Nick Slettengren, one of my partners in business, and I had a wonderful time at the Customer Engagement (CEW) Conference held in New York City. We were honored to be able to speak about the intersection of Branding with Digital Lead Generation at the conference, and, more specifically, how they work together more than ever. Les Kollegian from Jacob Tyler Creative was a great presenter. We had a great time talking shop and networking with some of the most intelligent and influential marketing professionals.
Our NYC trip was full of many eye-opening experiences. We were introduced to some useful technology and met with some exciting new companies. We had a blast exploring all of NYC’s offerings. The fast-paced lifestyle of New York struck me compared to Southern California’s relaxed culture. This is largely due to the dense population, proximity of businesses and marketing conferences, as well as the fact that people take advantage of all the city offers, including strolling and socializing late at night. It also couldn’t hurt that we had done a great job planning. The week was incredibly productive for a trip that lasted only a few days (Tuesday to Friday).
Three cool technologies I learned about at the Show
- TrapIt: I can see how this tool could be used for outreach and social media content.
- Hashtag Ads: This new Ad Network uses influential social posters to promote product and service campaigns.
- It’s okay, I’m just joking. It was amazing to think about the amount of stuff they could fit into such a small hotel room. The hotel we stayed in was expensive, modern, and very stylish.
Top 10 things I liked about NYC:
- There are so many amazing restaurants and bars – we probably visited 30 on Tuesday night. It feels like it!
- NYC bagels live up to their reputation. I can honestly state that the three bagels I had in NYC were 3 of the best bagels I’ve ever eaten in my entire life. This photo shows a classic NYC Deli that we visited.
- Uber can take you anywhere in the city within 15 minutes – look at my credit card statement. We spent about $500 on transportation, but it was a very easy and convenient way to travel around the city.
- The city is full of old buildings and history, which we do not have on the West Coast.
- Catching up with old friends – I had the chance to catch up with friends from my industry, former high school classmates, and Arizona Wildcats who I hadn’t seen for years.
- NYC is a great place to do business. There are many opportunities and strategic partners in NYC. It was a real eye-opener.
This week, I learned that New York has a huge business market. Power Digital’s Internet Lead Generation (aka online commerce or live chat sessions) has a lot of potential in this market. I’m excited to spend more time in this market, and I can see that there is potential for a stronger NYC presence at some point in the future. If we find the right employee or partner to run our shop in NYC, maybe an office will be necessary.