Come learn about the connections between
social media & market research.

This educational forum will explore ways that social media can be used in a business setting, the state of the technology, how social media has been used in market research, and how it is likely to impact the market research environment in the future. Speakers with backgrounds in social media, marketing, and market research will present their views on how social media is impacting today’s business environment. Conference attendees will learn how social media is being used to conduct research projects, market products, and make businesses more profitable.

Session 1: "How to Use Social Media in a Business Setting"
Speaker: Bill Austin, Chief Technology Officer, AZhttp, Inc.

Bill Austin will focus on how social media is being used today. He will discuss how social media sites can be used for data collection and analysis. Bill will also discuss how businesses can use social media to find new customers and generate business leads. As a social media consultant, Bill has helped businesses find their way in the new and exciting world of social media.

Session 2: "State of the Technology & Early Social Media Research Experiences"
Speaker: Jim Longo PRC, VP Client Development, Itracks

Jim Longo will explore the advancements in online qualitative research methodologies and discuss best practices. Techniques examined would include real-time chat based focus groups, Blogs, forums, bulletin boards, online research communities, online ethnographies and online diaries. Each of these will be defined and examined thoroughly. Once all of the definitions are sorted out the presentation will move forward to discussion real project examples. The goal is to have the audience walk away with a fresh understanding of social media-based online qualitative techniques and know when to recommend them.

Session 3: "The Future of Social Media, Market Research, and Marketing"
Speaker: Professor James Spiers, Marketing Department, Arizona State University

Jim Spiers will discuss the future of social media, market research, and marketing. Where are we headed and what will the future bring? Jim’s presentation will discuss how social media fits with our current model for market research and marketing. He will show how social media can fit into a world focused on marketing and market research.

Session 4: "Product and Service Ideation Using Social Media Communities"
Speaker: Bart Steiner, President & CEO, Bulbstorm, Inc.

With hundreds of millions of consumers interacting in social media communities, companies have an unprecedented opportunity to co-create products and services with their customers. Bart Steiner will reveal new techniques being used by leading brands to capture the creativity of crowds and to more effectively market their own innovations.

About the Speakers and Moderator:

Bill Austin, Chief Technology Officer, AZhttp, Inc.
Bill Austin is a legendary Internet marketing expert with extensive experience in improving bottom line performance for medium sized manufacturing and distribution company marketing efforts. Bill Austin is a well known SEO Expert with expertise in Internet Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, and Integrated marketing Solutions, including viral marketing, and guerrilla marketing.


Alice Butler, VP Research Services, M/A/R/C Research
Alice is currently Vice President of Research Services at M/A/R/C Research and is responsible for managing all sampling, data collection, data management and data processing functions. She has extensive knowledge and experience across all types of projects, industries and data collection methods. Alice began her career at M/A/R/C in 1985 as a Survey Programmer/Data Analyst. She managed the programming group before becoming Director of Telephone Operations and managing a 125-position Telephone Center for four years. She then moved to Director of Field Operations and Sampling before serving in her current role.


Patrick Howley, President, The Howley Group
Patrick Howley is president of The Howley Group, which helps companies and organizations across the country grow by assisting them in brand positioning, product innovation, strategic planning, consumer research and Customer Relationship Management.  Clients of The Howley Group include Hershey Foods, Schick Razors, Beazer Homes, Nestle Foods, H&R Block and several non-profits.  Prior to the Howley Group, Patrick worked for Petsmart, Colgate-Palmolive, and several major New York City advertising agencies.


Jim Longo, PRC, VP Client Development, Itracks
With over 23 years of experience in the market research industry, Jim brings to Itracks his dedication and passion for the online qualitative field. Jim has held senior management roles at Harris Interactive, where he was instrumental in growing one of the first online qualitative research practices. He formerly served as a Director for the Marketing Research Association He Currently serves on the Interactive Marketing Research Organization (IMRO) Board of Governors and was just recently appointed to as the Chairman for the IMRO Technology Committee. Jim is also an AMA and QRCA member.


Professor James Spiers, Marketing Department, Arizona State University
Professor Spiers, Sr. Lecturer and Assistant to the Chair in the Marketing Department, has been teaching at ASU for 20 years, teaching Graduate and Undergraduate level classes. He currently teaches the first core class for the Business Major, Strategic International Marketing, and a class for non-business majors Marketing/Selling. As the International Marketing Professor, Mr. Spiers goes abroad with students to Europe with the International Business Seminar Program. Students get to see first hand major companies in a seminar setting.


Bart Steiner, President & CEO, Bulbstorm, Inc.
CEO and founder of bulbstorm, inc., Bart Steiner is an accomplished marketing executive and entrepreneur. Mr. Steiner previously founded CM Solutions, a strategic planning and marketing consultancy which served clients including Procter & Gamble, General Mills, Quaker, and Dannon. Prior to CM Solutions, Mr. Steiner served as CEO of CMplan.net, Inc., a collaborative Internet service, where he brought the company to profitability in its first year. Prior to his successful ventures as an entrepreneur and consultant, he served as Vice President of SDI, a business-intelligence software company and held various management positions at Procter & Gamble, where he was twice awarded the prestigious Gold Club Award.

Room Reservations

Call: 1-800-445-8667

Location: Phoenix, AZ - Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa

Room Rates: $99 + $15 resort fee per day

Mention “SCMRA” (Southwest Chapter MRA) for this great rate

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Agenda