I recently had a state-of-the-business discussion with the event sales leadership and team at large. It’s a conversation that I like to have once a quarter to ensure that our products are reflecting the market needs and that we are continuing to deliver relevant events.
This past round of meetings resonated with me on a different level as I found myself upset, for the first time in a while, with what I was hearing from our teams. After a banner Q3, and a return to in-person for two of our crown jewels in the US, CIO 100 Symposium & Awards and CSO50 Conference & Awards—both of which saw stellar attendance and impressive renewals—my team was echoing the feedback I’d heard from so many of our sponsors: “You are the best-kept secret in tech events.”
Well, this is a secret nobody wants to keep. When I pressed for more information, I was told our sponsors cite the engagement and seniority of attendees at our events as unmatched, and our customer service as impeccable. So, what does one do with seemingly great information that at the same time means we aren’t doing as good a job in articulating our value proposition to our prospective clients?
We ensure that our messaging is locked tighter for 2023—starting with me wasting no time in writing this post and revised sales materials.
In case you are unaware why Foundry events are unrivaled…
Trust
Credibility and trust must be earned. Ours dates back 58 years. The iPhone launched at one of our events and Steve Jobs entrusted us to support his Mac launch with a publication. IBM, Cisco and HP are our longest-standing clients, and we are proud of those partnerships.
We were the first to recognize the value of the CIO role and launch a brand to support it, just as Computerworld was the first magazine to document the computer. The awards we bestow are the most coveted and prestigious in the industry, and the standard for success. We’re part of a vibrant community of technology buyers, and when we interact with them, we learn about them. We understand our audiences like no one else – and as a result, can respond swiftly to market needs and produce events of material substance.
Authority
Powered by the go-to sources for IT and Security DMs (CIO, CSO, InfoWorld, Network World, Computerworld), this community relies on our unique perspective of case studies, research and third-party viewpoints to tell them how to solve challenging IT issues. Plus, Foundry events benefit from exclusive participation by IDC analysts.
Foundry and IDC help every major tech vendor in the world reach or research their market. Our events allow our sponsors to position their product/company against the world’s leading brands, achieve high-profile branding opportunities and win market share. We tailor our events to meet our sponsors’ objectives and key results (OKRs), including interaction with key accounts, pipeline build, education & thought leadership, branding & visibility, new account development, and client retention strategies. Additionally, our robust data engine provides our sponsors with actionable intent data and sentiment feedback that only we can provide.
People
Our global community of sponsors, speakers, analysts, and delegates is what truly sets us apart. Award-winning CIOs, CISOs and CSOs along with their teams inform our content programs and as such are present at our events. The best of the best attend because they’ve helped shape the events.
Our 2023 Advisory board includes the Chief Technical and Innovation Officer, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratories; Executive Director, Technology Strategy & Office of the CIO, Ally Financial; SVP & CISO, US Foods; SVP & CIO, Novant Health; CIO, City of Santa Monica; CIO, Hastings Mutual Insurance Company.
Our internal teams are the perfect combination of industry veterans and new-to-market, eager achievers who provide turn-key event execution, inclusive of high-level customer service for our attendees and sponsors. Our teams qualify every attendee at every event based on strict criteria for that event, ensuring no wasted time.
Additionally, our sponsors benefit from coaching and on-site support to ensure success. This manifests in key introductions, review of content and presentations, and partnership.
So, now it’s a secret no more.
