Take-A-Ways From Attending DIGSOUTH
This was my first time attending the DIGSOUTH conference in Charleston, South Carolina. I have attended many conferences and I have to say that this is now one of my favorites. Because I was selected to live tweet some of the sessions, I have the perspective of an attendee and staff.
This is the 4th year of the DIGSOUTH Conference and on day one, the conference opened with upwards of 1500 people in attendance. The stage was beautifully designed and the music playing in the background always kept the atmosphere fun.
POWER
The theme of the conference this year was POWER. I saw the concept weaved in and I love the idea of the power that we all posses with the support of technology, collaboration, and innovation. This is a great time to be an entrepreneur. At your fingertips, you now have access to the world.
The Venue: The Galliard Center
The Galliard Center is a new facility located in the heart of the historic district of Charleston. I was able to easily walk to King Street for lunch, catch a trolley that drove around the historic district, and find a nice hotel to stay that was within 2 miles of the venue.
The inside of the venue is what made the conference. From a ping pong table to rooms properly equipped for presentations, this venue was perfect for this style of conference. The only negative was the fact that the sponsors that participated in the Trade Show were kind of tucked away from the main elements of the conference. Because they were off the beaten path, many did not think to go visit the sponsor area.
As a side note, I was impressed with the number of sponsors that supported the conference. It may be worth considering to have a lot of small sponsors as opposed to going for just the bigger sponsors. As I put together conferences in the future, I now have a few ideas of how to add in some benefits to some sponsors that may not be able to shell out the big bucks.
Networking
Almost every person that I chatted with stated that they loved meeting the great people that are in #DIGNATION. People were exchanging information in each of the sessions that I was in, at spaces in the hall ways, and sitting outside on the benches. Those that attended this conference were a special group of start-ups, seasoned entrepreneurs, techies, e-gamers, and so much more.
Content
The comment that I heard most from attendees was, “I am now even more inspired to go after my dreams.” People left DIGSOUTH with information that they could apply to their businesses today. Many of the speakers talked about situations that they really implemented on a limited budget. All of the speakers were approachable and willing to share everything that they experienced.
Top Business Take-A-Ways from DIGSOUTH
- It’s all about the story you tell about your brand that will encourage people to want to do business with you.
- Pay close attention to the e-Gaming industry. It sold out Madison Square Garden in 9 minutes.
- Don’t look at social media as a marketing tool, but as a medium to connect.
- Focus on the voice of your brand and post good content.
- 70% of social videos are watched without audio. – @Shonduras
- Humans’ attention span is now less than a goldfish.
- Innovation does not care about your feelings. -@GaryVee
- Don’t be afraid to use plain text emails. It’s a great way to stay out of the promotions tab on Gmail.
- If your demo is 30 and under spend 50% of your budget on Snapchat. -@GaryVee
- If pitching an investor, be sure to build necessary relationships first so they will be inclined to pay attention to your pitch.