Don't Miss These Chicago Area Marketing Events in February!

February might be the shortest month of the year, but it's still full of plenty of events that marketers in the Chicago area will want to check out. Each month, we present a roundup of conferences, classes, workshops, and opportunities for Chicagoland marketers to meet with their colleagues and build their knowledge. Here's what February 2017 has in store:

General Assembly's Career Camp

This event, which takes place from January 30-February 2, is a great opportunity for people who are looking to expand their skills in areas like web development, user experience design, and digital marketing. Marketers might be especially interested in the sessions about breaking into digital marketing, using Linked In, and typography. Tickets to most of the workshops during the Career Camp are $15, or you can get an all access pass for $45.

Innovation Summit 2017

This event, which takes place on Tuesday, February 28, will feature editors of The Economist and business leaders from around the world as they discuss how to drive innovation and product development across a variety of industries. A number of great panels and presentations will be taking place, covering topics such as the Internet of Things, voice search, virtual reality, customer centricity, machine learning, and much more. Tickets to this event are $1,595.

Classes and Workshops

• Wednesday, February 8, 10:30-11:45 AM: Ignite Your Business With Google - This free discussion with two members of the team at Google Marketing Solutions will look at how businesses can use Google's tools to succeed online.
• Wednesday, February 8, 8:00-10:00 AM: Marketing Trends You Can Actually Use - A panel discussion featuring experts who will discuss using automated content generation, social selling, and immersive media in your 2017 marketing strategy. Tickets are $50, or $20 for members of Illinois Tech Alliance.
• Wednesday, February 8, 6:00-8:00 PM: Social Media Insights Series: Twitter - This class will look at how businesses can use Twitter to connect with their customers. Tickets are $25, or free for members of 2112.
• Thursday, February 9, 12:00-1:00 PM: Speak Powerfully, Sell More, Grow Your Business! - This free class will look at how to use public speaking as a marketing tool.
• Tuesday, February 14, 8:30-10:00 AM: Big Opportunities to Spread Your Message in Small Media - This free class, presented by the Southside Women's Business Alliance, will look at how small businesses can connect with their customers using local media sources.
• Wednesday, February 15, 7:30-9:00 AM: How to Be a Storyteller Without All the Baggage - This class will look at how to use effective storytelling in your writing, a skill that marketers should cultivate. Tickets are $35, or $20 for members of the Publicity Club of Chicago.
• Saturday, February 18, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM: M3 Concepts Conference - This free event will feature a panel discussion on how organizations can use mobile technology and social media to connect with their customers.
• Wednesday, February 22, 1:00-2:30 PM: Using Facebook Ads to Grow Your E-Commerce Business - This workshop will look at how to plan Facebook ad campaigns and create effective ads. Tickets are $15, or free for members of 2112.
• Wednesday, February 22, 5:30-8:30 PM: Better Marketing By Design - This event, presented by the Chicago AMA, will feature speakers who will discuss marketing design strategies, as well as opportunities to network with other Chicago marketers. Tickets are $75, or $35 for AMA members.
• Tuesday, February 28, 6:00-8:00 PM: The Future of SEO: 5 Ways to Adapt Your Content for 2017 - This presentation by Orbit Media's Andy Crestodina will look at how to make sure you are planning your marketing strategy while keeping the future of search engine optimization (SEO) in mind. Tickets start at $35, and they are free for members of Digital Megaphone.

Inspiration and Networking

• Wednesday, February 1, 8:30-10:00 AM: 1 Million Cups - This event, hosted by General Assembly, is part of a free national program in which entrepreneurs can meet, connect, and gain inspiration from their peers. Two startups will be giving presentations and participating in a Q&A session, and the event will provide a great opportunity for attendees to network and learn from each other.
• Sunday, February 5, 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM: Marketing Analytics Professionals Chinese New Year Celebration - This event is a great way for marketers to meet up while they enjoy authentic Chinese food from Dee's Mandarin & Sushi Lounge. Tickets are $25.

We're excited about these events, and we hope you are too! If you're planning to attend any of them, or if you have an event of your own that you would like us to mention in an upcoming blog, please let us know in the comments below. Have a great February!