Curata has sponsored Content Marketing World for years. We wanted to share some of our accumulated expertise with you, so we assembled this guide to help you navigate your week in Cleveland.

If you haven’t registered yet, there‘s still time. Visit the Content Marketing World official website to get started. You can get $100 off with the code SPKR100. If you are registered, make sure to sign up for a time to visit Curata’s Demo Zone.

Some Good Advice to Get Started With

Talk to People, and Continue the Conversation When You Get Home

It seems obvious, but don’t neglect to add like-minded content marketing minds to your network. Introduce yourself, share your marketing successes and aggravations, and bond over a few cocktails at the events. You’ll learn plenty at the sessions, but having a group of smart marketers to reach out to throughout the year when you need ideas, inspiration, or even your next career move is the most valuable thing you can take away from Content Marketing World. Set up a monthly chat with your new squad when you get back to the office.

Remember, Sponsors Are There to Help You

No one wants to be sold to; it’s human nature. But every single booth in the expo hall is full of people trying to make you a better marketer. Review the list of sponsors before the show and make sure to take some time to visit vendors during the week. Not only will you walk away with some great swag, you could come home with a solution or service that takes your content to the next level—and make you look really smart too.

Want to get even more from the sponsors? Join the scavenger hunt on the show floor. Visit these six vendors, answer a question, and you could win a $1,500 Amex gift card, a MacBook Pro, an iPad, and other great prizes!

Don’t Be Hard on Yourself

You’re going to hear from a lot of really smart people doing really sophisticated content marketing. But they all have a secret… they started out just where you are. Soak up their successes (and failures!), and get fired up to implement their ideas at your organization.

Oh, and Don’t Forget to Wear Orange

What? You don’t have a closet full of orange business clothes? How about this?

Did Someone Say Free Drinks?

Opening Night Reception at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Tuesday, September 5th | 7:30-10:00pm
Get ready to party like a rock star at this Cleveland landmark! Reunite with old friends and make some new ones!

Cocktails and Networking in the G2 Crowd Expo Hall
Wednesday, September 6th | 5:45-7:00pm
Grab a beverage and talk to some sponsors! This is a great time to visit Curata’s Demo Zone or chat with any other vendors on your list.

Content Marketing World 80’s Dance Party at the House of Blues
Tuesday, September 6th | 9:00-10:30pm
Get ready to get down: the band Mega 80’s are returning to Content Marketing World! Forget your shoulder pads at home? Stop by the Curata booth for an LED snap bracelet (or find us on the dance floor).

Content Marketing World Afterparty at the Hilton
Wednesday, September 6th | 10:30pm-12:30am
If you’re having too much of a blast to call it quits, join us at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown straight after the House of Blues. Hosted by ScribbleLive on the 5th floor in the Superior Ballroom, it’s sure to be a fun-filled party. A DJ will be rockin’ the tunes, so join us for one more beverage before you throw in the towel!

An Insider’s Guide to Cleveland

Looking for fun, food, and fitness outside of Content Marketing World 2017? We asked one of our favorite locals, Frannie Danzinger of Integrate, about the best spots to hit in Cleveland.

Let’s start with some of her superlative choices.

Best Restaurant In Cleveland: Town Hall
Casual, always packed, caters to every diet and just a 7 minute Uber from the convention center. (Monday-Friday: 11am-2:30am. Saturday and Sunday: 9am-2:30am)

Best Brunch In Cleveland: Grumpy’s Cafe
Boasting a staff that “cuts each and every potato and cracks every single egg,” this is a favorite Cleveland brunch spot for “feel good food.” (Monday-Thursday: 7am-3pm, Friday: 7am-10pm, Saturday: 8am-10pm, Sunday: 8am-3pm)

Special Mention From the Curata Staff: Mabel’s BBQ
My co-workers cannot stop raving about Mabel’s—I think they’ve tried (and loved) every item on the menu. It’s located on East 4th Street (more about East 4th below). (Sunday-Thursday: 11:30am-10pm, Friday-Saturday: 11:30am-12am)

Hot Neighborhoods

East 4th Street

It’s a cobblestone street, with no cars, tons of bars and restaurants, and just a 13 minute walk (or seven minute Uber) from the convention center. Count us in! Here are few spots not to miss:

The Corner Alley
Bourbon, beer, and bowling! Grab a few buddies and place some friendly bets. (Monday-Thursday: 11:30am-12am, Friday-Saturday: 11:30am-2:00am, Sunday: 11:30am-12:00am)

Lola
Enjoy Chef Michael Symon’s inventive and creative American menu. (Monday-Thursday 5pm-10pm, Friday and Saturday: 5pm-11pm)

Chinato
In the mood for a little Italian? (Monday-Wednesday: 11am-10pm, Thursday-Friday: 11am-12am, Saturday: 4pm-12am)

The Chocolate Bar
After a long conference, don’t you deserve dessert and a martini? (Monday-Thursday: 11am-12am, Friday-Saturday: 11am-2am, Sunday: 3pm-10pm)

East Bank of the Flats

Located at the union of the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie, this new waterfront development has some great restaurants, bars, and patios. It’s about a 15-20 minute walk from the convention center, or a five minute Uber ride.

Bold
Enjoy a 100 percent sustainably sourced, delicious meal on the patio. (Monday-Thursday: 11am-10:30pm, Friday-Saturday: 11am-11pm, Sunday: 11am-10pm)

Coastal Taco
Boasting the “Best View in the CLE,” expect a lively experience! (Come for the view and the drinks, not the food.) Keep an eye on their Happenings calendar for free live music and other events. (Sunday-Wednesday: 11:30am-11pm, Thursday: 11:30am-12am, Friday-Saturday: 11:30am-2:30am)

Punch Bowl Social
Karaoke, bowling, pinball, pool—there’s something for everyone here, plus a patio. (Monday-Thursday: 11am-12am, Friday: 11am-1am, Saturday: 9am-2am, Sunday: 9am-12am)

Best Workouts

Once you’ve sampled all the finest food and drink Cleveland has to offer, it’s time to work it off. Need more inspiration than the hotel gym? We’ve got you covered.

Title Boxing Club Ohio City
Just a five minute Uber from the convention center, Title Boxing Club offers 30, 45, and 60 minute boxing classes for every fitness level. (And your first class is free!)

Harness Cycle
Located just a few doors down, Harness Cycle offers morning and evening spin classes for $18 per 45 minute class.

The Studio Cleveland
Donation-based yoga and meditation classes, just a 15 minute walk from the convention center. The suggested donation is $9-$20 per class.

How to Make Friends and Influence Influencers

So, you want to rub elbows with the influencers at Content Marketing World 2017? With an estimated 4,000 attendees, you’ll need to stand out. Should you bump into any of these industry leaders, here’s a few suggestions for what to talk about.

Joe Pulizzi, Content Marketing Institute founder

What to talk about: Joe has a new book coming out! He teamed up with CMI’s Chief Strategy Officer Robert Rose to pen Killing Marketing, calling for the dismantling of the marketing structure as we know it. Pre-order now, and read it when it comes out on September 19th.

Fun Fact? “Most people don’t know that I grew up watching my father cook at the restaurant my parents owned, and then worked with my grandfather and uncle at their funeral home before college. It’s probably one of the main reasons why I ended up being an entrepreneur… watching my family run companies.”

With the SiriusDecisions Summit coming up on May 21st through the 23rd, we’ve compiled a list of the best people for content marketers to meet at the event. This list aims to help organizations make a more informed decision on whether to attend the summit, as well as how they can optimize their time spent.

If the SiriusDecisions Summit isn’t on your list of events to attend this year, be sure to follow these experts on social media for insights on the latest trends. Stay connected with other happenings at the event on Twitter with @SiriusDecisions and #SDSummit, or follow MichaelGerard.

Jack Androvich Practice Director, SiriusDecisions

Jack is a talented marketing executive, recognized as a thought leader in the integrated marketing and marketing IT, personalization, big data and B2B analytics fields. He has over 20 years of experience with a background in both marketing and technology.

What to talk to Jack about: Jack has experience in all aspects of marketing, business development and product management for companies both large and small. Have a question you can’t seem to find an answer to? Jack’s your guy. (@jandrovich)

Tom Berger Director of Digital Marketing, Iron Mountain

As the Director of Digital Marketing at Iron Mountain, a leading provider of online storage and information management used by over 156,000 global organizations, Tom is an expert in online marketing. He is responsible for managing their web marketing strategy including SEM, SEO, demand generation and e-commerce.

What to talk to Tom about: Tom has over 18 years of experience in global digital marketing. Thinking about taking your digital strategy worldwide? Seek out Tom’s advice on best content management practices. (@BergerTJ)

Rich Eldh Managing Director & Co-Founder, SiriusDecisions

With over 25 years of experience leading marketing and sales teams worldwide, Rich is an industry thought leader in sales and marketing. He has worked with his team at SiriusDecisions to build and grow an incredibly influential organization.

What to talk to Rich about: A marketing strategy with effective tactics is a must in order to make it in today’s business world. Rich can give you insight on how to build and grow a successful content strategy and operations plan. (@RichardEldh)

Andrew Gaffney Editor/Publisher, Content4Demand

As the editor of a company that helps clients publish compelling, relevant content, Andrew is content marketing thought leader. Content4Demand specializes in creating B2B custom content solutions for organizations in many different verticals.

What to talk to Andrew about: If your company is lacking the right targeted messaging for your audience, seek out advice from Andrew on developing calls-to-action and providing the right content to guide prospects through the funnel. (@agaffney)

Michael Gerard, CMO, Curata

Before leading marketing at Curata, the leader in content curation software, Michael co-founded IDC’s CMO and Sales Advisory Practices to build brand awareness, increase productivity and drive leads for many of the world’s best-in-class technology sales and marketing teams. Michael’s expertise in content marketing, his 25 years of marketing and sales experience, and his recent marketing research with startup to large companies make him your go-to marketing process and technology expert.

What to talk to Michael about: Michael can tell you everything you need to know about building thought leadership and driving leads with content marketing. Look to Michael for advice on how build a content marketing team, ramp up your content strategy, or integrate content marketing with your demand generation process.  He can also speak about the latest content technologies and best practices. (@MichaelGerard)

Malcolm Gladwell Bestselling Author

Malcolm Gladwell has been named to TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people and is the author of five New York Times bestsellers — The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, What the Dog Saw, and now, his latest, David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants.

What to talk to Malcolm about: In his latest book, David and Goliath, Malcolm states that many of us underestimate the value of adversity and overestimate the value of privilege. Tap into his brain for insight on how to make the most out of any situation. (@Gladwell)

Tony Jaros SVP Research, SiriusDecisions

Tony has 20 years of sales and marketing experience. His thought leadership has fueled the overall research function at SiriusDecisions since 2001 and he has advised multiple market leaders.

What to talk to Tony about: Tony has a wide span of B2B marketing knowledge. Ask him your field marketing, demand generation, marketing communications and inside sales questions. (@tjaros)

Marisa Kopec Vice President and Group Director, Go-to-Market, SiriusDecisions

Marisa leads SiriusDecisions’ Portfolio Marketing, Strategic Communications, and Product Management services to provide research and insights to product marketers. She spent 12 years at Gartner prior to SiriusDecisions where she was responsible for the launch of new products.

What to talk to Marisa about: Marisa is your resident product marketing expert at the SiriusDecisions Summit. Go to her for advice on sales channels, sales communication and external promotion. Be sure to check out her session in the Content Marketing track, B-to-B Content: 2014 and Beyond. (@Marisa_Kopec)

Heather Loisel VP and GM, Consulting, SiriusDecisions

Heather Loisel is a leader at SiriusDecisions. As an expert in demand generation, brand messaging and positioning, she helps drive growth and brand awareness using modern marketing and communication strategies.

What to talk to Heather about: With the evolution of technology and marketing, it’s becoming increasingly important for  leadership in these roles to work together. Don’t miss Heather’s session, CIO/CMO/CSO: Forging the Relationship. (@HeatherLoisel)

Megan Lueders VP Global Marketing, LifeSize

Megan drives the strategy behind the LifeSize communications and positioning, brand messaging, marketing operations, PR, demand generation and online & offline marketing programs worldwide. She is an expert on communicating brand identity across borders.

What to talk to Megan about: Having your content strategy resonate across your marketing, communications and sales departments can be a difficult feat – especially if you’re an international company. Ask Megan for advice on coordinating content to position your brand as in-the-know. (@MeganLueders)

Joseph Moke Senior Manager, Digital Marketing, Dell

As the Senior Manager of Digital Marketing at Dell, Joseph knows a thing or two about about engaging a large audience. He is an expert in interactive digital content that generates leads and spreads brand awareness.

What to talk to Joseph about: Need some tips on creating compelling digital spaces? Check out Joseph’s session From Landing Page to Marketing App: The Evolution of Digital Experiences for some insight into how you can create a more interactive experience with consumers.

Stefan Nandzik Senior Manager, Field Alignment, Citrix

Stefan optimizes Citrix, a global marketing organization, by aligning core processes, systems and services. He and his team help develop and execute marketing campaigns to internal marketing stakeholders.

What to talk to Stefan about: In order to find consistent, long-term success, your organization must establish alignment with brand identity, content messaging and best practices. Ask Stefan for tips how get your marketing and sales teams on the same page.

Julie Ogilvie Research Director, SiriusDecisions

Julie has over 20 years of marketing and communications experience which spans areas such as PR, social media, content, branding, strategy, web design and event management. She’s developed and executed transformational marketing strategies in organizations from startups to market leaders.

What to talk to Julie about: Julie’s thought leadership spans many marketing fields. Ask Julie for tips on how you can align your strategy, social, content and branding efforts to maximize engagement. (@julieogilvie)

Erin Provey Service Director, Strategic Communications Management, SiriusDecisions

With over 10 years of experience in brand strategy, including positioning, identity, public relations, digital strategy, copywriting and account management, Erin is a marketing communications expert.

What to talk to Erin about: Is your organization aware of what content aligns with buyers’ goals and interests and what content is falling flat? Need advice on what content tools to use? Check out Erin’s session in the Content Marketing Track, The Enterprise-Wide Content Audit: Strategies and Tools. (@eeestep)

Kim Reaves Director of Digital Marketing, NACCO

Kim is an experienced leader who is responsible for the development and execution of the digital marketing strategies, including marketing campaign management, CRM management, website development and analytics analysis at NACCO.

What to talk to Kim about: Starting a new digital marketing campaign? Kim can provide insight from how to manage the process from development, to implementation, to promotion and analytics.

Tim Riesterer Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer at Corporate Visions

Tim is the co-author of Customer Message Management and Conversations That Win the Complex Sale – both aim to help salespeople communicate with prospects and existing customers. He’s an expert on aligning content marketing with sales to drive conversions.

What to talk to Tim about: Go to Tim for advice and on how to get your sales team the best content to align with steps in the buyers’ journey and improve the conversations they have with customers. (@corpv)

Jill Rowley Social Selling Evangelist

Jill is an expert in social selling and her insight has helped thousands of marketers drive revenue growth. She provides tactics on how marketing and sales teams can use social media and content to develop and maintain relationships with their potential buyers and existing customers.

What to talk to Jill about: Is your sales team prepared to communicate with the modern buyer? Ask Jill for tips on social selling and how to leverage social networking, content and search to provide value and establish relationships with customers. (@jill_rowley)

Ryan Schwartz Director of Marketing Systems and Operations, DocuSign

Ryan is the Director of Marketing Systems and Operations at Docusign, making him an expert when it comes to aligning marketing processes to get the most out of B2B marketing tactics such as social and mobile.

What to talk to Ryan about: Need to boost your content marketing strategy? Ryan knows more than a few tips and tricks when it comes to marketing with social and mobile add-ons in marketing automation tools. (@schwartzrw)

Kurt Stoll Marketing Automation Programs Manager, HP

As the Marketing Automation Programs Manager at HP, Kurt is an Eloqua expert with experienced know-how in demand generation, lead nurturing, marketing strategy and marketing operations.

What to talk to Kurt about: Kurt can advise you on how to get the most out of marketing automation as well as what types of content generates leads and which content doesn’t make the cut. (@kurtstoll)

Rachel Young Research Director, SiriusDecisions

As a Research Director in Portfolio Marketing at SiriusDecisions, Rachel has more than 20 years of experience and leadership in product marketing, demand generation and marketing communications.

What to talk to Rachel about: Personalization works. If you’re not correctly targeting your audience, be sure to check out Rachel’s session, Personas in Action: Client Vignettes on how to attract the right buyers. (@rpyoung_)

The experts listed above are just some of the content thought leaders attending this year’s event. Check out the full list of speakers here.

Looking to chat content marketing, content technology or content curation? Get in touch with Michael before or at the conference at [email protected]. @michaelgerard

For more information on content marketing best practices, tips and tactics, download our Content Marketing Tactics Planner. To learn how to feed your content beast and complement your created content with curation, request a free demo of Curata.

Content marketing events are one of the best ways to expand your expertise, hear the latest trends and connect with thought leaders in your industry. If you’ve had a chance to check out The Ultimate List of Content Marketing Events, then you already know that hundreds of marketers are heading to New York next Tuesday to attend the Content2Conversion Conference.

With all the great events taking place this year, we understand that it’s difficult to attend as many as you’d like to – as well as optimize your time spent at the ones you do attend. Keeping this in mind, we like to put together a list of the content leaders attending each event so that: 1. Content marketers can make a more educated decision on whether to attend; and  2. Content marketers can connect with the right experts and make the most of their time spent at the event.

As Content2Conversion is quickly approaching(May 6-7), we’ve compiled below the content marketing leaders you should meet if you’re attending the conference. If Content2Conversion isn’t in your marketing budget this year, be sure to keep up with these experts on social media for the latest insights on content strategy.

Dayna Rothman Sr. Content Marketing Manager at Marketo

As the managing editor of Marketo blog and head of Marketo’s content initiatives, Dayna’s expertise covers content marketing, social media and of course, marketing automation. Marketo is one of the industry leaders when it comes to marketing automation and customer engagement.

What to talk to Dayna about: Dayna is your go-to if you’re looking to increase brand awareness and buyer engagement. Are you implementing content marketing tactics, but struggling to create a successful strategy as a whole? Dayna can advise you on how to pull it all together. (@dayroth)

Pam Didner Global Integrated Marketing Strategist at Intel

Not only does Pam lead Intel’s worldwide marketing campaigns and manage the Intel Developer Forum across nine countries, but she also develops Intel’s worldwide Enterprise and Small Business strategies. She was named as one of B2B’s Top Digital Marketers in 2011 and 2012.

What to talk to Pam about: Thinking about extending your content strategy across international borders? Talk to Pam for best practices on how to plan, develop and manage content that can be used on a global scale. Be sure to check out her session, Repurpose, Reuse, Refresh for tips on how to break down long form content. (@PamDidner)

Lee Odden CEO of TopRank Online Marketing

Lee’s book, Optimize: How to Attract and Engage More Customers by Integrating SEO, Social Media and Content Marketing, is a go-to information source for online marketers due to his expertise in digital strategy, search, content & social marketing and PR. His marketing and PR agency, TopRank Online Marketing, provides services to Fortune 1000 companies, and his writing has resonated with reputable publications such as Forbes and The New York Times.

What to talk to Lee about: Lee’s blog has been ranked #1 by Content Marketing Institute three times, so go to him for insights on how to keep up with trends and create engaging content. Lee helped to inspire our  content expert video series and he is an excellent source of information on overcoming your content challenges. (@leeodden)

Pawan Deshpande CEO of Curata

As CEO of the leading content curation software company Curata, as well as a background at Microsoft and Google, Pawan is your resident expert on content curation and content marketing technology. He is a regular speaker at content marketing events and his thought leadership has been featured on the likes of Content Marketing Institute, MarketingProfs and Forbes.

What to talk to Pawan about: Struggling to feed the content beast or trying to get your curation strategy off the ground? Ask Pawan about how curated content can help support your creation strategy and be sure to attend his session, Content Curation in Action. (@TweetsFromPawan)

Ashely Brookes Senior Brand and Content Manager at Hootsuite  

Ashely leads Hootsuite’s created content strategy to help support readers’ needs for valuable content throughout the buyer’s journey. Her expertise revolves around brand awareness, increasing customer engagement and driving leads. She’s helped grow Hootsuite into the industry’s leading social management solution.

What to talk to Ashely about: If you’re creating content, but you’re not sure how it aligns with each stage of the marketing funnel, Ashely is your go-to. Talk to her for advice on providing value to customers at each stage of the buyer’s journey. (@ashjbee)

Ardath Albee CEO of Marketing Interactions

Ardath is the author of eMarketing Strategies for the Complex Sale, which exemplifies how B2B marketers are implementing content technology and coordinated content strategies. She has been named one of the Sales and Lead Management Association’s 50 Most Influential People in Sales and Marketing for the last three years.

What to talk to Ardath about: Ardath has 28 years of sales and marketing experience and knows how to turn prospects into customers. Ask her what content platforms and strategy adjustments can improve your current workflow. (@ardath421)

David Lewis CEO & Founder of DemandGen International 

David is a leader in the digital marketing space with over 20 years of experience. His revolutionary work on the transformation of sales & marketing is displayed in his book, Manufacturing Demand: The Principles of Successful Lead Management. 

What to talk to David about: Are your content campaigns falling flat? Check out David’s session, Creating Content Campaigns That Push the Mental Buy Button for insight on how to drive customer growth. (@demandgendave)

Jim Lenskold President of the Lenskold Group

Jim’s award winning book, Marketing ROI, has set global standards on marketing ROI best practices and standards. His ROI expertise helps marketers worldwide measure the profitability of their campaigns. Lenskold group helps organizations get the most out of their marketing performance.

What to talk to Jim about: Jim has over 25 years of experience of improving marketing performance across a broad range of industries. Content marketing ROI can be a difficult thing to measure and keep track of. Go to Jim with questions about how to get the most out of your content and check him out in our content marketing expert series. (@LG_mROI)

Tim Riesterer Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer at Corporate Visions

Tim is an expert on improving conversations with customers in the buying process. He is the co-author of Customer Message Management and Conversations That Win the Complex Sale – both aim to help salespeople communicate with prospects and existing customers.

What to talk to Tim about: If your content marketing and sales teams aren’t on the same page, check out Tim’s session, Three Critical Selling Conversations You Must Enable with Content for more on how to equip your sales team with valuable content. (@corpv)

Trip Kucera Vice President of Client Success & CMO-in-Residence at Harte Hanks

Trip helps his clients execute successful content marketing strategies and optimize content for demand generation. His experience as a senior research analyst at the Aberdeen Group makes him an expert in addressing key content trends, challenges and opportunities.

What to talk to Trip about: Does your content strategy address your customer’s interests and goals? Trip’s session The Content Continuum: Winning the Hidden Sales Cycle with the Right Answer will help content marketers answer their buyers’ questions at each stage of their journey. (@TripKucera)

Michael Gerard CMO at Curata

Before joining Curata, Michael co-founded IDC’s CMO and Sales Advisory Practices to build brand awareness, increase productivity and drive leads for best-in-class technology sales and marketing teams. His 25 years of marketing and sales experience coupled with his work with startup to large companies make him your resident content and marketing strategy expert.

What to talk to Michael about: Chat with Michael for ideas on how to build thought leadership and drive leads with content. Looking for insight on how you can boost your content strategy? Michael can provide you with content marketing enlightenment. (@MichaelGerard)

Brian Kardon CMO at Lattice Engines

The CMO Institute named Brian a Top 10 Global CMO for companies <$250 million revenue. He carried his expertise in aligning marketing with sales from Eloqua to Lattice where he leads integrated marketing, demand generation and is responsible for thought leadership.

What to talk to Brian about: If you’re having difficulty identifying the best opportunities with prospects, inquire about Brian’s big data know-how and how you can apply predictive analytics to customer behavior. This will not only help to increase sales, but allow you to create more compelling content. (@bkardon)

Tony Zambito Buyer Insights & Personas Expert

Tony is the leader in today’s buyer insights and persona research. He established the first buyer persona development methodology, which was created specifically for B2B marketing and sales. Tony helps leading companies boost their business, content and marketing strategies as a whole with deeper insights on their buyers.

What to talk to Tony about: Understanding your audience is a key factor in a successful content strategy. Ask Tony how to establish buyer personas and keep up the trends in buyer behavior. (@TonyZambito)

Costanza Tedesco SVP Brand Experience at SAP

Costanza is responsible for developing and managing the SAP brand. She leads teams that focus on content development and production, advertising, media planning, product naming, etc. SAP’s value has increased over $9B under Constanza’s leadership.

What to talk to Constanza about: Content is a huge part of your brand’s identity. Talk to Constanza for insight on how to align your brand’s voice with your content to provide value for your readers. (@CostanzaT)

These are just some of the experts attending Content2Conversion this year. Be sure to check out the full list of speakers.

If you’re caught up on your content marketing education, then you already know that 67% of B2B content marketers believe event marketing is the most effective strategy. Events are an excellent way to connect with other professionals in your industry, gain new insights on your topic and discover actionable takeaways for your own marketing strategy; however, with marketers’ limited time and budget, it’s of the utmost importance to be selective in your analysis of which are the best marketing-focused events to attend, as wells as to optimize the time that you spend at your selected events.  

An effective technique that we employed to optimize our time at the 2013 Content Marketing World was to identify ahead of the time who the best people would be to meet (check out 17 People You Should Meet at Content Marketing World). With Social Media Marketing World right around the corner, we assembled below the 20 content marketing experts you should meet if you are attending the event. Not planning to be there in person?. . . then at least follow these folks through social media channels to stay connected with the latest and greatest strategies and tactics in content marketing.

Jay Baer President of Convince & Convert & Author of Youtility

Jay’s Convince & Convert blog was named the #1 content marketing blog by Content Marketing Institute. As a top social media marketing consultant, he helps businesses revamp their marketing strategies and has worked with over 700 companies.

What to talk to Jay about: Jay is all about hype-free content that aims to help readers, so if you’re unsure about how to create valuable content – he’s your guy. If you listen to his weekly podcast, Social Pros, that could also be an excellent place to start. New to content marketing? His ability to break down big ideas into more digestible pieces will have you thinking “we can do this.” Without a doubt you’ll be impressed with his innovative ideas. (@jaybaer)

Brian Clark Founder of Copyblogger.com and CEO of Copyblogger Media

Brian has started eight successful companies and has become an expert in online marketing techniques since quitting his job at a law firm in 1998. His blog, Copyblogger, teaches marketers how to drive engagement through thought leadership and with attention commanding content.

What to talk to Brian about: Starting a new business? Brain’s entrepreneurial expertise can point your content marketing in the right direction. Bring some of your content ideas to the table and get some advice on how to shape them into an influential strategy. He’ll inspire you to harness the power of the online media revolution. (@brianclark)

Lee Odden CEO of TopRank Online Marketing

Lee’s expertise covers marketing, PR, digital strategy, search, content and social; making his book, Optimize: How to Attract and Engage More Customers by Integrating SEO, Social Media and Content Marketing, a go-to information source for online marketers. His marketing and PR agency, TopRank Online Marketing, provides services to Fortune 1000 companies and his writing has resonated with reputable publications such as Forbes and The New York Times.

What to talk to Lee about: Lee is an excellent source of information on any of your content marketing questions. Struggling to create enough content to keep your readers satisfied or having a hard time discovering relevant topics? His advice on overcoming these content challenges helped to inspire our content expert video series. (@leeodden)

Jason Miller Senior Content Marketing Manager at LinkedIn

Jason’s experience as the Senior Manager of Social Media Strategy at Marketo, and his ten years launching marketing campaigns at Sony, make him an expert on how businesses can increase engagement for their brand and drive leads. Jason’s thought leadership is authored on the likes of Content Marketing Institute, Social Media Examiner and MarketingProfs.

What to talk to Jason about: Jason is your go-to resource on online marketing campaigns. His eBook, The Social Media Tactical Plan has received over 156,000 views and his session at this year’s SMMW, 7 Tactics for Integrating LinkedIn into Your Marketing Strategy, is a must for marketers looking to extend the reach of their content campaigns. (@JasonMillerCA)

Michael Stelzner Founder and CEO of Social Media Examiner

As the leader of one the the world’s largest social business blogs, and the host of the Social Media Marketing podcast, Michael knows the world of social media and content inside and out. As if you weren’t convinced of Michael’s business savvy thought leadership, over 230,000 marketers subscribe to the daily content that is published on Social Media Examiner.

What to talk to Michael about: Michael can tell you how to use social media to ramp up any and all of your online marketing efforts. In particular, if you’re looking to increase customer engagement and create meaningful connections with your audience, check out his podcast, Relationship Marketing: How to Build Meaningful Connections that Lead to Business. (@Mike_Stelzner)

Todd Wheatland VP of Marketing and Thought Leadership at Kelly Services

Todd is a frequent speaker at marketing events and has written several books on marketing and recruiting including The Marketer’s Guide to SlideShare, and The New Rules of Recruiting. He has 15 years of experience in HR and consulting.

What to talk to Todd about: Todd is an expert in social marketing and knows all about how to get the most out of SlideShare. Whether you’re already using the presentation channel, or it’s brand new to your business, you should check out his session at SMMW this year, How to Use SlideShare for Business: The Success Formula. (@ToddWheatland)

Joe Pulizzi Founder at Content Marketing Institute & Author of Epic Content Marketing

Joe is a content marketing evangelist with Content Marketing Institute boasting one of the top content events, Content Marketing World, as well as publishing the leading magazine in the content marketing space, Chief Content Officer.

What to talk to Joe about: Joe has great advice on how to give readers a unique perspective. In today’s online publishing industry, it’s becoming increasingly important for content writers to break through the noise in order to reach their audience. You’ll be impressed with his innovative advice and new ideas on how to reshape your content strategy. (@JoePulizzi)

Jeff Rohrs Leader of the Marketing Insights Team at ExactTarget (a Salesforce.com company)

Jeff oversees content marketing, social media and overall thought leadership at ExactTarget, a leading digital marketing software company. He’s an expert on understanding how consumers interact with brands through digital marketing and is the author of Audience: Marketing in the Age of Subscribers. Jeff also co-hosts the Social Pros podcast with Jay Baer.

What to talk to Jeff about: Having a hard time reaching the right audience or gaining a following? See what Jeff has to say about revamping your strategy and publishing more thought leadership pieces that will resonate with your target audience’s goals and interests. (@jkrohrs)

Andy Crestodina Co-founder of Orbit Media

Andy’s 13 years of experience providing online marketing advice to over 1000 businesses make him an all-encompassing source of knowledge for content marketers. His award-winning web design company, Orbit Media, is home to the Orbiter, a blog focused on providing only the most valuable information to digital marketers.

What to talk to Andy about: Being an online brand can be difficult because it requires you to also be an online publisher if you have any hopes of keeping up with the competition. Dip into Andy’s pool of blogging knowledge during his session, Advanced Blogging: Analytics, Optimization and Outreach, and come to him with any questions on how to get your blog to be more like the Orbiter. (@crestodina)

Jessica Gioglio PR & Social Media Manager at Dunkin’ Donuts

Jessica is a leader in engaging content. She started Dunkin’s first company blog and works with a cross-functional team to engage customers through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, YouTube and Vine. She understands that making her brand relatable to customers and letting them in on what’s happening at Dunkin is one of the best ways to gain a following.

What to talk to Jessica about: Jessica is an expert in perhaps the most important aspect of content marketing – celebrating her customers. Having trouble connecting with yours? See what Jessica has to say about it. (@savvybostonian)

Gini Dietrich CEO of Arment Dietrich & Founder of Spin Sucks

Gini leads Arment Dietrich, a leading integrated marketing communications firm. She also founded Spin Sucks Pro, a professional development site for PR and marketing pros, as well as Spin Sucks, a reputable marketing blog. Talk about an online marketing powerhouse.

What to talk to Gini about: Undoubtedly, Gini is your go-to on how to build an online following. If you’re producing good content, but still can’t build an online community, talk to Gini and make sure you attend her session with Marcus Sheridan, Building an Online Community: A Hard Look at the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. (@ginidietrich)

Michael Gerard CMO of Curata

Before leading the marketing team at Curata, Michael co-founded IDC’s CMO and Sales Advisory Practices to build brand awareness, increase productivity and drive leads for many of the world’s best-in-class technology sales and marketing teams. Michael’s expertise in content marketing, his 25 years of marketing and sales experience, and his recent marketing research with startup to large companies make him your go-to marketing process and technology expert.

What to talk to Michael about: Michael can tell you everything you need to know about building thought leadership and driving leads with content marketing. Need advice on how to ramp up your content strategy? Chat with Michael about the latest content technologies and best practices. (@MichaelGerard)

Marcus Sheridan Founder of The Sales Lion

Marcus grew his pool company, River Pools and Spas, to the most popular of its kind due to a well-respected blog and strategic inbound marketing. This background led to the development of The Sales Lion. The Sales Lion is a brand and blog that helps build brands and boost content marketing strategies within organizations.

What to talk to Marcus about: Marcus knows all about online branding. If you’re struggling to make your content stand out, ask Marcus for pointers. He’s presenting alongside Gini Dietrich on building online communities, as well as giving the closing keynote at SMMW on qualities of excellent content and social media marketing. (@TheSalesLion)

Susan Beebe Manager of Social Media & Online Communities at Tyson Foods

Susan leads content strategy, community development and community engagement at Tyson and previously served as Dell’s first “chief listener” while developing Dell’s famous Social Media Listening Command Center – making her a leader in the world of social content. She’s an engineer and holds a UCLA law grad, bringing technical savvy and curiosity to the world of social media.

What to talk to Susan about: If your content isn’t addressing your audience’s wants and needs, it won’t spur any engagement. You need to listen to what your customers are saying and imbue that into your content strategy. Aren’t sure where to start? Ask Susan. (@susanbeebe)

Joel Comm Author of Twitter Power 2.0: How to Dominate Your Market One Tweet at a Time

Joel knows how to stay on top of the marketing movement. With this aptitude for spotting up-and-coming trends, Joel has become a leader in social, online video, podcasting, content creation, Internet marketing and more. He’s such a popular presenter because he’s not only a great speaker, but always aims to entertain.

What to talk to Joel about: Are you looking to become an expert in your field? Joel’s session is titled From Blogger to Published Author: How to Become a Recognized Expert in your Field, will help you gain a better understanding of how to command more respect from your audience, as well as your peers. Talk to Joel for advice on thought leadership. (@joelcomm)

Michael Hyatt Former Chairman & CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers

Michael has 30 years of experience in the publishing industry. His book is titled Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World. His blog has over 300,000 monthly visitors and he’s spoken on over 100 television shows, many on ABC, NBC, CBS and CNN. He now spends his time writing, consulting and speaking. You better believe he’s an expert on how to gain recognition from content marketing.

What to talk to Michael about: Now more than ever, it’s increasingly important for marketers to start acting like publishers. With all the content that is written online today, it can be difficult to break through the barriers standing between you and your audience. Michael is your guy for advice on how to write popular content and reach readers. (@MichaelHyatt)

Gideon Shalwick Author of Millionaire Drop-Out Secrets & Truckloads of Leads and Roadmap to Become a Blogger

Gideon’s specialty is online video marketing. He helps businesses utilize video for content marketing, and enables content creators to produce more compelling video for their marketing strategies. His latest book, Rapid Video Blogging, has become the new standard for marketers seeking to improve their content efforts with video blogging.

What to talk to Gideon about: Gideon is your resident video expert at SMMW. Video is one of content marketing’s newest mediums. If you’re thinking about embedding video in your content strategy, ask Gideon about best practices to make sure this tactic is successful. (@GideonShalwick)

Joel Price Senior Manager of Digital Content for the San Diego Chargers

Joel heads strategy, innovation and execution of content initiatives that support the Chargers’ brand. Joel is so good at what he does because he’s able to balance his passion between marketing and being a fan. This has helped grow the team’s social presence to a community of millions. Joel’s ten years of experience in online marketing make him a seasoned social content veteran.

What you should talk to Joel about: If you’re a large organization looking to shape up your social strategy or you want to engage with your online community in a more creative way, ask for his advice. (@joelprice)

Charlie Kautz Content Development and Management at TaylorMade-adidas Golf

Charlie’s last seven years with TaylorMade have made him proficient in content marketing for a large brand. He heads content for emerging and social media, and in a pilot role as “PGA Tour Correspondent,” he spent over a year developing and publishing content from professional golf tours and championships. The handle @CharlieTour documented his experience on the road to make the campaign more engaging for readers.

What to talk to Charlie about: Charlie can tell you all about what it takes to create engaging content for a large audience. Need to get better at taking advantage of instant opportunities to keep up with a fast-paced industry? Take a page out of Charlie’s book. (@CharlieKautz)

Jon Wuebben CEO of Content Launch

As the leader of a content marketing agency that developments and maps out strategies for hundreds of customers, Jon knows it what it takes to build brand awareness and drive qualified leads. He wrote Content is Currency: Developing Powerful Content for Web & Mobile which has become an important tactical guide for many readers.

What to talk to Jon about: Although many marketers understand the importance of content marketing and are increasing their content budget, most of them are diving in without a well-thought out workflow. If you’re one of these marketers, ask Jon about how to map out your strategy. (@jonwuebben)

These are only just a handful of the social media and content experts that will be attending Social Media Marketing World this year. Check out the full list of speakers at this year’s event here.

Hope this has been helpful to those of you attending SMMW! If you can’t be there, be sure to check in on Twitter by following @smexaminer, as well as the hashtag #SMMW14.

Want to learn more about the content marketing movement?. . What it is?. . How you can develop and optimize your own content marketing initiatives? Check out our Content Marketing Tactics Planner or request a free demo of Curata’s content marketing solution.

HubSpot recently hosted a MassTLC event in Cambridge focused on strategies for success for Chief Marketing Officers(CMOs) and VPs of marketing. About 40 of us were given the opportunity to hear words of wisdom from David Skok of Matrix Partners. Mike Volpe, CMO of HubSpot, led the discussion in addition to sharing his own expert insight. Here are just some of the tidbits of knowledge that I noted during the event. I’ve included some of my own commentary in brackets.

What is the value of a start-up or small company having a CMO on their executive team?

• “A company’s team is one of the most important parts of the organization as we assess an investment opportunity. Ideas may change, but the team typically doesn’t. . . and it is a huge plus for an organization if we see an A+ CMO on the team.”
• “It’s even more important to have this CMO if there are no other business-minded executives in the organization.”

How do you define an “A+ CMO”?

• “The best CMO is one who has ‘growth hacking‘ skills.” [Think content marketing, building earned media and owned media versus paid media, not afraid of experimenting and being innovative. Learn about growth hacking at a blog post entitled Find a Growth Hacker for your Start-up by Sean Ellis who coined the term.]
• “This CMO must be able to put themselves into the customer’s mind. Today’s product is becoming much more about ‘marketing and sales’, and therefore, the CMO must be capable of diving deep into the customer experience.” [That is, this CMO should represent the voice of the customer for their organization, and truly understand what their buyers go through as they progress through the buying process and engage with their company’s products. A good example provided by David is when a CMO is capable of identifying the WOW moments (or lack there of) as a buyer executes a free trial such as with a software product.]
• “Ability to embrace change.”  [At no other time in history has there been so much change within the marketing function; and the best CMOs will adapt to this new environment and take the time and effort to learn new techniques and strategies.]
• “An A+ CMO understands that marketing is all about the funnel. (e.g., What’s your flow of contacts into marketing’s pipeline?; What are the conversion rates of leads through your defined stages?)” [Here some resources on this topic:  David’s blog post on Optimizing your Customer Acquisition Funnel; SiriusDecisions’ new Demand Waterfall; Mike Volpe’s Slideshare deck on how to Optimize your Sales and Marketing Funnel.]
• “Great with metrics, including some type of background in statistics.” [There’s a plethora of data available to today’s marketing executive; and the CMO needs to rapidly identify what data is valuable to help with their decision-making and communication processes, and what data is simply noise.]
• “I look for a smart person that is quick to embrace change, and is capable of developing and leading a strong team. I’ll sacrifice experience and domain expertise for a smart marketing executive.” [Domain expertise can greatly impact the speed at which a newly hired marketing executive ramps up; however, in the long term they may be less successful as a result of their inability to innovate and adapt to change.]

What advice do you give today’s marketing executives to improve their capabilities and skill-sets?

• “Study companies that are great at growth hacking.”  [Check out these resources to learn more about growth hacking:  Growth Hackers Conference (not sure when their 2014 event will be); Sean Ellis’s Startup Marketing blog. . . and don’t be fooled by his blog’s name, “Growth Hacking is for Smart Marketers – Not just Startups“; 35 Resources to Help You Become a Growth Hacker; growth hacking over at Facebook, Twitter and Quora as covered by Mark Fidelman in Forbes; and an article by Josh Elman in Fast Company providing additional insight into growth hacking at Facebook and Twitter, as well as adding LinkedIn to the mix.]
• “Understand new technologies.” [This can be quite a daunting task for any marketer unless you’re an analyst or a marketing technology vendor. Here are some resources to help you navigate the marketing automation landscape: Pawan Deshpande’s Content Marketing Tools: The Ultimate List; Scott Brinker’s Marketing Technology Landscape Supergraphic; Gartner’s Digital Marketing Transit Map; Forrester’s Marketing Technology Blog; and Altimeter’s List of Content Marketing Software Vendors. Also, try to attend one or two marketing-focused conferences this year: Content Marketing Events in 2014: The Ultimate List.
• “Create your own blog.” [Try creating your own personal blog on WordPress as a start. This is a great side project for the next time you’re in between jobs. No time for this now?. . . at a minimum, contribute to your own company’s blog.  If you’re not a good writer, then work on it.  Today, every marketer needs to be able to write well.  Check out this great article with 8 exercises for strengthening your business writing by Joe Latta.]
• “Be more creative in engaging with your target segments – e.g., hire market development reps to reach out to your leads as part of the nurturing process.” [refer to Aaron Ross’s book Predictable Revenue]

As a CMO or VP of marketing, should I be worried if I’m not invited to our Board meetings?

• “Don’t be worried if you’re not invited to your board meetings that often. Typically a Board will focus on problem areas of the organization, and you don’t want marketing to be one of those problem areas.”
• “Do find opportunities to interact with and leverage your board members. (e.g., Being part of a meeting or two is a great opportunity to demonstrate that marketing has its act together, and it will also give you the opportunity to get feedback on how to improve your impact on the organization. Ask your board members to introduce you to other smart CMOs).”
• “When you do present at your Board meeting(s), don’t spend that precious time showing them how many press releases and pickups you got. Instead, demonstrate that you’re all about creating growth for the company. For example: present pipeline data, including lead flow and conversion rates; indicate how you have and/or plan to impact these pipeline metrics; discuss cost of acquisition; demonstrate how you’ve implemented a marketing accounting system with marketing automation to determine the source of leads and closed deals.”

What should a CMO or VP of marketing get for equity and compensation in a start-up or small company?

• [This part of the session was a bit more confidential. Equity and compensation can vary considerably, however, here’s one source that may help out: CompStudy produced by Park Square Executive Search)

What are examples of key roles on the CMO’s team? (i.e., in addition to more traditional marketing roles)

• “Marketing Operations” [This individual/team will help the CMO nail marketing automation and pipeline analysis. To learn more about this function:  Rise of the Marketing Operations Function, Wikidpedia definition.]
• “Content Marketing . . . tap into journalists who are looking to get out of the publishing industry, leverage industry specialists to create good content.” [Curata’s 2014 Content Marketing Tactics Planner indicates that 43% of organizations have a content marketing lead in place; Joe Puluzzi from CMI writes about 12 Roles Essential to the Future of Content Marketing; Lee Odden also writes about 5 Key Roles for Content Marketing.]
• [Check out these links for more insight into the marketing organization of the future:  Organizing for Content by Altimeter; A Simple Content Marketing Org Chart by Ann Handley; Creating a Content Marketing Team and Workflow Plan by Joe Pulizzi; MediaPost’s How to Grow a Content Marketing Team in 2014 by Jen Agustin; Hana Abaza’s Online Content Marketing 2014: 5 Big Shifts in Store from the CMI blog; and The Top 7 Content Marketing Trends that Will Dominate 2014 published on Forbes by Jayson DeMers.]

A big thanks to MassTLC and Mike Volpe of HubSpot for making this event happen, and of course David Skok for sharing his wisdom. And to those CMO and VPs and Marketing that want to get smart and stay smart, certainly subscribe to David Skok’s blog!

Here’s the list:

1.  The basics:

• Download the app! (Visit http://inbound13.quickmobile.mobi on your mobile device or visit your phone’s app store and search for “INBOUND 2013” – check your Inbound confirmation email for username and password info.)
• Check out HubSpot’s blog post about how to best leverage Inbound 2013: The Ultimate Guide to Attend Inbound 2013
• Start following the event’s Twitter Hashtag:  #Inbound13 (you can also follow it right within the Inound 2013 app)
• Check out the “Guide” in the app’s menu for other basic information

2.  Plan your on-site meetings

• Check out HubSpot’s recent blog post (25 Star Players Coming to Inbound 2013) for a quick view of who will be there as well as HubSpot’s event site
  
• In the event app, go to the “Attendees” section and search for the individuals and/or companies that you’d like to meet (you can send them messages right in the app)
• Contact me (Twitter handle: @MichaelGerard) if you’d like to meet to discuss how curation can be a foundational element of a powerful inbound marketing strategy (create and curate)
• Don’t forget to ask for your colleagues’ mobile/text info so that you can get in touch with them once you’re on-site

3.  Determine which sessions you should attend

• Check out the list of speakers on HubSpot’s site (the keynote speakers are a must attend)
• Download and scroll through the full agenda
• Better yet… select “Schedule” in the app. to see the session and speaker description, and then select “Add to my Schedule” to lock it in (swipe left to close screens on your iPad)

Let me know if I missed anything?  Are there some tips you have that I forgot to mention? Look forward to seeing you at the event!