Digital Summit Atlanta 2016: 3 Unusual tips for attendees
Since 2012, Digital Summit is the event not to miss for digital marketers in Atlanta.
After several failed attempts, I’m finally going to this event held May 24-25 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.
Those two days will go by fast, and you have to pick your sessions wisely. Are you ready to sort through dozens of sessions?
That’s what I thought!
In this blog, I’ll give you some unusual tips as well as sessions to attend, or not!
Do not attend Gary Vee’s keynote
I love Gary Vaynerchuck, the famous marketing hustler, and I know you do too. But if you’re attending Digital Summit just to see him speak, you’re missing the point.
Gary has become an influencer because he’s a master at content marketing. What does that mean for you? He’s very active on social media so you have access to his knowledge 24/7. He even shared his SXSW keynote 8 days after the event. He’ll probably do the same with Digital Summit.
Use your time efficiently and attend other smaller sessions, or use that time to network instead.
UPDATE: Jeff Perkins, CMO for QASymphony, brought up a good point on Twitter:
@romugaboriau thanks. you’re crazy if you skip @garyvee at #DSATL16. that’s like skipping a Springsteen show b/c you watched clips online.
— Jeff Perkins (@jeffperkins8) May 23, 2016
Email is here to stay. Learn about it.
As much as I hate the disruptive nature of this channel, email isn’t dead. In 2016, there’s still more to do to improve deliverability and performance of your campaigns.
Here are some sessions that can help you:
May 24th, 8:30am: For the Love of All Things Email: How to Build Effective Email Programs for the Modern Consumer
If you have access to Precon workshops, Michael Barber will teach you how to leverage modern web tools to create kickass emails, and tell you more about the email “renaissance” and the future of the channel.
May 25th, 8:30am: First Impressions: The Power of an Amazing Welcome Email
Pilar Bower, Sr. Manager, Customer Success at BlueHornet, will show you how a well crafted welcome email can increase engagement levels. Pilar will also talk about personalization and the power of content repurposing.
Get a free dinner at Atlanta’s best restaurant
I recently read Tim Ferriss’ 4 hour Chef in which he describes Canoe has the best restaurant in Atlanta. One week later, I received an email from Allison at Bluehornet, a sponsor of Digital Summit, inviting me to Canoe for a casual networking dinner on Tuesday May 24th at 6:30pm.
Free food and great setup to network? What else do you need?!
Allison mentioned she was expecting a crowd of 35-50 marketers, and she has a charter bus ready to take you there.
I’m sure she’d be happy to have more people so feel free to email her at akelly@bluehornet.com.
BONUS: Other underrated sessions
Wednesday, May 25th – 2:15pm – 2:45pm: Snapchat for Business
If you’re a big believer of SnapChat like Gary Vee, this session is for you.
After this session you will be able to:
- Gain insight into the real-time storytelling trend on social media
- Review tips and hacks to use Snapchat for your business
- Learn about Snapchat’s on-demand geo-filters and how to leverage them for your business
- Discuss ways to incorporate influencer marketing
- Ask questions specific to your business during an open Q&A session
Wednesday, May 25th – 10am – 10:30am: Sales or Marketing? An Exploration of Morphing Roles
Since being hired by Sage thanks to this blog, I’ve experienced this transformation between marketing and sales. I think the boundaries between the two are getting more blurry over time, and collaboration between the two is key.
Takeaways
If you want to get educated around new digital marketing trends, don’t wait to go to conferences like Digital Summit. Just Google something, and you’ll find great content. Continuous learning is the key.
On the other hand, events like this one are great to network, especially if you’re looking for a new job or starting a new business. As for any other major conference, make sure to utilize the event hashtag: #DSATL16
In the mean time, feel free to talk with RomuBot, my personal Facebook messenger bot!
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