EF Pipeline

DMAW Educational Foundation Builds “Pipeline” of New DM Talent

by Scott E. Huch

Examples of local companies that have already benefitted from the fresh talent recruitment efforts of the DMAW Educational Foundation include PMG, QuadGraphics, RedEngine Digital, and Marketing General. You can take advantage of this program, too. Here’s how DMAW/EF works to your benefit.

To really grow your direct marketing shop, you need the very best people on your team. And the best talent in the DM business is developed two ways: (1) By many years of experience, or “learning on the job”; and (2) by a solid education in DM fundamentals at the undergraduate level.

If you already have one or more seasoned pros on your team, you know how much you’ve invested in their professional development — with your time, by sharing your own expertise — and with money. And you know it’s a big investment. You work hard to keep that talent happy and on board. But where do you find new talent?

As recently as a few decades ago, the only answer was either to “poach” it from your colleagues and competitors; or else spend even more time, talent, and treasure to develop promising but inexperienced people at the start of their careers. Both approaches are costly.

Fortunately, in 1986, a dedicated group of DMAW leaders founded the DMAW Educational Foundation (“DMAW/EF”) to address this specific issue. Thirty-one years later, DMers all over the mid-Atlantic region have been reaping the harvest.

As a DMAW member, you are an important part of this because the DMAW supports the work of the DMAW/EF, a totally separate non-profit organization with its own board of directors and unique set of programs focused on regional professors and undergraduate students.

DMAW/EF provides intensive support to marketing professors at colleges and universities in the mid-Atlantic region, to help them develop curricula that are specifically focused on direct marketing. Those professors teach their students about the fundamental principles, channels, tools, and metrics of direct marketing. Then the DMAW/EF “closes the loop” by connecting well qualified direct marketing students who have been recommended by their professors with DMAW members and other local DM users and suppliers who are looking for bright, new talent.

The DMAW/EF’s career placement network is open to all DMAW members. Please visit our website at www.dmawef.org to learn more about our programs and make a donation today.

When you consider the cost to develop new talent to take your shop to the next level, you can see what a great investment the DMAW/EF is!

 

Scott E. Huch has been a member of the DMAW Educational Foundation, Inc., Board of Directors since 2003 and its Secretary since 2009. He is also President and sole owner of Direct Creative, Inc., a full-service agency that he founded in 1998. You can contact Scott at scott@directcreative.info or (703) 933-3845. For more information, visit www.dmawef.org.