12 Tips for Making the Most of a Blog Conference

This post is sponsored by Vistaprint. The text and recommendations are all my own.

1. Sit by someone new at each class or meal. This will ensure you meet lots of new people. People are feeling just as nervous/shy as you are. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself. 
2. Bring lots of business cards. The upcoming SNAP conference is going to have around 350 people.
   
   
   You probably won’t meet all of them (unless you are an introduction ninja) but there are also sponsors etc. so don’t short your self. I ordered mine from Vistaprint and they are good quality and super affordable especially when you use Vistaprint coupon codes. I ordered 500 2-sided color cards with premium matte cardstock for $31.47! Last year I added a little something to make them stand out.
   
3. Have a way to corral others business cards. Last year at SNAP they gave us a hole punch and a ring to keep business cards in order. This is not always the case and you don’t want to lose them.
4. Find the sponsors you are interested in working with and introduce yourself. They are getting inundated with intros so don’t wait for them to talk to you. Leave them with a card and follow up after the conference.
5. If possible, stay at the conference hotel. Who doesn’t love spending time with like minded people?! You will get to know your roommates really well, but also meet people at breakfast and walking to/from the hotel. Plus, it is really convenient if you forget something, need to change shoes, etc. Also, if you are staying, see if your roomates are planning to do roomie gifts.  
6. Get to class early. Seats fill up fast and some rooms only hold so many. If you are set on a certain class get there early. It’s also hard to hear in the back sometimes so try to get forward if possible.
7. Bring a notebook for notes. There is going to be a ton of info thrown at you so bring something to write down what sticks out to you to take action on later.
8. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you have them chances are someone else does too. On the flip side of this, don’t dominate the class with a barrage of questions. If you have a ton of questions they might answer them as the class goes on or you could try to corner the speaker after the presentation.
9. Wear comfortable shoes or bring band-aids for blisters. Trust me, now is not the time to break in 4 inch heels. You will do a lot of walking. Choose some cute flats or heels you can comfortably wear all day.
   
10. Have a water bottle on hand. Like I said earlier, lots of walking and classes. It’s nice to have a beverage on hand whether your choice is H20 or Diet Coke.
11. Bring a smartphone or tablet to tweet/instagram and follow others on the hashtag. That’s half the fun isn’t it? I swear a blogger conference is the only place where it isn’t totally rude to be typing away tweeting during a speaker or conversation.
12. Take pictures with friends everyday. I always forget until the last day and go running around trying to get pics with my girls. Get ahead of the game and take a few everyday.