People attend industry conferences for a plethora of reasons -- to connect with prospective clients, tweet soundbites from celebrity speakers or simply escape to a warmer climate for a few days.
Whether I’m speaking at a conference or just attending, I always take a macro view, absorbing everything I can and identifying unexpected threads. Were there pain points, topics or themes that didn’t appear in the official agenda but surfaced during check-in-line conversations, keynote speeches and cocktail hours?
Case in point: In 2017, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce invited me to speak at a series of events across the country, culminating with their Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C. The D.C. event convened more than 900 small business owners, and it serves as a bellwether for the marketing challenges that businesses are facing across America.
I shared the stage with high-profile speakers like Marcus Lemonis (serial entrepreneur and host of CNBC's "The Profit") and Bethenny Frankel (founder of Skinnygirl Cocktails and Shark Tank’s newest judge). Here are three key themes that emerged.
1. It all comes down to authentic execution.
The topic of authenticity popped up repeatedly. For example, my speech focused on the Small Business Revolution, a multiyear program that spotlights small businesses and has evolved into an acclaimed online series.
Authenticity has been a core tenet of the program from day one -- we even hired a documentary crew rather than an ad agency to ensure we created an authentic reality show. We inserted our brand only when it provided an authentic resource to viewers. And that authenticity has led to a huge loyal following.
Similarly, when Frankel took the stage, she shared how the Skinnygirl brand came to be. She joked about how she surely wasn’t the first person with an idea for a lower-calorie alcohol brand. But it’s how she executed the idea that mattered. This included everything from logo design to brand voice to, ultimately, the sale of her company to Beam. Every step of the way, she stayed authentic to the brand that she built.
As marketers, we’re often tasked with promoting products that are similar to what our competitors are pushing. And millennials are especially wary of anything that whiffs of inauthenticity. That’s why every facet of the customer experience -- from how consumers first encounter the brand to marketing messages to the purchasing process -- must be authentic to set your brand apart.
2. Don’t underestimate the importance of internal communications.
We’re often so focused on marketing to consumers that we overlook an equally important group: our own employees.
As Lemonis put it, there’s truth to the adage that "customers are always number one" in the sense that without customers, there would be no business. But communication with your company’s employees is just as important because those internal communications will ultimately inform every aspect of how your brand comes to life, as well as how your company’s employees interact with customers.
Think of it this way: You could create and invest in the most creative campaign of the century -- but it will be completely undermined if you don’t have your internal communications in order first.
Furthermore, I’ve found that marketers can get so caught up with how customers perceive their brand that they overlook the importance of how existing or prospective employees perceive it. Ask yourself: Do all of your employees know what your brand stands for? Do they understand their unique role in achieving the company’s goals? If a job prospect visits your careers page, what story does it tell and what will excite them about working for the brand? After all, if you’re trying to create a movement, as we were with the Small Business Revolution, you can’t expect the public to get involved if your employees aren’t even on board.
3. Focus on innovative content -- not just technology.
Lemonis broke the concept of innovation into two categories: the technology you use to run your business (for everything from internal communications to inventory management) and how you bring your brand to life in the digital realm.
I’d posit that the latter piece of the innovation puzzle -- the "how" part -- is paramount and too frequently overlooked. Many brands are so distracted by the latest shiny technology that they lose sight of the content of their communications. Worse yet, some abandon the platforms that their customers actually use, instead adopting cutting-edge tech that only resonates with a small contingent of early adopters.
I encourage marketers to start by reviewing their social media posts from the past few months. What percentage was overtly salesy, and what portion featured content that enhances consumers’ lives -- even if it didn't directly lead to a transaction?
Lemonis noted that it’s important to reward your social followers. Sometimes that’s as simple as giving them a discount. But think of other ways in which your content can be rewarding, in the sense that it makes people’s lives easier. Share helpful articles, notify them of upcoming events, become a trusted, integral part of their lives, and brand loyalty will follow.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a baker or you sell widgets, you are looking to market your products or services to a target audience. And how you show up online -- everything from your website experience to your social media content to your search ranking -- will determine whether you cut through the competitive noise.
These were just a few themes that I found woven throughout the Small Business Summit, but they illustrate how valuable these types of conferences can be. I would challenge you to take notes at the next event you attend -- and then review the pages and circle words and themes that popped up repeatedly. You might be surprised at what emerges and how those insights help you get ahead of the competition.
