2012 SMPS Southern Regional Conference Recaps

For those of us providing marketing and business development services in the professional services industry, there are constant deadlines and tasks that require our immediate attention. It’s easy to get caught up in the cycle of putting out the latest fire and moving to the next. This cycle was once again refreshingly broken by attending the Southern Regional Conference in San Antonio.

I have attended the SRC for many years, and always return feeling energized by the networking, reconnecting with friends, and opportunities to learn new ways my firm can move forward with our marketing/BD initiatives. With three tracks, the conference offers dynamic speakers from around the country leading sessions on all aspects of marketing and business development.

Among the many interesting sessions offered this year was a new Marketing Roundtable Lunch. Attendees were able to choose from a wide variety of topics, depending on the table you selected, where the discussion was led by SMPS National Board members, industry experts, SRC speakers and regional marketing leaders. In this setting, everyone at each table had a chance to participate in the topic’s discussion, ask questions, share experiences, and learn from others.

Having had the opportunity to attend a previous National SMPS Conference, I believe the SRC offers at least an equal (and maybe better) experience with the quality of speakers, interactive topics, networking opportunities, and specific “take-aways” that can be applied to our firms. The SRC is well worth attending and I look forward to the 2013 Southern Regional Conference in Fort Worth!

~ Karen Ward, CPSM of Terracon
 

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Waiting until the final moment to register, and not knowing exactly what to expect, I can confidently say that my trip to the Southern Regional Conference was worth my time. The greatest value I found in the event was the opportunity to physically meet marketing staff from firms in other cities that I previously only worked with over the phone or through email. Creating that face-to-face connection establishes a stronger relationship and adds greater meaning to those future phone calls and emails.

The “Create, Connect, Command” track system allowed some flexibility in the education attendees received, based on their particular career level. I attended sessions in all three tracks and found the flexibility to suit my needs. The standout sessions were the ones I enjoyed the most.

Julianna Lucci Ashley’s presentation, "Attract and Retain Clients: Improve Your Business with Improv" (Connect Track) is exactly what it sounds like. Julianna illustrated networking tactics through improvisation exercises that everyone participated in. I walked away with valuable lessons on how to genuinely and quickly get to know people and tips to create successful working relationships. I also enjoyed Holly Bolton’s presentation, "Choosing Your Own Adventure: The Effects of Media, Money and Mobility on Professional Services Marketers’ Career Success" (Create Track). Holly is a creative presenter and solicited a great deal of interaction from the group. Together we brainstormed challenges, opportunities and trends in the current market and I walked away with new connections and a great list of resources to advance my career and understanding of the industry.

All in all it was a successful event and I would encourage those of you who may be on the fence to attend next year’s conference.

~ Beth Sims of TBG