With the recent growth of inbound marketing, companies are seeking professionals with a higher degree of knowledge in inbound. With that being said, marketers must find ways to continue their professional development to stand out to potential employers. Plus, inbound is awesome! Who wouldn't want to keep perfecting their craft?
We interns here at NR Media Group are required to perfect our inbound skills set through multiple professional development requirements. I've outlined a few below that will help you and your fellow co-workers be well on your way to becoming an inbound marketing rockstar.
1. HubSpot Inbound Marketing Certification
This course covers the basic fundamentals of the inbound marketing methodology including SEO, Landing Pages, Blogging, Conversion, Lead Nurturing and Email. After you complete every class, you will be prompted to take the Inbound Marketing test. Once you pass the test, you will be provided with an inbound marketing certificate that you can print out (and brag about). It even gives you the option to link the certificate badge to your LinkedIn profile. You can view mine here.
Perfecting these facets of inbound will aid any marketer to create and execute a modern inbound marketing strategy.
2. HubSpot Certification
Now, you may be wondering what the difference is between the 'Inbound Marketing Certification' and the 'HubSpot Certification'. The HubSpot Certification is open to only HubSpot customers. This course is designed to test your working knowledge of the HubSpot platform.
During this certification, you'll not just learn how to use the software, you'll learn why you're using it and how it fits into the inbound methodology. Once you pass the practicum and the test, you will become fully HubSpot certified. Inbound marketing firms love to see this on a candidates resume. Sometimes, marketing automation software can be tricky. So why not continue to perfect your inbound game by becoming fully HubSpot certified.
3. HubSpot Partner Certification
Once you really become fluent in HubSpot, you and your company have the option to obtain your partner certification. This course is only open to HubSpot partners. In the HubSpot Partner Certification, you'll learn about and be tested on everything from Lead Generation, packaging, pricing, and really driving ROI for your clients (and trust me, clients LOVE to see results).
Wanting to know how you and your agency can become a certified HubSpot partner? Click here.
4. HubSpot Design Certification
Everyone knows how important images are for things such as social media, blogging, website design, etc. HubSpot offers a design certification that will teach you everything you need to know about design within their platform.
This certification is open to everyone. However, if you are not a HubSpot customer, they require you to create a free developer account through their website.
5. Contextual Marketing Certification
This is the last certification that HubSpot offers. It is available to customers only. In this course, you will learn how to create a personalized website based on the context of who your visitor is and what they're looking for. It will test your knowledge in creating good content.
HubSpot offers five different certifications all with the goal to allow you and your company to become proficient with the HubSpot platform. But what if you are interested in inbound but you don't have HubSpot or don't want it? Below I've outlined a few options that are great ways to become an inbound marketing rockstar for anyone, even if you aren't a HubSpot customer.
6. Youtility by Jay Baer
7. Inbound Marketing by Brian Halligan & Dharmesh Shah
This was the very first book I ever read about inbound. It's authors, Brian Hallligan and Dharmesh Shah are the co-founders of HubSpot and the Godfathers of inbound. In this book, Brian and Dharmesh will teach you everything you need to know about the Inbound Methodology: Attracting, Converting, Closing and Delighting customers online.
If you have an interest in bringing on HubSpot as your marketing automation system at your company, this book is perfect for you. It tailors its content towards learning to use the HubSpot platform.
8. Content Inc. Podcast w/ Joe Pulizzi
Joe Pulizzi is founder of Content Marketing Institute, the leading education and training organization for content marketing. Part of great inbound marketing is being able to deliver great content that is relevant to your audience.
On Content Inc., each episode runs only 10 minutes in length and provides great insight into the world of content marketing that you can use in your life or business. If you are interested in joining in on Content Inc. podcasts, check out their website.
9. Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable by Seth Godin
Seth Godin is one of the world's greatest marketers. The term "Permission Marketing" was created by Seth and was the baby steps, if you will, of inbound marketing. In his book, Purple Cow, he talks about how to make your business remarkable in the minds of consumers. Think about it, how remarkable is a purple cow?
Seth Godin is a great resource to use when sharpening your inbound skills set.
10. Columbus HubSpot User Group Webcasts
Here at NR Media Group, we produce a monthly webcast covering a variety of different topics in the world of inbound. This is a great opportunity to hear inbound from the pros. We often bring in other agencies in the Columbus area to present how inbound drives results for their clients. This month's webcast is on creating great content by our friends Tim and Erica from Conrad | Phillips | Vutech.
