InsightIQ Blog

Forrester's Marketing Forum 2010 - are you planning to attend?

View more Blog Posts

Apr 14 2010

Later this week, I'll be heading to Los Angeles to attend Forrester's Marketing Forum, Adaptive Marketing: How to Design a Flexible Organization to Thrive on Change.  As a silver sponsor of the event, Quaero will have a presence in the network showcase and is hosting a themed break (with prizes! and food!) on the 22nd.

Will the event be enjoyable?  Of course. It always is; Forrester's event team works hard to make sure attendees have a good time.  But, will it be useful? Absolutely.  I would argue that this year's event could be the most important and best yet. Here is why:

  1. Content.  This year's theme focuses on adaptive marketing and specifically how marketers can build their organizations to survive and thrive in today's challenging (and ever-changing) environment.  With keynotes from George Colony, Forrester's CEO; Pamela Kaufman, Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group; David Frankland, Principle Analyst, Forrester; and Tom Boyles, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, the content is sure to provide useful guidance for all attendees.

    Breakout sessions are organized by role, as they have been in the past, and there are quite a few interesting options this year.  I plan to attend several focused on my role as a B-to-B marketer (e.g., Community Marketing In High-Tech) and also a few that will be of prime interest to my colleagues (e.g., Technology Strategies to Optimize Cross-Channel Customer Interactions).  Part of my job at this event is to take healthy notes and summarize and socialize the information internally.
  2. Networking.  Marketers from many industries and backgrounds will converge on LA to participate in this event.  And while keynotes and sessions are the primary draw, most attendees look forward to the peer networking opportunities an event like this offers. 
  3. Councils.  And speaking of networking... Forrester uses their events as opportunities to convene their leadership councils - peer groups aligned around roles.  I am fortunate enough to sit on the Technology Marketing Executive Council (TMEC) and will participate in an all-day session prior to the conference.  Past TMEC meetings have provided a wealth of information on topics ranging from building online communities to how to plan and execute effective lead nurturing programs.
  4. Analyst Meetings - There have been a few senior analyst departures in the recent past but also some very strong new hires on the analyst front.  Joe Stanhope, formerly of Alterian, has recently joined the Customer Intelligence team and will be covering Web analytics, online testing and targeting, and Website optimization technologies.  This event gives marketers access to the analysts like no other.  I fully expect to take advantage of this access and meet several of the new analysts and learn about their upcoming research agendas.  I also expect to catch up with my primary analysts - those that cover marketing services provider landscape and associated areas.  If you are attending and have the opportunity for an analyst 1on1, I encourage you to take it.
  5. Community.  Not attending?  Don't worry.  The main stage sessions are usually broadcast live and you can always catch up on track sessions via Twitter and/or blog posts.  If you're searching, the event tags for Twitter, Blogs, and Flickr are #FMF10 #Forrester #FORR.  Follow me at @Michelle_Quaero (Twitter) or visit the InsightIQ blog during the event for updates.

If you're planning to attend, be sure to check out the agenda and choose your track, which is organized by role (i.e., direct marketer, interactive marketer, marketing leadership, market researcher and technology product management & marketing professional).  Also, download the new-this-year #FMF10 iPhone app.  It allows you to build your personal schedule, view the event Twitter stream and offers handy maps of the hotel.

And don't forget to stop by our booth (15) in the partner pavilion and attend the sponsored afternoon break on the 22nd. We'll be unveiling our new brand platform and have a whole host of interesting "characters" in the booth.

I look forward to seeing you in Los Angeles!

 

 

 

This article is filed under:

View more Blog Posts

Leave a Comment

  • Your email won't be published on our site.

All Fields Required