If you thought that you already read the most striking quote (or vision, depending on how you look at it) in the title, you’re in for a surprise. One whole day of keynote speakers and practical workshops does produce a little more than one striking quote worth mentioning. Allow me to share the words, concepts and visions that inspired me with you.

Meaningful words

No empty words but a list of the words almost every keynote speaker uttered.

• Value
• Trust
• Personalisation
• Emotion
• Process
• Passion
• Change
• LinkedIn
• Expert
• Measurable

When incorporated in your email marketing strategy, these individual words can mean a lot.

Surprisingly interesting concepts

• Marketing & Sales Automation Automation is still a hot topic several speakers revisited. Marketing Automation is the perfect complement to your sales strategy, hence the concept Marketing & Sales Automation. It is the ideal way to ensure that (potential) customers remain loyal to your company and gives you the opportunity to “help” them through their customer journey. More often than not by using automated systems such as Flexmail. Flexmail allows you to send the right message to your (potential) customers at the right moment.
• “The Internet of Women” In simple words? Emotion, emotion, emotion.
• Social Selling Another concept that remains as popular as ever? Social Selling, the art of getting (potential) customers to come to you. How? By sharing your knowledge online via the channels your (potential) customers use and interacting with them. You, as expert and personal brand are central in this process. The assumption used to be that only LinkedIn was the right medium to do so. But that doesn’t hold quite true anymore. Aside from the popular social media channels, also email is a highly effective social selling channel. Excellent news for you as Flexmail user in other words!
• North Star Metric Astonishment wasn’t the word when I heard that concept. The North Star Metric measures the core value of the product you supply to your customers. In my opinion, the most surprising concept on Revenue Boulevard. Why? The revenue is no North Star Metric.

Different visions make for different quotes

Different speakers with different visions with one powerful concept in mind: sales and marketing combined is the new revenue machine. This didn’t only result in inspiring words but also in funny, yet invariably meaningful expressions.

• “If it doesn’t add value, it’s waste” – Henry Ford (quoted by Danny Devriendt)
• “It’s a salesting” – Carlo van Tichelen
• “Shoot for the heart” – Hans smellinckx
• “Do the basics right instead of going for shiny objects” – Hans Smellinckxv
• “Dear sales, you are a marketeer” – Sarah Vandewoude
• “Dear marketeer, you are a sales” – Sarah Vandewoude
• “80% of LinkedIn users are lurkers” – Jenny Björklof
• “WTF is just What The Fuck” – Renout Van Hove
• “Social selling is not just LinkedIn” – Mic Adam
• “Now you can surf the wave in the sea of rejections” – Michael Humblet
• “May the sales be with you!” – Michael Humblet
• “We are all heroes” – someone in the audience

As we, marketeers, have to make choices too, I couldn’t attend each keynote speaker’s contribution. More’s the pity but I’ll simply have to wait till next year to treat you to more inspiring words, concepts and visions.