Not going to lie, I got a little high on human interaction at this conference.

But before I get to that, if you don't know it, Inbox Expo is a platform for email leaders to discuss trends, technologies, and best practices. A real email geek gathering in Atlanta, Georgia, from 26 to 28 May. And it was just peachy.

Rebecca Wallace and I were there to represent ActionRocket. We talked about orchestrating conversations at scale and how part of that is mirroring what makes a great conversation in real life: active listening, mutual respect, and true understanding. There was no shortage of great conversations at this conference – from the wisdom delivered on stage to the genuine connections made in the breaks. And it’s the connections, however brief, that really got me.

So here are my five favourite conversations from Inbox Expo 2026.

1. Anything Can Happen: The Magic is YOU! – Alicia Mintz

Alicia sparkled and inspired even before hitting the stage for her keynote. At the opening reception on Tuesday evening, she organically assembled a table full of inspiring, engaged women showing support for each other from the get-go. They were the friendly faces that appeared throughout the conference, sharing insights, smiles, and genuinely showing up for each other. That started with her.

As for the keynote itself, I wasn't expecting the Inbox Expo opening talk to help me in both a professional and personal way. But it did. In short: life is unpredictable, unplanned, and unexpected – but you can choose what to do with those wild-card moments if you stay true (and connected) to yourself. The grounding exercise alone was worth its weight in gold.

2. Email Across the Pond: Shared Experiences of UK, European and US Customer Communications – Stafford Sumner

After graciously filling some pretty hefty knowledge gaps I have when it comes to American football, Stafford took to the stage to share his first-hand experience making messages work across markets. A great case study, full of beautiful emails that prove localisation is more than following brand guidelines. You have to take the time to understand your audience and truly adapt for them. His final thought said it best: global success doesn't come from standardisation. It comes from understanding context and adapting to it. 

And once again, Stafford became a friendly face, making time to chat throughout the conference. 

3. Automate This, Not That: AI, Email, and the Parts That Still Matter – Tricia Babischkin

Would it even be a conference without the mention of AI? Every copywriter gets asked at least once a day if they're worried about their job. And the answer is always the same – the clients who write copy themselves are the same clients who'll let AI write it. Only the people who know, know why it's not the same. And the root of it comes down to one thing AI can't master: empathy. We have to keep humans in the loop – strategic, critical, ethical thinkers who really know the craft – so our emails actually do their job. Copywriters have empathy and know how to connect with your customers. Tricia, I salute you. 

4. Getting our talk set up – Brian Dayman

Sometimes it's the smallest moments that make the biggest difference. Brian was an absolute rock in the lead-up to our session. He helped us get our slides right, talked us through exactly how it would go, and gave us a quiet dose of encouragement before we went on. He shared that before getting into marketing, he served as a special operations veteran, and it showed. While my nerves were kicking in, he was calm under pressure, focused on what matters, and executed with intent. Thank you, Brian. It meant a lot.

5. Email, Push, SMS, RCS: What Really Happens When You Orchestrate Channels at Scale – Rebecca Wallace and Claire Medcalf

We did it. We got up there and shared our learnings about creating cross-channel conversations, how removing friction works for everyone, and how writing is a design tool with the power to change behaviour. The best bit? Well, aside from a strengthened connection with my colleagues Rebecca Wallace and Sarah Schrum (also at the event). Honestly, the conversations that followed. The genuine interest, the shared ideas, and the people who came and found us afterwards with some kind words. What a buzz.

So tell me what’s better than human interactions and genuine connections? I’ll wait. It’s what every brand must replicate. Like we said in our talk, and a topic that came up again and again at the conference, if you take the time to really get to know your customers and understand what resonates with them, you can build meaningful, long-lasting relationships through your CRM. 

It's just all about the people, isn't it? I was expecting Inbox Expo to offer some useful insights, but as Alicia reminded us in her keynote, “the outcome is not guaranteed”. Sometimes it's better.

I'd love to keep the conversation going. Get in touch to talk more about how ActionRocket can help make your CRM more creative and strengthen connections with your customers.