Google's CEO, Eric Schmidt, in announcing his company's 27% increase in third quarter profits recently, sounded almost emphatic that the worst of the economic downturn is behind us. Because it is bought in real-time, search advertising is viewed as a good proxy for marketer sentiment. Google's 7% revenue growth in the third quarter suggests marketers are beginning to shift from cost-cutting and budget reductions to a renewed focus on growing their businesses.

This is welcome news for many industry sectors, where executives have been waiting for signs the global recession is nearing an end. In recent weeks, we have spoken with several clients in China, Hong Kong and other parts of the Asia region, and we are hearing solid reports of economic recoveries there beginning in September.

Signals also seem to be pointing toward an economic upturn here in the United States in 2010. We have recently had calls from several Human Resources heads at marketing services firms seeking to hire back sales and business development executives, and we view this as a positive sign. CEOs in hard-hit categories (such as advertising and marketing services) are beginning to pursue hiring initiatives to enable them to grow their top line revenues early in 2010. Other CEOs are studying the optimal structure and marketing/sales resources to add back early in 2010 to accelerate their top-line growth opportunities.

Based on these positive signals, we'd like to ask: "How are you positioning yourself and preparing your brand for the global upturn?" If you are a senior marketing executive on the client side, you likely have prepared revised marketing strategies and plans/programs to kick-start your company's next growth cycle. You should also be asking yourself, how do I reposition my personal brand to capitalize on the coming personal career opportunities in the global upturn? Our sense is there is a lot of pent-up demand for executive talent based upon the harsh cutbacks made by CEOs in virtually every category over the past 18 months. As the recovery gains momentum, and as CEOs gain increased confidence, we expect to see unprecedented upturns in the demand for executive talent as early as Q2 or Q3 next year.

In anticipation of the coming changes, and to support our many clients and friends, we are offering a new, unprecedented three-month COMPLIMENTARY webinar series: "Managing Your Personal Brand Through an Executive Transition: A Year in Review." (See below for more information and to register.) We have been providing this type of personal coaching advice and guidance to numerous executive coaching clients one-on-one. Based on the current market conditions, we felt that the timing was right to offer this in a group format to enable us to reach a greater number of executives.

We trust this communication finds you busy positioning yourself and your company for success in the global recovery that is right in front of us. Please connect with us directly if we can provide specific one-on-one counsel related to your business or your personal brand.

Best,

Jeff Gundersen, CEO jgundersen@executiveconnectionsllc.com
and Lorraine White, Chief Coaching Officer lwhite@executiveconnects.com
Executive Connections, LLC
Executive Search, Executive Coaching & Consulting for Top-Level Executives
Direct: 941-323-8300 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              941-323-8300      end_of_the_skype_highlighting
http://www.executiveconnectionsllc.com

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Is Your Personal Brand Ready for a Global Economic Upturn?

While we are seeing an overwhelming interest in career transition services, we are also seeing how little transition preparation is typically undertaken. With a global upturn potentially on the horizon, not being prepared can sabotage success in achieving your ideal next career step.

To ensure your success, we'd like to invite you to BE OUR GUEST at a complimentary webinar series we're giving titled, "Managing Your Personal Brand Through an Executive Transition: A Year in Review."

When you attend this three-part series, we'll take you through processes, questions and exercises similar to those we provide to our private career transition clients. Participating in this series, you will:

• Complete a personal brand assessment as a foundation element toward change.
  
  
• Define a future personal brand vision and career goals consistent with your values.
  
  
• Raise your personal brand awareness to the next level, where it'll be noticed!
  
  
• Walk away with an action plan that's aligned with your vision.

This is the FIRST TIME we are opening this work to our wider audience. You are welcome to invite others to participate in this exciting event, too.

Register now for the series.

Wednesday, October 28, noon Eastern: "Personal Brand Assessment - Where is Your Brand Now?"
Wednesday, November 18, noon Eastern: "Create the Vision - Where is Your Brand Headed?"
Wednesday, December 16, noon Eastern: "Define a Brand Course of Action - What Now?"

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There's a Glimpse of Blue Sky on the Economic Horizon
by Brian Steinberg, Ad Age Magazine
Published: October 19, 2009
AD AGE MAGAZINE

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- A recovery -- a tepid one, mind you -- seems to be in the offing. From Google to the Gap, from Wall Street to the ad-buying trenches, there's an almost tangible hope that the advertising and media sectors are no longer treading water, but crawling gingerly onto muddy shores. The question is whether that glimmer of optimism is enough to spark a real movement toward solid ground.

The optimism was fueled by the Dow Jones Industrial Average flirting with the psychologically important 10,000 mark last week; a pronouncement by Google CEO Eric Schmidt in announcing a 27% third-quarter profit that "we believe the worst of the recession is behind us;" and a Gap investor briefing in which executives, professing that the economy is stabilizing, said the retailer will hike marketing spending by $25 million in the third quarter and $45 million in the fourth.

Now, today comes a report from ZenithOptimedia that global ad spending should increase 0.5% in 2010. Meager, yes, but after so much sputtering of ad spending and cost cutting at media companies, that tiny blip is being taken as cause for relief.
But don't be too relieved:

Read full article.

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Top leaders often face challenging and unexpected business and personal issues and need expect counsel on short notice. Ask Our Coach is a 24/7/365 hotline that clients and prospective clients alike can use to obtain coaching advice from one of EC's senior coach-consultants. EC's commitment is to respond to all Ask Our Coach inquiries within 24 hours, which makes us always accessible and available to our clients when you need us.

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"Thank you for continuing to share your insights and information through the newsletter. I always find the information helpful and thought-provoking."

~Teresa Logue, Senior Executive specializing in
organizational leadership, business innovation and transformation.

Samples of responses we received to the invitation for our complimentary webinar series:

"Jeff, thank you so much for the generous invitation to participate in this webinar. Looks excellent and very much a coaching service that is in demand right now."

"Thanks so much for your invite. I like your idea and approach and wish you every success."

"Jeff, thank you for the invitation. I think it is a critical topic. Know that if I come across clients who need this kind of guidance I will reach out to you."

"Thanks Jeff. This sounds very useful in these times of change."

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eM9 - Executive eMarketing Conference
Wed, Oct 28 - Thu, Oct 29

BAI Retail Delivery Conference & Expo 2009
Tue, Nov 3 - Thu, Nov 5

ad:tech New York
Wed, Nov 4 - Fri, Nov 6

NCDM 2009
Mon, Dec 7 - Wed, Dec 9