| |

Conference Attendee “To Do” Lists

With the very 1st Food Bloggers of Canada conference kicking off this coming weekend, I am now in full “list making mode.” There is a list for what to bring. What to wear. What not to forget. But most importantly is my list of “Things to Do: Pre, During, & Post Conference.”

Attending a conference can be overwhelming, and I find a detailed list of goals you want to accomplish while at the conference can keep you organized, and on track. Everyone’s list will be different, as we all hope to gain perspective into different areas, but I thought that I would share my list with you anyways to see if it sparks any ideas…

Pre-Conference

Business Cards // Most bloggers overlook this “old school” tool, and even though you may already know all the attendees, it’s always fun to exchange cards!

Follow the Conference Attendees
// A conference attendee list is usually pretty easy to find. Whether it be a list on the conference website, or a simple Twitter list, you should follow all the attendees and start conversing with them, get to know them, and build a relationship. It makes meeting in person that much more fun!

Blog About It
// You’re probably very excited about attending the first ever Food Bloggers of Canada Conference, so blog about it! Let your readers know – they should be excited about your experience too!

At the Conference

Meet Up // Nervous about meeting all these people in person? Why not email a fellow attendee and offer to meet up beforehand, it will make walking into that big room full of bloggers a little bit easier. Everyone loves a conference buddy.

Snap Away
// Take lots of pictures. These can be used as a part of a week long “conference recap” on your blog. Sharing photos in real-time on Facebook and Twitter allows you to give your readers a “behind the scenes” look at your experience.

Be Social, But Be Present
// Yes, we are all bloggers, and it is almost expected that we will be glued to our phones during the conference, but make sure you also engage with the people who are there… face-to-face… in real time. Don’t forget to be present.

Write It Down
// Take notes during the sessions, this can be an educational experience for you as well. Use those notes to write informative blog posts which will allow you to capitalize on search traffic after the conference.

Take it Online
// Live tweet while at the event. Use the show #hashtag to promote yourself as much as possible. Most shows have a designated tag, and when they see that being used, they will re-tweet you, giving you more reach. Make sure your spread your tweets 20-30 minutes apart, so you don’t flood your followers’ streams. And don’t forget to share pictures!

Post-Conference

Share What Your Experience // Attending a conference is a fun and exciting time, so share it! Write one, or several, blog posts about your experience. Include pictures you took, talk about the people you met, the food you ate, the lessons you learned… Your readers and other bloggers want to hear all about it!

Follow Up
// Take out that stack of business cards and follow every single blogger you met on Twitter, Facebook and their blog. Meeting in person makes your relationship that much stronger. Visit their blog and comment on their conference post – let them know it was great to finally meet them.

Monitor & Respond
// Chance are, after the conference there will be a flurry of blogging activity. Everyone will want to share their conference experience, just like you. Don’t forget to monitor the blogs of the bloggers you met – if they mention you, you’ll want to say thanks!

So who is ready to kick off this party at #FBC2013?

Are you a brand attending the upcoming FBC Conference? Then check out my Brands Conference “To Do” List on my GroupTalk blog.

{photo via Alt Summit}

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.