--- title: 'Show Don’t Tell' Makes HubSpot’s INBOUND22 Conference Awesome description: The most memorable moments for me as I attended INBOUND22 was when presenters showed us an idea or concept rather than just talking about it. image: https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/Obama%20INBOUND_2022_OBAMA_BESAKOF-14_63787.jpg --- [Skip to main content](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/show-dont-tell-inbound22#maincontent) [ «  View All Posts ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog) # 'Show Don’t Tell' Makes HubSpot’s INBOUND22 Conference Awesome September 14th, 2022 4 min read By [David Meerman Scott](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott) ![HubSpot CMO, Kipp Bodnar and Katie Burke, HubSpot's people and communications leader,](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Obama%20INBOUND_2022_OBAMA_BESAKOF-14_63787.jpg?width=1024&height=683&name=Obama%20INBOUND_2022_OBAMA_BESAKOF-14_63787.jpg) Last week, the annual HubSpot [INBOUND](https://www.inbound.com) marketing, sales, content management, and customer service conference was finally back to an in-person format! I was struck while attending the terrific conference in Boston how the most memorable aspects were when the presenters showed their point rather than telling us a fact or idea. The concept of show, don’t tell is a writers’ reminder. It’s always best to have a character doing something to portray emotion rather than using narrative to simply say how the character is feeling. The most memorable moments for me as I attended [INBOUND22](https://www.inbound.com) was when presenters showed us an idea or concept rather than just talking about it. INBOUND was a hybrid event this year, as there was also virtual programming. I didn’t see any of the virtual talks, however it is also possible to show, don’t tell virtually. ## Show, Don't Tell ![DMS at INBOUND22](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/DMS%20at%20INBOUND22.jpeg?width=450&name=DMS%20at%20INBOUND22.jpeg)During my INBOUND22 talk “How to Write and Publish a Book that Transforms Business and Supercharges Your Personal Brand”, I used the concept of show, don’t tell right out of the gate. I started my talk by running down the middle aisle when the walk-on music started playing, then I leapt onto the stage and thew my arms into the air in greeting to the audience. I could have just moseyed on from side stage and said “I am excited to be here”. Instead I chose to show I was excited before I even opened my mouth. Here are a few other examples of the concept of show don’t tell in action at the in-person INBOUND22. Now that a week has passed since the event, these are the among the most memorable aspects for me. This is what I remember most clearly. Heck, I don’t remember a single fact or statistic delivered during the event. But I remember these moments. ### Barack Obama shares a story about Queen Elizabeth ![Obama INBOUND_2022_OBAMA_BESAKOF-14_63787](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Obama%20INBOUND_2022_OBAMA_BESAKOF-14_63787.jpg?width=450&name=Obama%20INBOUND_2022_OBAMA_BESAKOF-14_63787.jpg)In the most anticipated session of INBOUND22, HubSpot co-founder and executive chairman [Brian Halligan interviewed Former President Barack Obama](https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/09/09/metro/obama-talks-political-divides-democratic-norms-queen-boston-conference/). Brian is a dear friend and co-author of our book [*Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead.*](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/books/marketing-lessons-from-the-grateful-dead) I was thrilled to hear him ask President Obama about his Grateful Dead fandom. However, it was President Obama’s story about Queen Elizabeth that was a perfect example of the power of story. The Queen died the day before the INBOUND22 interview, so Brian wisely asked about her at the top of the interview. Here is the story President Obama told at INBOUND22 of a visit his mother-in-law and daughters made to England as captured by Jason Aten as [reported by *Inc*.](https://www.inc.com/jason-aten/barack-obama-just-told-a-touching-story-about-queen-of-england-an-ipod-a-golden-carriage-its-a-beautiful-lesson-in-leadership.html): *“The girls and my mother-in-law came through London probably my second year in office, and there was no expectation that they're going to be seeing her. Actually, Buckingham Palace reached out and she decided to invite them over for tea," *President Obama said. *"And so, I've got Malia who at that point is eleven, Sasha who is eight, and my mother-in-law who was a stay-at-home mom and a secretary for a bank--who lived on the south side of Chicago her whole life, sitting there with the Queen of England. And then she insists that the girls take her golden carriage, which I guess she uses for jubilees, on long a drive through the Palace grounds. None of this was ever reported. It was just something that she did quietly.”* Wow. That says a great deal about the Queen, and is much more memorable than telling us that she was kind and generous. ### A heated in-person debate ![Katie and Kipp](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Katie%20and%20Kipp.jpg?width=450&name=Katie%20and%20Kipp.jpg)In “Marketing Against the Grain: Does PR Still Matter?” [HubSpot](https://www.hubspot.com) CMO, Kipp Bodnar and Katie Burke, HubSpot's people and communications leader, did a live episode of Kipp’s podcast, [Marketing Against the Grain](https://listen.hubspot.com/public/83/Marketing-Against-The-Grain-fc89af93/68155ba2), part of the HubSpot Podcast Network. What I loved about the episode is that Kipp and Katie took opposite sides of a debate on the value of Public Relations to an overall marketing program. Rather than just citing facts or giving an opinion which is what most panel discussions do, they debated. And it got heated!  Katie and Kipp used real examples from HubSpot’s marketing and communications experiences to illustrate their points. Even though I was there live, I have already [listened to the show](https://listen.hubspot.com/public/83/Marketing-Against-The-Grain-fc89af93/68155ba2) again. It’s that good. ### NFTs in action ![Live Nation NFT](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Live%20Nation%20NFT.jpg?width=200&name=Live%20Nation%20NFT.jpg)In a discussion titled "What's Next: NFT Experiences for Consumer Brands - Who, Why and How", Cameron Bale of [NFT.Kred](https://www.nft.kred), a platform for the creation, marketing, and distribution of NFTs and several of his colleagues discussed how to use the technology for marketing. Yes, he and the other panelists discussed why this new technology is poised to disrupt consumer engagement. So far, it’s like most of the other panel discussions. As a live music fan, I was interested in the NFT.Kred partnership with Live Nation / Ticketmaster to create [NFT souvenir ticket stubs](https://www.livenationentertainment.com/2021/10/live-nation-unveils-live-stubs-digital-collectible-nft-ticket-stubs-minting-first-ever-set-for-the-swedish-house-mafia-paradise-again-tour/). The idea of a verified ticket sitting on the blockchain is a fascinating example of how NFTs can be a part of my own world. However, near the end of the discussion, I really perked up! Bale showed a QR code on the screen which led to a series of free NFTs created for INBOUND22 participants. The NFTs created ownership of NFT.kred branded merch (hat, backpack, etc.) that could be claimed at their booth. There was also an NFT good for a complimentary evaluation of how to implement NFTs at your company. A nice “show, don’t tell” for sure! ### Limited designer clothing drop ![NTWRK hoodie](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/NTWRK%20hoodie.jpg?width=200&name=NTWRK%20hoodie.jpg)In the "Keeping Focus in the Speed of Culture" discussion, Jason Brown, Consulting CMO at [NTWRK](https://thentwrk.com), a live video shopping app, discussed how the platform supports up-and-coming designers and artists to share their work. I loved that at the end of the discussion, a limited edition drop of HubSpot branded gear was made available. I quickly logged into the NTWRK livestream shopping platform, registered, and waited for the moment when the HubSpot orange “Grow Better” hoodie by Nicole Zizi Studio that I coveted was released. I snagged one in the first few seconds, and they quickly sold out. What a great way to show the power of the live shopping on the NTWRK platform! Brown showed us how the NTWRK platform works by offering cool, limited edition HubSpot branded gear that could only be purchased on the platform. In presentations, when we write, and in our marketing, we should always be looking for ways to show, don’t tell! Next year, INBOUND23 will again be a hybrid event with the in-person programming in Boston. The dates are September 5-8, 2023 and [advance tickets are available now](https://www.inbound.com). Photo of Brian Halligan and President Obama on stage at INBOUND22 by Benjamin Esakof / Courtesy HubSpot / [via *Inc*.](https://www.inc.com/jason-aten/barack-obama-just-told-a-touching-story-about-queen-of-england-an-ipod-a-golden-carriage-its-a-beautiful-lesson-in-leadership.html) Photo of me by [Orientación Cliente via Twitter @Marketineando](https://twitter.com/Marketineando/status/1568017037515005954) [ David Meerman Scott ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott) David Meerman Scott is a business growth strategist, advisor to clever entrepreneurs who are building emerging companies, and the international bestselling author of a dozen books published in 30 languages. David’s high-energy keynote presentations, masterclasses, and virtual events educate, energize, and inspire. Connect: [mailto:david@freshspot.com](mailto:david@freshspot.com) Topics: [ Public Speaking ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/public-speaking) [ Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/marketing-lessons-from-the-grateful-dead) [ Sales Strategies ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/sales-strategies) [ Marketing ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/marketing) [ Best Practices ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/best-practices) [ Business to Business ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/business-to-business) Don't forget to share this post: ## Related Articles [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/DMS%20speaking%20BM%20LAS.jpg?width=2048&height=1060&name=DMS%20speaking%20BM%20LAS.jpg) ### Book Me to Speak for Free! (Plus... Some Upcoming In-Person Events) April 29th, 2026|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/book-me-to-speak-for-free-plus-here-are-some-of-my-upcoming-events) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/your%20tedx%20talk.jpg?width=1536&height=828&name=your%20tedx%20talk.jpg) ### So, You Want to Do a TEDx Talk? March 9th, 2026|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/so-you-want-to-do-a-tedx-talk) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Peggy%20Sullivan%20TEDx.jpg?width=813&height=449&name=Peggy%20Sullivan%20TEDx.jpg) ### Breaking Free from Busyness: How Peggy Sullivan's TEDx Talk Inspires a Life Beyond the Hamster Wheel December 3rd, 2024|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/breaking-free-from-busyness-how-peggy-sullivans-tedx-talk-inspires-a-life-beyond-the-hamster-wheel) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Kamala%20Harris%20is%20a%20Bob%20Marley%20fan-1.jpg?width=1386&height=935&name=Kamala%20Harris%20is%20a%20Bob%20Marley%20fan-1.jpg) ### Kamala Harris Told Me She’s a Music Fan and Is Especially Fond of Bob Marley October 7th, 2024|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/kamala-harris-told-me-shes-a-music-fan-and-is-especially-fond-of-bob-marley) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Trump%20Biden%20shutterstock_2384408337.jpg?width=1500&height=1000&name=Trump%20Biden%20shutterstock_2384408337.jpg) ### US Presidential Debate: Hype, Spin, Memes, and Newsjacking June 24th, 2024|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/us-presidential-debate-hype-spin-memes-and-newsjacking) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Bill%20Walton%20MLGD.jpg?width=803&height=465&name=Bill%20Walton%20MLGD.jpg) ### Shine On, Dream On, Play On Bill Walton May 28th, 2024|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/shine-on-dream-on-play-on-bill-walton) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/with%20logo.jpg?width=2500&height=1875&name=with%20logo.jpg) ### An Incredible Ten Years with the Tony Robbins Business Mastery Community January 17th, 2024|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/an-incredible-ten-years-with-the-tony-robbins-business-mastery-community) [![Me presenting at Tony Robbins Business Mastery. Bottom: Me moderating a the “Future Proof Marketing” panel at RECon MENA in Dubai in October 2018, an event organized by the Middle East Council of Shopping Centres.](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/DMScott%20speaking%202-1.jpg?width=1500&height=990&name=DMScott%20speaking%202-1.jpg) ### Don’t Be Boring! Top 10 Ways to Effectively Moderate a Panel Discussion September 6th, 2022|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/dont-be-boring-top-10-ways-to-moderate-a-panel-discussion) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CEO%20of%20your%20health.jpg?width=2614&height=1805&name=CEO%20of%20your%20health.jpg) ### Fit for Business: Make Yourself the CEO of Your Own Health February 16th, 2022|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/fit-for-business-make-yourself-the-ceo-of-your-own-health) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/WEB_20200123_MILLA%20KUHTO_4875%20copy.jpg) ### Professional Speakers vs Corporate Speakers: Which Is Right For Your Event? September 28th, 2021|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/professional-speakers-vs-corporate-speakers-which-is-right-for-your-event) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/DMS%20new%20home%20studio.jpg) ### Home Video Studio Setup: Recommendations from a Professional Virtual Speaker July 27th, 2021|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/home-video-studio-setup) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/COVID%20shutterstock_1643947495.jpg) ### COVID “Immunity Bubble” for Small In-Person Event Goes Wrong February 16th, 2021|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/covid-immunity-bubble) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/virtual%20reality.jpg) ### The Future of Virtual and In-Person Events in 2021? 6 Key Predictions. January 19th, 2021|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/the-future-of-virtual-and-in-person-events-in-2021) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/social%20engagement%20shutterstock_1751653490.jpg) ### How To Drive Social Interaction At Your Virtual Event December 16th, 2020|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/how-to-drive-social-interaction-at-your-virtual-event) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/Inbound%202020%20hashtag.png) ### Building Audience Interaction at Virtual Events November 11th, 2020|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/building-audience-interaction-at-virtual-events) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/Microsoft%20events.jpg) ### Swimming into the Torpedo: How Microsoft Transitioned to Virtual Events October 28th, 2020|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/how-microsoft-transitioned-to-virtual-events) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/Business%20Mastery%20virtual%202.jpg) ### The High Energy Yet Intimate Experience of Tony Robbins Virtual Business Mastery October 13th, 2020|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/tony-robbins-virtual-business-mastery) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/Standout%20Virtual%20Events.jpg) ### Announcing My New Book Available Now: Standout Virtual Events September 28th, 2020|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/standout-virtual-events) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/Virtual%20Events%20and%20Customer%20Relationships.jpg) ### Virtual Events and Customer Relationships September 2nd, 2020|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/virtual-events-and-customer-relationships) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/Cramer%20episode%201%20thumbnail.jpg) ### Raising the Bar on Virtual Events August 5th, 2020|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/raising-the-bar-on-virtual-events) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/LM%20Simulator%20cue%20cards.jpg) ### Cue Cards in 2020: A Powerful Analog Presentation Tool Adapted from the Apollo Lunar Program July 29th, 2020|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/virtual-speaking-tool-apollo-cue-card) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/David%20Meerman%20Scott%20virtual%20speaking%20multi%20camera.jpg) ### Top 5 Problems with Hiring a Great Virtual Event Speaker July 20th, 2020|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/top-5-problems-hiring-virtual-event-speaker) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/virtual%20control%20room.jpg) ### 5 Key Benefits to Hosting Virtual Events July 8th, 2020|4 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/5-key-benefits-to-hosting-virtual-events) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "David Meerman Scott", "url" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott" }, "dateModified" : "2026-01-13T16:38:59.516Z", "datePublished" : "2022-09-14T15:24:10.000Z", "headline" : "'Show Don’t Tell' Makes HubSpot’s INBOUND22 Conference Awesome", "image" : [ "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/Obama%20INBOUND_2022_OBAMA_BESAKOF-14_63787.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/show-dont-tell-inbound22", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/_Assets/Logo/david-meerman-scott.png" }, "name" : "David Meerman Scott" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/#person", "@type" : "Person", "description" : "Marketing and sales visionary, international bestselling author of 12 books, keynote speaker in 47 countries, and advisor to emerging companies.", "email" : "mailto:David@DavidMeermanScott.com", "image" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/DMS-Homepage-Featured.jpg", "jobTitle" : [ "Keynote Speaker", "Author", "Business Growth Strategist", "Marketing Advisor" ], "knowsAbout" : [ "Content Marketing", "Fandom Marketing", "Newsjacking", "Real-Time Marketing", "Public Relations", "Sales Strategy", "Business Growth" ], "name" : "David Meerman Scott", "sameAs" : [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Meerman_Scott", "https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmeermanscott", "https://x.com/dmscott", "https://www.instagram.com/dmscott/" ], "url" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/#website", "@type" : "WebSite", "author" : { "@id" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/#person" }, "name" : "David Meerman Scott", "potentialAction" : { "@type" : "SearchAction", "query-input" : "required name=search_term_string", "target" : { "@type" : "EntryPoint", "urlTemplate" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/search?q={search_term_string}" } }, "url" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "David Meerman Scott", "url" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott" }, "dateCreated" : "2022-09-14T13:16:27", "datePublished" : "2022-09-14T11:24:10-0400", "description" : "The most memorable moments for me as I attended INBOUND22 was when presenters showed us an idea or concept rather than just talking about it.", "headline" : "'Show Don’t Tell' Makes HubSpot’s INBOUND22 Conference Awesome", "image" : [ "https://413105.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/413105/Obama%20INBOUND_2022_OBAMA_BESAKOF-14_63787.jpg" ], "inLanguage" : "en-us", "keywords" : [ "Public Speaking", "Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead", "Sales Strategies", "Marketing", "Best Practices", "Business to Business" ], "learningResourceType" : "article", "name" : "'Show Don’t Tell' Makes HubSpot’s INBOUND22 Conference Awesome", "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://413105.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/413105/_Assets/Logo/david-meerman-scott.png" }, "name" : "Freshspot Marketing LLC" }, "timeRequired" : "4 minutes", "url" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/show-dont-tell-inbound22" } ```