“It is about time, or should I say, the lack of time,” the marketer explained during a phone call last week. “I run demand generation, digital campaigns, the Web site and content. How can I break away to attend a conference? My CMO would laugh if I raised the possibility.”
This conundrum is common place for corporate, field and product marketers. As responsibilities grow, time for professional development and skill enhancement wanes. Yet, it is critical to stay sharp and current on the latest methodologies, tools and techniques in areas related to content, digital, analytics and social media.
Here are three easy-to-implement ideas:
- Attend the event…virtually. Most organizers publish keynotes, speaker presentations and panel discussions on their Web site. Block out 90 minutes on a Friday afternoon to engage with this content. Watch what is most relevant to your job and then pick at least one presentation that is outside your purview. You may be surprised by how the best practices potentially apply.
- Connect and interact socially with attendees. They are on Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media platforms sharing content from the event. This presents the opportunity to deepen your knowledge, while expanding your professional network.
- Subscribe to industry sites that will push you news. In 2017, Strategic Communications Group’s (Strategic) Modern Marketing Today published exclusive recaps of industry events hosted by Salesforce, Marketo and SiriusDecisions. You can review the content here at this link.