Everything you need to know before your first blogging conference
So you’re planning to attend your first blogging conference! This is a big step in your blogging career and I promise it’ll be so worth it. Blogging conferences are an excellent learning and networking opportunity. I attended my first blogging conference way back in May 2017 when my blog was still a baby – barely a one-year-old baby!
If you’re a creator, I especially think that conferences are a critical piece of growing your brand and succeeding in the industry. They can be costly, but the right ones are well worth the investment.
I am heading to TravelCon next week and thought that this would be a perfect opportunity to share some tips and advice for attending your first blogging conference (or any conference really!).
Before you go
Research the conference beforehand
This may seem obvious but you should read as much as you can about the conference in advance to make sure that it’s the right fit for you and so that you know what to expect. You may want to speak to previous conference attendees to ask what they thought of it to determine if it’ll be a good investment of your time and money. Additionally, you’ll want to figure out if there are any important deadlines. Many conferences offer a reduced conference fee for early registration, many
Book your accommodation well in advance
Most conferences will reserve a block of rooms at a specific hotel, however, these will sell out quickly, so I recommend reserving your room as soon as you book your ticket to the conference. In addition, I always recommend booking the conference hotel. It may be tempting to save a few bucks by staying at another hotel or
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Bring business cards
A lot of business cards. Seriously, bring more business cards. You are going to meet a lot of people at these conferences and you’re going to want to keep in touch with them. Make sure to have plenty of business cards on hand to give to fellow bloggers and sponsors so they can keep in touch with your after the conference.
Practice your elevator pitch
Like I said, you’re going to meet a lot of people at a blogging conference. That means you won’t have time for a one-hour conversation with each and every person, so you’ll want to be able to communicate your brand in just a few minutes. This will be even more important when speaking with sponsors who you may want to work with. At blogging conferences, meetings with sponsors are often very short and sweet, giving you only a few minutes to pitch yourself and your brand to a company. So sharpen that elevator pitch – practice on friends, family, or your dog!
Here are a few things to consider when crafting your elevator pitch:
- what is your blog’s niche?
- what separates you from the crowd?
- who is your target audience?
- who are you pitching to?
Pack appropriately
Most conferences have a “business casual” dress code, so be sure to pack enough clothing options to fit a few days of that appropriately. In addition, most conferences have evening and social events where you may want to either dress a bit more casual or sport a cocktail dress. Be sure to research the types of social events beforehand so you can pack accordingly. Also, make sure to bring comfy shoes! These are going to be some long days and you don’t want your toes squished in six-inch heels the whole time.
At the conference
Stay off your phone
I know, I know. It’s hard, especially when you’re an “influencer” and want to be documenting every moment of the conference for your followers. But the whole point of attending these conferences is for some face-to-face time with others in the industry. It’s difficult to have a meaningful face-to-face interaction with a phone in the way, so try to keep it out of the way during networking opportunities.
Bring the essentials
Find a bag that fits the business casual dress code and that you feel comfortable carrying around the conference all day. Fill
- a copy of the conference schedule
- reusable water bottle and coffee cup
- pens/pencils and a notebook
- laptop or tablet
- business cards
- copies of your media kit
Keep track of your business cards
I like to write notes on business cards I receive immediately after meeting the person so that I don’t forget our conversation and can follow up properly after the conference. Make sure you have a safe space to store all the business cards that you receive from fellow attendees and sponsors at the conference.
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Take good notes
These conferences are often filled with talks, presentations, workshops, and networking opportunities. In other words, there is going to be a TON of information being thrown your way. To make sure you really get your investment’s worth from the conference, take good notes throughout these events that you’ll be able to refer back to afterwards.
