HubSpot’s INBOUND 2021 Conference was an exciting three-day event where our team heard from some of the top industry leaders in marketing and business about current and future trends. Although still virtual, the insights and networking obtained from this experience mirrored the value of an in-person event. The sessions offered an understanding of topics ranging from email marketing, SEO, social media advertising and much more. Here are the key themes and takeaways from this year’s conference. 

Without a doubt, 2020 has been a historic year, and that applies to industry conferences as well. We made adjustments from walking trade show floors and shaking hands with old and new friends to making sure our camera angles are just right with the perfect lighting.

With the focus on social distancing, it is no surprise most events and conferences these days have gone virtual. While this transition can be fairly painless for some content, a major, often overlooked, component of in-person events is networking. Whether finding new sales leads and business opportunities or reconnecting with peers and colleagues, networking is a big draw for most industry events. Often the main reason to attend for many, there was a big rise in the number networking-focused events prior to the pandemic. Unfortunately, it is also the aspect that tends to get lost in the shuffle when events shift to the virtual world. However, with the right planning, you can create an effective, memorable virtual networking experience for attendees. Here are some tips and suggestions to help make your next virtual mixer a success.

HubSpot INBOUND , normally a multi-day conference held in Boston made the decision like so many others this year to make the 2020 conference virtual. Despite the change in format, this year’s event did not disappoint the thousands of attendees who sat in on the conference from the comfort of their homes and offices from around the world.

Like so much this year, Finovate Fall Digital was a departure from the norm, but still featured a host of cutting edge demos and thought leadership from some of the best that the world of fintech has to offer. William Mills Agency was again well represented with agency CEO, William Mills, Heather Sugg, and K.T. Mills-Grimes all in attendance, and while this was the first time as a virtual event, Finovate still showcased 1300+ key fintech influencers, 120+ expert speakers, and 25 demo companies.

With Day 2 of Finovate Fall Digital 2020 under wraps, William Mills Agency Vice President Heather Sugg was able to catch up with Finzly CTO, Terry Howell, in a virtual interview to discuss Finzly’s demo, his thoughts on the digital event, and predictions for 2021 in the fintech industry.

While this fall's event may be looking different from years past, Finovate Fall Digital 2020 is in full swing, with a week's worth of keynote addresses, demos, and online networking.  William Mills Agency Vice President Heather Sugg had the chance to sit down with Glia CEO and co-founder, Dan Michaeli, to get his thoughts on Finovate’s digital event this year as well as an inside scoop into what Glia’s demo at the event will look like.

If you’ve already planned which fintech events you’ll attend in 2020, you’re ahead of the crowd. Trade shows and conferences, while sometimes costly, can easily pay for themselves with strategic planning. Below are a few ways to go the extra mile and make the most of your event attendance.  

If you aren’t sure which events you’re attending this year, be sure to get your copy of our 2020 Trade Show Directory. It showcases events by industry sector, including dates and locations.

Maximizing participation in industry trade shows is a key component of any fintech PR program, but simply showing up and taking cards at the booth is not enough anymore. Conference managers, speakers, attendees and vendors are increasingly leveraging social media to promote their participation in trade shows – before, during and after the event. In fact, many conference goers (including your prospects) are using social media to set their schedules before they even leave home. Trade show participation often requires a significant investment in terms of time and money, so here are some recommendations on using social media to get the most out of your investment:

With more than 70 percent of all transactions going through Georgia fintech companies, it’s no surprise that the Technology Association of Georgia’s (TAG) annual FinTech South event continues to grow in size and influence, but seeing Georgia Governor Brian Kemp address more than 1500 attendees in the building that just recently hosted global, high profile events like the MLS Cup, NCAA Football National Championship and the Super Bowl illustrates just how far it’s come.