The 2024 AR Summit in Kansas City brought together over 200 AR professionals from around the globe for three dynamic days of insightful discussions and impactful keynotes. Industry leaders from companies at Amazon Web Services, Highspot, NetApp and PROS, took the stage to share their expertise. A standout moment was the return of the popular Analyst Survey readout, along with a compelling keynote from renowned former Forrester analyst Julie Ask who explored the future of AR in the age of generative AI. This year’s summit offered fresh perspectives on the rapidly-evolving AR landscape, making it an unforgettable experience for all attendees.

Networking Opportunities: Building Connections That Last

The AR Summit started with a lively rooftop welcome reception at the Loews Hotel, setting the stage for authentic connections throughout the week. The atmosphere buzzed as attendees connected with their teams and networked with other AR professionals, discussing industry challenges and successes—all against the stunning Kansas City skyline. 

On the second day of the conference, the iconic AR Street Party returned to the heart of the Crossroads, just outside Spotlight’s office. With the street closed off, attendees enjoyed food and drinks from local Kansas City vendors. The evening was filled with live music from Lost Wax Band, creating a lively and entertaining atmosphere throughout the night.

For 2024, we introduced a new experience to the AR Summit: Analyst Firm Happy Hours. Attendees gained exclusive access to our analyst firm sponsors, including 451 Research at S&P Global, Nucleus Research, and Everest Group, offering a valuable opportunity for direct engagement and networking with firm representatives.

Interactive Breakout Sessions

AR Summit hosted breakout sessions tailored to the unique needs of AR professionals on topics such as metrics and reporting, category creation and advanced AR strategies for greater business impact. These interactive sessions fostered engaging discussions and provided actionable insights for immediate implementation. Here’s a sampling of the sessions AR Summit offered: 

• Turning AR Engagement into Measurable Business Value: A standout session at the AR Summit focused on turning AR metrics into a strategic asset. Attendees learned how to go beyond basic reporting, adopting insights-driven approaches to showcase AR’s real business value.
  • What attendees learned – How to align AR metrics with broader business goals, offering fresh ideas and a roadmap for elevating AR strategies. Curious to understand how you elevate AR — check out this blog. 
• Leveraging Your Customers’ Voices to Elevate AR: A key session focused on leveraging the customer voices to strengthen AR efforts. Analysts highly value direct customer feedback, and this session showed how user reviews and case studies can be powerful tools to drive market advantage for your company..
  • What attendees learned: Practical tips on sharing customer stories that resonate with analysts and create a competitive edge. Ready to learn more about how Spotlight sees the future of Peer Reviews? Check out this blog.  
• You’ve Got a Friend in Analysts: In this highly engaging session, John Rockhold shared the results of this year’s survey, offering valuable insights on how analyst relations professionals can enhance both efficiency and effectiveness. The session was a major hit! Keep an eye out for the analyst survey infographic so you can dive into the results yourself.
  • What attendees learned: Analysts are eager to build strong relationships with vendors, but they often encounter various obstacles that hinder these connections. Understanding and addressing these challenges can pave the way for more productive and collaborative engagements. 

To learn more about AR Summit’s keynote sessions, check out this one-pager.  

Shaping the Future of AR Together!

The AR Summit 2024 was truly unforgettable, thanks to all of you who brought your passion, insights, and energy to the event. As we look ahead, we’re excited to continue this journey together and elevate the world of Analyst Relations. Plans for the AR Summit 2025 are already in motion, and we promise we will continue to level up the experience for our attendees.