How can I make my customer conference an industry event?

User events can drive industry thinking - if the right people are involved and there's enough buzz, says Amy Bermar of Corporate Ink. "The right event puts your company at the center of industry change," she notes, "and attendees feel like they're part of something big."

Media isn't always part of company-sponsored user events, but can be leveraged to make news either before or after the conference. To transform user conferences ...