Why the Just One Conference? On just one hand…
Our Tech Marketers Group co-chair, Jane Smallfield, shares one hand’s worth of reasons why Just One Conferenceis the one not to miss…
The team challenged me to count on one hand why this year’s TMG Conference was the one to go to. Here’s what I came up with:
If there was ever a time we needed to get together in person (if we possibly can) this is it. After a year of doing everything remotely – including a couple of marketing conferences – we should embrace this chance to connect with others who wear the same hard-to-fill shoes we do. Besides – Nigel Latta has done the research on his TVNZ show How We Work and the evidence stacks up that room is better than Zoom – as he puts it:
“There’s all this neuroscience around how the best ideas can happen when you’re out of your usual work environment and having chats around the lunch table.”
I really want to hear Lisa Dennis speak. I was incredibly fortunate to attend an Account Based Marketing workshop with her at an ITSMA conference in Boston MA some years ago. She is a powerhouse of knowledge. ITSMA is accredited with starting the ABM movement and Lisa runs their North American Training. Put simply, ABM is “accelerating growth in strategic accounts”. It is an incredibly effective way for New Zealand companies with comparatively low budgets to go after those large accounts sales have their sites on. Lisa uniquely sits across both the sales and marketing spectrum. You won’t want to miss her keynote.
My own professional development. If there is something more than (ahem) thirty years in marketing has taught me, it’s that you never stop learning. The team have worked hard this year to bring in different and unique speakers who aren’t on the usual New Zealand conference circuit. You are going to get some different ideas and great practical tips you can actually use (because that’s what we’ve asked them for). I am anticipating at least one useful insight from each session – but expect I will dramatically exceed that.
The panel session. Product, sales and marketing together on one stage – what can possibly go wrong? Moderated (and challenged) by the lovely Caroline Francis, our three panelists will need to be on their toes. I’m looking forward to this session a lot. Mainly because I truly believe we need to get this three-way dynamic consistently working a whole lot better – but also because I’m guessing there will be more than a few laughs to be had.
Coffee break. Lunch. After Conference drinks. While the sessions will be great – the networking to be had will be very special. There are so many people I haven’t seen for well over a year I would normally regularly connect with one way or another. (You know who you are – so please, register now). I am also anticipating meeting a whole raft of new marketers – hopefully some that have arrived back in New Zealand or are new to the tech marketing space. Can’t wait to hear what everyone is up to.
If you’ve read all of this, ticked it all off on one hand and you’re still debating whether to come or not…come. If just one thing is for sure – you won’t regret it.
