#24: The return of The Boilerplate - and events
A guest post and some thoughts on conferences
Time hits different these days. Between returning to office and the whole world seeming to pulse with events, conferences, trips and conferences, it feels like 2023 is hurdling by.
And as we approach the fall, it felt like the perfect time to reevaluate the humble industry conference. Remember when we reflected if COVID would kill the tech conference? Today, many of us are instead pitching these events with a renewed frenzy. And yet others are reevaluating which ones “matter” and don’t.
Personally, I’ve walked away from conferences feeling energized: a day full of journalist meetings, business connections and learning. I’ve also left events early because they simply were a gathering of free tote bags and nothing much else.
So what makes conferences a fit for an executive speaker? For me, I think about four principles:
Credibility. Will participating in the conference — speaking or sponsoring — help your company appear more credible in the eyes of your key audiences, such as potential partners, investors or employees? Get honest here, and solicit feedback from your current stakeholders.
Ease. Calculate the time spent for a leader to travel to, prepare and to speak at a conference. Is it easy? Would it take more investment than the return?
Access. Does attending and speaking at these conferences, which always come with opportunities to network and mingle, give you access to a group you could not reach on your own?
Authenticity. One of the biggest mistakes I see companies and peers make is to send the company’s shyest or busiest people to a conference. To make the most out of a speaking opportunity you have to want to be there. You have to want to meet people, to make yourself vulnerable and to make your case in front of strangers. People are smart; they can feel when you’re just not that into it. So make sure your team actually wants to be there.
To end, I want to share today’s guest writer: Lisa Langsdorf, who shares her own personal experience from Money 2020 in Amsterdam this year. I’m excited to share her learnings, and more about her.
Dispatches from Money 20/20 2023 Europe: The Value of Facetime
It was a hot June day for Money 20/20 Europe! And, despite the cooling fintech VC climate, the show floor did not disappoint, sprawling over 100,000 sq. feet and hundreds of fintechs wanting to network and make deals.
I climbed the 50 steps up to the RAI Convention Center for my badge, slightly sweaty and ready to network. The usher greeted me at the top of the steps, and I asked (slightly out of breath) “Where do I pick up my press badge?” Her response “Just chill! You’re at Money 20/20!” Oh yes, that Dutch charm! Between seeing free booth popcorn and donuts, I had to remind myself that Money 20/20 was both serious and fun.
Back in the convention center, everything felt very big. The show floor spanned two levels with booths on the main and the press room and sponsored meeting rooms on the second floor catwalk. Naturally, my first order of business was to scope out the press room and linger. There, I read a few familiar badges like Finextra and met Jason Mikula from Fintech Business Weekly in person. (He looks just like his Twitter photo!) Feeling like a bit of an imposter, I returned back to the show floor.
Back downstairs, with a chance to wander, I took note that this year’s Money 20/20 speaking track was integrated into the show floor. There were several breakout areas. Many of the panel sessions seemed to have been sparsely attended, a bit of a distraction and hard to listen to with the intermingling show noise. The real conversations were happening over lunch at the food hall and drinks at “The Beach.”
Ryan Browne, who covers the UK and Europe for CNBC, confirmed. As we took a paddle boat around the canal and talked shop, I asked him how the conference was going. “Lots of meetings,” he said. That night’s happy hour was where all the networking happened, he shared. (You may have seen Ryan’s article of the top Global Fintech’s, and I’m sure some of these names were seeded here.
Fortuitous Run Ins with Important Media
As I wandered, I stumbled onto the CNBC booth where Arjun Kharpel had just finished his segment. As we’d chatted in the past over email, this was the opportune time to put my name to my face. I asked him how the show was going for him and what types of segments he was working on. He shared that he was looking to meet with the heavy hitters–the Plaids and Squares of the fintech world. I asked if he would consider speaking to an upstart and he told me that “Everyone was doing the same thing this year.” If someone had an interesting POV on the news of a public company then he would be all ears.
Events can still be a gamble
Although I met with a few reporters, I thought the media attendance could have been better.
Some notes on Money 2020 in specifically:
The attendees were diverse but there appeared to be an overwhelming strong American and UK presence.
Speaking sessions are not central to the conference; I would deeply consider the ROI of paying for a speaking slot.
The food and drink events were central to networking and seemed like a good investment opportunity. You can not underestimate the value of facetime.
The best giveaway was a machine that made custom T-Shirts. People couldn’t seem to get enough of them!
Takeaway: Although I was only at the show for a few hours, one couldn’t underestimate the value of facetime and making and growing physical connections. A lot of this was lost in Covid. People seemed hungry here to talk and connect.
Postscript
Currently living in the Netherlands, in the shadows of the RAI convention center were many workers from Ukraine. I am glad that conferences are back and that conferences can help support these displaced young adults. But, it also made me wonder whether tech companies exhibiting in Europe could do more–skip booth donuts and swag in favor of donations–for those affected by the War.
Lisa Langsdorf is a PR consultant that specializes in global public relations, specifically helping European tech and finance companies engage with the U.S. media. She has worked closely with tech leaders including Ryan Smith, Steve Wozniak, and Bill Ready, and launched companies including Venmo, Qualtrics, Braintree Payments, and Railsbank (AKA Railsr) in the U.S. Her recent client coverage has appeared in Marketwatch, Forbes, Fortune, PYMNTS, Barrons, Accounting Today, among many others.
Thanks for your patience after an unintentional pause. Life has been busy.
A job in the postscript: if you’re a communications or content pro, my team is looking for a B2B communications lead. Let me know if I can tell you more about our company.