Marketing people love seminars. We love panel discussions; we love e-vites and we love grouping them together into week-long events. In fact, I could probably find a marketing event in New York City every day of the year. I attend my fair share of events – especially during Advertising Week.
The internet allows new ideas to be created and discussed instantaneously, and because of that I’ve been to very few events that I would say really brought new thinking to the table. I still go to these events with the goal of not only learning something new, but also learning other perspectives on trends in the industry. In marketing there is not always a right and a wrong, but rather an idea or insight that we believe will be successful. Understanding other perspectives or interpretations of these ideas is an important way to make strategic decisions.
You never know where your next idea or insight is going to come from. I’m going to Advertising Week this year in hopes that my mind will be sparked. Regardless of your industry I would bet that there are educational opportunities for you. Take advantage of them. Even if you don’t think you’ll learn something new, you probably will.
