New Registration Option: Webcast of 12 Key Sessions

As adults, we often mistake playfulness as something children do when they're not learning. However, research has shown that playfulness is one of the most powerful developmental processes linked to learning, and one of the key enablers of creative thinking. Expect an interactive and engaging session.

Presented by IDEO Partner Duane Bray, this session will show how IDEO's designers use exploratory play - specifically exploratory play, construction play and role play - has helped their clients become more innovative themselves.

As more organizations enhance their innovation capacities, it's crucial for agencies to exercise their play muscles while effectively engaging clients in the same process.

Over the last year, Social Media has become one of the hottest ticket items for clients. However, with fuzzy direction from clients and a belief that it should only cost a dime, building an agency practice that delivers it efficiently and profitably is another matter. And, while many agencies claim to have a Social Media practice, the reality is sometimes a little different. Edelman has been the pioneer in successfully integrating interactive and social media into a “traditional” agency offering.

Danielle Wiley will take a case study approach and review the infrastructure, staffing and core competencies required to pull together a Social Media practice that drives revenue.

The Live Pitch Competition: One Product Launch, Two Teams, Three Judges, Several Hundred "Clients"

Hands-down, the most talked about element of last year’s conference. Ever wondered how other agencies pitch? This is a rare opportunity to watch other masters at work as they vie for being crowned Best Pitch Team in the country.

Watch two teams go head-to-head and deliver their pitch presentation in front of the entire conference… then, take in the immediate (and often controversial) feedback from the judges.

Judges:

• Lorraine Rojek, The Rojek Consulting Group
• Jason Deland, Anomaly
• Neal Davies, Naked Communications

It’s no secret that clients have completely changed over the past 18 months. However, looking at the services agencies still offer… you would think it’s the best kept secret in town. Clients are seeking a completely different set of capabilities in 2010.

Brent will take a frank look at what your agency is missing and why it’s holding you back. This session will review the specific set of core competencies that every agency (small and large) must master. And it’s not about jumping on the digital or social media bandwagon. In fact, the new agency model is centered around its ability to develop, sell, execute against and measure Transaction Insights. With that at the core, the session will review the set of basic capabilities that will lay a rock solid foundation for growth over the next five years.

Congratulations… you won the business! Well, almost. Now you must begin the fee and contract negotiations. Does this process give you stress akin to a day-long root canal?

The Gap Partnership is a global firm that specializes in negotiation consulting. In this session, they will provide cutting-edge strategies and tools that you can apply to secure the best possible outcome from your next client negation. Areas covered will include:

• Getting inside the head of your client (marketing & procurement).
• Planning your negotiation strategy and tactics.
• Understanding competitive and collaborative negotiations (and when each is appropriate).

The Gap Partnership trains and consults with some of the most sophisticated negotiators and will use real-world examples from their work.

As the conference has been looking at those agencies defining the future of the business, we’ll speak with those Search Consultants defining the future of their business. In fact, this group will be leading the next generation of Search Consultancy. They did not build their consulting field. But they will redefine it over the coming few years.

The panel will discuss the latest trends they see defining agency selection and the role of Search Consulting in that process. With the sheer number of pitches they have facilitated, a tremendous amount of insight will uncover what it takes to increase your win rate in the current climate… and for the next decade.

Time will be provided for audience Q&A.

You invest a tremendous amount of time and effort in these key documents. And yet, clients still complain that agencies all look and sound the same. Given this, how should they be structured and written to better differentiate and persuade? This session will look at:

• The key elements for client decision-making (that you're missing).
• Better address the value of your work.
• Cut back the quantity of copy on each page.
• Communicate complex information more visually.
• How to get business results data from your clients.
• Better articulate case study results.

Learn new principles to turn these into documents and content that will:
(1) actually be read by the prospect;
(2) better differentiate the agency; and
(3) better sell and convert the prospect.