My Tips for Attending a Blogging Conference

If one of your goals is to grow or improve your blog, I highly recommend attending a blog conference.

Why? First of all, they are so fun! Secondly, a conference will really help you to "up your game".

Here are my tips for a good experience.

1 - Do your homework

The conference you are attending undoubtedly has a website {SNAP! has a great one HERE} where you can find information about the conference & guest speakers.  It's so much more fun to be prepared when you meet them in person.

2 - Go shopping

If you can, buy yourself something spiffy to wear. You're about to be surrounded by hoards of creative women who dress with a really great sense of style. The last thing you want is to feel frumpy. If you can't afford to buy, maybe borrow something from a sister or friend or just buy a great accessory to doll up something you already have. {Last time I had something new to wear one day & not the next - 

guess which day I felt more confident?}

3 - Gadgets don't hurt

Be prepared with your smart phone or laptop because you're going to need it! The speakers will refer to things on the internet & you'll want to explore the blogs of people you meet. Just trust me on this one. 

4 - Check your shyness at the door

I went to SNAP last year all by my lonesome. It was a little scary, but I just decided to be as outgoing as I could. The point is to meet new people & NETWORK like crazy. At lunchtime, there were no empty tables so I went up to a group with some unoccupied seats, told them I was alone & asked if I could join them. They were SO nice. Some of them turned out to be speakers {I didn't know it until later! SEE TIP #1!} Because I decided to "put myself out there, I met so many great people.

5 - Bring business cards

Everybody has them! Be prepared with your own. Some people say it's a bonus if your card has your photo on it, so others can remember who you are. Another suggestion is to give people a little somethin' with your card - last year I taped a chocolate mint to the back of mine. BTW,  I've still never paid for my cards. I got my first set free from Vistaprint while listening to Pandora radio. I won my current cards on a blog give-away {Thanks Kristie!}. 

Be ready to collect a lot of cards too! When you go home, visit the blogs & leave a comment or follow. Here are the cards from

my last conference. {We were given a hole punch & a ring

which were so helpful in keeping track of the cards.}

6 - Be ready to take notes, take pictures 

& have fun!

If you're like me, you are going to learn a lot from the classes, so take notes! You can always study them & understand more when you get home. Also, the women you meet are bloggers who love photos & photography, so there's no false modesty. If you want to take a picture of someone you just met, she'll probably say "Sure!", fluff her hair, & be ready to go. It's so refreshing! And the people are so great to get to know. I love to ask why they blog or what their blog is about. And in addition to the great people, there is likely to be good food, giveaways, & festivities. You'll love it!

Have you ever attended a blogging conference?