7 Tips for Making the Most of a Blog Conference

I adore being a blogger. Like, no joke.

I get to be at home with my kids while still flexing my creative muscles and I’ve had a chance to meet and connect with some of the most amazing and inspiring people online. I’ve grown my hobby into a small business that I’m passionate about. What more could I ask for, right? One of the perks of blogging and something I consider a necessity at this point is attending a blogging conference or two a year. I chalk it up as a business expense since they are packed with knowledge and helpful classes that teach me ways to grow and expand and learn. I thought that since I’ve attended a few conferences in my time (four to be exact), I thought I’d share my 7 tips for making the most of a blog conference!

I hope you’ll stick around until the end. I have some SUPER fun information about SNAP, my personal fave conference to attend!

1. Set goals.

Before you set out on your trip, evaluate what you’d like to get out of your time spent at the conference. Are you there for a super awesome girls’ weekend or are you hoping to get some serious learning done over the course of your few days there? Want to do both? Whatever you choose is great because its what works best for you. That being said, it’ll be helpful to know what your ultimate purpose will be is ahead of time; try to stick to it!

2. Be realistic with expectations.

Not every session will be packed full of ground-breakingly fantastic information that will make your blog grow at break neck speeds and it isn’t fair to expect that. When you have 300-500 women attending a conference, you have to expect a super diverse set of backgrounds and interests. Its hard to please 100% of the population 100% of the time so try to see how all of the information shared might apply to you. It might be a stretch, but you can do it! And if all else fails, enjoy learning about something new!

3. Step outside your safety zone.

Here’s a complaint I’ve heard in the past: bloggers are clique-y. You know what I say to that? It’s ridiculous! When you make friends with people on line and only get to see them once or twice a year at these conferences, it’s easy to get wrapped up in spending solo time with them. Don’t be scared of these people and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and meet new people. You don’t need to attend every single class with your bloggy BFF or anyone else you know, for that matter. Part of the beauty of blog conferences is having the opportunity to meet like-minded individuals who are as passionate about your niche as you are!

Brooke from All Things Thrifty and Mandi of Vintage Revivals

4. Comfort is key.

Here’s the thing: its ridiculously tough to NOT get wrapped up in trying to look your best and be fabulously fashionable. I get it. I’m a victim of doing this same thing myself and I can guarantee that I’ll be doing the same thing for the next conference I attend. Word to the wise, though: whatever you choose to wear, make sure it’s comfortable! Trekking through airports, wandering in a hotel from class to class to rooms, standing for what could possibly be hours to chat with brands can make for a long day. Blisters on your feet and constantly tugging to readjust your cute outfit sounds like a little piece of torture on top of all that.

If heels or wedges are in your daily attire, great! You’ll totally be able to rock them at a conference. If you’re a flat-wearing girl like myself, I’d totally recommend sticking with the norm.

5. Allow for schedule changes.

The peeps in charge of planning large events such as conferences, especially ones that have been around the block a time or two, try to plan for every speed bump that can be thrown their way. Schedules, meals, class sizes, and things like that can only be planned so much and you know what? Sometimes life happens and things can happen that are outside of their control. If this happens, be flexible and don’t jump on the bandwagon of attendees ready to burn the organizer at the stake. In all reality, it’s only a conference. Don’t let it spoil your fun!

6. Write everything down and take good notes.

Classes are chock full of information that can be imperative and essential to growing your blog and online presence. The typical class will be accompanied by some kind of digital presentation or Power Point and the presenter will usually say that they’ll put it online so you don’t have to frantically write everything down. Don’t believe them. Some of them will absolutely follow through and post it as they said, but some speakers just never get around to it. Write as fast as you possibly can so you can have all of the information without having to rely on the possibility the Power Point will be posted. Don’t get chatty during class; really try to focus on the content so you don’t miss the golden nuggets of help the speakers are tossing your direction.

7. Make your business cards memorable.

One of the most fun parts of any conference is trading business cards with your new friends so you can {hopefully} remember their names. I’ve literally walked away with over 100 business cards at each conference that I’ve been to so it’s key to make sure there’s something about your card that will make it pop! I like to make sure that my card always has my head shot so new friends can easily put a face to a name later on. Also, a big handful of bloggers will hand out a little something extra with their cards. You don’t have to; it’s completely optional, but it does make your blog stand out a little more from the crowd!

My own business cards. 🙂

Your business cards will also likely be given to sponsors at the event that you might want to work with in the future. Make sure your business cards match your blog, portray the message you want people to walk away with about your blog, and most importantly, your business cards need to look professional!