SMPS Holiday Networking Lunch featuring our Communications Awards Presentation

Come celebrate the holidays with the SMPS Austin Chapter at our annual holiday networking event. This year, along with extended networking time over a delicious lunch, we will be presenting our chapter’s first annual Communications Awards. Come view our chapter’s impressive entries, thank our jurors, and congratulate the winners.

This event is complimentary for members that register before Dec. 10th!  Fee applies after Dec. 10th.

Seating is limited, so sign up today!!

If you are unable to attend after registering please make sure to cancel your registration through Cvent or contact Elizabeth Haynie at elizabethhaynie@beckgroup.com.

*Please note that the event dining room is stair access only.

PARKING: The restaurant has a surface lot. If the lot is full there is street parking and a city garage at the southeast intersection of 5th and Red River.

When: Tuesday, December 14, 2010 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

Where: Carmelo’s Restaurant
504 East 5th Street, Austin, TX 78701

Event Registration Fee:
Member: Complimentary ($35.00 original price)

Non-Member: $35.00 for a limited time ($45.00 original price)

Click here to RSVP by Friday, December 10th.

SMPS Lunch & Learn: Getting Off the Short-List

Do you need more business? Tired of being shortlisted and not coming up as the selected firm? Need to improve your WIN ratio? Want to learn strategies to beat your competition? Don’t miss this opportunity to hear a industry veteran share how to get your firm off the shortlist and into the winner’s circle! The program will target specific strategies and methods you can implement immediately to improve your win ratio and an end-user client perspective.

This an excellent program for

· Marketers
· Business Developers
· Principals

Speaker:
Carolyn Ferguson, FSMPS, CPSM, National President for the Society for Marketing Professional Services

When: Thursday, December 02, 2010 11:30 AM -1:30 PM
Where: DPR Construction, Inc.
9606 North Mopac, Suite 300, Austin, TX 78759

Event Registration Fee:
Member $20.00
Non-Member $35.00

Click here to register.

Resource Review: FREE Stock Photography Site!

FREE Stock Photography Site: http://www.sxc.hu/

We are all cutting back these days and stretching every marketing dollar we get but we are also creating more creative, in-depth materials so how do we balance?

Well with a little research, one of our SMPS members found Stock.Xchange, the above website, with FREE stock photography! Need a unique construction photo to add some splash to a brochure or a colorful image to add excitement to a dull presentation? Check out this site! All you do is sign-up and start downloading.

The free photos won’t include near as many results or choices as other pay sites but you get a good mix with every key word and can usually find something good on the first 2 or 3 pages of your search. The results will include some great images from iStockphoto.com, which is a pay-per-photo site, so don’t get sidetracked because with a little more searching, you can find the same quality for free.

Now you can impress without taking a hit to your marketing budget. Happy searching!

View more sample images on our web album.

Top 3 Power Lunches

What is a Power Lunch? It’s the client/potential client lunch that needs to include good food, easy access and a noise level that is conducive to talking but not being overheard.

Ranch 616 ****
616 Nueces Street, Austin, Texas 78701 • (512) 479-7616

Great Parking – for Downtown

One of the few downtown spots where you can find parking, even if it is metered. The food is an eclectic mix of “South Texas cuisine” where you can get an amazing frito pie, Jalapeno Maize Chicken and frog legs as an appetizer; they even mix things up with a different meat-of-the-day. And if you are hurting for talking points, comment on any piece of their eccentric décor which can jump start any conversation.

Not the best lunch for a first time meeting unless you are comfortable eating a messy dish with strangers but the food is consistently good and the service is fast.

Pricing: $7 to $12 entrées
Parking: Easy
Area of Austin: Downtown


Walton's Fancy & Staple ****1/2
609 W Sixth St, Austin, TX 78701 • (512) 542-3380 ‎

Best Deli Sandwich

Serving the most high-quality, all natural meats ensures that your sandwich will be flavor filled and of amazing quality. Just an example of one of these amazing sandwiches – the Turkey Sweet includes turkey, bacon, caramelized apple and onions with cheddar on croissant; I have had a hard time ordering anything else. They have hot sandwiches and cold, all to be served on your choice of one of seven different kinds of bread. And don’t forget that pastry selection; opt for a cookie with lunch because if you wait to browse the sweets when you are leaving, you will end up with a box full. There are also soups and salads to please the picky and/or healthy.

It is a more casual lunch spot as you do order at the counter so expect a nominal wait before you sit down, but even more temptation in front of that pastry case. The tables are small so don’t plan on going over materials or taking notes on a large pad and parking is your general downtown meters so give yourself some time.

Pricing: $5 to $9 sandwiches, soups, salads and combos
Parking: Slightly Tough
Area of Austin: Downtown


Galaxy Café *****
1000 West Lynn Street, Austin 78703 • (512) 478-3434

Great Selection, Quality

With high-quality burgers, gourmet sandwiches, healthy wraps and tantalizing side dishes, Galaxy Café truly has something for everyone. Try the Zocalo Burger seasoned with crushed red pepper and topped with grilled jalapenos or the Hot Veggie Wrap with enough sustenance and flavor to satisfy a non-vegetarian. This Old West Austin location has a great atmosphere where the tables are big enough to show off some good marketing collateral and spaced out enough to keep your conversation at the table.

You do order at the counter, which can get backed up, but with the extensive menu, you may need that extra time. There is a dedicated parking lot but it does fill up so plan a lunch a few minutes before noon.

Pricing:  Under $10 an entrée
Parking: Dedicated parking lot
Area of Austin: Old West Austin