Thursday 13, Bloggy Boot Camp Style!

Damn you Blogger!

I’m sorry folks.  I wrote this post, just for you and it’s gone.  I can’t promise the same genius that I swear was RIGHT HERE!

Sort of pissed but you know, the blog must go on.  It’ll just go on without the usual sass.  I just don’t have it in me.

13 Things you MUST do if you plan on attending a blog boot camp or conference.

1. Prepare.
2. Prepare.
3. Prepare.

I can’t stress this enough.  Put some thought into what you expect to get of the experience….set some goals!

4.  Perfect your elevator pitch.  Be ready to SELL your blog.

5.  Print business cards.  It should have your blog and twitter names.  Try to put a pic of your smiling face from your blog on your card.  It’ll refresh the memories of the other attendees when they go home and pour over all the cute cards they collected (I did this b/c ahem, someone I know didn’t get pics of the event up until FOUR days later…not mentioning any names here.

6.  If you considering buying or upgrading things such as your phone to a smart phone, your notebook, buying that cute, so adorable IPad, do it before the event.  You’ll want to be able to tweet, take notes, even blog during the event.  If your laptop has a 12 hour battery and weighs as much as a small child, it may not be worth it.  Take my word.

7.  If you’re travelling to the event, plan on being there the night before and the night of…  There is usually a social event to attend and you don’t want to miss it.  Its a chance to meet some of the great bloggers that perhaps you didn’t meet during the day or to solidify the relationships you’ve just started.  (Yep, I missed it last weekend and I regret that big time!)

8.  Not only should all your gadgets be well charged (b/c outlets may be hard to find) but you should be too.  You’ll want to be bright eyed and bushy tailed for this event.  If you’ve got an infant at home, ask the spouse to take late night duty for a few nights prior…don’t want to show up with bags under your eyes, do ya?

NOTE…there were no bags to be seen at SF BBC….You all looked Fabu!

9.  Take the time to review the work of the presenters.  Know what their specialties are and prepare some questions that they can answer for you.  They are valuable resources and you don’t want to miss this opportunity to milk them for all they’re worth!

10.  You should also look for a list of other attendees.  Try getting to know a few.  It’s nice to have a familiar face or voice to hang with at these things.  They may even become part of your posse.  And every blogger needs their own posse!

11.  If you don’t have a twitter account, leave my blog this instance and go set it up.  And then follow me.

12.  If by now you are already overwhelmed, take a deep breath, let it out. Repeat.  Do that a lot.  Popping your conference cherry doesn’t have to be as rough as it was for me (what?).  If you’re a fly by the seat of your pants kinda gal/dude, then roll with it.  But do, do try to be well rested.  And bring shades….you can hide behind them when you get that deer in the headlights look on your face.

13.  Have fun! 

And that’s all I have to say about that!  (Though questions will be answered offline, be sure to leave me your email addy!)

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18 comments to Thursday 13, Bloggy Boot Camp Style!

  • Julie {Angry Julie Monday}

    Someone had over 450 pictures to edit, cough cough…seriously, no one wants to see bad pictures on the Internet…I know from experience…lmao

    and someone had very busy child, work, and nagging husband to deal with too…

    [Reply]

  • My 5 Monkeys(Julie)

    great ideas from Boot bloggy camp–this is me waving hi from the event.

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  • Ali @PickleSugarPlum

    after reading that we ALL looked "fabu", I've come to the conclusion that we didn't actually "meet". ;)

    Unfortunately for me, I spent the 2 nights prior pulling almost-all-nighters, in an effort to prep everything for my hubby, and "get ahead" of the housekeeping.

    So either we didn't meet, or you are just being nice! :)

    [Reply]

  • Ash

    I have a feeling I'm going to be mad I'm driving in that morning. I already booked a hotel for the night of though.

    If my damn Blogher ads would pan out, I could afford two nights ;-) Catch 22, ain't it?

    [Reply]

  • Lynda

    These are great tips! I'm going to my first blogging conference in October (Bloggy Boot Camp in Austin) and I know these tips will come in very handy!

    [Reply]

  • AngieB

    GREAT tips! I went to Bloggy Boot Camp in Baltimore, and it was such a fantastic experience. I'm hoping to hit 2-3 conferences next year, and you bet your ass I'm going to be PREPARED and I'm going to have FUN!

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  • Lita

    Great tips…I had fun at BBC SF even though I felt overwhelmed by all the new faces…and intimated by being new to all of this. But I learned a lot and enjoyed the support and energy there.

    [Reply]

  • AuntieQ

    I hate it when my post gets lost! And I am all for being prepared so I'll try to remember these tips if I ever make a BBC.

    [Reply]

  • tulpen

    Good to know if I ever plan to attend a blog event, which will happen when Hell is on blizzard watch. And the only thirteen things I'd need to bring with me rhyme with 'smalkohol'.

    [Reply]

  • Coffeypot

    Is it all about the chicks? Were there any dudes there? I like stuff like this. I had to go to conferences all over the country back in the day and really enjoyed putting faces to the voices I use to deal with.

    [Reply]

  • Holly

    I so wish I could have been there the night before and got settled in. So glad I stayed for Slide…even thought the doorman didn't want to let us in! Whatever! I prepared but I am so slow to warm up to things, I know I missed a ton of people. I am enjoying everyone's recaps!

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  • MommaKiss

    I'm not a conferencer but I'm looking for the FMF. WTF?

    [Reply]

  • Grace {Formerly Gracie}

    Your laptop may have weigh as much as your daughter, but at least it WORKED… ahem…

    These are great tips! It was so great to meet you and I had a blast at BBC, but I really wished I'd read up on the other attendees' blogs before the big weekend. The whole thing was a blur, but in a GOOD way! :)

    [Reply]

  • karen

    So your saying a picture of me with a bag over my head will not work for a business card picture!

    [Reply]

  • Margaret (Nanny Goats)

    OMG – I can’t believe we missed each other. Did we never sit at the same musical table? Dang!

    [Reply]

    The Mad Woman behind the Blog Reply:

    Nope, didn’t sit at the same table and in fact your face doesn’t even look familiar….we COMPLETELY missed each other!

    [Reply]

  • [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jill . Jill said: RT @MadsBloggingMom: Thinking about going to a blog conference this year? Here are some tips: http://tiny.cc/h03le Consider bloggy boot … [...]

  • Mandyland

    AWESOME tips. I will be bookmarking this page. Immediately. As soon as you tell me…

    What’s an elevator pitch?

    [Reply]

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