So you made it! You’re at CMX Summit East 2016. The speakers are amazing. There’s bowling. There’s fried chicken. The guy who ran the Obama campaign’s volunteer efforts is about to speak. You just tested out some new community platforms and stepped outside to enjoy a little Williamsburg, Brooklyn springtime weather. You’re living the dream.
But… after doing all that, you’re not sure who to talk to. Maybe you’re alone and you haven’t recognized anyone from their Twitter profiles. Maybe you’re with your team, but you want to be sure to get some outside perspectives. Maybe this is your first conference ever, and you’re feeling a little intimidated and overwhelmed.
We’ve all been there. Conferences can either be intensely social or intensely isolating.
Thankfully, this is a community conference. Everyone is extremely nice, excited to talk about what we’re doing, and incredibly knowledgable. CMX Summit attracts the best and brightest and most experienced community builders in the game. All you have to do to meet them is introduce yourself!
To give you a primer on who you might meet and want to say hello to, we’ve put together a quick guide to some of the amazing community builders you can meet at CMX Summit.
The Strategists
These are the folks who run teams and plan community at a high level. They know all about where they sit in the SPACE model, how to build strategic business community from scratch, how to plan a massive project or overhaul, and have experience pitching their ideas successfully to the C-suite. Even if you’re not in a strategist role yet, be sure to soak up what you can from these folks!
Community Builders at Scale
Not all of us are looking to scale our communities infinitely. Sometimes, small communities can be more strategic. But there’s a ton you can learn from those who have successfully scaled communities. The massive companies coming to CMX Summit have great insight into what community is like at scale and how you might think about your own company in the future.
The UGC VIPs and Content Creators
Content is massively important in this space, and New York is possibly the greatest city for user-generated content companies. We’ll have some of the most respected names in content in attendance at CMX Summit.
Aside from Liz Milch, who will be on stage, we’ll have some of the most amazing folks in the industry in the crowd, full to the brim of ideas around how to encourage your audience to generate amazing content that makes your community THE place to be. Pull up a chair with them to talk channels, crowdsourcing content, and the best time to post.
The Event Masters
In-person events have always been a powerful part of community building, but they’re hotter than ever right now. Whether you haven’t explored events for your company yet or are scaling up your own events, these folks can give you some great advice.
Our Sponsors
Without our sponsors, this event wouldn’t be possible. Thankfully, these folks aren’t just salespeople. They know a ton about community and how to handle the tools and implementation side of community. Swing by their booths or find them in the crowd!
The Speakers
This is a community, and that community includes our speakers, who are some of the most inspiring community builders we can imagine. We encourage our speakers to stick around for the whole day. And while some may have previous engagements, you’re likely to run into more than a few current or previous speakers in the hallways. Say hello! It may feel intimidating at first, but remember that our speakers have been in your shoes before and love to meet their fans and followers face to face!
See the full lineup on the Summit page.
The Agencies
Sure, you get how community works within your company. Maybe you’ve focused on community at a few companies. But agencies? They might work with a few companies in just one week. Be sure to hit these people up to get their breadth of perspective.
The Veterans
The community profession has exploded in the last few years, but has actually been around for decades in the gaming, open-source software, and education spaces. These veterans have been building communities since the beginning and have built ROI models, engaged communities big and small, and built movements from the ground up.
The Developer Evangelists
Developer evangelism is one of the fastest growing areas of community management. The role is integral to companies with open APIs and whose focus is on galvanizing developers to build value with their tools. It also requires its own set of skills and ROI models. At CMX Summit, you’ll find others in the same boat as you or who are doing the work you aspire to do as a developer evangelist.
The Total Strangers
Literally everyone at CMX Summit is great. Sure, you should meet the folks we’ve mentioned here. But if you introduce yourself to strangers, we guarantee you’ll have some amazing conversations. Plus, you might just help out someone else who’s looking for a conversation buddy!
We’ll host attendees from National Geographic, Olark, Foursquare, Buzzfeed, Crimson Hexagon, Central Park Conservancy, Kronos, Workable, 7 Cups of Tea, VHX, First Republic Bank, and many, many more.
—
Who do you know who fits into one of these categories? Are you a UGC VIP or an Event Master? Or perhaps you fall into more than one bucket? Let everyone know you’re coming by tweeting with the hashtag #CMXSummit!
See you there!
