Many believe that b2b marketing is entering a new golden age, with marketers being asked to take on bigger and bigger roles in their organizations. Marketing is more likely to have a “seat at the table,” seems to be better aligned than ever with sales and appears to be increasingly influential with IT, HR, R&D/innovation, finance, the C-suite and board directors. Hear the top line results of an exclusive BMA-Forrester Research study examining the reality and scope of this trend.

To set the stage for what lies ahead, Fred Wiersema will highlight key insights from a tone-setting exploration by ISBM’s B2B Leadership Board of the b2b agenda. This qualitative study weaves together the experiences and perspectives of more than 100 movers and shakers from both practice and research. Fred’s story lines, and the trends that drive them, will provide vivid testimony of the momentous transition under way in b2b marketing. Joining Fred to discuss associated challenges, opportunities and imperatives will be three leading-edge CMOs.

Innovation waves that began in the consumer retail world are now crashing onto b2b shores. AmazonSupply.com, Grainger.com hiring a consumer internet team, Alibaba.com, Google Shopping for Suppliers, and eBay's Business/Industrial category are all harbingers of what's to come. Is your b2b pricing strategy at risk and what can you do about it? What will happen to your existing channels, and should you de developing deeper relationships with your end customers? This fireside chat will address these and other pertinent questions.

Brand strategy…brand positioning…brand attributes…brand identity. In today’s boardrooms, these terms are more commonly overheard than understood. Yet an inside look at the Deloitte member firm network reveals that these ideas can be clarified and connected for maximum impact. See how Deloitte and its 195,000 professionals have combined b2b and p2p branding principles and used unexpected marketing and communications efforts to shape distinct experiences in a highly commoditized industry.

In this hour, you will hear five consecutive "firebrands" take 10-12 minutes each to raise the roof on a narrower but key b2b marketing issue or trend.

The world is swimming in more data and information than anyone can consume. Brands, agencies and publishers are battling for customer attention with increasingly less effective methods. Only customer-focused, social businesses that deliver entertaining content can succeed.

Your sales people are telling your company's story, capturing new leads and managing projects. Don't let them be one-man wolf packs. Learn how to make your sales teams more productive by using mobile to improve content delivery, enhance collaboration and deepen connections.

You know the power of branding from the inside out. But how do you persuade your HR counterparts to align and connect your company’s internal and external brands? Hear insights drawn from the experiences of such firms as McDonald’s, Kohl’s and Xerox.

Feelings are facts, particularly in the b2b marketing space. Hear about actionable discoveries from a study of 400,000 b2b customers designed to uncover the drivers of relationship and financial performance including best and worst practices in predictive customer metrics.

We've asked BMA's national "Gen C" board (young b2b marketers in their 20s and 30s at several board firms) to raise the roof a bit with provocative views on how they wish b2b marketing could and should be done as well as advice on how to reach and motivate younger b2b buyers.

Wednesday evening’s networking event will be aboard Chicago's largest lake- and river-faring cruise ship, the Odyssey (which docks at the lower level of the Sheraton Hotel, adjacent to the Chicago River). As in 2011, we'll have the entire "boat"—and all four decks, including the open-sky top deck—to ourselves. This year, we'll get a quicker start through the locks and onto Lake Michigan for an hour-longer cruise up and down the lakefront, always with Chicago's amazing dusk and nighttime skyline in view and enhanced by Navy Pier's weekly fireworks show.