How to get the most out of INBOUND 2016.

It’s almost November 8, 2016.

Inbound marketers all over the world are getting excited for INBOUND, the annual inbound marketing conference in Boston. Especially since pre-registration for sessions opened, everybody is starting to lose their mind.

Why? INBOUND 2016 is huge.

If you start browsing the speakers for only 5 minutes, you’ll probably end up looking like this guy:

Where on earth do you start? What should you expect from INBOUND if it’s your first time? What are some practical do’s & don’ts?

Take a deep breath. Put away the coffee mug you were going to hit your computer with.

And read on…

Here’s my advice on how to get the most out of INBOUND 2016.

1. Plan your agenda in advance

There are a lot of interesting sessions you’ll want to see, so plan ahead. Check out all the available speakers and sessions and make a shortlist in advance. There may be 30 minutes between sessions, it can take up to 15 minutes to switch rooms. If you have to think about which session you’ll attend next, you’ll be too late and you won’t get in.

2. Have a plan B

Last year, there was a problem with the capacity of many sessions. The most popular sessions had a waiting line, similar to the one of a meet & greet with New England Patriots QB, Tom Brady. If you’re standing in the beginning of the waiting line, congrats. If you’re not, don’t wait for it, because you won’t have time for going to an alternative sessions. Always have a backup session ready. If the waiting line’s too long, go to your plan B.

3. Introduce yourself to everyone sitting next to you

You can learn a lot from the 14.000 inbound marketers who are attending INBOUND. All these people are sharing the same fundamental beliefs about marketing & sales. So don’t be shy and just talk to people. I’ve met very interesting people and was able to overcome various  challenges thanks to their insights and experience.

4. Meet with agency partners and HubSpot people

People working at HubSpot and the HubSpot Partners are revolutionizing our industry. And they are very open and passionate about it. Arrange some meetups, talk to them, pitch them your business idea or biggest challenge. You’ll be amazed by the answers you’ll get.

5.Always keep an open mind

Yes, you’re already doing a lot of stuff. Yes, you already know a lot of stuff.But leave this attitude at the entrance of the Convention Center. It will only block new perspectives and ideas.

6. Take notes

You will hear a gazillion interesting things every single day. Don’t think you can remember all of them. Take a notebook, a tablet or smartphone with you and write stuff down. It helps you to process everything you hear and you can look things up afterwards.

Not a big fan of taking notes? Follow the #INBOUND16 hashtag and favorite interesting tweets. There are a lot of people live tweeting quotes and key learnings from all the different sessions.

7. Take 30 minutes to digest

Every day, after all sessions ended, take 30 minutes to process the things you’ve heard. I use these 30 minutes to write a quick & dirty blogpost of all the things I learned that day. It helps me to connect the dots and get even more out of all the sessions.

8. Don’t go to your hotel

Socializing is a major part of INBOUND. Don’t go to your hotel immediately after the last session. Go to a bar, one of the many inbound parties or events and get to know new people. You won’t be sleeping much those 4 days, but you won’t stop learning either.

So which sessions should you attend?

Well, that’s entirely up to you. I’ve highlighted some speakers I’m looking forward to. Click on their names to see the description of their session(s). Maybe they can inspire you to start filling up that agenda as well!

• Gary Vaynerchuck, VaynerMedia

Does he need an introduction? He’s one of the most interesting and energetic public speakers and he absolutely gets marketing anno 2016. Gary will open INBOUND on November 8 at 6:15 PM.

• Oli Gardner, Unbounce

Oli Garnder is the co-founder of Unbounce and will talk about ‘The Conversion Equation.’ I have no clue what that is, but what if there is a mathematical equation that can calculate whether your marketing will work or fail? Oli reveals his secret formula on November 9, 11:45 AM.

• David Darmanin, Hotjar

Your website is the beating heart of your inbound marketing strategy. But only few companies have a website that actually convert. David shares 9 things you can immediately change for more ROI on November 10, 3:30 PM

• Peg Fitzpatrick, Kreussler Inc.

Visual content is key to trigger social sharing. Peg organizes a hands-on practical workshop to step up your game in no time. She’s winning the #INBOUND16 conversation, before INBOUND even started. I’m looking forward to see her energy live on stage on November 9, 4:15 PM.

• Stella Garber, Trello

If you don’t know Trello already, you might have an efficiency issue. It’s one of the best collaborative apps out there and they are growing fast. Stella will be sharing insights from Trello’s international marketing strategy. Not convinced yet? Trello grew organically to 12 million active users. They did this with a smart, local marketing approach rather than paying for the acquisition of international users. See you on November 10, 10:30 AM.

• Ann Handley, MarketingProfs  

Ann Handley is on a new mission: convincing you that slow is the new fast. She’s challenging our fast-paced, always-on business world in her typical entertaining and inspiring way. Ann was one of the best speakers of INBOUND 2015, so I’ll definitely attend here session on November 11, 11:45 AM.  

• Mike Lieberman, Square 2 Marketing

Mike Lieberman is one of those guys who absolutely gets inbound marketing. He is President of one of the most successful inbound marketing agencies, Square 2 Marketing. More importantly, Mike is always prepared to share his experience. You can learn a lot from him, so make sure you’ll see at least one of his 2 sessions on November 9, 11:45 AM or November 11, 1:00 PM.

• Bob Ruffolo, IMPACT Branding & Design

IMPACT Branding & Design is one of those inbound marketing agencies you have to love. Everything they do is spot-on. I must admit I’m often jealous when they launch something new. Bob will also speak twice, so you can see him on November 9, 1:00 PM or on November 10, 10:30.

• Patty McCord, Netflix

Want to learn from Netflix? Patty hosts a breakout session on November 11, 10:30 AM. She’ll be sharing her thoughts on new ways to work.

• Iliyana Stareva, HubSpot

Last but not least, make sure you check Iliyana. She addresses the fact that PR people really suck at measurement. With her Inbound PR framework PR professionals can combine the best of two worlds – public relations and inbound marketing. Her session is on  November 10, 3:30 PM.

Any other speakers you’re looking forward to? Just let me know in the comments or via DM. And make sure we bump into each other at INBOUND 2016. I’m looking forward to meet you.