Greetings from HubSpot's Inbound event in the vibrant city of Boston! As a first-time attendee, I couldn't wait to share my insights and highlights from this remarkable experience.
Partner Day
The journey started as any good AK Ops trip would–with a mad dash through Lambert Airport, followed by a boarding process that consisted of walking right onto the plane. Just after we settled into our seats on the plane, Amy, my enthusiastic travel companion, had an epic revelation. Teddy Swims was set to perform onstage at Partner Day, and she went into full-fan mode. I admit, I hadn't heard of Teddy Swims before, but his music instantly won me over. It was clear this trip was going to be unforgettable.
We managed to get some work done during the flight, ensuring we could hit the ground running at the conference center for Partner Day. Andy Pitre offered us a sneak peek into HubSpot's upcoming product launches and development releases, with a heavy emphasis on the ever-exciting realm of AI. We also had the privilege of hearing from Yamini Rangan, the CEO, who shared how HubSpot's partnership ecosystem, including trailblazing companies like AK Operations, has propelled them forward. The future of technology and ecosystems, driven by AI, is poised to be remarkable.
Speaking of AI, one of the most intriguing features on the horizon is the campaign assistant. HubSpot will soon enable users to generate entire marketing campaigns, from landing pages to emails and social posts, with just a few prompts. I'm eagerly looking forward to trying this out with my teams at Lux Research and BuildingLink–two companies that always view their marketing efforts as a cohesive effort with a multi-channel publishing approach.
But wait, there's more! HubSpot's upcoming features include enhanced reporting for deal funnels, intuitive forecasting models, smarter automation with new workflow actions, native SMS capabilities for outbound touchpoints, a website assistant for full website generation, and a revamped Sales Hub with an improved UI for streamlined prospecting and task management. Amy geeked out over this as our Founders and Sales Leaders continuously evolve how they use our deal views for their team’s 1:1s and pipeline reviews. More to come on this from her!
After a productive Partner Day, we transitioned to the evening festivities on the Lawn. Food trucks galore offered delectable samples of their culinary creations, an open bar beckoned, and the pièce de résistance was the Teddy Swims concert. Amy was front and center, her unwavering support evident in every cheer and video recording. Teddy even played a special-request encore of "2 Moods," much to Amy's delight. We even had the pleasure of meeting Jesse Hampton, Teddy Swims' guitarist, who graciously offered us tickets to their show in Indy later this year.
Partner Day was an absolute blast, packed with experiences in a short span. Our hotel room, perched on the 15th floor, bestowed breathtaking views of Boston's skyline and a glimpse of the harbor. After a brief night's rest, we were ready for Day 2.
Day 1: The True Inbound Experience
What could be better than complimentary breakfast, free-flowing coffee, and the grandest main event stages ever witnessed at a conference? HubSpot had outdone itself this year. After hours of exploring sessions and engaging with fellow partners and HubSpot enthusiasts, here are some of my key takeaways and highlights:
While the main stage speeches were intellectually stimulating, the true gems of Inbound were found in the breakout sessions. For future Inbound attendees, I wholeheartedly recommend reviewing the agenda ahead of time and securing your spot in these high-demand talks.
John Barrows' ‘Sales Ready Messaging’ workshop was a standout. John, a naturally charismatic sales leader, shared invaluable insights on audience segmentation by persona and industry, crafting sales emails that are both relevant and timely, and avoiding the dreaded email deletion before it's even opened. He hit on call scripts for power hours, and tips for a messaging matrix we cannot wait to deploy.
Kevin England from Fonzan shared how HubSpot has been built for ABM all along. He showcased the different examples of 1:Many, 1:Few and 1:1 techniques we all use–calling AMB and HubSpot a “Power Couple.” By leveraging data and analytics, HubSpot’s ABM tools allow marketers to identify high value accounts, create targeted campaigns, and measure the impact of their efforts. From data segmentation to campaign customization, his presentation tactically dove into the dos and don’ts of execution we all needed. We felt massive validation when he spoke about the essential piece of ABM being alignment: alignment between sales and marketing, as well as with your ideal customer profile and targeted content.
Jay Schwedelson from Subjectline.com was our third favorite because he shared performance stats on campaign strategies we run every day. He covered everything in outbound email including sender name format, calls to action by campaign type, pre- and post-event tips, account-based bounce lists, and the powerful performance from real/rough/authentic content-like videos. He also caught a bunch of laughs when he shared his unique POV on unsubscribes.
We also had the pleasure of reconnecting with Anne Gotay, Chantel Pszenny, Brianna George, and Michael Fowler, all former or current clients and wonderful individuals. Day 1 culminated in a delightful happy hour with our VC Partner, Squadra, followed by a dinner with long-time client Fuse.Cloud. After savoring crafty cocktails and a picturesque stroll through Seaport, we retired for a well-deserved rest, gearing up for Day 2.
Day 2: A Swift Farewell
All the sales-related tracks were scheduled for the first day, so we had an early departure from Boston. However, we made sure to catch Derek Jeter's presentation first thing in the morning on Day 2. Armed with coffee, we secured seats as close to the main stage as possible. And, in a stroke of luck (or perhaps Amy's knack for serendipity), we found ourselves sitting next to Kristin Westberg, the CEO of the House of Revenue, whom Amy had been eager to meet.
Derek Jeter shared valuable lessons from his lifelong baseball career, leadership in business, and experiences as a father of four. His emphasis on passion as a key trait in employees, the importance of patience, and promoting diversity and inclusion through hiring based on qualifications and culture fit left us inspired and enlightened. He also spoke about the importance of parents nurturing their children's dreams, the essential mindset of consistently showing up every day, and his unwavering commitment to being a genuine competitor. It was truly a cool experience to have the opportunity to listen to him speak in person.
In Closing
What an incredible journey it has been! I've gained a wealth of knowledge, connected with amazing individuals, and gathered a trove of innovative strategies to test in our client environments. To those planning to attend Inbound in the future, remember to register for breakout sessions early, wear comfortable shoes, come prepared to take notes and snap pictures of key slides, and take a moment to bask in the beauty of Boston.
HubSpot's Inbound event has truly been a delightful blend of professional enrichment and unforgettable experiences, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for this remarkable gathering of minds. Until next time, Boston, it's been a pleasure!