CMX Summit 2020 is going virtual! Over two days, we will virtually welcome thousands of community professionals to participate in discussions and workshops, to learn techniques and tactics, and to hear from industry thought leaders and celebrities. You’ll gain insights from the best in the community industry and build meaningful connections with your peers.We are so excited to reach a wider, more global audience (we’re estimating 10,000 attendees this year!), and with fewer barriers to entry, CMX’ers who’ve never been able to attend CMX Summit before, will be able to join us for the first time (lookin’ at you, Amir!).But, let’s be honest. You’ve been in virtual events before, while you’re half listening to the speaker, you’re simultaneously responding to emails, writing a company memo, filling your dog’s food bowl, watering your new philodendron, baking sourdough, and re-watching The Office for the tenth time.So, here’s a question for you: You take time off work to attend an in-person conference, right? Why not take time off work to attend a virtual conference? In order to get the most out of attending CMX Summit, we want your undivided attention (don’t worry, we’re building breaks and relaxation moments into the agenda).This year, CMX Summit is free.FREE!Hear from 70+ speakers, network with the biggest community of community professionals, learn from the best and brightest in the industry, and ultimately leave with actionable strategies to implement into your business, today.We’ve announced the agenda for CMX Summit 2020, so check it out!So, here are some steps for how to convince your boss (and maybe you…) that you need to take two days off to attend CMX Summit 2020.
Step 1: Build your own Adventure Agenda
What are your greatest community challenges? Getting resources and budget? Creating engaging content and programming for community members? Attracting? Scaling?Use those challenges as your guide when selecting which sessions you want to attend. Check out the CMX Summit 2020 agenda, and determine which sessions are the most relevant to your needs and organization’s challenges. And then, put them in your calendar, just like you do (or should do) with important work meetings and calls. Plan your day (lunch, yoga, dog walks, power nap) around the sessions you want to attend.CMX Summit 2020 will be incredibly interactive. We are hosting our conference on Bevy Virtual Conference Platform, and we have totally awesome, and exciting things planned for your CMX Summit experience!
Step 2: Invest (Time) in your Education
More than most professions, the community industry is constantly evolving into what this profession will look like. “Community” is not something taught in traditional classrooms— although you can become a certified Community Professional—making CMX Summit a must-attend for your continuing education. It IS the higher education of our field.CMX Summit will provide you with professional development opportunities to learn from the best in the industry, agnostic of job title. You’ll be able to share your triumphs and challenges and walk away with new ideas and solutions for your community. Conversations at CMX Summit are setting the trends at the forefront of what great communities for businesses and nonprofits look like.
Step 3: Meet your Peers!
With lots of leading software sponsors, you’ll be able to investigate and meet companies for solutions for your community challenges. Community professionals love to connect with each other.Networking at CMX Summit is always our attendee’s favourite part, and the networking at CMX Summit 2020 won’t disappoint. This year, we are going to have a two-hand rule in our virtual networking. Two hands off the keyboard while networking. We hope our attendees can engage fully with each other - talk, listen, engage, actively!
Step 4: Clear your Calendar
Let your colleagues, workmates, and connections know that you will not be taking calls or meetings during the two days of CMX Summit 2020.While you’re at it, change your out of office email to this:
Subject: Out of Virtual Office – Attending CMX Summit 2020Message body:Hey friend,Thanks for your email! I’m busy being a part of history and attending the biggest community conference the world has ever seen.If you’re not at CMX Summit 2020, then right that wrong and join me! It’s virtual and it’s free!I’ll respond to your email when I’m back in the virtual office.Thanks<<Your name here>>
Step 5: It’s not actually over on October 7
You’ll leave CMX Summit empowered, energized, and informed. Implement those actionable strategies you learned at CMX Summit 2020 into your community strategy. Use the golden nuggets of knowledge you collected to make your community program shine!And CMX Summit 2020 doesn’t actually end on October 7. The CMX Community continues even after the (virtual) stage is closed, and the (virtual) seats are empty.Join us at a CMX Connect event, and get your hit of CMX excitement all year round!Join us in our online community spaces, Facebook and Slack!