Social Media Marketing World 2019 is approaching quickly, and tickets will never be less expensive than they are right now.
So why should you invest in making the trip to San Diego for Social Media Marketing World? I recently joined Ashley Graham, lead brandista at Brandesso, for a fun discussion of our Top 10 reasons why you should get your ticket right now for Social Media Marketing World 2019.
Can't watch the whole video right now? No worries -- here are the Top 10 reasons:
No. 1: Community. This is really what it's all about. Spending three days with thousands of other people in your industry is extraordinarily refreshing for the soul, especially when your work requires modest physical isolationism -- publishing, Tweeting, recording, and so on. You'll meet tons of other professionals going through the same issues and experiencing the same anxieties that you are -- and leave with a new set of friendships and relationships that will help you all year round.
No. 2: The Informational Sessions. You'll be astounded by the quality and the marksmanship of the 100+ presenters at Social Media Marketing World. CEO Mike Stelzner, Director of Events Phil Mershon and the Social Media Examiner team have spent nearly a decade evaluating talent from around the globe, bringing in only the very best in the industry to provide maximum value to attendees. No matter what your area of need, there's bound to be a track of sessions geared specifically toward you. And -- cheap plug alert -- if your primary goal is to build relationships, you'll love coming to my session at 3:40 p.m. Pacific time on Friday, March 22 about using Twitter to efficiently network year-round.
No. 3: Social Impact. Think SMMW is just about tech wizardry, apps and gadgetry? Wrong. Prepare to be blown away by the depth and the complexity of the individual stories that you hear from the different presenters, as well as the volunteers and attendees. Listening to the tales of the people involved with Social Media Marketing World will be an eye-opening experience that introduces you to a number of new causes and ideas for your brand and business. Which leads us to ...
No. 4: Gain Additional World Perspective. People fly in from all around the globe to speak, attend and volunteer at Social Media Marketing World. There is no better opportunity year-round to meet more marketers all converged in the same place, and compare ideas, thought processes and societal norms across different cultures. Last year, I lost count of how many different countries and continents I was able to connect with, just in a matter of hours. One of my best friends in the industry, Zala Bricelj, hails from Slovenia -- I couldn't even point out Slovenia on a map, but I could call her on a moment's notice and have a conversation. These types of international relationships will not only help you build your business but also make you feel more complete and world-informed as a human being.
There is no better opportunity year-round to meet more marketers all converged in the same place, and compare ideas, thought processes and societal norms across different cultures.
No. 5: Trip to San Diego! This is the easiest sell of them all. Southern California is notorious for warm, sunny and overall beautiful weather, and with the Convention Center cozied up against the bay, you'll have plenty of opportunities to soak in the sun while enjoying a spectacular water view. The SDCC sits at the edge of the famed Gaslamp District, with plenty of restaurants, bars, nightlife opportunities, shops and all sorts of hotel chains (and hostels) in within walking distance. If you've never been to California, this is a perfect opportunity to do so.
No. 6: The Parties. Thursday night will take the mantle of the 'signature' #SMMW19 event, as a karaoke party with an 80's theme will bring together hundreds of attendees and speakers with their all-access passes. Yes, it's great to attend sessions and learn, but the networking opportunities at #SMMW19 are unparalleled. Looking for something to do on Friday evening? Follow me on Twitter for updates on the world premier of '50 States, 100 Days: The Film,' based on '50 States, 100 Days: The Book' -- we'll be doing an exclusive screening at the Grand Hyatt hotel just yards from the SDCC after the conclusion of the closing keynote -- details to come.
No. 7: Emphasis on Service. The volunteers and staff at Social Media Marketing World are like none other that I've ever seen at another event. Everyone at Social Media Examiner, as extended through the volunteer corps, is trained to think proactively about how best to serve each person they interact with, which leads to a wonderfully positive and encouraging atmosphere. The volunteers in particular go way above and beyond to make sure that every single person in the Convention Center is achieving their ideal experience at the conference. You'll never feel lost, alone or confused at any moment during #SMMW19 -- the volunteer staff is kind, generous and informative, which really separates this conference from any other event you'll encounter.
You'll never feel lost, alone or confused at any moment during #SMMW19 -- the volunteer staff is kind, generous and informative, which really separates this conference from any other event you'll encounter.
No. 8: See How a Great Event is Run. Perhaps you are involved in some form or fashion with planning or executing an event in your own community somewhere around America ... keeping an eye on the way that #SMMW19 is planned and executed will provide you a master blueprint for success. CEO Mike Stelzner's extraordinary attention to detail permeates through the Social Media Examiner staff, which spends the entire calendar year building towards this one capstone event. Breathe in the program layout, the seating configurations, the scheduling, the subject matter of the sessions, the audio/visual executions, and the nearly infinite other logistics taking place at the SDCC and you'll feel inspired to improve your own local event no matter what the size, scope and focus.
No. 9: Investing In Your Marketing. Key here: investing. Often times as business owners, we get pulled in a million different directions. Social Media Marketing World should be your annual opportunity to physically and financially invest in your marketing efforts. You'll take home loads of notes, actionable takeaways and inspirational messaging to execute year-round. Yes, #SMMW19 is an investment, no matter what role you play in the production, but the return on that investment is consistently and unquestionably high.
No. 10: Get Known. Closing keynote speaker Mark Schaefer's book, 'Known,' is a guiding light for me in the social media industry -- where you can be absolutely phenomenal at what you do, but unless you're known, you're not going anywhere. Simply put, Social Media Marketing World is where marketers can go to get known. Come meet Mark, myself and Ashley, and thousands of other like-minded thinkers and creators at #SMMW19, March 20-22.
Click here to get your tickets -- if you purchase with my link, I will throw in complimentary access to my online course about mastering Instagram Stories: www.LearnIGStories.com (a $197 value).
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Chris Strub is the first person to live-stream and Snapchat in all 50 U.S. states, author of '50 States, 100 Days: The Book,' and works as the 'Giving Day Guy' with regional and local giving days around the United States. Come see his session about Twitter at #SMMW19 on Friday, March 22 at 3:40 p.m. Pacific. Get your ticket to SMMW 19 now at http://is.gd/SMMW19 .