Conference Bliss - PivotCon

Conference season has come full-throttle. One of my latest experiences? Pivotcon.Pivotcon is an invite-only, intimate convening of marketers, entrepreneurs, journalists and more. This year the theme was, "The Digital Imperative" and the event was two solid days of high-level and practical information on topics such as, "Reinventing the Rules of Engagement", "Why Things Catch On," and "The Principle Principle." The panelist not only included the best and brightest in marketing and technology but some unexpected guests as well - Al Roker, anyone? What was also fantastic is that the panelists and moderators not only served in that capacity: when they weren't up on stage, they were in the audience, listening intently and asking questions alongside the attendees.I only participated in day 2 but left uplifted and with my mind full of ideas. One of my favorite speakers was Meg Bear, Group Vice President at Oracle Social Cloud. Meg detailed her experience on Pivot's website. Here's an excerpt:We are an empowered people. And it’s happening across all generations and shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, the rising millennials, no more a novelty but a mainstream reality, completely embody the digital imperative. They grew up mobile, social and open. They think and operate differently, embracing technologies for the greater good in a transparent, engaging and social way. They expect the businesses they buy from and work for to operate the same. Here’s a reality check: In 2025, 75% of the workforce will be millennials – that’s your employees, partners and customers.Organizations must completely re-think how they approach business. People now expect a higher level of interaction, personalization and value. Gartner analyst Laura McClellan said her research shows that in only two years 90% of companies expect to compete almost entirely on the basis of customer experience. Not on price. Not on product. On experience. How’s that for a change?Customer centricity and a priority on customer engagement is the business imperative. But I’d take that a step further. It’s not just a “customer” experience; it’s a “people” experience.Needless to say, I had a blast and Meg is AH-MAZE-ING. Read her full blog post.