. During this session entitled, Look What Happens When Sales AND Marketing Both Launch a New Product, attendees will hear how companies can use sophisticated, integrated sales and marketing plans to capture new consumers and bring their sales forces/ dealership up-to-speed on the new product and new customer.

David Aeschliman, co-owner of Results Marketing in Davenport, IA. will present this session. After an accomplished 20-year career in sales and marketing, Aeschliman and long-time friend, Jake Jacks, started their own company, Results Marketing, in 1996.

The second breakout session in this area, Hitting the Moving Target: Aligning Your Brand Promise & Experience with the Customer LifeCycle, will show how successful companies realize they need to clearly understand the marketplace, the customer and how their products fit. Customers move through a lifecycle during which their wants and needs and how they perceive a brand change from impression (or brand promise) to actual experience. Specific steps help align brand promise, brand experience and customer lifecycle. This results in higher profit margins, greater new product success, decreased customer acquisition costs and protection against competitive pressures.

Presenting this seminar are Susan Spaulding and Jeff Morris. Spaulding is founder and president of Market Directions. Spaulding has more than 20 years of experience in marketing and communications specifically related to the study of consumer behavior.

Morris has more than two decades of experience in brand development and communications strategy. His expertise focuses on development of brand strategy and the alignment of brand promise with experience to build measurable marketing programs.

Public Relations Keynote Session

Strategies for Preparedness & Response is the keynote session in the Public Relations Track and will be presented by Brooke Stevens.

While crisis management is nothing new for PR pros, an in-depth study of three companies and their response to crisis will add to attendees' strategies for preparedness and response. Crisis management will be examined from behind enemy lines with a former seasoned broadcast journalist. Following her days of "gotcha" journalism, Brooke Stevens, is now helping high profile clients such as Ford Motor Company and Outback Steak House maintain a proactive stance and develop messages that resonate with key audiences in the public and the media.

This session will teach an understanding of the crisis cycle and corporate reputation strategies as well as the nuts and bolts of developing key messages specific to media, public and company audiences. In addition, attendees will learn how to deliver a message and drive opinion and the importance of notification and verification systems. Stevens is a media and public relations expert who specializes in issues and crisis management. Stevens is well-known for her enduring presence in radio and television news in greater Washington, DC and has received several coveted media awards for her work at ABC and CBS networks.

Public Relations Management Breakout Sessions

Managing Consumer Confidence ... An Inside Look at the Crisis Management of the BSE, FMD and Anthrax Issues is the title for the first Public Relations Management breakout session.

In 2001, the beef industry was confronted with three major animal diseases; BSE (Mad Cow), Foot-and-mouth, and Anthrax. This session will examine how a crisis management plan was implemented to keep the diseases out of the U.S. and maintain consumer confidence in U.S. beef and will show how the disciplines of policy, public relations, issues management and research were used to manage the issues. It will also examine how the industry was able to maintain consumer confidence in beef, despite unprecedented news media coverage.

Kendal Frazier, vice president of communications for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association will present this session. Frazier oversees all communications and public relations activities for the organization.

The second breakout session in this area is Exploring Risk Communication & the Agri Industry: Motivating & Building Trust.

In an age of scientific advances there is little margin for error and a great need for risk communications strategies. Not only is it critically important that the communication be clear and easy to understand, it must reach all those affected. This presentation is designed to help agri-marketing professionals communicate risk more effectively. With practical advice on planning the campaign, designing messages for a variety of audiences, and evaluating the message, this presentation can help you avoid the serious problems that result from inadequate communication of agricultural and environmental risks.

Dr. Mikel Woods, assistant professor, Michigan State University will present this session. Woods provides leadership for the Agricultural and Natural Resources Communication academic program. In addition to his academic experience, he has worked in the industry as a company spokesperson, advertising copywriter and consultant.

Sales Keynote Session

Can I Have 5 Minutes of Your Time? Power Selling is the title of the Sales Keynote session. This session will examine what it takes to be an effective sales person in today's challenging marketplace and what the tools are to success.

Today more than ever, the art and science of effective salesmanship is key to success. Attendees will find ideas and tools that will help them do their job or run their business more profitably. Hal Becker will combine these principles with real life experiences and share how to reach sales success.

Attendees will learn proven basic selling principles and how to qualify customers to ensure a strong, long lasting relationship. In addition, Becker will examine how to achieve greater results by building a cohesive team in the age of "poof management." And finally, he will show how to go out and get the business and keep it.

Hal Becker is an internationally known sales expert, lecturer and author of the national best-seller Can I Have 5 Minutes of Your Time? which is now in its 12th printing and is used by many corporations as their "sales Bible."

Sales Breakout Sessions

In today's competitive agribusiness climate, companies cannot afford to operate as product-focused. Being competitive today requires a renewed focus on building long-term partnerships with customers and becoming a customer-focused company. The first Sales Breakout Session, Competitive Advantage Through Deep Customer Knowledge, will show the key to success in a customer-focused company includes building a loyal customer base; ensuring products and services meet and/or exceed customer expectations and a renewed sense of building business around current customers. To do this effectively, organizations must acquire, assimilate and act uponcustomer knowledge.

The session presenter, David Ash, Ed.D., founded KnowledgeWORKS in 1999. He brings clients 24 years experience in management, sales and human resource development.

The second Sales Breakout Session, The Mobile Sales Force will examine the trends of the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). Following the trend of most technology, the PDA surfaced as a toy; first challenging the game-boy market and then the paper organizer. Today, it seriously challenges the laptop for its mobility, functionality and connectivity. It may surpass the laptop on all those - and then some. This session will examine the frequently asked questions involving PDA's, and will provide information about planning, developing and implementing PDAs into an organization's sales force by hearing about several PDA business cases.

The session presenters are Marie Penkake and Keri Storjohann Wilde of Solutions, Inc. Penkake brings to Solutions, Inc. far-reaching qualifications in database development and consulting. Her work has focused on using databases to leverage customer data into useful information that promotes customer relationships.

Wilde is the founder and president of Solutions, Inc. Wilde has a thorough understanding of marketing, communication and motivation. During the past 20 years, she has made a positive impact on the sales and marketing activities of hundreds of clients. Wilde has served as a consultant and advisor on a number of boards and councils in the agriculture and education areas.

2002 Agri-Marketing Conference & Trade Show Events

In addition to professional development, there are many other reasons to be in Nashville for the 2002 Agri-Marketing Conference & Trade Show.

Best of NAMA/Golden ARC Awards

The Best of NAMA/Golden ARC Awards Program acknowledges creativity and excellence in agricultural communications. Client companies and agencies submit their work through their local chapters. Work is then judged on a regional level. Qualified entries advance to the national competition. This year 1,154 entries were judged in six regions across the country. Two Best of NAMA/Golden ARC Best of Show awards will also be presented in the areas of Advertising and Public Relations. This year's ceremony will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Wed.,April 17.

Agribusiness Leader of the Year Award

The Agribusiness Leader of the Year is NAMA's highest award and is designed to honor an outstanding leader in agribusiness, education, government service or other agribusiness related field. Nominees are solicited from senior level positions in private, public or academic services and have exemplified excellence in agribusiness by significant contributions to the industry.

NAMA Marketer of the Year

The NAMA Marketer of the Year is the most prestigious honor awarded to an active member of the association and is designed to recognize outstanding accomplishments in the field of marketing directly to ag producers. Nominees are solicited from agribusiness and related companies with overall marketing and/ or sales responsibilities.

Professional Development Awards of Excellence

These awards honor NAMA members based on outstanding achievement in each of the professional development areas. Awards of Excellence will be presented in the areas of (1) Marketing Communications, (2) Product/Species Management, (3) Public Relations and (4) Sales. Nominees must be NAMA members. These awards will be presented during the General Session on Friday, April 19 from 8:30 a.m.- 11:30 a.m.

The Trade Show

The Trade Show will feature the best products and services supporting the agri-marketing industry. Over 60 booths will offer attendees a chance to see these products and services while networking with other agri-marketing professionals.

The ABEF Silent Auction

During Trade Show hours, attendees can bid on items at the Agri-Business Educational Foundation SilentAuction booth. Items donated range from prints suitable for framing to media packages. All proceeds benefit NAMA's Student Careers Program.

Hotel information

Renaissance Nashville Hotel
611 Commerce Street
Nashville, TN 37203
Toll Free: 800-327-6618
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]

The early registration deadline is March
20, 2002.

Registration Information

To register call 913-491-6500 or register online at
www.nama.org.

Marketing Communications
Track

Thursday, April 18
11:00 a.m. - Noon
Keynote Session
Emotion Marketing-The Hallmark Way
Vicki Lenz

2:30-3:30 p.m.
Breakout Session
Making the Most of Shrinking Budgets: The
Value of Grassroots Marketing
Jamie Greenheck, Fleishman-Hillard

4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Breakout Session
The Mid-Size Grower vs. the Super Farmer. How
do They Differ?
Linda Rader, AGDATA
Dave Wilson, Farm Progress Companies

Product/Species
Management Track

Thursday, April 18
11:00 a.m. - Noon
Keynote Session
Brand Building for Your Future
Ira Blumenthal, CO-OPPORTUNITIES

2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Breakout Session
Look What Happens When Sales AND
Marketing Both Launch a New Product
Dave Aeschliman, Results Marketing

4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Breakout Session
Hitting the Moving Target:Aligning Your
Brand Promise & Experience with the
Customer LifeCycle
Susan Spaulding, Market Directions
Jeff Morris, Practicus

Public Relations Track

Thursday, April 18
11:00 a.m. - Noon
Keynote Session
Strategies for Preparedness & Response
Brooke Stevens

2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Breakout Session
Managing Consumer Confidence ... An Inside
Look at the Crisis Management of the BSE,
FMD and Anthrax Issues
Kendal Frazier, National Cattlemen's Beef
Association

4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Breakout Session
Exploring Risk Communication & the Agri
Industry: Motivating & Building Trust
Mikel Woods, Michigan State University

Thanks to the Agricultural Relations Council
for their help with the Public Relations Track.

Sales Track

Thursday, April 18
11:00 a.m. - Noon
Keynote Session
Can I Have Five Minutes of Your Time?
Power Selling
Hal Becker

2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Breakout Session
Competitive Advantage Through Deep
Customer Knowledge
David Ash, Ed.D, KnowledgeWORKS

4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Breakout Session
The Mobile Sales Force
Marie Penkake, Solutions, Inc.
Keri Storjohann Wilde, Solutions, Inc.

2002 Agri-Marketing Conference &
Trade Show Sponsors
Platinum ($7,500 - $9,999)
Agri Marketing magazine

APA:
Association of Leading Ag Media Companies

Gold ($5,000 - $7,499)

AgDay Television/Farm Journal

Case IH and New Holland

Farm Progress Companies

High Plains Journal

John Deere Agricultural Marketing Center

Southeast AgNet Radio Network

Successful Farming/@griculture Online

Silver ($2,000-$4,999)

DTN/Farm Dayta

Elanco Animal Health

Hoard's Dairyman Magazine

Iowa Farmer Today

National Association of Farm Broadcasters

Natl. Cotton Council of America

Osborn & Barr

Primedia Business

Bronze (Less than $2,000)

AG/DATA IML

Agri Business Group, Inc.

CMF&Z

Colle + McVoy

Fastline Publications

H&P Co., Inc.

KFRM Radio

McCormick Company

Morgan&Myers/The Barkin Group

Pioneer Hi-Bred Intl., Inc., (A DuPont Business)

Premium Standard Farms

Swanson Russell Associates

Vance Publishing Corp., FoodSystems Group