It’s September, so by now, it’s understood that all my favorite in-person events are not happening this year, including my annual pilgrimage to Boston for the INBOUND conference put on by HubSpot. From conferences and staff meetings to client workshops and public speaking opportunities — I’m at the acceptance stage and starting to allow myself to be cautiously optimistic about all the exciting ways we’ll connect in person in 2021.
However, for now, I like to live in the moment and look at the bright side of things. And the fact that INBOUND 2020 is going to be delivered virtually (September 22nd and 23rd) means that it’s much more affordable for folks to attend, and we have access to ALL OF THE SESSIONS since they’re all being recorded and provided to powerhouse ticket holders.
This is pretty exciting because I find the hardest part of INBOUND, and most conferences, to be choosing your agenda. Sometimes it’s that two of your favorites are competing for the same time or you race to the next session and it’s full… bummer!
But not this year. We all have access online with a variety of live and pre-recorded options! Plus, we have a whole year to devour a vast amount of content ranging in topics from how to slash your sales cycle time in half to how to bridge the gap between blog traffic and lead generation.
I want to share a little bit about why the LeadG2 team is excited about INBOUND 2020 and how we plan to get the most out of it this year in this new format.
For the last 8 years, our entire team has visited Boston for the annual INBOUND conference. It’s a week filled with learning, networking, socializing, and oftentimes sharing our expertise as well (both me and Matt Sunshine, our managing partner, are regular speakers at both INBOUND and the Partner Day). While this year will look a bit different, our team is still all-in on the experience. Here’s what others have to say about why they’re so excited to attend INBOUND 2020:
“I have been dying to attend INBOUND for years now. I am excited that I finally get to! I have heard so many amazing stories about INBOUND and I can’t wait to live it myself. It is also very cool to experience the first ever virtual INBOUND. Although, I wish we could all be together, it will be a very neat experience to do it virtually. And how cool is it that we have the technology to make a conference virtual? Super cool!”
—Emily Hartzell, Inbound Marketing & Sales Consultant
“Aside from this being the first virtual INBOUND, it’s inspiring to hear the strategies and tactics that other thought leaders (and their teams) used to become successful.”
—Amanda Meade, Marketing Content Coordinator
“INBOUND has been an event I’ve had on my list to attend to for years. The energy of great marketers getting together to push the envelope and connect with each other is what really draws me to this event.”
— Isha Bell, Inbound Marketing & Sales Consultant
“I’m new, but have spent the last few months learning foundations, so this conference is coming at the perfect time to dig deep!”
— Dalena Pajares, Account Executive
“ Learn new tactics to use with clients and feel re-energized with new ideas.”
— Maryanne McWhirter, Inbound Marketing & Sales Consultant
“This is my first INBOUND, and I want to experience as much as I can possibly squeeze into my agenda!”
— Audrey Johnson, Content Strategist
Optimizing LinkedIn Pages for Your Business with Michaela Alexis
Dynamic Duo: How to Bridge the Gap Between Blog Traffic & Lead Generation
Leading a Legacy & the Lessons Learned with Bob Iger
INBOUND Debates: INBOUND vs OUTBOUND with George Thomas, Doug Davidoff, & Remington Begg
How to Build a Kick-Ass Lead Nurturing System in HubSpot
Optimizing for Conversions with HubSpot Reporting Tools
Your Social Selling Initiative is Failing: Here’s Why and How to Fix It
The Definitive Guide to Content that sells with Marcus Sheridan
Creating a World-class Business YouTube Channel (and actually generating leads)
HubSpot Academy Courses
10 Scientific Secrets That Make Your Content Impossible to Ignore
We all know taking what was a live event and making it virtual can have its challenges, so we compiled our team’s best thinking on what their “plan of attack” is for the conference this week:
“I have some 12-hour days planned because I want to pack in as much as possible, and I know I'll get the most out of INBOUND if I interact and engage while the energy is high during the live event.”
— Kim Peek, Inbound Marketing & Sales Consultant
“Time blocking walks and breaks, have Cheez-It's and sparkling waters ready to go, and have OneNote sections set up for note taking to stay organized.”
— Dalena
“ I pretty much filled up my calendar for these two days (as if I were going to be there in-person). I also created an INBOUND folder in my OneNote so that I can capture all my aha’s in an organized fashion and have something to quickly reference when the conference is done.”
— Isha
“I’m using Inbound’s scheduling function to map out all the presentations I want to see. This weekend, I definitely stocked up on snacks to keep me energized and listening.”
— Ross
“I’ve been trying REALLY hard to do as much work as I can leading up to this week, so that I can dedicate my day to as many sessions as possible. I want to watch them the day of, and not have to come back to them. I also cleaned off my desk and have my old-fashioned way of taking notes (notebook and pen) ready to go!”
— Amanda
I plan to plug my laptop into my TV in the living room and watch the sessions from the couch all day! I am excited to step away from my desk for the day and make this really feel like a conference. I am excited to dive into this in a way that feels “special.”
— Emily
Our team is all about making the most with what we’ve got, and as a company that has been remote from the start — we’re all used to virtual work. However, we’re looking at the bright side of how a virtual conference has some pluses too. Here’s what we think…
“You can learn at your own pace in the comfort of your home (bed, office, etc.).”
— Isha
“Pro is attending more sessions and being able to watch recordings. “
— Maryanne
“I am excited that my dogs get to sit and watch the whole conference with me – duh. Of course, it is a bummer to not get to interact with my co-workers and see everyone in person. I like that we are doing some team meetups, team chats, and team events during the days to make it feel like we are all doing it together.”
— Emily
“This has been a unique year, but every virtual conference I've attended has been interactive and so worthwhile. I'm looking forward to being at Inbound in person with our LeadG2 team in the future, but I think the virtual event will be its own kind of fun with the ability to interact and chat on Teams with our LeadG2 team during the live event. Without having to rush through crowded hallways to make it to our next sessions, we'll have time to process and create action items on the spot while information is still fresh in our minds."
— Kim
“I feel like I can attend more than I did last year. I’m not stressed about running from one building to the next. And, as someone with anxiety, I focus better when I’m the only one in the room.”
— Amanda
“No need to deal with airport security. Plus, I can eat and drink without worrying that I’ll ruin someone else’s carpet or floor.”
— Ross
“The interactive sessions that allow us to cook a great meal with a chef and create a cocktail with a mixologist are nice touches that we could only do from home.”
— Audrey
As you can see, we’re ready to take this virtual conference head-on. Our favorite part is coming together after and sharing what we’ve learned and how we’re going to use this new information to better serve our clients. Stay tuned for more content post-INBOUND as we digest new trends, research, and best practices and share them with you here on our blog.
If you’re going to INBOUND 2020 — be sure to connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!