Color me torn. I’ve never had such a hard time deciding where to be at a conference. This week, I’m at South by Southwest (SXSW or “South-by”), the annual conference of interactive, film and music professionals held in Austin, Texas, a mecca of all things awesome in the aforementioned disciplines. This is my first time here, but friends’ anecdotes from SXSW have a life of their own, so I’m no stranger to the scene. So, you would think with the all I’ve heard, that I wouldn’t be surprised by the sheer volume of content…and you’d be wrong.I guess SXSW is just something you have to experience. It’s true what they say…some of the greatest value you’ll find is in the hallway discussions, impromptu chats in the Blogger Lounge, and various dinners and parties where some hard-core networking occurs. And then there are the sessions. The schedule is packed and while there are tracks, they include focus areas like “Design and Development,” “Greater Good,” “Convergence” and “Emerging.” There are also crossover sessions, workshops and independently sponsored panels, so you can see how the sheer number and breadth of choices is enough to make your head spin. Still, as with all conferences, there are some duds…either sessions you thought were a good fit and turn out to be focused elsewhere, or highly anticipated keynotes that just don’t quite get off the ground and fail. But that’s what doors are for and that’s when you’re grateful there’s another great session or conversation waiting for you just down the hall.
In the meantime, how am I doing it? Well, I’m trying (key word here: TRYING) to stay focused on what I care about most—communications, content and community. I’m also trying to meet folks in the nonprofit and healthcare sectors. I have more work to do here. I have more learning and sharing planned. And more than anything, I have more smart people to meet. I’m glad I made the trip, and I’m determined to make the most of it.
So, what’s coming? I’m working on a couple blog posts based on sessions or conversations I’ve had here, and I look forward to sharing those with you. First, I’ll tackle the evolving challenge of balancing quality content with self-promotion and where the line should be drawn between pimping and marketing. I’ll also write about the new rules of pitching your business and how content and community have changed the game. With several hours still ahead to inspire me, I’m sure these will just be the beginning. Also, stay tuned for some video updates.
Are you at SXSW? If so, what’s been good/bad, and what’s your plan for the rest of the week? If you’re not here, why? And if you could hire me to be your rep, what would you have me do? I’m yours. Hit me.