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INBOUND 2024 Day 2: Key Takeaways for Small Businesses and Startups

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Unlocking Growth with LinkedIn and the Future of Email

Day 2 of INBOUND 2024 focused on key strategies for success in LinkedIn marketing, email marketing, and AI-powered sales. These insights are crucial for small business owners and startup founders looking to amplify their engagement and stay ahead of the competition. Here’s a breakdown of the most important takeaways.
 

Key Takeaways:

  • Creative content on LinkedIn leads to 4x more profit – Invest in content that resonates personally and professionally with your audience.
  • Email marketing is evolving – Focus on personalization, respect for subscribers’ time, and delivering value to foster long-term engagement.
  • AI is transforming sales – AI can dramatically improve forecasting, deal scoring, and customer insights through predictive technology.

1. Creative LinkedIn Strategies: How to Stand Out in the Noise

Amanda Green, Program Manager at LinkedIn, shared that most LinkedIn content falls short of being impactful—71% of surveyed content was considered low quality. With so much noise, businesses need to focus on delivering highly effective content that resonates with their audience. LinkedIn’s survey shows that content that achieves this is 4x more profitable.
 
LinkedIn research indicates it takes 13 touch points before a lead converts into an inbound opportunity, which means businesses need a cohesive and consistent approach across channels.
 

6 Creative Principles to Succeed on LinkedIn:

  • Context-Aware Content: Content should be timely, appropriate, and reflect current trends or pop culture. It should connect both personally and professionally with your audience, breaking beyond traditional business talk.
  • Unified Content Approach: Consistency is key. According to LinkedIn data, 84% of prospects believe brands with a unified design are more credible. Ensure that your brand’s voice and messaging are consistent across all channels.
  • Relatable/Emotional Content: People are more likely to engage with content that sparks an emotional response. Humorous posts, for example, see a 65% increase in engagement.
  • Be Distinctive: Ensure your brand’s visuals and voice stand out. From colors to logos to taglines, make your brand memorable. Data shows that showing your logo in the first 2 seconds of a video can increase CTR by 17%.
  • Scroll-Stopping Content: Invest in creative that grabs attention quickly. The best performing formats are vertical videos (16:9) and 1:1 formats. Incorporate ear-catching content like wordplay and puns to keep people engaged.
  • Value Exchange: Don’t just add to the noise. Share original opinions or controversial takes to differentiate your content. Using words like “leader” or “expert” can increase engagement.

2. Email Marketing Transformation: Personalization and Respect for Time

Tom Monaghan (Director of Product at HubSpot) and Ben Berkley (Managing Editor of The Hustle newsletter) highlighted the evolution of email marketing. With over 2.5 million subscribers, The Hustle grew by speaking directly to entrepreneurs, rather than following the standard journalistic approach.
 
The key to successful email marketing is recognizing that email is personal space, and subscribers need to feel valued. Sending irrelevant content or spamming can harm your relationship with your audience.
 

5 Best Practices for Email Marketing Success:

  • Survey Subscribers: Ask your readers what they want to hear from you. Email marketing should feel personal and relevant to the recipient.
  • Quality Over Quantity: Don’t chase numbers. Unsubscribes aren’t a bad thing—they help refine your audience and keep your list healthy.
  • Give More Than You Ask: Email marketing is about building relationships, not just making sales. Offer more value than you ask for in return.
  • Delight, Don’t Spam: Be mindful of your subscribers’ time. Only send content when it’s relevant and valuable to them.
  • Personalization Matters: Tailor your content to individual subscribers whenever possible. Personalization drives engagement and fosters long-term loyalty.

3. AI Sales Tools are Coming to HubSpot

AI-powered tools are transforming sales, making it easier to predict deal outcomes, understand customer behavior, and automate repetitive tasks. According to insights shared during Day 2, AI can analyze product usage, assign predictive deal scores, and forecast outcomes more accurately.
 

AI-Powered Sales Tips:

  • Predictive Deal Scores: AI can analyze interactions and provide predictive scores on which deals are most likely to close.
  • Chatbots for Sales: Chatbots driven by AI can manage customer interactions 24/7, allowing for real-time engagement and faster follow-ups.
  • Predictive Health Scores: AI can predict when a customer might churn or renew by analyzing their interactions and product usage.

Final Thoughts: Creative and AI-Driven Marketing Wins

Day 2 of INBOUND 2024 made it clear: creativity and personalization are essential in LinkedIn and email marketing, while AI is a game-changer for sales predictability. Small businesses and startups that embrace these strategies will have the tools they need to engage their audience and boost conversions.
 
At MKM, we’re proud to be a HubSpot affiliate, offering tools that help you implement these strategies seamlessly. Whether you need help with email marketing, AI sales tools, or creating an engaging LinkedIn strategy, HubSpot’s platform can streamline your efforts. 
 
As a HubSpot affiliate, we earn a commission when you sign up with our link.
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