Engaging Audiences Through Experiences, with Thomas MacAulay

Thomas MacAulay is an experienced marketing professional who is passionate about continuous growth to deliver optimal results for his organization and his industry. As Executive Director and CEO of the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA), Thomas is committed to fostering and excelling the outdoor media space through a variety of creative and effective strategies. Thomas grew up in Sacramento, California and enjoyed spending his time in the field, mountains, river, ocean and anywhere in between. His family moved to Atlanta, Georgia when Thomas was a teenager and his love of the outdoors stayed with him. He attended American River College and began his career at The Home Depot. He stayed with the company for over 10 years, taking advantage of countless opportunities to learn new skills and grow as an individual and professional. Thomas later accepted a position with BPI Outdoors as a customer service representative and advanced to several positions before ending his time with the company as Marketing Manager. Continuously striving for growth, Thomas accepted his current position with POMA and now oversees many aspects of the organization, including membership recruitment and retention, community and public relations, financial, tax and risk management and more. Hear Cliff and Thomas' thoughts on engaging audiences through experiences and the importance of strategic communications to promote meaningful dialogue. They also discuss planning for long-term growth, the effectiveness of print media and integrated marketing and communicating with rural audiences in urban areas. Check it out! What you'll learn:  Effective and strategic communication and the importance of two-way dialogue for engagement The importance of doing whatever it takes and continuously challenging yourself to learn something new Adapting and pivoting to provide value for your audience, even during challenging times Thomas' thoughts on always being eager to step up to the plate and take on new things The importance of planning for long-term business success, especially when business is good Insight into the outdoor space and how businesses and marketers are adapting to the changing environment Effective communication strategies to reach rural Americans and the value of incorporating traditional mediums with new technologies More on the rural American lifestyle and those who live it, no matter their geographic location