Many folks think SMX is Danny Sullivan. They believe that Danny not only chairs the conference, but books the venues, programs the sessions, picks the speakers, sets up the parties, signs up the sponsors, and even cooks those yummy meals.
You might be suprised to know that isn’t the case…there are many people behind the scenes that help make the SMX conferences “must-attend” events. Claire Schoen is one of these people. I’ve been the liason between SEMpdx and SMX and have been in communication with Claire since SMX started…she’s been great to work with and I’m grateful that she accepted my offer to answer some questions about SMX.
1) Please give us your background and tell us what you do for a living?
I’m the Director for Search Marketing Now webcasts, plus I do some of the marketing for the SMX conference series. I’ve been at Third Door Media (parent company and producer of SMX) pretty much from the beginning, which has been very exciting. Over my career I’ve moved from the world of large corporate publishing to more entrepreneurial companies, which suits me. My background includes writing for a consumer magazine, marketing for book publishers, industry analyst and more editorial work in newletters, and finally I was an independent consultant before joining Third Door Media .
2) What is the SMX Value Proposition? For the search marketer who can only attend a relatively few conferences each year, why choose SMX?
It’s about content. Authority. Expertise. Danny and Chris have been programming search marketing conferences for more than a decade. They know their stuff and — equally important — they know everyone in the industry. So when they put the SMX program together, they can draw the best speakers for any given topic. For attendees, it means knowing you’re going to have the best conference experience possible. Each SMX has a different focus – SMX West, for example, has sessions for all skill levels. (Our agenda uses the ski slope rating system so you can plan your sessions based on your skill level.) Our vertical shows, like SMX Social Media and SMX Local & Mobile , dive deep into emerging search and internet marketing areas, so they are ideal for people working in those areas.
SMX is also about networking – and the overall experience. Again, Danny and Chris have done enough conferences to understand what works and what doesn’t. We’ve got everything from the networking lunches to the pre-Search Bowl Tailgating party – all designed to make it easy and fun to mingle with your peers.
3) What will be the highlights of the SMX West Conference later this month?
I’m personally looking forward to the Googel Groove @ SMX …and I’d love to attend some basic sessions at the SMX Boot Camp (the equivalent of the Bunny Hill on our ski slope ratings) and the Wonder Twins Track on blogging, social media, and user generated content. Plus the keynote with Louis Monier of Cuill, founder of Alta Vista and formerly of Google and eBay. I’m curious to hear what he has to say about search – and what he might tell us about Cuill. I’m also looking forward to meeting many people I know only by phone or email. (and yes, I’ll be working at the Third Door Media sales booth – stop by and say hello!)
4) Who are some of the key sponsors of SMX West? What will be some of the highlights in the Exhibit Hall?
iProspect is our Premier Sponsor Plus; platinum sponsors include DoubleClick, Microsoft and Google, while our Gold Sponsors are Bruce Clay, ClickPath, and Advertising.com. The Exhibit Hall will feature the SMX Theater, with presentations running all day Wednesday and Thursday. These sessions are open to everyone. iProspect is also hosting a special presentation, 10 Truths Every CMO Must Know about Search Marketing . On Wednesday evening, there will be a reception for all attendees in the Exhibit Hall.
5) Will the Western Social Media conference scheduled this spring be a rerun of last months conference or will it be all new topics/speakers/content?
Yes, we’re bringing the NYC conference to the West Coast – it’s the same agenda. SMX Social Media was such a great success in NYC we wanted to share it with our West Coast audience.
6) Looking to the future, will SMX have a mostly set schedule (same conference theme, same location, each year) or varied schedule (different themes, different locations throughout the year)?
We plan on doing the same conference themes – two large shows on either coast, plus the vertical shows focused on a theme or skill level . Locations may vary.
7) Anything you wish to add?
OK, I’ve got to mention the food – someone said at SMX Advanced that it was the best food they’d had a conference in ten years. That’s exactly what we want to hear. We want the *entire* conference, from soup to nuts, to be a positive experience.
If you’ve already registered for SMX West, we have a number of social networking options for you – including our own custom tool, SMX Connect . Use it to find out who’s coming, meet new people with similar interests, and comment or message them in advance of the show. SMX West is also on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Upcoming – plenty of ways to get in touch before the show.
Also, if you are really coming only to network (but you’ll miss some great sessions) we’re offering a networking pass that will get you into all the parties and networking activities, plus you’ll get that delicious lunch. (Expo hall passes are free when you register in advance, but sorry, no free lunch.)
SMX West is less than two weeks away, so if you haven’t registered yet, what are you waiting for? Click here for ticket options and to register.
SEMpdx members get a 10% discount off the All Access rate when you use this code: SMX10PDX.
It’s going to be an amazing conference. I look forward to seeing you there!
Todd Mintz knows PPC…knows Social Media…knows SEO…knows Blogging…knows Domaining…and knows them all real well. He runs growth marketing for )and is also a Director & Founding Member of SEMpdx: Portland, Oregon’s Search Engine Marketing Association, and he can be found here on Twitter and Facebook.