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U|Tech Conference - Spread the Word!
Posted by Chris Knudsen on September 7th, 2006
As many of you know, the Utah Search Marketing Conference - U|Tech - is being held on October 18th at the Miller Innovation Center.
Janet Meiners has put a ton of work into this conference and so far sign ups aren’t that great. The conference is going to be amazing. Specifically, the conference is for small businesses that are trying to figure out how to market on the Web.
Please blog about this event and help Janet get as many people out as she can get there.
Signups are probably bad because 1) nobody has heard about this, I only heard about it through the Connect email the other day and I haven’t seen it mentioned anywhere else yet (although that’s only anecdotal evidence), 2) what am I going to get for $150 that I can’t already get from these peeps’ blogs?, and 3) it just doesn’t look from the website like it’s got much going on. Five speakers and a handful of sponsors doesn’t seem like a major conference. I think if this were priced at $25-50 it would be in the right range, or if it were much more highly publicized and had 15-20 speakers and break out sessions and such, then it might be worth the $150.
Left by Joshua Steimle on 09/07/2006I appreciate the candid feedback.  I’ve changed jobs recently. I’m friends with the other guys doing ePIFany Conference. It’s a hard sell to get people to pay for much in Utah even with large budgets.
$20-$25 wouldn’t cover the cost of producing Utech, hardly even the food. Since this is a small venue (Miller Center in Sandy) the idea is quality over quantity. We’re getting a highly targeted group of people.
We’re focused on practical results. You can get a lot of information in blogs and free on the internet. You get varying quality. But nothing takes the place of being there and learning from experts.
You’re self-motivated it sounds like you read and get it. I meet and talk to plenty of people who don’t get it. CEOs, marketing execs, etc. The entire idea came out of my Connect article about affiliate marketing and the questions people were asking me.
This is a great way for businesses to learn to get better ROI on their web sites.
Janet
Left by Janet on 09/07/2006http://www.UtechConference.com
I agree very much with Josh, and I don’t think that Utah is the issue at all. I see people (mostly Utahns) pay $7500 all the time for a certain conference.
Dollars follow value.
What will I learn from these guys that I don’t already learn from their blogs or from my interaction with them? I ask the question as one that I already asked myself. I see (and understand) that it won’t cover costs, but the issue isn’t about covering costs it’s about proving something of value that people will say (this is more valuable to me than my $200). It can’t be equal to or close to because the exchange won’t occur until someone can say it’s worth more.
Left by Russell Page on 09/08/2006When I first heard about this conference, I was absolutely excited. What a great concept and it fills a huge NEED for small-mid sized companies that need help with internet marketing and strategy.
I was a publicist for 5 years and now have my own start up, I believe that if there isn’t demand it has NOTHING TO DO WITH PRICE. I am paying $1800 for a conf on marketing in Chicago this Fall on Marketing to Moms.
When a conference with big name talent struggles, it is often because there isn’t enough lead time, we just have to get the word out!! As Utahns in Business, you should SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURS, like Janet Meiners and her team.
I personally have already volunteered to help, I’ve contacted BYU professors, media to put it in their papers, and will do more. Press needs to be contacted to get the momentum going.
I have no doubt that this conference will SELL OUT if we just tell people about it.
Please help this conference succeed because Utahns NEED it, not because Janet needs it…yeah, she is needing support, but really the bigger picture here is HELPING OTHER BUSINESSES IN UTAH.
Blog about the conference in positive ways, such as, “we’re going…it’ll be great.” BE THERE.
I’m bloging about it at http://www.startupprincess.com all the time.
It’ll be great!
Left by Kelly King Anderson on 09/09/2006Russ and Josh:
You guys aren’t the target for this conference. This conference is targeted to small business owners who know nothing about makrting on the Web. With the speakers lined up and the value Janet is packing in $150 is a great value.
If you are a small business owner trying to figure out how to make it on the Internet this conference is for you.
Left by ctknud on 09/09/2006