"Marketing’s job is never done. It’s about perpetual motion. We must continue to innovate every day.” — Beth Comstock, Former CMO & Vice Chair, GE
In marketing, change is perpetual and relentless.
Technology and innovation may provide businesses with new tools and opportunities to reach customers and prospects, but they are also greasing the gears of change. In the past, you could measure marketing cycles by years, and then it was seasons. Today, a long lunch is all the time it takes for a new challenge or opportunity to scuttle your plans – that’s the world we live in.
That’s why HubSpot’s INBOUND is such a critical opportunity for GO2 Partners and the RGS team.
What happened at INBOUND 2023?
INBOUND is HubSpot's annual marketing and sales conference. This year, from September 5 to 8, more than 11,000 business professionals, industry movers, thought leaders, technology innovators and marketing professionals from all over the world gathered in Boston for the conference.
More than just product highlights, INBOUND focuses on the intersection of culture, business, marketing and technology. It’s designed to motivate sales, marketing and business success in the attendees and give you what you need to meet your professional goals. With keynote speeches, breakout sessions, networking opportunities and more, attendees have a ringside seat to the latest thought, instruction and analysis on how our world is changing, what it means for business and marketing, and how we and our customers can capitalize on it.
New Lessons and Key Learnings at INBOUND
This year, more than almost any other, the event was both timely and insightful. With the changes to the market post-COVID, the launch of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Jasper AI and Google Bard, and the recent intersection of technology, culture, business and marketing, there was a lot to cover.
An unofficial theme of HubSpot was the latest information on artificial intelligence, with many of the speakers and sessions discussing AI. In addition, speakers covered a range of other topics. Highlights from the event included:
- AI and Business: We’ve all heard of AI, but very recent advances have increased the scope of what is possible for it. In the past, AI and machine learning were capable of data analysis, but today, generative AI can generate copy, images and other content using the patterns and structure of sample data. As many of the speakers explained, it’s not replacing humans, but with the right strategy, it’s increasing efficiency and productivity. Generative AI is changing what is possible for business and is right now being rolled out for widespread use.
- HubSpot AI: HubSpot announced the launch of HubSpot AI, a new suite of AI-powered tools designed to help businesses grow. HubSpot AI includes features like predictive lead tracking, personalized email marketing and chatbot automation.
- An Updated Sales Hub: HubSpot also announced the launch of the new Sales Hub, a redesigned and updated sales enablement platform. The new Sales Hub includes features like a more intuitive interface, improved deal management tools, a dashboard for tracking prospects, and new integrations with other popular business tools.
- The Million Dollar Pitch Competition: HubSpot also hosted its annual Million Dollar Pitch Competition, where startups competed for a chance to win $1 million in funding from HubSpot and its partners. The winners of the 2023 competition were Tavus, a video personalization platform, and doola, which is a service company that helps other startups with the steps to launch their company.
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- Personalization and Speaking to the Customer: Today, there is no excuse not to truly understand your customer and provide a better customer experience. Now more than ever, companies need to listen to and learn from their customers and craft a tailored experience for them. If companies aren’t willing to do that, then their competition will.
- Diversity and Leadership: Highlight speakers included Derek Jeter, formerly of the New York Yankees, and actress Reese Witherspoon, who spoke about leadership and the need to support diversity even when it may seem difficult. At INBOUND, speakers discussed how to open up, accept and embrace diversity to be a better leader, overcome challenges and find greater success.
A Wealth of Information at INBOUND
In addition to these key announcements, INBOUND 2023 also featured a wide range of sessions on topics such as inbound marketing, copywriting, email marketing, sales, customer service, advertising, social media, new businesses and start-ups, account-based marketing, and more.
Attendees also had the opportunity to network with other business leaders and learn from HubSpot experts. There were meet-ups during the event where attendees could go and network with other professionals, or even connect with the presenters and experts. Events after INBOUND closed, including happy hours and additional networking events, gave attendees even more opportunities.
Looking Ahead: Key Takeaways from INBOUND 2023
While the GO2 team is still processing all the insight, information, new contacts and lessons from INBOUND 2023, we’re already looking ahead at using key takeaways from the conference, including:
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- Meeting with new potential clients and prospects.
- Connecting with new partner companies and business resources.
- Incorporating the new tools and features in HubSpot for our clients and GO2. This includes the new features in Sales Hub and researching how to best use HubSpot AI.
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- Investigating how to use AI safely and efficiently at GO2, and if and how to incorporate it into our processes.
- Rolling out new business opportunities and services for customers, including new ideas, offerings and service prices.
- Increasing business results for GO2 and our clients using the latest sales and marketing technologies and best practices.
- And so much more.
It’s been an exciting year for marketing and at GO2, but after HubSpot’s INBOUND, next year looks even better.
