Melissa MackeyNext month, on July 29 & 30, marketers from all over the world will convene in Montreal, Quebec, Canada for the Acquisio Summit. If you’re an Acquisio user, or a would-be user, this conference is a must-attend!
I spoke with Marc Poirier, CEO and Founder of Acquisio, to find out what’s in store for these action-packed two days.
MM: What led you to create the Acquisio Summit?
MP: Over the years, as Acquisio grew and worked with more and more marketers and agencies, we wanted to bring people together to talk in person about requests and features. The Summit is an opportunity for users to spend time with our product and executive teams, in person, and to get to know each other and talk about how we use the product. It creates a bond between Acquisio and our customers.
The Summit is small enough that everyone will get one-on-one time with Acquisio executives and account teams. There’s lots of networking time built into the two days.
MM: What kind of sessions can attendees expect?
MP: The Summit keynote will cover new functionality within the platform: unveiling new (and secret!) features, product announcements, and partner sessions.
Microsoft is our Platinum sponsor this year, and they’ll be presenting sessions on Bing Ads Product Ads, mobile landscape info, and more.
The Summit features 2 days of breakout sessions covering executive and user topics. Executive sessions are all about business concerns, industry landscape, agency revenue generation, and forward-looking thought leadership. The User sessions are really more like Acquisio training, taking a deep dive into tools, rules, reporting, and other features of the Acquisio platform. For example, you’ll learn how to use the Reports function for things other than reporting. You’ll learn about our Trading Desk, which offers information on things like how to sell display to clients.
We’ll also talk about our Bid & Budget Manager (BBM) tool: what it can do today, and what’s new. And we’ll be announcing a totally new product related to local search.
Attendees can move between tracks, and sessions will be recorded and made available for those who can’t make it to the Summit. But you’ll want to be here to hear everything first-hand and have the opportunity to ask questions.
MM: Sounds like a ton of information in 2 days! Are the speakers all from Acquisio, or do you have others from the search industry on your panels?
MP: There are speakers from Acquisio, myself included, but we also have a great lineup of recognized experts in the search industry speaking: John Lee from Clix Marketing, Lee Goldberg from Vector Media, Brad Geddes from Certified Knowledge, Jeff Allen from Hanapin, and many more. You’ll find the same type of high-quality sessions you’ve come to expect from our industry experts at the Summit.
MM: What are your “must-attend” session recommendations?
MP: If you come to the Acquisio Summit, you have to see the keynote – and not just because I’m presenting it! We’ll have several huge product announcements, so you can’t miss this.
Other sessions to look for include Bryan Minor, Acquisio Chief Scientist, speaking on “Predictive & Adaptive Algorithms” with a look to the future of search; and “Trends and Forecasts for the Digital Industry,” the final session on Thursday, which features an expert panel discussing short-term, mid-term, and long-term disruptive trends to help you keep up with the future of search.
MM: So attendees will gain insight into not only the current state of search, but the future as well. That’ll give us an advantage over those who are just trying to keep up. Let’s talk about the fun stuff at the Acquisio Summit: food and socializing! Are meals included? What about networking?
MP: We’ll have plenty of both! Breakfast, lunch, and refreshments during breaks will be served, along with a cocktail hour at end of the first day. We built in plenty of networking: session breaks, networking lunches, and the cocktail reception all offer a chance to talk with your peers and Acquisio leadership.
MM: Tell me about the sponsors – what vendors can we expect to meet?
MP: In addition to Microsoft, our Platinum sponsor, we have 2 Gold sponsors: Yahoo Gemini and YP.com. We also have many Silver sponsors. All of the sponsors will be available for Summit attendees to talk about their products. For example, we’ll have several call analytics vendors here, and attendees will get the opportunity to learn not only about vendor products, but how they integrate with the Acquisio platform.
MM: Sounds like a jam-packed 2 days! I’ve never been to Montreal. What are the must-see attractions and must-try food and dining?
MP: The great thing about the Acquisio Summit is that it’s right downtown, near everything in the heart of Montreal. Expect to gain weight while you’re here, as the food is amazing! Be sure to try poutine – which is French fries with gravy and cheese – it’s delicious. Montreal is also known for smoked meat and bagels. Try our 2 famous bagel makers: Fairmount and Saint Viature, and let us know which you like best! You can even buy smoked meat and bagels in the Montreal airport, and we’ll have local specialties as part of the meals during the Summit as well.
For entertainment, check out the Osheaga Music Festival, which starts the day after the Summit ends. It’s a huge 2-day festival, kind of like Woodstock. And take time to walk around and see the history of Montreal. It’s the 2nd-oldest city in North America. For more on Montreal, check out our recommendations (http://mkt.acquisio.com/2015-Summit-Visit-Montreal.html).
MM: Fun! So, I have to ask: do we need to learn French? Anything else I should know?
MP: Everyone speaks English as well as French. Be sure to get your passport unless you’re coming from within Canada – all US and international citizens need one to travel here.
MM: Thanks, Marc, for all the great tips! The Acquisio Summit is a must-attend for anyone who uses the platform or who’s thinking about using it. Learning, networking, food and fun are guaranteed! If you haven’t registered, what are you waiting for? Early bird ends Thursday, so do it today!
