If you’ve ever been to a gigantic conference, you may feel that as the size of the conference increases, the value diminishes.
The hallways and coffee stations are mobbed and you can’t find the people you need to meet.
As the day wears on, it’s easier to stay for the next session in the room you’re already in than it is to walk to the other end of the conference hall for the session you really want to see.
None of that was a problem at the 2017 Content Marketing Conference.
The conference was large enough to attract A-list marketing speakers and attendees, and small enough to see and mingle easily with everyone.
Conference Venue
The Westin Waterfront is one of the nicest and most conveniently located hotels in the city. It’s just a short walk or cab ride away from all major attractions, shopping, and restaurants.
The rooms are clean, spacious and well-lit, and the staff is super-helpful and friendly. The conference area was convenient, with all the session rooms located near each other and the main hall.
The food service staff was attentive, and the food was excellent and plentiful.
Intimacy
Because of the size of the conference and the perfect layout of the sessions, it was easy to make connections between sessions.
The speakers, even the big-name speakers, mingled with the attendees between sessions and at the evening events.
They even attended each other’s sessions and praised the shared knowledge.
Contrast that with most tech conferences where speakers and executives remain in their designated private areas, speak only to a chosen few, and come out only for their own presentation. What a refreshing difference!
Free Books
Many of the top speakers at #CMC17 have published well-regarded books, and the authors were on hand for signings and a few moments of conversation with everyone.
Best of all, the books were free, purchased by WriterAccess for attendees. An unexpected and delightful bonus!
Accessibility
The speakers, even conference chair Byron White, were in sessions and on the exhibit floor throughout the conference.
Most were happy to talk to anyone in attendance. I was lucky enough to have Nancy Harhut, one of the most accomplished speakers at the event, sit at my table for lunch.
Humble and unassuming, she joined in the conversation praising the event just like any other attendee.
Information Sharing
The passion for great content and effective marketing was palpable throughout the event, and everybody was open to learning.
Nobody held back their “professional secrets.”
The WriterAccess Team
Throughout the event, the WriterAccess team was highly visible and always on the lookout for ways to make the conference better for attendees.
They were friendly, knowledgeable, and personable. Their demeanor showed why WriterAccess is such a great success.
Top Industry Speakers
Every speaker was incredible. Passion, vision, artistry, dedication, and humbleness—in every session.
While some speakers were known stars, others were new discoveries, but all made an impact.
Katie Martell—Emcee
Witty and engaging, Katie Martel did a fantastic job as the emcee.
Her jokes were funny, and it helped that she knows many of the people she introduced so she could add some personal insight.
Andy Crestodina, Ann Handley and Josh Bernoff – WOW
Superstars! Three of the biggest names in content marketing. Andy and Josh held incredibly valuable pre-conference workshops and keynotes during the conference.
Ann’s keynote as guest of honor was awe inspiring. Funny, sincere, self-deprecating and super-knowledgeable. This was my first time at the Content Marketing Conference, but I don’t intend to let it be the last time.
I found the entire conference– from the pre-conference workshops to the closing–to be invaluable.
This blog post was written by WriterAccess freelancer writer Sharon W who attended the conference at no cost in exchange for an unbiased account of her experience.
Stay tuned for news of Content Marketing Conference 2018!