Organised
Make sure you book flights early, book your hotel, work out how to get where you need to go and the best way to get there. This just makes sense, you don’t want to get to your destination and find you have no idea how to get where you need to go. Be prepared.
Ready
When it comes time to go to your conference, have all your bits and bobs ready before you go. Wear comfortable clothes that say something about who you are.
My top tip would be to not rely on technology: gadgets, wifi and 3G fails, so be ready with pen and paper. Of course, bring your iPad, laptop or smartphone – but, bring a back up plan.
Get to your conference on time, you could even arrive early and have some time to mingle.
Brave
How easy would it be to just hide in the corner and not talk to anyone? How cool would it be to be invisible and not to leave the cosiness of your comfort zone? But, what would learn from that? You would not get very much out of your conference if you did that!
You are cool – you have interesting things to talk about – go out and meet some new people!
Ready to Talk
Networking is never out of fashion. People are fascinating and interesting and amazing! You can learn so much from talking to people and getting to know about them. If you go to a conference, go with an attitude of being ready to make some new connections: you never know where they will lead.
Ready to Learn
If you are at a conference, there is every chance you will have the opportunity to learn some new stuff. Whether the conference is for work or for a hobby or interest, a conference is set up so that you can learn some new things. Go with an attitude to be open to new ideas and opportunities or to get better at what you already do.
Nice
Be friendly. Smile. Be approachable. Approach people. Say nice things. Share ideas. Go and speak to someone you have always admired, and tell them so. Hold open doors for others. Let others go first. Help someone. Make it easy for those who are helping at the venue. Tell someone you like their shoes/hair/pen/name. Be a great human.
Helpful
It takes a lot of organisation to run a conference. There are many things that could go wrong or someone might need some sort of help. Jump up to help, don’t sit and wait for someone else to fix it – especially if you know you can do what is needed. Leaves a great impression and you are seen to be capable and helpful and nice.
True to yourself
It can be hard going to conferences when you are not feeling great about what you do and why, so it can be easy to think, ‘I will try and act a certain way…’ But, really – just be yourself. Honestly, you are the only you. You are the best at being you. You are who your company sent, you are who decided to go. Be true to who you are.
Ready to talk about yourself
You are pretty cool. As mentioned earlier, you are the only you – you have a skill set that no one else has in your combination. Plus, people will want to talk to you – that is what conferences are about. So, have some things in your mind about who you are what you do. When you talk to someone, give them your business card if you have one. Conferences are about networking – don’t miss the chance to do this.
Cool
Don’t:
Be caught in dodgy photos – people love to post them on facebook, instagram, twitter.
Do things that you will be embarrassed about the next day.
Do things that don’t fit into your company’s ideals.
Anything I missed in my list?
Linking in with the ever so lovely Jess from Diary of SAHM for #IBOT – I Blog On Tuesday – such a great link up…
Great tips. I can’t wait till I make it to my first blogging confrence
Rhianna recently posted..The Blank Screen
They are fun. I learnt so much and met so many lovely people. Seems it has got the ball rolling on a fews blog things too…
B recently posted..Life: 10 Ways To B Cool @ A Conference
Very cool list!
Thanks for sharing. x
Me N my Monkeys recently posted..Family Fun for everyone – some age appropriate games for your kids
Thanks! Sweet of you to comment!
B recently posted..Life: 10 Ways To B Cool @ A Conference
Great list. I wish I had read it before #NNB2012. I am always the opposite of cool in these situations. Crowd make me so nervous. I am looking forward to the next one though. I’ll know a few people and it won’t be so bad
Rachel
Rachel from Redcliffe Style recently posted..Seven things your shoes say about you
Oh, I thought you looked uber cool! Loved your dress, very nice.
You heading to Pro Blogger?
B recently posted..Life: 10 Ways To B Cool @ A Conference
Love it! I really embarrassed my self at Blogopolis
Catherine Rodie Blagg @CoTaaB recently posted..The "C" word
Really? So did I … in fact, I am sure Crafty Mummy wished I didn’t talk to so many random people!
I tried to spot you in the crowd, but… there were too many people!
B recently posted..Life: 10 Ways To B Cool @ A Conference
I love this! I read a few posts like this before #DPCON12 and it really helped me to prepare. Make sure you repost this before Problogger in October for the conference virgins
workingwomenaus recently posted..I need your advice
Good idea! Thanks!
B recently posted..Life: 10 Ways To B Cool @ A Conference
oh i am so excited that you got out there and totally owned your first conference!! Thanks for putting these together – definitely something I will keep in mind!
#teamIBOT
Lyndal recently posted..waiting, waiting on the world to change
Aw thanks babes! Love that you are my #teamibot peep today!
B recently posted..Life: 10 Ways To B Cool @ A Conference
This was a perfect B series. I think I had them all down pat for the CYA Conference I just attended. Hmmm, I could B a little more confident though.
Penny recently posted..Children’s and Young Adult Writers and Illustrators Conference 2012
Your conference sounds VERY interesting. I must go and read your post!
We can all be a bit more confident…
Thanks for stopping by!
B recently posted..Life: 10 Ways To B Cool @ A Conference
Love it!! Great for people who havent been before (like me!!) can’t wait for my first conference… hopefully some time soon!!!!
Yvette Bowyer recently posted..DTLS turns one {Blogoversary Giveaway}
There are a few conferences around. They are fun, but I am a bit geeky in thinking that learning new stuff and meeting new people is fun. I am not really the ‘Post Conference Drinks’ kinda gal though, it turns out.
B recently posted..Life: 10 Ways To B Cool @ A Conference
Your first conference! Very exciting! I have yet to go to one (or at least a blogging one). This is very sound advice and if I ever go to a blogging conference, I’ll remember these points.
Misha recently posted..Average
I think that these tips would work for pretty much ANY conference though don’t you think?
Conferences are all about networking and getting to know new stuff…
Thanks so much for coming by, so nice to see you here.
B recently posted..Life: 10 Ways To B Cool @ A Conference
Great tips! I wish I’d read this before my first conference!
Becky from BeckyandJames.com recently posted..Me and PND: The Little Pill
Ah, but now you have it for the NEXT one! ;0)
B recently posted..Life: 10 Ways To B Cool @ A Conference
NEVER get tagged in a bad photo – that stuff goes viral LOL!
Alex aka WHOA MUMMA! recently posted..Extreme Piercing And Other Crazy Sh*t That I’ll Never Let My Kids Do
Haha – well… you never know who has their phones on the ready to take some pics of ‘People behaving badly’… there will never be photos like that of me. I hope.
B recently posted..Life: 10 Ways To B Cool @ A Conference
Great list, B!
Totally hear you on that last point – “Don’t do anything that doesn’t fit with your company’s ideals”
When I was in the work force, we used to call those “Career Killers”
Grace recently posted..Running the City To Surf for World Vision: To do more, to give more
True… I was very careful not to embarrass myself so that it didn’t get back to my MUM!
B recently posted..Life: 10 Ways To B Cool @ A Conference
Grace, we call them CLMs. Career Limiting Moves!
Love the list, B, and the different approach you’ve taken to your wrap up. Excellent!
Kim-Marie recently posted..Photo a Day June 2012 : 23-30
Thanks lovely! So cool of you to comment here… again. :0)
B recently posted..Life: 10 Ways To B Cool @ A Conference
Best ones I think are brave and network! I haven’t had a chance to go to one yet, but I think these will be the things I need to focus on so I don’t just stand next to the wall
Yes, you don’t want to stand next to the wall. You want to MEET people, in REAL life!
Crafty Mummy {my travel buddy} and I made a commitment to just talk to people and to find those we have always wanted to meet… It was great. We left the conference with no regrets.
B recently posted..Life: 10 Ways To B Cool @ A Conference
I haven’t been to a conference in what feels like ages! I noticed this year that Blogopolis was the weekend before Hillsong conference – I’ve never been to either – it would be cool to go to both next year. Don’t know what the chances are but I can dream!!!
Janet recently posted..Are Bigger churches better?
Oh yes, that would be great! But, I think Blogopolis changes each year. At least I hope it does… We go on holidays with friends on the last weekend in June EVERY year, this year Mr Cool had to do an awful lot of kid wrangling without me….
B recently posted..Life: 10 Ways To B Cool @ A Conference
Eek… I suspect getting drunk and falling over is on the ‘Don’t do’ things you’ll be ashamed of later list!!!!
Deb
Well…. I was thinking of using you as a case study…. Just kidding….
But, hang on… I thought there werewolves and rabbits involved, you mentioned nothing about the drinking thing…
B recently posted..Life: 10 Ways To B Cool @ A Conference
Great tips and especially: be brave. It’s difficult to step out of your comfort zone and be confident about your opinion and what you have to say. But, once you do it, it’s so great to realise how many interesting people you can meet and how many things you can learn.
Rita recently posted..How far would you go for love?
I loved how you came up to me and said HI! Thank you for doing that. Love Denyse x
Denyse Whelan recently posted..Back To School Survival Tips.