Database Marketing has interviewed me with regard to publishing an article on how to choose a search marketing agency.

Travel Daily News has followed the Internet Travel News with an article on the launch.

The publicity effort is beginning to see its first results with Internet Travel News featuring a story on the launch of the Association.

Today I briefed the developing SMA-NA association on the recent committee meeting of the SMA-UK

The Association's first formal committee meeting took place last week in London and was very productive. We will publish summary minutes of the meeting soon - but the most important points were:-

• Reality PR has been appointed to handle the association's press relations - and a campaign is now being developed. They have wide experience already in search.
  
• Kingston Smith has been appointed to handle the association's adminstration. They are experts in running associations and will free resources for the committee to focus on action rather than admin.
• Payment of association membership is now possible using a credit card online.
• The search engine liaison committee will be announced at the end of July. Invitations are currently going out.
  
• The editorial committee will be announced at the end of July. Invitations have already gone out.
• A paper on standards and the association's approach will be published in August.
  
• A series of discounts for members will very soon be available and will be announced very soon.
• Legal and insurance issues are being investigated on behalf of members.
  

B2B Marketing is a new magazine targeting - obviously - business to business marketers. Kate Walsh interviewed me today with regard to what the association is planning to do and what the benefits are specifically to B2B marketing people.

I was able to say that B2B marketers - particularly those who target a business niche - still have great opportunities before them from using search - but that many still have not recognised the potential.

I was also keen to encourage in-house search marketing specialists to join the association.

The very first 'official' news release of the association has been distributed to the press - actually over a week ago (whilst I was on holiday). A number of initial press interviews have been set up and, as the PR machine gets into gear, this will increase over time.

The press activity promotes the web sites and the members! To my knowledge, at least one member has already reported benefitting from their membership of the association!

Today I meet with the organisation which we plan to instruct to undertake the administration management for the association to make us as efficient as possible. We believe this will be a the most cost-effective way to generate value for money for members.