Top 5 Things I Learned at the ICSC Southeastern Conference in Atlanta

Marcus Lambert, our student intern and associate, is taking over CPD’s blog to tell you about his experience at this year’s ICSC Southeastern Conference.

“Being a newcomer to the industry, this conference was my first introduction into the networking and marketing side of the commercial real estate industry. I was able to absorb the experience and all that it had to offer. Here are the Top 5 things I learned at this year’s conference.

1. In the world of commercial real estate, connections matter. As I browsed around the conference waiting for the next panel discussion to start, I couldn’t help but notice that almost 90 percent of the attendees were all engaged in some sort of conversation with one another. I had the pleasure of making a few connections myself, knowing that they could one day turn into future deals or collaboration efforts.
2. In the growing industry of e-commerce, there is still a high demand for actual brick and mortar locations for consumers. Retailers are figuring out that the two coincide with each other to bring in more business.
3. Shopping center owners and developers are turning to experiential marketing tactics to help draw more traffic to their centers and keep consumers in the shopping centers for longer periods of time. Experiential Marketing tactics are strategies used to directly engage the consumer and create a customized experience for the consumer while visiting the shopping center.
4. In almost all the sessions I attended, I noticed that there is a trend that the target demographic for developers and retailers is the “mother of a family”. Understanding that the mother is the most likely to visit these centers and is the main shopper for the household.
5. For this being my first conference, I learned that attending these conferences can be very beneficial to any Commercial Real Estate professional’s career. There is an unlimited amount of knowledge and networking opportunities that can be made attending ICSC events.

The conference this year was amazing and such eye-opening learning experience. I look forward to attending more of these events. What did you learn at this year’s ICSC Southeast Conference?”

Corporate Property Dispositions, a leading real estate advisory firm founded in 2003, works in partnership with companies to divest their surplus commercial properties. With over 200 years of combined real estate experience, our skilled professionals provide clients with the knowledge, key information and guidance needed to make informed decisions regarding their real estate portfolio. Our strategic counsel and results-driven approach convert our clients’ potential property value into delivered value.