The upcoming MarketingProfs Digital Marketing Mixer takes place next month in Scottsdale, Arizona. You’ve probably already seen the stellar speaker lineup, keynotes, and sponsor list. But as the name “Mixer” suggests, the attendees are an equally important part of the.. well, mix. In an occasional series, I highlight some of the people that will be attending. Now up: Leslie Banks.
Tell me a little about yourself.
I’m the director of marketing for the Financial Communications team, which is part of the Advisor business, at Morningstar. I am responsible for developing and executing the marketing strategy for the media properties that target the advisor audience–MorningstarAdvisor.com and Morningstar Advisor magazine, the Annual Morningstar Investment Conference, a premier industry event; and financial communications products for the advisor market and financial institutions. I create integrated marketing campaigns utilizing online, email, direct mail and event marketing tactics.
So how many conferences do you attend a year, on average?
I usually attend one or two conferences a year. As travel becomes more of an expense, I have to weigh my options carefully.
What made you decide to buy your ticket for Arizona?
I have to admit, the keynotes got my attention. I thought both Arianna Huffington and Gary Vaynerchuk were interesting choices. But it was the session topics that moved me to register.
What do you hope to learn at the event?
I’m charged with working with our project manager to take the MorningstarAdvisor.com and the Morningstar Advisor enewsletter business to the next level. My goal is to come away with new ideas to improve our email and search marketing strategy and incorporate social media into the mix.
Currently, our target audience is not as involved in the latest social media trends, but as that changes, we need to have a plan to make the most of the latest social media tools. Advanced email, search and social media knowledge will also benefit the other advisor products I work on, including the annual Morningstar Investment Conference.
What’s your “must attend” session?
This is a tough question to answer. I wish I could clone myself and attend all three tracks! Through our web site, MorningstarAdvisor.com, we offer 7 email newsletters and I’m looking for ways to grow our opt-in list, so the “Quality vs. Quantity: List Growth & Data Collection Strategies” session is of particular interest to me.
Related posts: