2014 Summit on Customer Engagement Announces New Presenters: Cisco, Apptio and Bill Lee

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Dec. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- As companies move increasingly toward a model of customer advocacy—that is, getting your customers to tell your story to your prospects and market for you—the 2014 Summit on Customer Engagement announces the addition of three new presentations.

Participants who register now can secure a limited-time $200 discount for the conference to be held on February 25-26, 2014.

The new presentations include:

From Asking for Customer References to Creating a Movement
by Maria Galindo, Customer Advocacy Manager, Apptio.

You'll learn how Maria took a start-up's customer reference program to a new level: instead of developing passive references, Apptio's customer advocates are creating a social movement in the market place. "We wanted our customers to be like Alumni at Stanford University," says Maria. "They don't have to be urged to advocate, they're so proud of their affiliation that they just do it." Increasingly, Apptio's customers are also "just doing it."

You'll learn how she 's achieving this with initiatives that build the social capital of Apptio's customers, through initiatives like the "Hero Stories Program" which turns customers into thought leaders among their peers. "We're offering customers the chance to tell their stories in their own way, and to be involved in something they believe in," says Maria.

Results include an 86% on boarding rate for invited advocates, and a wealth of passionate-customer content including video testimonials, public relations opportunities, campaign enablement and in-person events.

Workshop: How to Talk to a CXO
by Bill Lee, Author of The Hidden Wealth of Customers, and President, Summit on Customer Engagement

Your top executives realize that customer references and advocates are increasingly critical to their growth strategies. Are you prepared to make the case for your program--in a way that gets the budget and support you need to realize the full value of your advocates?

Bill has been working with and presenting to audiences of senior executives on building robust customer advocacy for years, especially since the publication of The Hidden Wealth of Customers (Harvard Business Press, 2012). He knows how they think about customer advocacy. You'll leave this workshop with powerful strategies and graphics /process visuals to help you make the most compelling case for getting the resources, respect and engagement you need.

Leveraging the Internet of Everything to Build Deeper Customer Engagement and Elevate Your Brand
Voice of Customer Marketing Manager-Corporate Brand and "The Internet of Everything" Lead at Cisco Systems

The "Internet of Everything" is a powerful concept that recognizes the increasing connectivity of people to each other, to communities, to data, and to things. It's unlocking tremendous value for businesses. Mahvish will show how she and her team at Cisco are leveraging the Internet of Everything to unlock substantial new value in their customer advocacy programs. She'll cover specific ways to make much better use of social media, forums, user groups, online communities, and other platforms where deeper connections are possible, and also share the metrics and successes Cisco has seen as a result.     

Summit sponsors include well-established, highly knowledgeable firms in the advocacy space, such as Big Sky Communications, Boulder Logic, CustomerAdvocacy.com, inEvidence, Metia, Point of Reference, Referential, RO|Innovation, Service Research Center and TechValidate.

For information, go to http://www.customerreferenceforum.com/event2014/index.php

About the Summit on Customer Engagement

Going into its ninth year, the Summit on Customer Engagement (and its precursor, the Customer Reference Forum) is the world's oldest and most respected conference on engaging customer references and customer advocates to dramatically grow your business. It draws major corporations from around the world.

Testimonials

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idzgJ7SjNvk

"Wonderful conference! I can honestly say it changed my life."
Beth Gallob, Senior Manager, Marketing Communication, Blackbaud

"A very worthwhile conference. I have always recommended it.
Ignacio Lalana, Reference Program Manager, EMC

"This was my first Summit and it delivered great value for the time I spent--and the 22 hours fluting time from the UK!"
Barbara Jenkins, Director, Global Customer Advocacy, QlikTech

"I can actually say the Summit on Customer Engagement made it possible for me to create a reference program."
Charlotte Lilley, Customer Programs Manager, Box

"There's really nothing I've seen like it in the country."
Lisa Arthur, CMO, Teradata Applications

About Bill Lee

Lee is the foremost authority in the world on customer advocacy and engagement. Forbes Online columnist Dorie Clark called his book, "The Hidden Wealth of Customers," "one of the most insightful business books I've read this year." When it comes to the dramatic changes in marketing and business growth strategies today, PRWeek has called Lee "one of the loudest, strongest and most respected authors."

He and his firms provide consulting, educational and research services to major corporations around the world.

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