Your views

The results of the latest membership survey are in and the Greater London Region has had its say … well at least 348 of you.

So if their views are representative what you want most from the Institute is to be “kept up to date” and to have access to a range of career development tools and marketing resources, including The Marketer which is one of the top rated membership benefits. Opportunities to network are also important.

No real surprises there. It’s also good to find that more and more London members have joined the CPD programme and are striving to attain Chartered Marketer status – this probably explains why the events we have run in London over the past year have seen record attendance levels.

Whereas 16% of members nationally felt it important for the Institute to offer a mentoring or coaching service, 24% of London members put this on their wish list. GLR is in fact one of only two regions in the UK currently operating such a scheme – if you want to know more then take a look here.

Among all UK studying members there was a call for better access to study support. This is a need the London region recognised some time ago and for the past few years we have been running a successful programme with the Student Support Group offering students advice and guidance on how to pass the Institute’s qualifications – if you want to know more about this then take a look here.

So it would seem the London region is pretty much in tune with its members, but that doesn’t mean we can rest on our laurels. If you think we can do more then let me know at philippreston@cim.co.uk

Incidentally, the real shocking news from the survey was that there are still 5% of members who do not use social media!

The London team does all it can to help its studying members succeed. So with help from the Student Support Group we’ve developed 8 digital study podcasts for you to download.

From CAM qualifications and study tips, to Chartered Marketer status and how to pass, you can download the podcasts you need free of charge to get your studying on track.

There are 8 free podcasts available:

• Life as a Chartered Marketer – Mark Batchelor
• How to get on in Marketing – Simon Basset, Head of EMR
• How to stay motivated in your CIM studies – Polly Grant
• Interested in CAM digital marketing qualifications
• How to pass the CIM Professional Certificate
• How to pass the CIM Professional Diploma in Marketing
• Useful study tips to improve technique and save time
• CIM membership benefits and how to use them.

It’s always great to hear what London member’s have to say, so here are the results from our two-minute survey from last month on the subject of international marketing. It goes to show that marketers have a world view!

How important are international markets to your organisation?

Which countries do you market to?

How do you keep up with the latest trends in marketing?

You can give your opinions in this month’s survey and try to win the fantastic prizes on offer from NHJ Style Consultancy.

Re-vamp your wardrobe for the confidence boost you need this summer!

For London members this month, TV’s Nicky Hambleton-Jones’ team of top personal stylists at the leading NHJ Style Consultancy are offering a double prize draw!

If you enter the prize draw before 16 May 2012, you will be in with a chance of winning a place at the NHJ Style in the City Event on 21 May 2012. The competition will then stay open until 28 June 2012 where all those who have entered, and all new entries will go forward to the second stage of the competition to win £50 off a NHJ Style Consultancy Wardrobe Warrior or Style Shopper Personal Styling Service For Him or For Her.

The Wardrobe Warrior will ensure everything in your wardrobe makes you look and feel great plus you have outfits for every occasion! For Her. For Him.

The Style Shopper will leave you with an amazing selection of clothes and accessories, which mix and match, that work for your body shape, budget and lifestyle! For Her. For Him.

So there are two great prizes to win, just what you need to ensure you look the best you possibly can.

More about the NHJ Style event…

NHJ Style in the City Evening, 19.00- 20.30, Monday 21 May
Covent Garden, London

This Summer Fashion Event will give you great ideas on what to wear to suit your body shape, budget & lifestyle – the confidence boost every girl needs! Top personal stylists will talk you through:

• The spring summer trends and how to wear them
• Holiday capsule wardrobe essentials
• Different body shapes and how to dress them
• How to accessorise
• How to wear colour
• How to mix and match to make the most of your wardrobe

Over £1000 worth of prizes to WIN on the night

• Wardrobe Consultation worth £335
• Teeth Whitening Service worth £795
• Polaroid Sunglasses worth £55

Are you ready to take the next leap in your career? Moving from a middle to senior Marketing position to a General Management position, or opening up your own company?

We are delighted to announce that the Chartered Institute of Marketing has partnered with top-ranked Hult International Business School with campuses in London, Dubai, Shanghai, Boston and San Francisco.

As part of our new partnership, as a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing you will be able to claim an exclusive 20% sponsorship fund from Hult towards Hult’s executive part-time MBA program (US degree with triple accreditations from NEASC, BAC and Association of MBAs), corresponding to a £94 voucher.

To register your interest please visit the Hult.edu registration page and you will be contacted by a member of the Hult consultancy team who can discuss how an executive MBA can help you accelerate your career and aspirations in life. Hult’s part time Executive MBA is a flexible course designed to fit around the busy schedules of professionals with monthly weekend modules. Courses are taught using the LEAP method, which emphasises practical business knowledge and skills applicable in today’s business environment, as well as action projects with Fortune500 companies as part of the curriculum.

The Financial Times ranks Hult first for International Experience and third for International Business, while The Economist ranks Hult first globally for Return on Investment. If you are looking to take the next leap in your career, Hult International Business School’s flexible, global, and practical Executive MBA could be good for you.

23 May 2012, The City Marketing Suite, Guildhall
Time 18:00
CPD 1.5 hours
Price £12 member

The Greater London Region and Aquent, a global digital marketing talent provider, have collaborated to produce an event with a difference – a high-level seminar focusing on social media strategy and how to drive value from this channel plus a showcase of some of the best social media talent around.

This is not an event for social media novices – but if you are responsible for designing, integrating and implementing a social media strategy for your company or organisation then this is the event for you.

Thomas Brown, Head of Insights at The Chartered Institute of Marketing will focus on the results of the first wave of the Institute’s Social Media Benchmark research while Daniel Rowles, a leading social media consultant will look at the latest trends, strategies and best practice.

Following the two high-level presentations there will be plenty of time for networking – food, drink and good company are guaranteed. We are also offering a one-on-one ‘speed dating’ service if you want to meet, question and connect with a range of social media specialists who just might have some of the expertise and skills you are missing.

Congratulations to London’s Peter Cox, Chair of Your Community Against Human Trafficking who won a Kindle in last month’s prize draw, thanks to recruitment specialists, Aquent.

“What a nice surprise,” said Peter. “You never expect to win these things so the fickle finger of fate has pointed my way on this occasion.”

Congratulations to Peter. This month’s prize draw gives London members the opportunity to win the fantastic prizes on offer from NHJ Style Consultancy. Try your luck today!

As you’re a member of the Institute, if you love a good pub quiz, why not take part in the inaugural Institute, Society and Association Charity Quiz Night, taking place on Thursday May 17 at The Blue Anchor, 35 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1EL.

London member, Emma Parsons, is the Marketing and Development Manager for The Energy Institute and wanted to share this exciting event with her fellow members. So why not bring a team along from your organisation and test your knowledge, with the aim of becoming Institutional Pub Quiz Champions of 2012. In what promises to be a battle of the sectors, expect questions on everything from general knowledge and film to music, science and sport, plus an eclectic round or two! There’ll also be plenty of time for a little inter-institutional socialising.

All proceeds from the event will go to Sparks and CARE International as part of the Energy Institute’s fundraising efforts to raise a total of £5,000 as part of the BG Energy Challenge 2012.

Maximum of 6 staff members per team, £10 per team. 7pm start. Book your places at pubs@energyinst.org and help support these worthwhile causes in what is set to be a fun evening for all.

The Game Experiments
14 June 2012
18.00 – 20.30

The Market Research Society (MRS) invites London members to attend this event for free.

Your speakers will be the winners of the MRS Award for Innovation in Research Methodology, Deb Sleep, Engage Research Ltd and Jon Puleston, GMI.

The award winners Jon and Deb will share their award winning paper into how researchers could reformat questions to reduce poor participant response rates through ‘Gamification’.

To attend for free, just quote your CIM membership number and email when making a booking to Membership@mrs.org.uk

Are you looking for ways to develop new skills? Get some new experience to help your CV stand out?  Perhaps you’re looking for a new direction for your career?

In today’s competitive job market, recruiters are looking for the top candidates who can show a wide breadth of experience and skills.

If you’re feeling a bit stuck in a career rut or in need of a new challenge, volunteering via Media Trust might be a good way for you to explore fresh opportunities, develop skills and try out some new ideas.

Over 70% of volunteers are from London…

Media Trust matches volunteers with marketing and communications skills with charities looking for help with these kinds of issues. You could use your skills to help a small international development charity come up with a digital marketing strategy, perhaps work with a local community group come up with ideas for marketing their training programme, or advise a youth project on branding. Although Media Trust works across the UK, more than half of all the charities that approach us looking for help are based in London, and over 70% of our volunteer advisers are from London too.

It may be that these are things you do in your every day job – but equally there may be things you’d like to try your hand at, or gain some experience in. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to share some of your skills and time with charities that really need the help.

Here’s a few of the current volunteers talking about what they’ve got out of volunteering:

“It’s nice to work on something that actually has some impact in the real world. It’s nice to be involved in something that affects real people. You can learn new things, meet interesting people, and use it as an opportunity to try new things and to hone your skills.”
Stephen Morris, Volunteer Adviser, London More