Member Spotlight: Introducing Susan Moore AWC Austin’s New President Elect

Each month AWC Austin highlights a member making a difference in the communications industry in Austin, Texas. You may know Susan Moore as owner of West End Marketing & Communications.  She is a “Jane of all trades” with talents from writing to marketing to media buying, but to top it off, you’ll soon know her as the new AWC Board President-Elect.

AWC AUSTIN:  How did you initially get started with AWC Austin?
SM:  My first job right out of college was with a small PR firm in 1992. I worked for two women who were active in the AWC Austin chapter and the woman I was replacing at the company just so happened to be the AWC President.  When you’re employer encourages you to join something like that fresh out of college, the decision is not too difficult.  After joining, I realized I wanted to get more involved and since then, I’ve served several times on the board and various committees.  

AWC AUSTIN:  You’ve got a great history with AWC Austin.  Tell me your favorite thing about the group and what keeps you coming back.
SM:  What’s so amazing about the group – other than the strong friendships I’ve made – is that as my career has evolved, the group has always offered me something of true value.  Even though I’m no longer new to this field, AWC has always provided a way to stay connected and supported.  It’s such an all-encompassing group.  We truly support each other and understand what everyone is going through because we’ve been along those same paths and share similar experiences.

A perfect example of this happened when I was serving on the board back in 1996. I was among a total of four board members expecting their first child in the fall.  Margaret Harrist and I were serving together and didn’t know each other well at the time, but we were the last two due.  We realized our lives were about to change tremendously and we’ve been close ever since.  I’m sharing a table at Banner Brunch with a group of long-term AWC friends and Margaret was the first person I called to make sure she would be there.

AWC AUSTIN:  Congratulations on your new board position!  What goals do you have for the coming year and what one thing do you want people to come away with? 
SM:  We serve members in many different stages of development, from the person with less than five years of experience to more than 20, and their needs vary.  I think AWC has done a great job addressing this with so many programs to join and opportunities to connect, and I definitely want to keep refining our ability to address these various needs.  

Another focus for the next year revolves around the fact that there are so many programs competing for members’ attention; from Social Media Club of Austin, PRSA, PR over Coffee, Social Media Breakfast Austin, Freelance Austin, Jellies, etc. and a lot of that interaction happens online.  I think we need to hone our niche in this space and really identify our value.  It’s an interesting balance; you don’t want to repeat programming but it’s also good to reinforce or build upon what others are offering.  And as Austin is becoming a bigger community, it becomes harder to find a place for yourself within it.  You often end up getting a taste of just a small sample of the city’s professional offerings and networks, so those larger connections become more meaningful. 

AWC AUSTIN:  How would you best describe your company, West End Marketing & Communications? 
SM:  It’s a collaborative ad agency; it’s full-service because I join forces with other firms and freelancers.  Personally, I’m a writer, media buyer and marketing consultant but to be full-service, I have to pull in other talents.  Staying on top of all of these realms is a bit daunting, especially in the digital world.  I struggle a bit because I enjoy the size I am now and being able to work one-on-one with clients, but I’m finding I can’t do it all. 

I like being able to work with other companies because they bring high-level expertise and insight to the table.  It creates a unique and powerful finished product because the people I collaborate with offer a different view point and we’re able to envision and create things we couldn’t on our own.

AWC AUSTIN:  What about Austin helps cultivate partnerships with other firms?
SM:  Because of the recession and the layoffs a few years back, Austin has experienced an influx of small, boutique creative firms with a definite collaborative tone.  I’ve been feeling this because I’ve been tremendously busy. I have my own clients, but I also get drawn into projects with other ad agencies and PR firms because many lack an in-house media buyer. 

This idea plays back to what we were talking about earlier; AWC provides ways to make connections and support each other without a sense of competition.  We’re great at sharing ideas and finding opportunities to work together.  Freelance Austin is another valuable resource for this.  People leave meetings with new business connections and often a project or two.

AWC AUSTIN:  Describe the Texas Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) and Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) certifications and how those have aided your company’s recognition?
SM:  I partner with the PR firm Hahn, Texas, and after several projects, I realized it would be beneficial if I was both HUB and WBE certified.  As they do a lot of work for government entities, Hahn, Texas will seek firms that have these certifications.  Once I was certified, this allowed us to partner on new projects and solidified my relationship with their firm.  For instance, when the Texas State University System sent out an RFP with a HUB preference, it was very helpful to have that certification in place. That account is keeping me very busy right now.

Another benefit is that I am on this list of HUB and WBE certified businesses so I am put into contact with organizations that are looking for just that.  Sometimes the jobs are too large for me to take on, but that’s where the collaborative nature of Austin comes into play; I can partner with other companies and take on these projects.  It helps establish connections you wouldn’t otherwise get and allows you to bid on pieces of projects, which suits my company.

AWC AUSTIN:  What is your favorite way to jump into a project? 
SM:  I like coming in early on when you can help shape the strategy; that’s when you need the direct contact.  Otherwise you may have a client who has specific needs in mind, but you miss out on asking questions and digging deeper into their broader goals.  The strategy development is not only fun but more productive.  Messaging and positioning are more successful and value is more apparent in the outcome.

AWC AUSTIN:  I know you love writing and you excel at it.  How do you hone your skills and keep them fresh on a routine basis?
SM:  There are so many types of writing but I find blogging to be very fulfilling – I love pouring over it.  Writing a blog is very satisfying because I get to make all of the edits, speak in my own voice and be creative! 

Susan Moore’s Resource Run-down:

Texas Tribune  
Ezra Klein’s WonkBlog 
Salon Magazine  
Mashable Social Media  
MediaPost  
Adweek  
Branding Strategy Insider 
Inc. Magazine