INBOUND Tips for Newbies

[Mike_Eastwood]

Hello,

While it's my second INBOUND (September 2023) I thought I'd share a few tips I learnt last INBOUND and ask other community members to share their tips for anyone visiting INBOUND for the first time, or second, or more.

Here's a few from me to start with:

1. When you first enter the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center you’ll see a big 3D INBOUND sign. This is an easy-to-find location if you need to arrange a meeting place.

2. Wifi and mobile networks can be overloaded so you may need to go for a walk to get a reliable connection.

3. If you’re planning on going to specific sessions, allow plenty of time to get to there. There are some long walks in the building between stages.

Have any other questions about INBOUND? I’m happy to help! Feel free to reach out by leaving me a comment on this post or by connecting on LinkedIn.

What tips would you add?
@karstenkoehler  @danmoyle @Jnix284 @Phil_Vallender 

Thank you

Mike

Here to learn more about HubSpot and share my HubSpot Knowledge. I'm the founder of Webalite a HubSpot Partner Agency based in Wellington, New Zealand and the founder of Portal-iQ the world's first automated HubSpot Portal Audit that helps you work smarter with HubSpot.

[Jnix284]

This is excellent @Mike_Eastwood - if only I saw it PRE-event and not the week after 🤪

I guess that's what happens when you get behind on emails.

This year was actually my first in-person INBOUND, so I wouldn't have had any sage advice, but now that I've been in person, I couldn't agree more with @danmoyle and @StephanieB about the magic between sessions.

For anyone planning on going next year, I would suggest packing a snack or light lunch unless you plan on taking a longer break to wait in line at the food trucks. I talked with so many people who missed lunch because they didn't plan enough time between sessions to account for the lines.

And +1 for comfy shoes - I wore my running shoes the whole time and went with a "business on top, zoom on the bottom" look, minus the pj pants of course.

[danmoyle]

@Jnix284 love the snack advice. I did that this year because so few hotels include breakfast (this year ours did, so that was a win!). I packed two kinds of protein bars from Aldi and that really helped! Great idea, friend! 

Also, it was fantastic meeting face to face! 

[Jnix284]

Thanks @danmoyle - and agree, so happy we could meet face to face, I'm lucky to have you as a friend! 🧡

[MichelleMassung]

As someone new to HubSpot and attending my first Inbound, I found my first day to be a bit overwhelming as I learned how the reserved sessions work and where the meeting rooms were located. I missed my very first reserved session as I was late due to the walk to get there and was not allowed entry as all seats were filled by the time I arrived at the room. I learned there that all reserved sessions have a line for those who had saved seats and a standby line for those who had not. I found that all of the sessions I did attend had some open seats and those in the standby line were able to get in. So don't think that you are out of luck if you could not or did not save a seat!

During the week I chose reserved sessions over attending the open sessions in the Hub Heroes stage and other stages. My most fruitful day was my last as I understood the lay of the land and chose to attend more open sessions at various stages over the reserved sessions. Those were where I found the most valuable information for my role and experience level.

[danmoyle]

Great insights from a first-time attendee, and so fresh on the heels of the event, @MichelleMassung. The best is that each year you can return, you can try different tactics to see various sessions/events. Glad you enjoyed! 

[danmoyle · Accepted solution]

Great tips @Mike_Eastwood. 

A lot of folks will have solid advice, so I'll share my biggest single piece of advice to newer folks: Lean into serendipity and chance. 

Here's what I mean. I remember setting up my schedule with ALL the sessions I just HAD to attend. It took weeks, a spreadsheet (or two), lots of brain power... and it was perfection. Even for someone who avoids spreadhseets like they're my crazy mother in law (she's not though - she's a lovely human), this was a work of art. 

But then at INBOUND, I found myself having magical conversations between sessions, in the vendor hall with folks from around the world I'd only seen on Twitter or in Community. I found myself asking questions or folks like Rand Fishkin, David Meerman Scott, Al Getler, and many others. I ended up answering questions of folks who'd seen me speak or who followed my little bit of content. 

It was amazing. We made connections (lunch with a guy from Maui and a guy from Costa Rica because we were all #SoloAtINBOUND - looking at you @KevinBarber ), we created collabs (running into @GeorgeBThomas before we ever worked together), we had fun (cupcakes with @Mallikarjunan from @StephanieB), and I personally made lifelong friends with fantastic humans too many to list.

It never would have happened if I kept my face in my phone and my mind on the schedule as if it were carved in stone. 

Let serendipity happen. Because the magic happens in the hallways at a place like INBOUND.

P.S. Here are a few resources I've shared over the years with more advice if anyone is interested: 

• Get the Most Out of INBOUND - Advice from an Old Timer
• 42 Expert Tips and Tricks to Help You Survive INBOUND
• Mastering HubSpot’s INBOUND Event: Your Ultimate Guide
• 10 Things to do in Boston Around Inbound

Happy INBOUND, friends! 

[alannarhodes]

Hey Dan, 

Nice to meet you. I like the format of Hubspot courses, am currently taking Inbound Sales, and am new to the study group. I work in content, writing, marketing, and project management. I am interested in tech and healthcare but am vested in the intersectionality of industries. Let's connect! -Alanna Rhodes

[StephanieB]

I completely agree with you, Dan! The magical moments at INBOUND are the ones you definitely have to lean into. Glad to know you, friend!

[Mike_Eastwood]

p.s. check out this post from @kvlschaefer with Curated Agendas for INBOUND 2023

[kvlschaefer]

Thank you for sharing these tips and the agendas, @Mike_Eastwood!
That's a great callout on the Wi-Fi and mobile networks. Comfy shoes are key for INBOUND! 

Hope you have a lovely time in Boston! 

Cheers,

Kristen