[Looking for 2022 events? See this article.]
Trying to decide which agency conferences are worth it to attend 2020? Here’s my annual roundup. [Last updated: November 20, 2020, including COVID-19 impacts]
My curated recommendations include 25+ events to consider—in chronological order—with a focus on the U.S. I’ve noted events where I have experience as a speaker or attendee.
Know any agency conferences that should be on this list? Let me know! I’ll continue to update this throughout 2020. They’re listed in chronological order.
Want to pitch events as a speaker? Check out my book on speaking for agency lead-gen. But plan ahead—events typically recruit speakers several months to a year in advance.
Positioning + Lead Gen + Service Offerings
January 9-10, 2020 in Nashville
This two-day workshop focuses on helping your agency break out of the feast-or-famine cycle. You’ll define a unique positioning and then craft a sustainable lead-gen plan for your agency.
New for 2020, there’s a “module on how to craft your service offerings—especially the ones offered at the outset of new client relationships. We’ll work through how to package these.” See the PDF brochure, or register here.
David Baker’s events aren’t cheap, but they’re high-value. I joined the 2018 positioning event as a guest expert.
Owner Summit
February 6-7, 2020 in New Orleans
This conference from the Bureau of Digital is tailored to digital agency owners. The event incorporates moderated discussions, traditional talks, and ongoing support to empower attendees. This year’s Owner Summit includes a mix of moderated conversations and speakers, versus last year’s focus on workshops and speakers.
Several of my clients have attended past Owner Summits—they reported good learning and networking—and I joined last year to attend the pre-conference workshop day. You can register here for 2020.
Win Without Pitching Workshop
February 11-12, 2020 in Miami
Want to charge more? You should be following agency bizdev expert Blair Enns of Win Without Pitching (WWP).
His two-day workshop (offered just a few times a year) focuses on changing your sales process (and your mindset) to go from low-priced vendor to high-priced partner. The event is limited to 30-40 attendees.
The workshop’s not cheap, but you’ll likely see a strong positive ROI from the trip. As I shared about his Pricing Creativity book: “Blair’s advice on value-based pricing will make your agency six or seven figures if you dare to apply it.”
The first 2020 edition was in Miami (February 11-12); before that, it was in New York (December 5-6, 2019).
Adobe Summit
March 29 to April 2, 2020 in Las Vegas online, due to coronavirus
Although Adobe’s conference is not agency-specific, follow the money—large 2019 sponsors included the consultancies that many agencies worry about: Accenture Interactive, Deloitte Digital, IBM iX, and TATA. Not to be left out, holding companies like Dentsu, Publicis, and WPP were 2019 sponsors, too.
Last year’s event promised 300+ breakout sessions and labs. In 2019, the nine tracks included: Advertising; Analytics & Data Management; Content & Experience Management; Design-led Customer Experiences; Email & Omnichannel Marketing; Experience-driven Commerce; Marketing Innovations; Personalization; and Platform, Machine Learning & Ecosystem.
After Adobe’s 2018 $4.75 billion acquisition of Marketo, the “Marketo Marketing Nation” standalone branding appears to have shifted to become merely the “B2B Marketing Automation with Marketo” track in 2020.
In early March 2020, Adobe announced they were moving Summit online, due to coronavirus concerns.
Ignition Consulting Group: Transforming Your Revenue Model
NEW: April 24, 2020 online, due to coronavirus
Tim Williams of Ignition Consulting Group leads this online seminar on agency revenue models.
The half-day event is targeted to “every agency professional who deals with the question ‘How much will this cost?’ or who has some form of responsibility for determining pricing.” It replaces the previous in-person “Transforming Your Revenue Model” seminar in Salt Lake City, now becoming “Take the Leap to a Dramatically More Effective Revenue Model.”
Modules include the Problem, the Paradigm, the Principles, and the Practice. As you might expect from an industry expert on pricing, the workshop isn’t cheap… but it’s high-value. I signed up to attend, at the Early Bird Rate (and then switched to the half-day online event).
Mirren Live New York
NEW: April 30, May 20, and June 20 (virtual) and October 20, 2020 (New York + virtual)
In 2019, this sold-out annual agency growth conference featured 30+ sessions with 60+ speakers and 400+ agencies attending. Registration opened in February 2020.
With a focus on agency growth, topics include aligning agency and client incentives, the latest tools to run your agency, how to turn your website into an active lead-gen tool, and agency pitch demonstrations. There’s a live broadcast ticket, with several pricing options.
In early April 2020, Mirren shared about a shift—Mirren Live will now be a four-day event, with three days of live broadcasts (April 30, May 20, June 10) plus an in-person day in New York on October 20, 2020 (also with live broadcast).
As of mid-August 2020, Mirren had accelerated the schedule—with recordings available for all four days. That is, there’s no longer an October date (either in-person or remote).
PRSA Counselors Academy
May 3-5, 2020 in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico cancelled
This annual conference by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) focuses on C-suite issues, case studies, and research that leads growth. The conference draws primarily from PR agency owners, but attendees provide a range of services.
I spoke at the 2016 event in Puerto Rico. This year’s theme is “2020 Vision: Leading the Agency of the Future.”
In March 2020, PRSA announced they were cancelling the Spring 2020 CAPRSA conference, due to COVID-19. They later announced a virtual conference for May 5, 2020.
AdAge Small Agency Awards
NEW: August 3-5, 2020 online
This annual AdAge event is designed for small- to mid-size agencies. Pre-pandemic, the schedule typically combined an evening of networking and cocktails, plus a day of conversation and talks that tackle challenges and opportunities in small agencies.
Want a shot at one of the awards? Submit your 2020 applications here. AdAge defines a “small agency” as 150 or fewer employees. Due to COVID-19, they won’t penalize revenue drops this year. The 2019 event was July 30-31, 2019, in New Orleans.
On March 19th, executive editor Judann Pollock shared an open letter reinforcing that the July 2020 event would continue. In early June 2020, AdAge shared, “The Small Agency Conference & Awards will go virtual this year!” It was originally scheduled for Portland, Oregon.
Tickets went online in early July 2020, I enjoyed attending the live event, which coincided with Hurricane Isaias.
Content Jam
NEW: in-person event cancelled September 16-17, 2020 in Chicago
This annual two-day event by Andy Crestodina of Orbit Media features national-level speakers (e.g., Ann Handley, Gini Dietrich, Joanna Wiebe, Mark Schaefer, Wil Reynolds) while providing the intimacy of a regional conference (~500 attendees). Compared to conferences with thousands of guests, think of it as “big names in a smaller setting.”
Originally scheduled for September 16-17, 2020, organizers announced in May 2020 that the in-person event would be cancelled due to COVID-19: “We are still working out details for a possible virtual event. If you’d like to stay updated, sign up below. We’ll still have our same amazing speakers and share insights into content strategy, promotion, conversion and analytics.”
ClientCon
September 21 to October 30, virtually
This new virtual event focuses on helping agencies (and other professional services firms) attract, win, and serve better clients. I’m speaking on October 14th: Work Less, Earn More: How to Become Increasingly Optional in Your Business
ClientCon is organized by sales expert Liston Witherill of Serve Don’t Sell. The full speaker lineup includes: Amy Hebdon, Blair Enns, Brian Casel, David C. Baker, Hillary Weiss, Jake Jorgovan, Jason Bay, Jeff Bajorek, Jeff Meade, Jonathan Stark, Justine Sones, Kai Davis, Karl Sakas, Kelly Campbell, Kelly Waffle, Marc Aarons, Margo Aaron, Marie Poulin, Mark Butler, Melanie Chandruang, Michal Eisikowitz, Philip Morgan, Raj Nathan, Robert Williams, Ron Saharyan, Sean D’Souza, Thomas Edwards Jr., Todd Caponi, Tom Miller, and Tyler Koenig
We’re covering 11 topics: Marketing and Branding, Finances, Hiring, Lead Gen, Mindset, Operations, Pricing, Productivity, Sales, Scaling Your Expertise, and Writing.
INBOUND
NEW: September 22-23, 2020 online
The 2020 event is now online. In 2019, HubSpot expected 24,000+ guests and 250+ speakers. Past keynotes have included Adam Grant, Beth Comstock, Brené Brown, Ed Catmull, Michelle Obama, and Shonda Rimes.
On May 8, the Boston mayor announced the city will ban large events until September 7. On May 19, HubSpot announced that the event would go virtual—from August 18-21 in Boston to September 22-23 online. This includes changing the format of sessions.
I spoke at INBOUND in 2015, 2017, and 2018; I’m speaking again in 2020, with an agency talk in the Customer Service track—on how to handle difficult clients—including in-depth live Q&A.
Advertising Week New York
NEW: October 5-8, 2020 in New York Cancelled for 2020, returning in 2021
This week-long event features seminars and workshops on topics like storytelling through different mediums, creating connections in the industry, what brands want, and influencer stories and lessons.
The New York events are part of an international network that reaches 98,000 people. The latest event was September 23-26, 2019, in New York—with a controversial close.
As of July 2020, Advertising Week announced it would return in 2021—that is, there would not be a 2020 event.
4A’s Management Practitioners’ Forum (MPF)
NEW: October 12-13, 2020 as virtual event
This agency management conference is hosted by the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s). It’s part of the 4A’s shift toward delivering agency management content via smaller events.
Topics in 2019 included agency business models, culture and talent retention, and pricing models.
Here’s the 4A’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19). Originally March 30-31 in Chicago, 4A’s rescheduled in April 2020 to make MPF a virtual event over October 12-13, 2020.
Content Marketing World
NEW: October 13-16, 2020 in Cleveland virtually
After happening during the week of Labor Day for several years, the 2020 event moves a month later. Head to the Content Marketing World Conference & Expo (CMW) to learn from and network with content marketing industry leaders.
The 2019 event included more than 120 breakouts and workshops on strategy, integration, measurement, and innovation in content marketing. In 2018, CMW expected 3,700+ attendees, 200+ speakers, and 550+ companies. I emcee’d the Future Content Keynotes in 2016 and spoke about agencies in 2018. (I unfortunately got appendicitis before my 2017 talk in the Agency Track.) The latest event was September 3-6, 2019.
In late June 2020, CMW announced the event would go virtual, with the same October 13-16 dates.
Digital PM Summit
NEW: October 19-21, 2020 in Orlando online
This long-running digital PM conference is hosted by the Bureau of Digital. In 2019, the 7th annual event has two days of presentations, breakout sessions, and lightning talks exploring how to manage digital projects. There’s also an optional full day of pre-conference workshops—plus monthly pre-conference conference calls to help attendees connect beforehand.
If you have PMs, they should go there… and ideally have already pitched you on going. (It’s a sign they’re not a “reluctant PM.”) I spoke at DPM Summit in 2014. The latest event ran October 20-22, 2019, in Orlando.
As of June 2020, the event moved online: “[F]or the first time ever, you’ll be able to see every single talk! That’s right, we’ve added another day and removed the multi-track sessions.”
HeyOrca! Agency Conference
October 21-22, 2020 virtually
This new event from social media software firm HeyOrca! features seven speakers focused on helping agency leaders take back their day.
I’m doing the workshop series‘ interactive keynote: “Design Your Ideal Agency: A New Approach to Growth in 2021.” Other topics include process, reporting, and DEI.
Mirren Executive Leadership Summit
NEW: October 21-22 and November 3, 2020 virtually
This annual event from Mirren targets agency CEOs and their top lieutenants, capped at 150 attendees in 2020 (up from 135 attendees in 2018). The 2020 event topics include: profit margins, breakthrough innovation, engaged remote workforce, operational strategy, revenue growth, and account profitability.
In June 2020, Mirren announced the 2020 event would be virtual. Mirren then rebranded the event from “Mirren CEO Summit” to “Mirren Executive Leadership Summit.”
HOW Design Live
NEW: October 26-29, 2020 in Atlanta // November 10-12 virtually
This annual gathering of nearly 3,000 global creative professionals features ~100 educational sessions on topics like radical thinking, how to improve your work, essential business and marketing skills, and previews of new tools and technologies.
This year’s 30th annual event includes the third HOW Marketing Live, on the intersection of marketing and creative. It’s hosted by the American Marketing Association (AMA). Past speakers include Amy Cuddy, Debbie Millman, Ilise Benun, Jeffrey Zeldman, Malcolm Gladwell, and Stefan Mumaw.
The event tends to focus on in-house content, but some applies to agencies, too. I spoke on the HDL podcast in 2015, on how agencies can offer more strategy services to their clients.
In March 2020, HOW announced they’re postponing the event (originally May 4-7 in Boston) to later in the year. In April 2020, HOW announced they’re moving the conference to October 26-29 in Atlanta. By August 2020, the event have moved online, to November 10-12.
Search Marketing Expo (SMX) Virtual
NEW: November 11-12, 2020 in New York December 8-9 online
In 2019, Search Engine Land added a one-day Agency Operations & Management track to their long-running SMX East conference. They noted:
“New York City is the advertising agency capital of the world. That’s why SMX East features a brand new, full-day track dedicated exclusively to agency operations and management — in addition to our hallmark SEO and SEM content. In-depth sessions will deliver executive-level education and peer-to-peer conversation for agency principals, executives, and senior leaders.”
The first year’s topics include “Profitable Pricing Strategies For Agencies,” “Managing Clients, Managing Yourself,” and “Handling Client Transitions.” I spoke in the inaugural Agency track in 2019—”Getting Your Agency Services Mix Right,” moderated by Editor-in-Chief Ginny Marvin.
In mid-September 2020, organizer Third Door Media cancelled the in-person event in New York and shifted to SMX Virtual over December 8-9, 2020.
AIGA Design Conference
NEW: November 12-14, 2020 in Pittsburgh, PA virtually
The 3-day design conference includes workshops, roundtables, symposia, and evening socials. Sessions include practice management, emerging designers, diversity, urban design, branding, interaction, and digital.
After an 18-month gap between the 2017 and 2019 events, AIGA appears to back to an annual cadence. In March 2020, AIGA announced they were shifting the event (from March 30-April 1, to November 12-14, 2020) while staying in Pittsburgh.
In early September 2020, the event moved online, to November 9-14.
The SoDA Academy
NEW: cancelled for 2020 November 16-17, 2020 in New York
The SoDA Academy brings together leaders at top digital agencies, entrepreneurs, education experts, and client-side marketers in a two-day learning conference. Given its origin as the “Society of Digital Agencies,” SoDA has strong digital roots.
The event is open to non-members, but SoDA requires an application to the conference. I spoke in 2016 at the second Academy (on agency business strategy and on team management).
As of June 2020, SoDA shared:
“After careful consideration, we have decided to cancel The SoDA Academy event for 2020. While we will truly miss this time together, we don’t feel that we can responsibly run the event and deliver an experience that fully honors the time, money and resources that would be invested by our attendees, our faculty leaders, our partners and our community. Later this year, we will evaluate options for hosting The Academy in 2021.”
In March 2020, SoDA had announced they’re postponing the event from June 8-9 to November 16-17, 2020. The latest event was April 9-10, 2018 in Long Island City, NY.
Internet Summit
NEW: November 17-19, 2020 in Raleigh, NC online
This annual event focuses on digital marketing, including content marketing, design/UX, search, social media, innovation, strategy, analytics, and email marketing. TechMedia runs 20 conferences annually, including the Digital Summit series in other cities. I spoke on a panel at Internet Summit in 2015.
My office is a few blocks away from the Raleigh Convention Center; if you’re planning to attend ISUM20, let me know—would love to meet up! The latest event ran November 13-14, 2019, in Raleigh, NC.
In early August 2020, organizer TechMedia announced the 2020 event would be online rather than in-person in Raleigh.
Digital Sales & Marketing World
NEW: November 30 – December 2, 2020 in Hartford, CT format and dates TBA
Organized by agency IMPACT, this multi-day conference has evolved from IMPACT Live, which itself started as Brewing Marketing & Sales Success (BMSS).
In addition to content in general sessions, DSMW has role- and industry-specific breakouts (including an agency breakout). Keynotes in 2020 include Ann Handley, Marcus Sheridan, and Ron Tite. I spoke at IMPACT’s inaugural BMSS event in 2016.
In March 2020, IMPACT announced they’re postponing the event from April 5-7 to November 30 – December 2, 2020. They’ve also added Virtual Selling Summit on June 23, 2020.
As of mid-August 2020, the event was still listed as in-person in Hartford. But as of early September 2020, the website no longer mentioned event dates or an in-person event.
Owner Camp Online
December 10-11, 2020 online
This now-online event from the Bureau of Digital is tailored to digital agency owners. The event is organized as a “highly curated ‘retreat for digital shop owners.”
Previous editions have happened in-person at locations worldwide. As before, participation is by application only.
Traffic & Conversion Summit: T&C360i
NEW: December 15-17, 2020 virtually in San Diego
Now in its 11th year, this year’s event expects 10,000+ attendees. T&C 2020 moved to the San Diego Convention Center, after founder DigitalMarketer sold the conference to Clarion Events last year… before becoming the virtual T&C360i in October 2020.
The conference includes an “Agencies Only” track with agency-specific content, to complement DigitalMarketer’s Certified Partner program. I’m speaking in the “Agencies Only” track, on how to fix “profit leaks” at your agency. (If your net margins are less than 20%, you have profit leaks.) Planning to go to T&C 2020? Save $200 with code KarlSakas200 when you register.
On March 12, T&C announced they’re postponing to later in 2020 due to coronavirus. On March 30, they announced they’re moving to December 15-17, 2020, while staying in San Diego. As of July 2020, T&C mentioned they’re creating a “T&C Hybrid” option.
In late September, T&C shared that they’d make a major announcement on October 1st. The announcement: T&C is going 100% virtual, as the live T&C360i. Looking ahead, the next in-person event will be September 13-15, 2021, at the San Diego Convention Center.
Digital Agency Expo
New York (2020 dates TBA)
This new event is from training company DigitalMarketer, creator of the long-running Traffic & Conversion conference. In 2019, they had 30+ sessions from 25 speakers, while expecting 1,200+ agencies to attend.
Tracks in 2019 included: Fill Your Prospect Pipeline, Close & Convert More High-Value Clients, Grow Your Retainers & Recurring Revenue, and Systemize & Scale Your Agency. I attended the first event, which ran September 17-19, 2019, in New York.
Since Traffic & Conversion—including the Agencies track—has moved to December 2020 this year, I imagine DigitalMarketer will defer the next Digital Agency Expo to 2020.
Build a Better Agency Summit
NEW: November 10-12, 2020 August 10-11, 2021 in Chicago
This new Agency Management Institute event is from long-time agency owner and consultant Drew McLellan.
The impressive lineup of BABA Summit keynote speakers includes Jay Baer, Robin Boehler, Matthew Kimberly, Joe Pulizzi, Paul Roetzer, and Robert Rose. You can register here.
In late March 2020, BABA Summit had postponed to November 10-12, from May 18-20. In early September 2020, the event had shifted to August 10-11, 2021 in-person in Chicago.
Pick the Right Agency Conferences
Conferences can be great, but they can also be a time-suck. Read my article on how to get more out of your next conference, including things you need to do before, during, and after the event. And if you’re thinking of organizing your own lead-gen event, see my 47 tips.
QUESTION: Which agency conferences are you planning to attend in 2020?
Note: This post was originally published October 2, 2019. Since then, we’ve updated it regularly with the latest event info, including COVID-19 pandemic and recession impacts (as of November 20, 2020).
