Hot-Topic Forum Introduced by PPMN April 11, 2008 PPMN Introduces "What's The Buzz?"—A Web-Based Forum For Hot-Topic Member Discussions
Promotional Professionals Mentoring Network (PPMN), a Special Interest Council of Promotional Products Association International, has introduced "What's The Buzz?" This Web-based Q—A forum allows its members to give advice, share ideas and stay abreast of timely issues affecting the promotional products industry.
"What's The Buzz?" is a platform for members to respond to a newly posted question every other week. The initial question was, "In what ways are you and your business preparing for a possible recession this year?" and the current question is, "How have rising shipping costs affected your business?" Member responses can be viewed at the PPMN Web site, www.ppmn.com.
"This forum gives members an outlet to share their expertise, exchange ideas and initiate their own questions for feedback from their peers," says Michele Jennrich, MAS, PPMN president and sales representative for Howard Miller Company. "However, like any forum, the more members who actively participate, the more useful the forum will be."
And unlike traditional online forums with threaded messages, "What's The Buzz?" sends its members e-mail updates when a new question is posted to the Web site. Members can then send their feedback to ppmn@ppai.org, where responses will then be posted to the "What's The Buzz?" section of the website.
But even though users can voice their opinions without even visitng the site, executives are optimistic that the interactivity of the forum will keep members coming back. "It is my expectation that PPMN members will check in with the forum frequently to see what their peers are talking about and add their own recommendations," Jennrich says.