BIA/Kelsey, an advisory firm specializing in local media space and which provides consulting and valuation services, research, Continuous Advisory Services, and conferences, is hosting the LEADING IN LOCAL conference series this September 22-24 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The conference is being put in place to “Examine the ‘SMB Digital Marketing’ Opportunity.”

BIA/Kelsey indicated that the preliminary speaker line-up will include local media and SMB digital marketing leaders from Acxiom, Facebook, Groupon, NOLA Media Group, ReachLocal, Sprint, Yelp, and YPG, as well as event sponsors from Acxiom, Amdocs, BuzzBoard, First Data, Ifbyphone, Infogroup, Local Market Launch, MatchCraft, Sightly, Simpli.fi, Telmetrics, Universal Business Listing, and Yext.

Today, over 10 million small- and medium-sized United States business utilize digital media and marketing solutions involving websites, online scheduling, and digital promotions, to name just a few. These businesses comprise a large portion of the $31.7 billion expected to be spent on digital marketing this year. BIA/Kelsey is assembling the industry’s key digital marketing solutions providers to assess SMBs emerging technology, sales strategies, and revenue offerings.

The conference will feature 50 leaders in the local media and digital promotion markets and will offer at least 20 sessions designed to focus on the way in which media firms’ sales staff and solution providers touch on independent SMBs, franchisees, and other regional groups’ marketing needs. The conference is expected to provide a direct, immediate view into emerging innovations and critical players in SMB-driven “search, video, social media, mobile, promotions, and customer retention solutions,” and will offer keynotes, one-on-one interviews, and discussion panels, according to BIA/Kelsey.

Keynotes will be made by Scott Howe, President and CEO, Acxiom; Sharon Rowlands, CEO, ReachLocal; and Julien Billot, President and CEO, YPG. Additional speakers from Yelp, NOLA Media Group, Sprint, and Groupon will also be presenting, as will Kevin Ryan, co-author of Taking Down Goliath: The Digital Marketing Strategy Guide for Beating Competitors with 100 Times Your Spending Power. Session topics will include:

  • SMBs and New Directions in Content Marketing
  • SMB Sales Force Transformation
  • SMB Growth Engines
  • Smart Data: Helping SMBs with Big Data
  • Social Media’s Shift of SMB Marketing and Commerce
  • SMBs and New Revenues from Scheduling, Back Office Integration
  • Brass Tacks: Where Is Mobile Actually Working for SMBs?
  • SMBs and Shifts in Local Search and Discovery
  • Local Media’s Renewed Focus on SMBs
  • Beyond Advertising: SMBs, Loyalty and Promotions
  • Future Stars: Celebrating Innovation in SMB Digital Marketing Solutions

Peter Krasilovsky, BIA/Kelsey vice president and conference co-chair pointed out that, “SMBs and local businesses continue to represent a significant growth opportunity for local media and digital service providers.” Krasilovsky added that. “At LEADING IN LOCAL: SMB Digital Marketing, we’ll zero in on the technology, trends and best practices that solution providers are embracing to unlock SMB sales and profits.”

BIA/Kelsey’s yearly conferences attracts executives from various industries who are hoping to gain expert guidance on the ways in which firms are innovating. Partners include the Association of Alternative Newsmedia (AAN), Association of Directory Publishers (ADP), Big Marketing for Small Business, International Classifieds Media Association (ICMA), Local Media Association, Local Search Association, Location Based Marketing Association, SmallBizTechnology, Smart Hustle Magazine, Topseos, and Visibility Magazine.

Source:

BIAKelsey; BIA/Kelsey’s LEADING IN LOCAL Conference Series Heads to The Big Easy.