Last month three of Voltage’s directors attended #DigiFestLA by Innovation Enterprise near Universal Studios in Los Angeles. The two-day, five-track summit focused on digital marketing and strategy, digital design and content strategy. Industry gurus from Disney, General Mills, Microsoft, Facebook and more spilled their secrets to our eager ears.

We walked away with a few new friends and brains bursting with the hottest trends in digital innovation. Everyone knows you go to conferences for the snacks, swag and soundbites…so here they are: our top knowledge gems you can use to shine up your 2017 strategy convos.

• Use “C.A.S.E.” to gut-check your content calendar – is it Creative, Authentic, Strategic and Emotional?
• Make a bite-sized version of your brand. New fans will engage if you let them. For example, think of ways to engage the casual Broncos fan versus this guy:

• Good design is obvious. Great design is transparent.
• Speak from your brand not about your brand. People crave authenticity; find your truth and story, then embrace and follow it.
• Don’t sell, inspire. Think and dream BIG and make people feel something so POWERFUL they must act. Consider Dove’s Real Beauty campaign. They aren’t just selling soap, folks!

• Listen. (Listen. Listen.) Social media is one giant focus group. Listen, lurk, stalk, study.
• Content strategy should be called “Context” strategy. Think big picture – where is your user coming from? What are they doing? What mood could they be in?
• Design experiences, not products. Design for people, not users.
• #livewithpurpose – 85% of Americans would switch brands to one associated with a cause – 42% will even pay more! Chipotle does this by allowing stores to pair with local non-profits to host nearly 2,000 individual fundraisers a month. Voltage created an internal app for Chipotle to help manage their Do Good With Burritos  fundraising efforts.
• And finally, fall in love with the problem, not the solution.