And we're off. INBOUND 18 got underway for Digital 22 with the second-ever Partner Day. Prior to...
These days, there are so many brilliant ways to learn and work on your skills. You can read or write blogs, you can sign-up to webinars, listen to podcasts on the way to work or create a playlist of how-to videos on YouTube. Although, there’s still nothing quite like face-to-face learning in the form of conferences.
Events and conferences are amazing opportunities to take your game to the next level. To find out why you can’t afford to miss the next one and to help build your career, here are seven unsung benefits of attending conferences.
- You’ll meet experts and industry leaders face to face
- You have plenty of networking opportunities
- You get access to new tools
- You’ll benefit from new tips and tactics
- You’ll enjoy getting out of the office
- You’ll be getting out of your comfort zone
- You’ll actually have fun!
1. You’ll meet experts and industry leaders face to face
In any industry, there are always influencers and experts that marketers take great inspiration from. Think about it, would you rather read what Tim Cook or Bill Gates had to say weeks later on a random blog post or would you rather be there in the flesh to hear it all for yourself?
While it’s one thing just reading their blog posts or liking their latest tweet, conferences actually give you the chance to meet them face to face.
You’ll share the same space. Whether it’s getting feedback on a campaign, talking about the latest industry developments or even asking for a quick selfie, making a connection like this is only possible when you’re standing opposite them.
At Digital 22’s LOVE INBOUND event, for example, we had Christian Kinnear, Aidan O’Leary and Robbie McFarlane talking about the latest developments in the world of HubSpot. That’s vital information that - for a while - only those in attendance could hear until videos and blogs were published.
That’s not to mention influencers and experts from the likes of Vidyard and AdRoll too. Attend the conferences, seek out these industry leaders and start a conversation.
2. You’ll have plenty of networking opportunities
It’s not just the experts and influencers you can network with. There might be hundreds of marketing professionals like you from all over the world attending the same event and wanting to learn the same things.
Social media can only keep you connected to your peers to a certain extent. However, think of how many opportunities there are to network. You and the other attendees can mix and mingle, form new relationships or even strengthen existing ones.
Think of it as the perfect way to gain plenty of new learnings from each other, swap techniques or even just catch up over lunch and drinks. You never know when you might find the perfect connection that can help your marketing team and the wider business.
3. You’ll get access to new tools
It would be a missed opportunity to just watch a recap of an event and see the amazing new tools and products that other marketing professionals were able to experience. It’s not quite the same as seeing it second-hand as it is when you’re up close and personal before the competition even catches a glimpse of what’s on the horizon.
HubSpot does this really well at its annual INBOUND conference in Boston. In 2018 alone, we saw the death of the funnel and the introduction of the Flywheel plus so many more new hubs and products being announced.
It’s a great learning experience compared to just reading about it online. You can see how new releases will look, get a hands-on demonstration or even ask questions to experts and find out before anyone else how your company and customers can benefit.
We emphasise attending conferences ourselves. Every year at Digital 22, we send out a team to HubSpot’s INBOUND event because of the amount of learning (and fun) there’s to be had in Boston.
4. You’ll benefit from new tips and tactics
We get it. With Google, we have the answers at our fingertips and within seconds, you’ll find plenty of new tips and tactics you can utilise. Although, these tips and tactics have come from somewhere and you’ll be fed information that could be outdated pretty quickly.
With events and conferences, you get to soak in plenty of knowledge from everyone in attendance. New ideas are both curated and communicated which will improve your skill set and approach.
Plus, as these tips, tricks and tactics are revealed at the conferences, you know that the information is relevant and not outdated. If you’re looking to gain some new tactics that you can use within your own marketing team, then attending conferences can help cut through the clutter and give you the information you actually need.
5. You’ll enjoy getting out of the office
As innovative as your office space might be, sitting in the same chair inside the same four walls can stop you from thinking of fresh and relevant new ideas. Think about why so many businesses decide to go off-site for meetings - it’s because it’s a chance to get a fresh experience to spark new ideas.
As much as you might learn from being in the office, breaking out from it can spark new enthusiasm and get you that fresh perspective you might need. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut, so don’t waste your chance at learning in a new space or environment.
6. You’ll be getting out of your comfort zone
It’s simple - live events help you get out of your comfort zone. Although this is more of a personal development benefit, the skills you gain can also help you, your marketing team and the wider business in the long run.
It’s easy to do all of your learning inside of the office and networking through LinkedIn. But even if you’re not a born networker, the smallest of steps can still help you either get better in your role or enjoy the benefits we’ve mentioned above.
If you’re super nervous about attending an event and don’t feel like you can break out of your comfort zone that easily, then bring a colleague so you won’t feel completely on your own. The more conferences you attend, the more of a natural you’ll become.
7. You’ll actually have fun!
Despite what you might think, events and conferences aren’t all doom and gloom. You won’t be sat on the same seat for hours waiting for lunch to be served and it won’t feel like you’re back in university sitting through lectures.
Conferences feature concise talks that are both fun and engaging. You’ll do and learn so much that you never thought you previously would. The talks, the networking opportunities and even a VIP after party (if you’re lucky) can all contribute towards having an enjoyable experience.
Trust us, when you attend a fun conference that’s full of super useful knowledge, you’ll be the first to volunteer for the next one.
We recently held Our first inbound marketing event...fancy joining us next year?
When it comes to learning more about all things inbound marketing, it makes complete sense to attend an event held by an agency that’s both a HubSpot Diamond Tier Partner and the official 2018 EMEA Partner of the Year.
LOVE INBOUND is a free event to attend for all of those that are passionate about inbound marketing and want to hear from industry experts. The aim of the event - like the Manchester HUG which we also host - is to provide a wealth of knowledge and insights to help people like you do better inbound marketing.
That’s why we spared no expense and brought in genuine experts from the likes of AdRoll, Vidyard, HubSpot and more to provide attendees with genuine value.
If you’re still unsure about the benefits you can get from attending conferences like LOVE INBOUND, then here are just some of the things that attendees had to say.
“Right length, great format, accessible and engaging content.” - Sybina McLoughlin, Profit&.
“Informative and a must for next year. Took away multiple things to put in practice for the year.” - John Pickering, Accident Exchange.
“I had a brilliant time at LOVE INBOUND yesterday. I feel inspired and excited. I’ve picked up some really useful tips, especially on video marketing.” - Anna Liversidge, B&B Press.
If you want to enjoy the same benefits and gain access to unbeatable insights on all things inbound marketing, why not join us for the event in 2020?
Book your place for LOVE INBOUND 2020
Based on the genuine and amazing feedback from this year’s conference, plans have already started for LOVE INBOUND 2020.
Currently, we’ve pencilled in 26th February 2020 as the official date and it’ll take place in the same venue, Holmes Mill in Clitheroe. While we fine-tune the details behind the scenes, go ahead and register your interest below to make sure you’ve secured your seat.
