Marketing Special Interest Groups (SIG 2.0)
Current Communities
Book Club | Brand | Direct Response Marketing | Metaverse | Nonprofit | Research & Insights | SEO | Apply
Find Your People
Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are AMA Chicago member-only, collaborative discussion groups designed to create an open forum for the exchange of knowledge and ideas. SIGs meet virtually once a month for 45-60 minutes. The topics are community-driven and interactive, usually with a short 10-minute case study presentation followed by a Q&A-style discussion among attendees. SIGs do not meet in July, August or December
Learn more about SIGs, our vision and the communities thus far in this blog.
Members Only
SIGs are only open to active AMA Chicago members. That’s right, these peer-to-peer communities are yet another benefit of membership.
If you are not an active member, join or renew now for $149. You’ll gain free access to SIGs and every monthly event from AMA Chicago ($300+ value), plus professional tools and templates, and many other perks.
Meet YOUR Community
There are 750 marketers in AMA Chicago, and every one of us could have vastly different job descriptions and responsibilities. SIGs are the place where you find your peers – the people who share your passions, challenges and interests.
Effortless, Virtual Networking
SIGs are your chance to network with your marketing peers – without ever having to find a parking spot. Through monthly virtual meetings and Slack, you’ll get help from and give help to people in your subset of marketing as often as you’d like.
Current Communities
Book Club Special Interest Group
Schedule: First Thursday of the month, 12-12:45 p.m. CT.
We come having read an agreed-upon book, then discuss learnings. We’ve had featured guests and even authors join the conversation. This SIG is particularly beneficial for people who came to marketing in a roundabout way and need to get fundamentals and strategy all at once!
Leader: Kevin Davis
Brand Special Interest Group
Schedule: First Thursdays of the month at noon
The heart and soul of every company, product, and service is its brand, but building a brand that connects with the right consumer is a marketer’s biggest challenge. This group will discuss the many facets of a brand such as brand strategy, brand development, memorable brand activations, the ROI of investing in a brand, humanizing your brand and trends in branding. Be ready to expand your mindset around brand and network with other Chicago area brand geek marketers!
Leaders: Shannon Lee and Chris McGuire
Related blogs: Winning the Name Game: How to Pick the Best Name for Your Brand | Our Jewish Synagogue is a Brand and Why You Should Care
NEW: Direct Response Marketing
First Meeting: May 25 at noon
Schedule: Fourth Thursdays of the month at noon
Welcome to the world of Direct Response Marketing! This SIG focuses on marketing or advertising efforts designed to generate a trackable and measurable response. Topics will include:
- Direct mail and related engagement technologies
- Omni-channel integration strategies, including email, call center, and direct digital
- CRM and Data Management incorporating data segmentation, attribution modeling, and loyalty programs
- Creative development, copy, and graphic design with response generation focus
Whether you are new to direct response marketing or a seasoned veteran, we welcome all who are willing to share and to learn something new!
NEW: Metaverse Special Interest Group
First Meeting: Monday, May 1 at noon CT
Schedule: First Monday of the month at noon CT
This SIG welcomes all metaverse explorers! As more companies evaluate how to consider the metaverse as part of their communications and business strategy, it will be increasingly integral for marketers to understand how to use the medium and reach their audiences and grow their brands. Topics will evolve, but will include:
- The premise and promise of the metaverse and how to create real opportunities
- The tech that supports the growth of the metaverse (AI, 5G, Blockchain, AR, VR, etc.)
- Brand case studies
- Education and resources
Leader: Leslie Marshall
Nonprofits Special Interest Group
Schedule: Monday evenings, exact schedule TBD.
Whether you’re new or experienced in nonprofits, this community offers a chance to share your challenges and successes with other not-for-profit marketers. Topics will include how to get the most for your limited marketing dollars, sharing best practices and finding other NPO partners.
Leaders: Maggie Bahler Rizzio, Amanda Willard and Jennifer GoodSmith
Research & Insights Special Interest Group
Schedule: Second Friday of the month from 12-12:45 p.m. CT
This community focuses on the research and insights that drive marketing forward in Chicago and nationwide. Come prepared to discuss tools, strategies and ideas.
Leader: Kathy Alexander
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Special Interest Group
Schedule: First Thursday of the month from 12-12:45 p.m. CT
At its core, the purpose of search engine optimization (SEO) is to increase your website’s visibility in the organic search results of major search engines. In this SIG, we’ll focus on 3 key areas:
- On-page SEO – Any content on your web pages including blogs, product copy, web copy etc.
- Off-page SEO – Anything which happens away from your website that helps with your SEO strategy such as backlinks.
- Technical SEO – Anything technical undertaken to improve search rankings such as site indexing to help bot crawling.
Leaders: Mark Bealin and Steve Krull
More to come!
There are more Special Interest Groups to come in Chicago! Let us know what you’re interested to be a part of by completing our short survey.
Lead a SIG
Special Interest Group chairs are volunteer topic experts who lead monthly meetings, identify other experts, moderate Slack channels and keep the community going strong. Each SIG may have one or more chairs, depending on preference and volume of community members.
If you’d like to chair a SIG, email executive director Bonnie Massa to start a new SIG community.
Apply for a SIG
SIG 2.0: Application
Complete the fields below to apply for a Shared Interest Group (SIG) 2.0. Once you are accepted, you will be emailed more information about joining the slack channel and future meeting dates. NOTE: SIGs are only open to AMA Chicago members. If you are not a member, join or renew for $149 at ama.org/join.My educational background isn’t in marketing or business (though I’ve been doing the work for about 8 years now in a higher ed setting). I’ve been starting to look for accessible marketing-focused books to supplement my “on the ground” knowledge. I’m really excited to have some conversation partners that I can be nerdy with about marketing too!
SIG Book Club Member
Want more? We’ve got you covered.
AMA Chicago offers a year-round lineup of marketing workshops, networking events and other programs. They’re free for members and an average of $20 for guests. See what we have coming up.