Last year I wrote a post about my 5 KNOWS for Blogging Conferences. In it I shared tips for what to bring, what to wear and how to approach attending a conference that fits your blog niche. What I didn’t talk about how was meeting people at a conference. See buying your ticket + showing up is only have the process. Once you get there it’s time to step out of your comfort zone and allow yourself to meet some amazing people. Some of the best connections and most meaningful relationships you can make are at blogging conferences. You understand each other, you write about common topics and you are you willing share pieces of yourself online with your readers.
I know that attending a blogging conference can be nerve wrecking. Trust me, I’ve been there. I’m still there with you every time I attend a new conference. This year I’m attending 2 conferences I’ve never attended before (Alt Summit SLC + Blissdom) and I’m not going to lie, I’m nervous, but I’m also excited. I’m excited to be inspired, stretched and to put myself out there. So nervousness aside, I thought I’d share with you my 5 KNOWS for Meeting People at a Blogging Conference.
1. KNOW how to Say Hello
Friends, saying Hi can be the hardest part when you’re in a new place, surrounded by new people, but how are you going to create new friendships if you don’t say Hello?! Take every opportunity whether it’s in the checking into the hotel, in the elevator, meeting your roomies or even standing in line waiting to use the restroom to get to know the person next to you. Say Hi, tell them your name, reach out shake their hand and ask for their name. Whew! Now the hardest part is over. You never know, that person standing behind you in the line at Starbucks could be someone you’d love to collaborate with, but you’d never know if you didn’t say what?! Hello!
Let me give you an example. A couple years ago I attended my very first conference, BlogSugar, put on locally by some amazing ladies I’ve met in the blogesphere. As I walked into this big room, filled with over a hundred empty chairs, I immediately felt small and intimidated. Then to top it off I spotted across the room someone whose blog I had read for a while and I wanted to meet her so bad. Instead of shying away I walked right up to her, said hello and started a conversation. That conversation let to many more conversations and a friendship bloomed and now I’m one of a team of contributors on her blog. More important than anything, if I hadn’t said hello I would’ve missed out on creating a great friendship.
2. KNOW how to Compliment
So now you’ve said hello and you have no idea where you head to next. Don’t run! Stay put. There must’ve been something that drew you to say Hello to that person. What was it? Their smile, great hair, fabulous necklace? Pay her a compliment. Friends, this doesn’t need to be awkward, just honest. After all, doesn’t everyone like to be affirmed that they are doing something right? I know I do. If I buy a new necklace and pair it with an equally adorable outfit and someone compliments me on it, I’m stoked. Compliments are a great way to transition from your Hello, into a more meaningful conversation. They also help you to make a great first impression when you’re on a short elevator ride, or the next person to enter that bathroom stall. Make sure if you don’t have time to chat longer, you try and seek out that person again at the conference to get to know them better. I promise, they will remember you, why, because you complimented them.
3. KNOW how to Ask Questions
Once you’ve said Hello, and complimented your new friend on that adorable necklace she’s wearing, introduce yourself and be sure to ask their name! When you ask them their name, be sure to you use it in the next sentence when you say, “it’s nice to meet you.” It’s proven that when you repeat back a persons name 2-3 times in a conversation you are more likely to remember it when you see that person again. Now that the introductions are out of the way, have some questions in your arsenal that you can ask. Think about things you appreciate being asked by others.
- Have you been to Alt Summit before?
- Where are you from?
- Where do you blog at?
- How long have you been blogging?
- Did you come to the conference with any friends?
- Where did you find that great necklace you’re wearing?
When I was at SNAP Conference last year, I had the privilege of getting to know the beautiful ladies pictured below. We got into a great conversation about how the best form of marketing your handmade shop is by proudly wearing your products when you go places. As we chatted, I was able to ask questions about overcoming intimidation + ways to showcase your products on your blog in a tangible way for your readers. These ladies all do such an incredible job balancing sharing the beautiful accessories they make and making genuine connections with their readers and consumers. Now, a year later, we are still friends and Maggie + I have had many marketing and strategy conversations that get the creative juices flowing. Yay!
4. KNOW when it’s the Right Time to Exchange Cards
So now you’ve said hello, introduced yourself, maybe you’ve thrown out a compliment and you’ve had time to ask questions to get to know the person you’re talking to and “the moment” arrives where it’s time to head to another session or you have a meeting planned you need to be at. Don’t be afraid to ask for that persons business card!! In fact, even if you only have a quick moment to chat with that person, if there’s something that leaves an impression, be sure to offer up your card + ask for theirs so you can reconnect at a later time at the conference. Over 80% of people attend conferences with networking in mind so do not shy away from making that business card exchange.
I think it’s also important to note that the right time to exchange cards may not always come in the same point in each conversation so don’t miss the moment because you’re busy questioning yourself + be sure to have more than one handy just in case. You may begin a conversation with one person, but more may join in + you’ll want to have enough cards to exchange with everyone you were talking to.
Once you have exchanged cards, make sure you find a safe place to put them so they don’t get lost. I use a one-hole punch + d-ring system that has worked well for me at every conference I’ve attended.
5. KNOW how to Follow Up
There are two kinds of follow up that I’m going to talk about. The first is following up with the person you met while you’re still at the conference. If you have a great conversation with someone and you hit it off, ask them what they are doing for lunch or for dinner. Then stick your neck out there and ask if they would like to meet up again later. If each of you grabs a couple friends, meet up for lunch or dinner then suddenly you went from meeting one person to meeting 3-4 or more additional people.
The second way to follow up with people you met happens when you get home from the conference. You’re going to meet a lot of new people, some of them you’ll be able to have great conversations with, but others you’ll run short of time and want to continue those conversations when you get home. After you take a few days to re-acclimate with life, sit down and go through all the business cards you go and start visiting blogs, following people via social media and shoot them an email to tell them how great it was to meet them and, again, ask questions to create new conversations.
I won’t lie to you follow up takes the most amount of time, but it is the most beneficial thing you can do for yourself + your brand when you return home. Do you need to follow up with every single person you met? No, but you may want to and that’s ok too. Just don’t come home from a conference and choose not to follow up with anyone you met. You never know what friendship you could be missing out on.
Have you attended a blogging conference? What are some ways you got out of your comfort zone to meet new people?
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Hi + welcome to my little spot in the blogesphere.
I'm so glad you stopped by.
My name is Alissa + I'm the fun-loving, chocolate addict, coffee drinking
Wife + Mom behind the blog Rags to Stitches.
I hope you’ll pop around and stay for a while.
Such a great post, Alissa! I have yet to be able to attend a blogging conference (mostly because I live in Germany at the moment), but I SO WANT TO! It seems like a wonderful way to network and meet the girls behind the blogs I love to read everyday. I will be bookmarking this post to look back on when the day finally comes that I can attend a conference! Note to self, I need business cards! How fun! Thanks for sharing
Casey recently posted..On Blogging Currency
Awesome post Alissa! I havent yet been to a blogging conference but hopefully in June I can go to Blogher Food. Very good info, I will be bookmarking this for later! Thanks for sharing
Pamela recently posted..Skinny Lemon Bars
Great advice, since I’m planning to attend two conferences this year….I’ll need it! Have fun at alt summit! Can’t wait to hear about it!
Carly
http://www.lipglossandcrayons.com
Carly recently posted..Braided Updo
Thanks friend! What conferences are you headed to this year?
I really, really enjoyed this post Alissa!!!! I have never been Tina blogger conceding but would LOVE to go!!!!! I guess I always arm to have at least one new born baby hanging around making it a little difficuilt:) ha! Anyhow, these are heat tips! I recognize almost every person your pjotos!! How fun!!!! I’ve really been
Enjoying your space here Alissa. I’m ao glad to have connected with you:) xoxoxo Hanna
HAnna recently posted..What to Wear *32 weeks* and a GIVEAWAY
Super Great tips right here! Yes they are– I need to get some Bizzz-niss cards!
Heading to SNAP ..my first conference ever– not going to lie..and bit on the intimidated side..but stepping out for sure- Thank you girl!
Jen Marrs recently posted..Cheap Grass Stain Remover
Girl you’re going to do great, I know it!!
And if you need great biz cards, use JPG Printing, they do an awesome job!
Hi, and thank you for this wonderful reminder. I enjoyed reading your tips and will put them to use when attending BlissDom ’13 for the first time. I especially love your hole puncher and d-ring system for organizing collected business cards. That’s a great idea! Thanks again.
Nikki | Days With Us recently posted..SEVEN DAYS AND COUNTING
Thank you!! Tauni from SNAP Conf introduced me to the d-ring system and I’ve never looked back.Hope to see you at Blissdom.
Thank you so much for this post! I am attending my first ever conferences this year (Snap! and BlogHer) and I am so nervous. This information I know will totally come in handy. Off to read the post from last year too
Shannah @ Just Us Four recently posted..Project Organization – The Craft Room
I’m so glad you found these tips helpful. I’ll be at SNAP + BlogHer this year as well. Hopefully we can meet up.
Great tips Alissa! I will bookmark this for when I’m able to attend one!
mandy @ this girl’s life recently posted..{pinterest picks}
I’ve never been to a conference before, but I hope that I’ll get to attend one someday. So these tips will come in handy one day!
Alice recently posted..Well, hello, snow!
Awesome post! Thanks, Alissa. I’m attending my first blog conference this year at SNAP. I’m super excited.
Kim recently posted..Hello Again
Yay! Very awesome. You will love SNAP! I had so much fun at that conference last year.
Great post, Alissa! I’m so shy I have a hard time going up to new people. SNAP! was an interesting experience for me last year. If you’re going there this year I would love to meet you in person!
Michele @ The Scrap Shoppe recently posted..Winter Deer Diorama
I am headed to SNAP again this year and would love to meet you in person!!
Let’s set it up!
Brilliant post, my friend. So helpful, and honest. I just pretty much love everything you said.
I don’t usually have a hard time saying hello – but handing out cards is ridiculously difficult for me!
Amanda {A Royal Daughter} recently posted..How to Grow Your Blog
thank you so much friend.
i agree handing out cards is very difficult for me as well. I don’t want to feel pushy, but i love to keep in touch with people.
this is great! totally something that i wish i would have done last year at SNAP when i met you in a big group of people. i wish i would have introduced myself personally to you and not been to afraid, i’ve grown to love your blog and you so much. such good tips, if we remember everyone’s nervous and in the same boat!
Andrea Worley recently posted..scenes from the weekend via instagram.
Aww I’m so sad we didn’t get to chat more at SNAP last year. This year for sure we need to have a cup of coffee.
xo
I really love this! I like how you said to wait and feel until it is the right time to exchange cards. There have been a few times where I say “Hello” to someone and before I even hear their name, they are handing me a card and no real connection has been made. It only takes a minute or two to make that connection and then the card exchange becomes more genuine. You are SO good at this! I have seen you in action. I love how quickly you can make a real friend and how real you are! Love you friend!
Penelope Lane recently posted..Power of Moms Retreat coming up soon
you are so sweet friend, thank you!
I agree that often times when the cards come out first, it’s hard to know where to begin building the connection.
love you friend!
Great post! I wish I had the best experience each time meeting someone new at the last conference I went to. Some of the women were just too snooty & kept to themselves. I didn’t get the point of that at all. Maybe because my blog is still small & not huge and the most popular? I felt like we were back in high school. I love meeting new people & making new/lasting friends. I love when you meet a fellow blogger and you can see that they are true & kind from the first few minutes of convo. I would love to attend another & meet the many faces/friends on social media I haven’t met yet!
Julie, I know what you mean. My first blogger meet up was awful. But you know what? The next one I went to was AWESOME. I hope you get to gave second experience:) you won’t reget it. If you’re in So Cal area, you should try “Elevate”.
xo’s from a fellow lil blogger:)
Nay @ coffee-n-ink recently posted..Do All Things
What a great post. I love working with the pollinate group too. Hope to meet you! Erin
Loved this post and I’m so excited to be going to Snap this year! Can’t wait to meet you and I totally need one of these systems for business cards! xoxo
Beth @ Through the Eyes of the Mrs. recently posted..Purple & Leopard
Wonderful post! I went to a conference last year and saw a blogger who I’d been following for awhile. She has a large number of followers. I was so excited to see her that I didn’t even think twice before running up to say hello and tell her how much I love her blog. I was so disappointed when she didn’t return the friendly smile and her friend who came with her laughed, rolled her eyes, and asked me if I wanted the blogger’s autograph. I stood there shocked not knowing what to do next! Thankfully I had a friend with me who took over the conversation until I picked my jaw up off the ground. Thank you for the reminder that not all bloggers are like that and most are genuine and fun to meet in person. I’m headed to another conference next weekend and will walk in with confidence! Thank you!!
Great post! I went to snap and LOVED getting to know people that I’d seen online and become friends! I then went to EVO and hung out with those same friends–and though I did try to get to know others, I drifted to my comfort zone with other friends a bit. But I was strengthening those previous ties. Now I’m headed to BLissdom and don’t know hardly ANYONE going, so I’ll have to stick my neck out more! I was thinking altsummit looked pretty cool and going to have it on my radar for next year. I like the variety of different conferences, but I AM going to snap again, so we will have to really chat then…I think we met briefly last year (it’s all a blur).
Capturing Joy with Kristen Duke recently posted..Extended Family Pictures~My fam!
wait, I just read you’re going to blissdom—yay!!! I’m excited! Who are your roommies?
Capturing Joy with Kristen Duke recently posted..Big wooden custom signs as room decor
love this! hopefully one day i can go to a conference! what has your favorite conference been that you’ve attended so far?
Stephanie recently posted..things i’m loving:
Aww love that picture of us at blog sugar! xoxo
Lindsay Roberts recently posted..$40 Maude Boutique Giveaway
Thanks for the tips. I am excited to go to SNAP – my first blogger conference! I will make sure to say hello when I see you!
April @ illistyle recently posted..GoGo Babyz Travelmate Deluxe Review & Giveaway
Awesome post Alissa! I really enjoyed the tips and would love to hear more about this d ring system!
I am going to my first blogging conference this year (Snap) and to say I am nervous is an understatement! But my main reason for going is to connect with other people in this awesome blogging world of ours so I am excitedly nervous! Thanks for the tips! I am excited to meet you!
Off to read your first conference tip post!
Xo
Jessica recently posted..Little Bits of Life Lately.
Thanks so much for the advice! I will be attending my first conference this May (Elevate) and I am quite nervous but oh so excited!
Kayla from Love Sparkle Pretty recently posted..An idea for EVERY bride!
I cannot tell you how much this post has helped me! I am the kind of person who cowers into a corner with a crowd of people. I’m petrified to step up and extend my hand in a hello…but I NEED to fight this, so I can make lasting relationships with other bloggers! Thank you for your words of encouragement!
Cassondra @ Beyond the Cover recently posted..Booklist for Girls, aged 5-8 years old
Great tips! I daydream about being able to attend Influence some day, but right now, living outside the US, I doubt flight prices will be kind enough for me to afford conference+airline fees. Who knows, God does some pretty spectacularly surprising things sometimes. Have a great weekend, Alissa.
Jelli recently posted..Potty Training Initiation Day // Mommy-Brain Mixer
I told the cashier today at the grocery store that I liked her hair.
That’s huge for me.
I got the social anxiety thing going on, ha. Thanks for posting this. You helped someone who is awkward around strangers, not just people going to a blog conference.
xoxo,
Thanks
Olivia {I am still learning} recently posted..i feel naked
I loove these tips! I’ll be heading to SNAP this year, first blogging conference ever, and I’m really excited… but also terrified! I tend to be pretty shy & not great at meeting people, so I’ll definitely be referring to these tips again.
Jacky {The Sweetest Petunia} recently posted..knit picks
Thanks for this post just went to my first conference last week and wish I would have read this before hand. I can’t wait till I can go to my next one and do better.
Thanks,
Desiree @ yourcraftyfriend.com
Thank you so much for sharing these 5 tips, they are a great reminder that we are all looking to make meaningful connections and new friends at blog conferences! Looking forward to meeting you at both Blissdom and SNAP!
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