#MDMC19: What You Missed At The 2019 Midwest Digital Marketing Conference

 

By Katelyn Chostner


I hope you made it to the Midwest Digital Marketing Conference this year because it was every digital marketer’s dream! We saw a rise in attendees with over 1900 people showing up to get their digital marketing on at Union Station in St. Louis.

The mornings started off with keynote speakers that were jam-packed with onlookers. MDMC decided to live stream the speakers in the exhibitor hall so that everyone would be able to hear the presentations. After the keynotes, everyone got up to attend breakout sessions or explore the tables in the exhibitor hall.

The hall was packed with so many different St. Louis companies, like Anvil, UMSL Business, SteadyRain, SLAM! Agency and more. The crowd was able to visit with these exhibitors and speak with them about their company missions. With so many different companies and organizations, there was something there for everyone.

Emily Koehler, an MDMC first-timer, talked about how she was there to learn more about digital marketing. She works for ej4, a training technology company, as a marketing coordinator. Koehler works a lot with SEO strategy and optimizing their website and MDMC was a great place for her to learn more.

“So far I love it. MDMC is a really great mix of people. Everyone is so friendly, and you can just tell that people are here to meet and network with other people and just share expertise… Sessions so far have been really interesting. I just went to a great SEO panel and all of the speakers had different expertise, but they all shared such interesting things that I’m definitely going to take back to the workplace with me,” said Koehler.

Some booths had amazing handouts and attractions for attendees. Strange Cares was giving out some of Strange Donuts’ signature treats, such as Maple Bacon, Rainbow Pony, and Gooey Butter. An even crazier, but awesome attraction was Voltron. Shareable: Social Video Strategy by Coolfire invited people to come and visit their booth in the company of the Legendary Defender. Fans were able to walk around Union Station and grab pics with (the scaled-down-to-size) character who roamed the halls.

 

Eventually, everyone’s favorite time of the day came around: lunchtime. MDMC provided everyone with some crazy good food trucks to choose from. K-Bop, Locoz Tacoz, UKraft, and Andrew’s Bayou Ribs were just a few trucks out of many that served everyone. Some people were worried about lines, but these trucks showed their skills by getting people their food only a few minutes after they ordered.

K-Bop seemed to be the most popular choice for lunch as people lined down the sidewalk past other trucks to wait for their mouth-watering Korean BBQ in a bowl.

“I love the food selection. I think it’s a great representation of all the food and culture St. Louis has to offer and even though there’s a ton of people here lines are moving so quickly. There’s something here for everyone and the line was a great place to get to know people and network with other marketers also,” said Koehler.

There’s no better way to get to know people than over food and sunshine (or a little bit of rain for those there on the second day). If you missed the chance to network and educate yourself on the latest marketing trend, or even grab some great food, you can always sign up for next year. You know what they say: Don’t make the same mistake twice! Keep an eye out on MDMC’s website for next year’s tickets.

Things You Didn’t Know About Dean of UMSL College of Business

By: Gabrielle Sealey and TJ Sheffer
For those of you who haven’t been introduced to UMSL’s College of Business Dean, you’re in luck. In a recent podcast, “In Your Business with UMSL Business” produced by the school, our students had the opportunity to sit down with the UMSL College of Business Dean Charlie Hoffman, Continue reading “Things You Didn’t Know About Dean of UMSL College of Business”

Top March Digital Marketing Events in STL

By: Nicole Atencio, Minji Choi, Je Ewing, Chase Kohler and Tira Wilkerson
The month of March is jammed packed with digital marketing events happening in the St. Louis area. We found the five must attend events that will expand, educate, and entertain you in all things digital marketing. Get ready to mark your calendars!
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Educational Panel: Marriage of Creative & Media
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
8:30am – 10:30am
314 Digital presents an education panel where industry leaders discuss the best practices regarding the facilitation of conversations and the relationship between the Creative and Media departments. The event includes a complimentary breakfast and it is free to the public.
Click here to register for the event ->>

Facebook Ads Strategy Workshop

Wednesday, March 16, 2016
8:30am
Blank Page Marketing presents a digital marketing workshop where business minded individuals will learn Facebook ad strategies and how to utilize Facebook ad tools to drive successes toward your business goals.
You can RSVP here ->>
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Social Media on TAP
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
5:30pm – 7:30pm
The Social Media Club St. Louis hosts a monthly meetup featuring local speakers. Join the Social Media Club this month to hear Pulitzer Prize winning photographer, David Carson, speak on how one photographer got pulled into the biggest stories of the year.
You can register for the event here ->>
What is Your Brand Saying? One Day Brand Intensive Workshop
Saturday, March 26, 2016
9:00am – 4:00pm
Response! Targeted Marketing presents a brand intensive workshop that will teach entrepreneurs key elements about the power of branding through social media. Small business experts Matthew Ricketts and Barry Coziahr host the event, and answer questions to grow your business.
You can purchase tickets here ->>

Alberto Brea is Bringing a Little NYC to #MDMC16

By: Amy Cabanas
alberto-brea-250x270Alberto Brea is part of a team that not only brings brands and customers together, he works at a company that specializes in it. OgilvyOne Worldwide makes brands more valuable to customers, and customers more valuable to brands. They make the connection more personal along with the business better, and most importantly the relationships richer. Continue reading “Alberto Brea is Bringing a Little NYC to #MDMC16”

Early Bird Registration Now Open for UMSL Digital 2016 Conference

midwest digital marketing conference
We’re thrilled to announce that registration is now open for this year’s State of Digital Media Marketing Conference, a production of the University of Missouri – St. Louis, College of Business. This coming April 21, 2016 marks our 4th year and we are going to be bigger and better than ever. Here are just a few of the highlights: Continue reading “Early Bird Registration Now Open for UMSL Digital 2016 Conference”

Meet UMSL Digital’s Danni Eickenhorst

By: Ryan Orio, Raven Williams, William Scott, Kourtney McKinney
Danni Eickenhorst wears many hats. As the CEO of St Louis marketing agency Blank Page Consulting, she and her team of marketers manage marketing strategy for dozens of companies nationally. As a professor and member of the UMSL Digital team, she teaches students about social media marketing strategies and tools. Eickenhorst teaches students how to build their brand, increase their Twitter following, write engaging blog posts for UMSL Digital Mindshare, and utilize tools such as Hootsuite and Facebook ads. Recently, she reached 10,000 followers on Twitter; needless to say she knows a thing or two about building a personal brand!
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Currently, she is also providing students with hands-on experience by assigning them to work in teams to assist one of her clients, the Golden Cord Foundation with their social media and marketing strategy.  This passion for non-profits is seen not only in the classroom but also in her past and current work.

Passion for Non-profit

Through her role as business owner and President of Blank Page Consulting, she assists her client in achieving their business goals through successful social media marketing strategies. Eickenhorst has successfully translated her passion for non-profits into success in business. When she worked for The Salvation Army as their Public Information Officer, she used social media to help those affected by the tornado in Joplin to receive the resources they needed to recover.
Additionally, she utilized her marketing and social media skills in her work with the “I Love Ferguson” group to raise over $100,000 dollars for struggling businesses in the community. Currently, she is also an Advisory Board Member for the Social Media Club of St. Louis. Through the club, she was Chair for the first #STLSocialGood Conference, which provides non-profits with social and digital marketing training.

Accolades

Eickenhorst has been named a “Top 100 Twitter Influencer” for the St. Louis region according to the Evan Carmichael Influencer Index. One of her greatest honors was the Inaugural Leadership Award from Missouri Governor, Jay Nixon, in January 2014. Eickenhorst received the award for her contributions to the social media strategy for 100 Missouri Miles, which is an online movement to get Missouri residents to explore all the great outdoor attractions their state has to offer. The campaign accumulated over 1,000,000 miles utilizing #100MoMiles and the online platform.
Learn more about Danni on her social channels:
Twitter: @stldanni & @BlankPageSTL
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stldanni
Blank Page Consulting: https://www.blankpagestl.com
Online marketing education: http://www.UniversalMarketingTheory.com