After attending ExactTarget’s annual emarketing conference, I was featured as a guest blogger on their blog. Read full post on ExactTarget Blog…

Kim’s Biggest Takeaways from Connections 2010

Digital Marketing. Email Marketing. Social Media. Conversations. Content. Blogging. Tweets. Research, research, research. Sir Richard Branson (whaaat?!?), Scott Dorsey, Joel Book, Jesse Engle, Ann Handley, Jeff Rohrs, Morgan Stewart, ExactTarget, CoTweet, BestBuy, Groupon, Coca-Cola, Citi, Hotels.com, McDonald’s, Threadless, Forrester Research, and the list most certainly goes on. Train! Wooo!

Where else could you possibly find this many people, tweets, and conversations all surrounding the future of online marketing? Flying into Indianapolis from Boston on Sunday night, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew there was a jam-packed schedule, plenty of learning, and “just a few” opportunities to have a good time as well. Whelp, I was –to be perfectly honest– blown away. It all started with ExactTarget Academy on Monday morning where I learned a bit about pitching my brand as a Partner Reseller before I scooted over to my CoTweet learning session. Oh boy, although the pressure was on, I passed my test (by the skin of my teeth!) and became one of the FIRST EVER certified graduates of ExactTarget Academy (I’m sure my mom will be proud!). Tuesday and Wednesday just seemed to blend into one giant connected orb of great networking and too much learning to fit in this little brain of mine. I couldn’t BELIEVE just how much #ET10 had to offer to its participants (and I’m not just talking about delicious mini-sliders and mashed potatoes in a martini glass!) and seriously, all of the thought-leadership, collaboration, and insightful research has made me a lifetime CONNECTIONS Brand-Fan. There’s no chance that I wouldn’t suggest Connections to a fellow marketer; it’s just too valuable and the ROI, though perhaps immeasurable, is certainly palpable. So, as I sit in the Marriott listening to the final thoughts of some of the smartest marketers in the U.S. (and perhaps the world?) and the biggest thought leaders in the industry without a doubt – I can’t help but clear my calendar for #ET11, (and #ET12, and #ET13…).