At ProFromGo Internet Marketing, we love HubSpot. Did we mention we’re a Gold partner? Each year, HubSpot hosts an annual conference called INBOUND. Marketing nerds, I mean professionals, gather to learn about HubSpot’s new products, attend keynotes, and educational breakout sessions surrounding sales or digital marketing tactics, and, of course, network over a few (too many) beers. Personally, this was my third INBOUND, and again this year I leave feeling motivated to take what we’ve learned and implement it into our own strategies. This time was certainly no different. Here’s what I learned at INBOUND18:
Watch Out for the Flywheel
Sales and marketing professionals are always concerned about the funnel. For marketers, it’s ”How do I fill our funnel with qualified leads for our sales team to close?” For sales, it’s ”How do I turn those quality leads into happy, fulfilled, eager-to-refer customers?” However, HubSpot is declaring their funnel dead. The word “dead” too harsh for you? How about retired? Just to be clear: it’s retired for good. Unlike Brett Favre, Michael Jordan, or even Mario Lemieux, the funnel has retired and won’t make any attempts at a comeback.
Like all great players that retire, they need to be replaced. More importantly, they need to be replaced by a quality option that will help the team, not set it back. Ladies and gentlemen! Here comes the flywheel.
The biggest difference between the funnel and the flywheel? A funnel is linear, meaning it has an end. The flywheel? Like an old Beatles album, it just keeps spinnin’. It doesn’t end. Attract, convert, close, delight, repeat.
My biggest takeaway from the emergence of the flywheel is its focus on growth. Is it easier to retain a customer than to go out and find a new one? Yes, everyday – and twice on Sundays. Is it easier to help a current client grow into a larger client than to attract a new one? Of course it is. The flywheel both enables and encourages that model.
My Favorite Session?
I went to quite a few sessions that I found particularly valuable. My favorite session, though? That’s an easy one: Andrew Tarvin, CEO/Founder, of Humor That Works, who spoke about the science of selling with humor. I enjoy sales. I enjoy humor. It was truly a hit in my book. Throughout the breakout session, Tarvin provided great tactics to build prospect rapport through humor. One of the funniest parts of the session involved having everyone turn to the person to their right and try to sell them a cell phone. The catch? You had to assume the person to your right was from Shakespearean times! Naturally, the responses were hilarious. In fact, one guy sold it as a stick that allows you to text your wife rather than talk to her.
Boston Chops Makes a Mean Steak
Now that we’ve got the tactical stuff out of way, it would be criminal of me to not mention the incredible ribeye steak I had at a place called Boston Chops. It was a nice little steakhouse in the South End and, according to our incredibly smart (and fit) developer, Yusef (pictured above), it was indeed Keto friendly (if you’re into that sort of thing).
My dinner was not so keto friendly. I opted for a massive steak and a side of pork belly mac and cheese. We won’t talk about the three pieces of bread and mashed potatoes I also had. It was good! All of it. Easily, the best steak I have ever had.
As far as food goes, I’d also like to give an honorable mention to the entire North End of Boston for their incredible pasta, wonderful gelato and breathtaking cannoli.
Last, but certainly not least, both the flight to Boston and back to Pittsburgh were incredible. JetBlue, like HubSpot, never disappoints.
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