Conferences are wonderful opportunities to network, meet people, and to learn about the topic area of the conference. If you’re fortunate enough to be a speaker, the opportunities increase even more.
A friend of mine works in the financial sector and he often tells me that conferences are an excellent marketing opportunity. He leads financial seminars at conferences and finds that these sessions are a unique way to promote his products and services to a wider audience. In financial services marketing staying one step ahead of the competition is fundamental, and attending conferences allows you to keep an ear to the ground.
What about hosting one though?
Tim O’Reilly has invited friends in the computer field to participate in his exclusive “Foo Camps”. They’re conferences that are bascially self-organizing, if you’ve been lucky enough to be invited. But some didn’t feel like waiting, and they started “Bar camp”. You just find a space with several rooms where speakers can speak, invite whoever you want in whatever topic area you like, and let them create the conference.
Would like you like to host a conference? If you need some inspiration, check out this video.
The self-organizing conference certainly sounds like some fun. Perhaps I’ll get one going here in Milwaukee in 2006 if I can get enough interest.
Good inspiration Harold, as always!
I am certain we could help generate some interest for this in western Montana. That video from barcamp is definitely inspiring.
Fantastic John, I’ll contact you about it. It’d be great to have folks from your company present as well, your grupthink site looks very cool, people should check it out.
Count me in for helping in any way I can – The Missoula commuity could seriously benefit from an event like this..!