Custom Content Conference 2008 a Huge Success

It’s hard to imagine that the premier Custom Content Conference could have gone any better.  We were shooting for at least 100 and had closer to 140 attend.  We were hoping for a few sponsors and sold out our exhibits and sponsorships. We wanted great speakers and interactive sessions…and got those too.

I always seemed to be running around at the conference and didn’t have as much time as I would have liked to enjoy the presentations. The second day I completely missed (in NYC for the Publishing Business conference), so please see Newt Barrett’s takeaways from the conference.  Also, Jeremy Greenfield provides some insight into the first day as well. I didn’t take many pics, but here are the ones I did manage to get. [added, Barbara Logan's post from Hammock].

Here are my takeaways:

• From Joe Duffy’s presentation, he cited that (according to Yankelovich 2005) 56% of consumers avoid products and services that overtly market.  Creating valuable content targeted to customers instead of hard selling is not just a recommendation, but a survival requirement.
• Duffy: the marketer’s role is shifting from storyteller to the true creator of a better life experience. Amen brother!
• George Bernard Shaw Quote: "The reasonable man adapts himself to the world, the unreasonable one persists in customizing the world to himself and his values." There are more than a few people I need to send that quote to.
• While I was listening to a presentation by Brand Keys, this concept hit me in regard to traditional publishers:  the customers (advertisers) of traditional publishers and media companies don’t need them anymore. I used this concept to begin my presentation at Publishing Business conference the next day. Why use the middleman when you can go direct?  We are seeing this more and more and will continue to.  Have you seen BusinessWeek or Advertising Age lately?
• Geoff Cook, the CEO of myYearbook.com, talked in detail about the rise of his social networking site targeted to 13-17 year olds (which is rising by leaps and bounds). Consumers, more than ever in history, want to be part of something, be associated with something.  That is a major reason why social media initiatives are taking off. It makes sense that the more people live in a virtual world, the more they long for networks and associations.
• Following up on the previous point, Kenneth Neher with GlaxoSmithKline, referred to association marketing linking directly with their key driver, which is advocacy. Neher stated that the right content at the right time from the right brand builds true advocacy. He also showed his loyalty continuum which is:

  aware – interested – try – adopt – loyal – advocate

  Neher also stated that a key to their advocacy success has been their consistent use of print and online content efforts directly targeted to their consumer groups.

• Kent Nichols, the creator of the popular Ask a Ninja episodes, was probably the most entertaining of all, especially with the number of jabs against living in Ohio (which, for the most part, were true, what can I say?). Kent has proven that successful online business models today have nothing to do with the way business was done in the past. That said, you can’t do much online without either great content, or ways that people can interact with compelling content.
• Joseph Plummer rounded out the first day with an excellent presentation on engagement. "Engagement is turning on a prospect to a brand idea enhanced by the surrounding context." Plummer’s idea of "turned on" has a lot to do with co-ownership and co-creation of the brand. Couple points here…1) the faster you realize that your customers, not you, own the brand, the more you’ll be able to use content marketing as a core to your overall strategic vision and give your customers the access they need to help you build your brand, and 2) don’t underestimate the power of how and in what format your content is delivered.  Great content in the wrong delivery vehicle or wrong location can damage the brand. The message idea and the context idea don’t arrive until after you have a firm grasp of the customers’ needs and wants from an informational perspective.

That’s just for starters.  I have a few more concepts I’ve been working on related to the conference that I’ll be sharing soon.  Last but not least, the launch of Junta42 Match was very successful. Receiving great feedback from publishers about the concept.  As you’ll see in this picture, I’m a bit partial to orange.

Final thoughts…big thanks and appreciation goes out to Lori Rosen and Mike Winkleman (and the board) for putting on a great show. And last but not least, I have to throw some props to my good friends at the following organizations, who gladly supported this first year event. Premier sponsor Nxtbook Media, gold sponsor Fry Communications, and the rest of our supporters including BPA Worldwide, Convera, Creel, D Custom, Lane Press, Publishers Press, Readex Research and Texterity.