11 Marketing Events That Will Boost Your Growth in 2017
By: Jes Kirkwood
As a growth marketer, you’re not interested in theory. You want to learn methods you can apply today. You want to discover tactics that have helped other companies scale at warp speed. And you want to know how the best of the best have tested and optimized those tactics to achieve even better outcomes, so you can avoid any heavy lifting and jump straight to results.
That’s why attending typical marketing conferences is a waste of your time. If you’re going to invest in attending events in 2017 (and you should), they have to deliver proven strategic frameworks for growth, inspired optimization case studies, and hands-on workshops that’ll help you ramp up your game.
With that criteria in mind, we hand-picked 11 must-attend conferences:
1. ConversionXL Live
“Learn from the people who do the absolute best work in their field.”
You won’t find “theorists” here. ConversionXL Live brings together leading practitioners like Michael Aagaard (Senior Conversion Optimizer at Unbounce), guillaume cabane (Segment’s VP of Growth), and Krista Seiden (Analytics Advocate for Google) for a single-track conference focused on optimization and growth.
One cool thing about ConversionXL Live: It’s all inclusive, and “everyone stays together for 3 days in a remote location.” That’s right: Your ticket includes all sessions of the 3-day event (including late-night parties), all meals and snacks, and your hotel room. All you have to do is arrange and pay for your flight.
P.S. If you need help convincing your boss, check out the pitch they prepared just for you.
When is it? April 5–7, 2017
Where is it? San Antonio, TX
What’s the cost? USD $1099–2028
2. SCALE
“SCALE will teach you how to grow, how to hire the right team and give them the proper tools, how to buy traffic and build content.”
Founded by LAUNCH CEO jason Calacanis, SCALE helps transform startups into scaleups. Speakers include world-renowned founders, VCs, and growth experts — like David Sacks, Tomasz Tunguz, and Jason M. Lemkin— who have hands-on experience leading high-growth startups.
When is it? October 17–18, 2017
Where is it? San Francisco, CA
What’s the cost? USD $295–995
3. Collision
“Reach and network with the most important decision makers, the most disruptive companies.”
Created by the team behind Web Summit, Collision is a must-attend event for growth leaders who work in the tech sector. This conference attracts 20,000 participants from over 110 countries annually, representing both high-growth startups and large public tech companies, and features high-profile speakers like John Collison, Max Levchin, and Stewart Butterfield.
In 2017, Collision will newly be home to 12 independent conferences: TalkRobot, SaaS Monster, MusicNotes, AutoTech, Startup University, PandaConf, creatiff, binate.io, FULLstk, Pub Summit, Night Summit, and Planet:tech. Each conference will have its own stage, exhibition area, agenda, workshops, and networking events, open to all attendees but catered to a specific segment of participants. For example, whereas digital marketers might attend PandaConf, marketers leading growth at early stage startups might attend Startup University.
When is it? May 2–4, 2017
Where is it? New Orleans, LA
What’s the cost? CAD $227–5200
4. GrowthHackers Conference
“Find out what is required to develop a high-performance growth team and program across the disciplines of product, design and marketing.”
What does it take for companies to grow today? That’s the question Gagan Biyani and Erin Turner wanted to answer when they founded GrowthHackers Conference in 2012. With the help of producer Sean Ellis, this one-day event curates expert insights from growth leaders across the planet. Past speakers include Aatif Awan, Brian Rothenberg, and Hiten Shah.
When is it? May 24, 2017
Where is it? Los Angeles, CA
What’s the cost? USD $395–1200
5. MozCon
“Connect with our amazing community of industry leaders, chat with the speakers and Moz staff, pick up some cool swag, and even get a hug from our friendly robot, Roger.”
MozCon is a three-day event that features forward-thinking yet actionable sessions. You’ll have the opportunity to learn about niche topics (like analytics, SEO, and CRO) from speakers like Ross Simmonds, Justine Jordan, and Lauren Vaccarello — the movers and shakers of digital marketing.
Outside of the conference itself, you’ll find leisure activities like a pub crawl, an informal meet-and-greet, and an annual bash that resembles a games night (bowling, pool, jenga, karaoke, and photo booths) as well as some good old-fashioned outdoor recreation. No wonder this conference’s slogan is, “Not your typical marketing conference”.
When is it? July 17–19, 2017
Where is it? Seattle, WA
What’s the cost? USD $849–1349 (early bird)
6. Growth Marketing Conference
“Learn how to supercharge your company’s growth — quickly, cost-effectively, and sustainably.”
With past speakers like Neil Patel, Sean Ellis, and Rand Fishkin, it’s not surprising that Growth Marketing Conference is the leading event in its category. Founded by Startup Socials CEO Vasil Azarov in 2013, Growth Marketing Conference brings insightful case studies, expert talks, and hands-on workshops to hundreds of growth leaders, marketers, and founders.
When is it? December 6–7, 2017
Where is it? Silicon Valley, CA
What’s the cost? USD $197–2009
7. SaaSFest
“Join the smartest SaaS professionals for talks from the trenches, 1-on-1 advice and networking.”
Price Intelligently brings together the who’s who of SaaS for this one-day event, making it ideal for SaaS growth leaders. Attendees benefit from curated peer introductions, intimate networking sessions, and an agenda centred on relevant topics like acquisition, retention, and monetization. Past speakers include Brian Balfour, David Cancel, and Suneet Bhatt.
When is it? December
Where is it? Boston, MA
What’s the cost? USD $899
8. Weapons of Mass Distribution
“A one-day conference that will teach you actionable strategies & tactics for IGNITING your distribution.”
Organized by 500 Startups, Weapons of Mass Distribution brings together growth experts like jascha kaykas-wolff, James Currier, and Susan Su for a day of practical learning. Speakers explore new trends, highlight powerful tools, and share cutting-edge distribution tactics that help growth leaders scale their businesses.
When is it? November
Where is it? San Francisco, CA
What’s the cost? USD $595–950
9. GrowCo
“Learn to be even more audacious and bold than you are now — free to grow your mind, grow your business, and grow your bottom-line.”
What would it take to achieve extraordinary growth and profitability? That’s the question tycoons like Steve Case, Mark Cuban, and Richard Branson attempt to answer at GrowCo. Produced by Inc. Magazine, GrowCo features 35+ interactive sessions over three days organized around four themes: Kick-Start Growth, Keep Growing, Grow Smarter, and Grow Profits. Growth-obsessed entrepreneurs benefit from proven strategies, tactical advice, and ample networking opportunities.
When is it? May 8–10, 2017
Where is it? New Orleans, LA
What’s the cost? USD $695–995
10. Call To Action Conference
“Learn from the world’s best marketers, all in one place.”
Call To Action Conference brings together 1000+ conversion-obsessed marketers for a three-day, single-track event. Organized by Unbounce, this event offers actionable marketing insights from hand-picked experts, like Rand Fishkin, Joanna Wiebe, and Johnathan Dane.
When is it? June 25–27, 2017
Where is it? Vancouver, Canada
What’s the cost? CAD $599–999
11. SaaStr Annual
“Get the playbook on how to scale from the world’s best SaaS founders, execs and investors with 2.5 days of amazing content and unparalleled networking.”
Regardless of whether you’re a seasoned growth leader or new to the field, SaaStr Annual is a worthwhile investment. One reason? Sessions are divided into three types — strategy, tactical, and hypertactical — making it easy for attendees to customize the experience to meet their needs. Plus, with more than 10,000 founders and executives in attendance annually, this event offers exceptional networking opportunities.
In 2017, this three-day event will feature sessions from industry leaders, like Josh James, Naval Ravikant, and Sam Altman.
When is it? February 7–9, 2017
Where is it? San Francisco, CA
What’s the cost? USD $627–2790
What conferences will you be attending in 2017? Did we miss any must-attend growth marketing events? Let us know in the comments.
Originally published at blog.autopilothq.com on January 24, 2017.
