Two days. 60+ talks. Countless nuggets of wisdom.

Digital Summit’s annual Denver conference is Colorado’s mecca for marketing wisdom. Industry top dogs and visionaries from companies like The Economist, Facebook, Amazon, and Uber deliver talks covering everything from email marketing to web design and deep content.

We sent three members of our team to soak up every bit of knowledge they could and tasked them with distilling all that brilliance into bite-sized pieces. Dig into the nuggets below.

1. Gone are the days of marketing for the masses

• Identify your core audience, find what makes them tick, and work from there.

2. “People like us do things like this” – Seth Godin

• When defining your target, repeat these words. Looking for a brand that does this well? Just look at Harley Davidson.

3. Don’t fear the unsubscribe

• It’s not about the numbers. If someone unsubscribes from your content, your content wasn’t meant for them.

4. Say it with us: EMPATHY

• People want to be understood. Andrea Syverson (Pres. IER Partners) puts it perfectly: “Brands that know pain will know gain.”

5. Find your purpose

• Customers engage and stick with brands that stand for something. Think Chipotle.

6. People > data

• Want to learn more about your customers? Stop digging through data and ASK them. Aren’t sure if your emails or social posts are hitting the mark? ASK. Looking for ways to work more effectively with your team? ASK them what they need.

7. Lead with the point!

• When it comes to email marketing, you only have 8 seconds of attention to get your point across. Use those 8 seconds wisely.

8. Advocates are the new influencers

• About half of your customers are self-identified advocates if you ask them. Make them feel special!

9. It’s not about size, strength, or establishment

• Resilience is what will keep brands alive in the changing digital landscape.

10. Embrace uncertainty

• The unexpected is going to happen. Think of these events as opportunities to navigate and improve, not as obstacles to overcome.

This list is a small taste of the genius presented at this year’s conference, and we’re eagerly awaiting next year’s event. DDS 2018 — We’re coming for you!