Event marketers, does the holiday season have you exclaiming, “Bah humbug?” Before you start acting grinchy, remember that once the holiday decorations have been taken down and all the cookies and egg nog have been consumed, event season will be here – and it truly is the most wonderful time of the year! Forget crowded malls, and dreary winter weather because now is the time to get your 2019 event marketing plan in order.
Don’t end up on the event-marketer naughty list in 2019. Here’s why it’s imperative for you to have a solid plan to attend in-person events before the ball drops on 2018:
- Events give you the opportunity to discover new demand generation and B2B marketing strategies from trusted industry experts.
- By meeting and engaging with other B2B marketers, you’ll better understand the challenges other teams are experiencing and realize you’re not alone. The networking opportunities at industry events are endless, and you’re bound to talk to someone or sit in on a session that addresses your marketing struggles.
- Meandering around expo halls and talking tech with fellow marketers is the best way to evaluate potential solutions in a no-pressure atmosphere.
- Getting out from behind your laptop and talking to people in person isn’t only beneficial to your career, but your health. Stop being a marketing hobbit, leave the comfort of your home office and start talking to like-minded individuals. Professional development is something we should never put on the backburner.
The Best Way to Spread Event Cheer is Singing Loud for All to Hear
Sometimes, the hardest part of B2B marketing events is figuring out which ones you need to attend to have an impact on your bottom line. Lucky for you, I’ve already done the research. Save yourself some time, get out your calendars and start racking up airline miles, because I’m gifting you a year’s worth of events.
1. SaaStr Annual
When: February 5-7, 2019
Where: San Jose, CA
Why: SaaStr prides itself on being the largest gathering in the world for B2B software. With over 12,000 attendees, 300 speakers and 100+ sponsors, you’re bound to run into most of your industry connections – not to mention top prospects and customers. SaaStr’s goal is to give attendees tools to scale their software business. Plus, with over 250+ VCs present, you might just find some investor love if you’re just starting up in this daunting SaaS space.
2. B2B Marketing Exchange
When: February 25-27, 2019
Where: Scottsdale, AZ
Why: Who wouldn’t want to spend a few days enjoying one of Scottsdale’s finest resorts alongside B2B marketing peers? Since it’s basically in our headquarters’ backyard, B2BMX is one of our favorite events at Integrate. Packed with strategy sessions and filled with senior-level practitioners, you’re sure to leave feeling inspired.
3. ABM Innovation Summit
When: March 14-15, 2019
Where: San Francisco, CA
Why: With so much opportunity and buzz surrounding the convergence of marketing and AI, it’s no surprise we need some direction on the possibilities of incorporating AI into our ABM strategies Spend the day with the Demandbase team and learn how to “unleash” the possibilities of AI with sessions that include actionable takeaways and real examples from industry leaders.
4. Oracle Modern Customer Experience
When: March 19-21, 2019
Where: Las Vegas, NV
Why: While it takes a lot to convince me to go to Las Vegas, this is one of the easier sells. 2019 will be a pivotal year for marketers as we’re taking the buying and customer experience into our own hands. If you want to learn from the pros about perfecting your skills and delivering an unforgettable customer experience, Oracle’s MCX is a conference you can’t afford to miss.
5. Adobe Summit
When: March 26-28, 2019
Where: Las Vegas, NV
Why: Unless you live under a rock, you’ve likely heard about Adobe’s acquisition of Marketo. This conference wouldn’t typically make the list for B2B; however, the acquisition will bring an entirely different audience to Adobe Summit. If you’re a marketer on the hook for owning customer experience in 2019, you’re sure to find value as Adobe prides itself on creating the ultimate digital experience.
6. ContentTECH Summit
When: April 8-10, 2019
Where: San Diego, CA
Why: Formerly the Intelligence Content Conference (ICC), ContentTECH is tackling all things content, strategy and technology for the modern enterprise marketer. If you’re focused on creating a solid content marketing strategy, creating killer content isn’t enough. Managing processes and leveraging the right technology to get your content in front of your target audiences is a tough hurdle, and ContentTECH provides all the sessions you’ll need to inspire a fool-proof content strategy.
7. TOPO Summit
When: April 17-18, 2019
Where: San Francisco, CA
Why: Most B2B marketers’ success will be measured by contributions to revenue in 2019. TOPO is packed with sessions that will provide you with specific and actionable plans to improve your go-to-market strategies as well as technology-implementation processes to achieve scalable revenue growth. Don’t forget to bring your sales and ops friends with you because TOPO Summit isn’t just a valuable trip for marketers.
8. SiriusDecisions Summit
When: May 6-8, 2019
Where: Austin, TX
Why: Here’s my personal favorite. And the best part? It’s not in Las Vegas this year! Take a trip down to the Lone Star State and get together with the best group of B2B marketers one event can host. At SiriusDecisions Summit, you’ll gather insights from top analysts who will guide your marketing organization to revenue greatness. Plus, the parties following the conference are some of the best I’ve seen. Last year, my high school dream came true when Fallout Boy performed at the Green Tie Gala; I can only imagine what the great minds at SiriusDecisions have planned for 2019.
9. Content Marketing World
When: September 3-6, 2019
Where: Cleveland, OH
Why: We love CMI so much we added two of their conferences to this list. Attending the largest content event in the world makes sense to any B2B marketing team. And if you’re anything like us, you’ll think you have died and gone to content-nerd heaven at Content Marketing World. You’ll have the opportunity to mingle with 4000+ more content-focused B2B marketers to discuss strategy, successes, struggles and opportunities, and build upon your takeaways from ContentTECH
10. MarTech Conference
When: West: April 3-5, 2019 East: September 16-18, 2019
Where: San Jose, CA; Boston, MA
Why: MarTech hosts two conferences, so no matter what side of the country you’re on, they’ve got you covered. In an industry that’s always growing with new marketing technology vendors, your best bet is to stay ahead of the curve. While especially valuable for marketing operations practitioners, MarTech provides all B2B marketers with the tips and tricks necessary to build integrated tech stacks that consistently perform.
11. The B2B Game Changers Thought Leadership Conference
When: October 2019 (Final Date TBD)
Where: San Francisco, CA
Why: A meeting of the minds at its finest. If you manage to score a seat at this invite-only conference, you’re in for a treat. This conference boasts a full day of game-changing insights from top B2B marketing thought leaders and will provide you with the necessary tools to scale ROI from your marketing initiatives. Whether you’re a marketing executive, demand generation expert, or marketing operations pro, you’re bound to learn actionable, cutting-edge insights to push your career into overdrive. Plus, all ticket proceeds go to the non-profit organization Girls Who Code, which is just plain awesome.
12. MarketingProfs B2B Forum
When: October 16-18, 2019
Where: Washington D.C.
Why: MarketingProfs B2B Forum delivers it all: insane amounts of cutting-edge insights from the best in the business, creative networking and off-the-clock antics we all love participating in. What I love about #MPB2B is that it’s based on more than just learning, but about building lasting relationships in the B2B industry. While the content on the main stage is consistently outstanding, this is one of the only conferences I’ve seen that hosts about eight networking sub-events with a “fun” focus. Who knows, you might just meet your next new hire at a speed-dating style breakfast or during morning marketing yoga.
13. Marketing Nation Summit
When: October 21-24, 2019
Where: Las Vegas, NV
Why: Marketo Summit in October? You read it right. Gone are the days of Marketing Nation held in late April at the Moscone Center in San Fran. While it’s tough to predict what Summit will look like in 2019 now that Adobe has moved into town, I’m sure we’ll see hints of red where there was once purple. By this time in 2019, new products will have surely been released to complement the acquisition and I expect that news alone will draw a hefty crowd. Plus, you can’t miss the phenomenal speakers Marketo hosts and the 100+ vendors posted up in the expo hall.
14. LeanData Ops Stars
When: November 19-20, 2019
Where: San Francisco, CA
Why: Go to Dreamforce without actually going to Dreamforce! In all seriousness, we love you, Salesforce, but we all know that Dreamforce tends to be a bit overwhelming, especially if you’re a new field marketer dipping your toes in the event scene. LeanData hosts a (free) mini conference during Dreamforce every year geared towards the ops pros. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the pleasure of attending this conference in 2018. However, a group of my fellow Integrators spent a couple days in ops heaven and reported back that this was one of the best conferences they’ve ever been to. With sessions jam packed with actionable insights to better your marketing organization and further your career as an operations expert, what’s not to love?
15. SiriusDecisions Technology Exchange
When: December 10-11, 2019
Where: Denver, CO
Why: A B2B marketer is never satisfied with their technology investments. We want more and then want less. Other times, we just want to tear it down and start over. SiriusDecisions understands our common technology woes and holds #SDTechX every year to alleviate the distress we feel about the uncertainty of martech. If you’re a high-growth, high-performing marketing organization, creating the right technology mix is critical. With two days of sessions on everything from e-commerce to ABM, you’re sure to find value…and maybe stay a few extra days for a long weekend ski trip.
The Hap-hap-happiest Season is Here
There you have it – the master list of every major B2B marketing conference that will keep you and your fellow marketers busy and on the event-marketer nice list in 2019. Start searching for flights, hotels and larger luggage because you’re going to be living out of suitcases for the foreseeable future.
Interested in how you can get more out of your event investments and maximize ROI? Check out Integrate's Enterprise Playbook to Event Lead Management.
