Today is the first day of Inbound 2012 and with 2,500 other marketers attending, I am stoked to learn some new tricks for our Garden Media bag. 

First, let me tell you a little bit about inbound marketing. 

"Inbound marketing is a set of marketing strategies and techniques focused on pulling relevant prospects and customers towards a business and its products." In effect, inbound marketing is the same as traditional public relations, but done on the internet.  It is the future of marketing as we know it. 

"Inbound marketers offer their audiences useful information and tools to attract people to their site, while also interacting and developing relationships with these potential customers." Inbound marketing tools include blogging, content publishing, search engine optimization and social media." Think you're doing enough? Think again!

"Inbound marketing contrasts with traditional outbound marketing, where businesses push their messages at consumers. with techniques that include direct mail, telemarketing and trade shows, outbound marketing has become less effective over time as buyers have behaviorally and technologically (e.g., dVR, spam filters, ‘do-not-call’ lists) tuned these interruptive campaigns out." Basically, advertising doesn't work anymore.  People want to find your business organically or through word of mouth. 

I am so excited to learn from some of the top players in the marketing game, from one of my marketing idols, David Meerman Scott to the CEO of Hubspot, Brian Halligan.

It's going to be an awesome conference topped off by a Cyndi Lauper concert!!!  I know! Go hubspot!  Stay tuned for updates and how this effects OUR lawn and garden industry.