Virgins are rare these days. And people admitting to virginity are often even more rare. But for many of us, the digital world is a relatively new frontier that we’re diving into, learning to navigate and integrating into the marketing and communication strategies we develop for ourselves or for our clients. And that makes us virgins. All over again.
I was a SXSW newbie last year and I remember being embarrassed (for about a nanosecond) at admitting that. I think it’s because we convince ourselves that it’s not cool to admit there was a moment in time when we didn’t know everything about everything. Here’s the thing – in spite of all the social media gurus out there, there are few people who know it all when it comes to the world of new media. No matter what they say or how they might preen and pontificate. We’re all learning about this stuff. Every single one of us.
This post is for those of you who’ve not yet been to the awesomeness that is SXSW — or other conferences that are specific to the digital world that so many of us live in these days. Don’t be afraid to admit to being a virgin, just dive in. It’ll be great to see you and no one (at least no one who really matters) will judge you for being a newbie. The reality is that there are more newbies in the digital space than there are “veterans” …. and most of us are really, really nice. And fun to hang out with.
Here’s my interview about being a SXSW virgin with the super perky (and fabulous) Ingrid Vandervelt, host of On the Road with IV, produced and directed by Lyn Graft, Founder of LG Pictures. Pay attention to them – they are good people doing great stuff.
And if you’ve not yet committed to attending this year’s SXSW conference, take it from me – register now. And book your hotel room NOW, or you’ll be stuck at a FiestaDeLaQuinta that is not only a million miles from the convention center, but also potentially not very clean. Just ask Sarah Caminker and Nick Downarowicz about that (but make sure you have a lot of time). And speaking of Sarah Caminker, here’s a video that shows some of the sweet swag we nabbed at last year’s festival. It also shows you why I room with Sarah every chance I get. She makes me laugh. Often.
Make your plans to attend SXSW (or any conference that’s on your radar screen) and don’t worry about being a virgin. It’ll only hurt for a minute. And if you make it to Austin in the Spring, be sure and ping me when you’re there so that we can have beers.
Shelly Kramer is a Principal Analyst and Founding Partner at Futurum Research. A serial entrepreneur with a technology centric focus, she has worked alongside some of the world’s largest brands to embrace disruption and spur innovation, understand and address the realities of the connected customer, and help navigate the process of digital transformation. She brings 20 years’ experience as a brand strategist to her work at Futurum, and has deep experience helping global companies with marketing challenges, GTM strategies, messaging develoment, and driving strategy and digital transformation for B2B brands across multiple verticals. Shelly’s coverage areas include Collaboration/CX/SaaS, platforms, ESG, and Cybersecurity, as well as topics and trends related to the Future of Work, the transformation of the workplace and how people and technology are driving that transformation. A transplanted New Yorker, she has learned to love life in the Midwest, and has firsthand experience that some of the most innovative minds and most successful companies in the world also happen to live in “flyover country.”
