Getting the Most out of Events as a Product

Person

Mike BelsitoVice president of employer services at DHS Group

Getting the Most out of Events as a Product Person

By Mike Belsito@Belsito

Organizer, INDUSTRY 2016

(as well as conference attendee, speaker, mentor and more!)

What You’ll Learn Today

• What to look for in events to attend• How events can benefit you as a product person • What to do after you attend

How you see yourself at

conferences

How your boss sees you at conferences

How others may see you at

conferences

You CAN make the most out of events (especially as a product person).

But… how do you know

where to go?

Ask yourself these 3 simple questions first…

Will my customers be

there?

Will my competitors

be there?

Will other product

people be there?

Even if the answer is yes … how can those conferences help?

1. Develop real, personal relationships.

1. Develop real, personal relationships.

2. Gain actionable customer insights.

1. Develop real, personal relationships.

2. Gain actionable customer insights.

3. Pick up a few new tips and tricks.

1. Develop real, personal relationships.

2. Gain actionable customer insights.

3. Pick up a few new tips and tricks.

4. Watch competitors open the kimono.

1. Develop real, personal relationships.

2. Gain actionable customer insights.

3. Pick up a few new tips and tricks.

4. Watch competitors open the kimono.

5. Help your friends in sales.

Case Study #1 The secret party

Case Study #2 The intimate gathering

Case Study #3: The advanced plan

1. You can make any event your own.2. It’s OK to *not* be so open sometimes.3. Remember, customers are people, too!

But … what do I tell my boss?

But … what do I tell my boss?

But … what do I tell my boss?

ActionPlan

Potential Action Plan1. Evaluate three new tools I learned about from my

peers.

2. Send the “whale” lead a note with the TED Talk we discussed about customer insights (and cc: BizDev)

3. Set up a demo for the potential channel partner I met.

4. Conduct an internal ideation session based off of the method shared by the keynote speaker.

5. Spend more time with the five new platforms I learned about during the vendor showcase.

6. Add everybody I collected cards from to my Twitter follow-list and send a follow-up email/LinkedIn invite.

Conferences can be your friend

Take action; it could be your best investment

Customers, competitors and product people

Survey customers on conferences they plan to attend.

Find other attendees through lists, in app, etc.

Search online for the conference #hashtag.

Remember that the speaker lineup is your first list!

Create learning goals prior to attending.

Google/LinkedIn stalk + reach out in advance.

6 Things You Can Do Right Now

Questions? I’m here to help!

@Belsitomike@productcollective.com

Visit me at INDUSTRY 2016 and learn from other product people!

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Thank you for attending!NEXT MONTH:

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