Heading to BlogHer and feeling excited? Maybe a little anxious or nervous about what to expect? Take it from me, I attended last year and there are some things you should know before you attend one of the BIGGEST conferences of the year…I am sharing ten rules to live by, especially if you are a newbie:
1. Don’t go it alone. Bring a friend or be sure to be to make plans with someone else. You are about to step foot into a sea of THOUSANDS of bloggers (which for the record, mommy bloggers only represent a percentage of the folks who will be there. Add in the fashion bloggers, foodie bloggers, photography bloggers, frugal bloggers, craft bloggers, and the list goes on) so if you don’t have a game plan as to how and with whom you are going to spend your time, you may feel a bit lost. Be sure to connect with at least ONE other person before attending this conference.
2. Get specific cell phone numbers of about 10 bloggers you REALLY want to connect with. In a massive sea of thousands of bloggers, you will not get to meet everyone you are hoping to meet. I guarantee it. Right now, you’re probably tweeting, “Can’t wait to see you at BlogHer” and “So excited we will finally meet at BlogHer” but the reality is, there’s a BIG chance you won’t meet up at BlogHer. Your list of cell phone numbers should be your short list; a select group of people who you are flying miles across the country to meet. The #BlogHer11 twitter stream that entire weekend will be crazy and it will be hard for you to keep up, so having cell phone numbers and actually dialing the person you want to meet is much more effective. {Believe it or not, I was calling and texting those peeps in the SAME room STILL trying to find them. Yes, this conference is THAT big}.
3. Make sure your Avatar is up-to-date (within the last year or so). If your avi displays long blonde hair and yours is now brown and short, people are NOT going to recognize you and when you meet someone for the first time, all they have to go on from memory is your little avatar – so make sure it represents the real YOU and not the little hottie you used to be like 15 years ago.
4. Put your ego in check. Not everyone is going to “recognize” you. Again, you will be attending this conference among thousands of bloggers so unless you are @Dooce, you’re probably not going to be easily recognized and this will happen over the entire course of the conference. Yes, this conference is THAT big.
5. Make a schedule. Be sure to print out all of the sessions, activities and private parties (including specific room numbers and addresses of each) to have an idea of what you are doing each day by the hour. Of course this may change and you may not even follow this schedule altogether BUT at least you will have an idea of what the hell you are doing. If you don’t have an itinerary in your hand you will be wasting some valuable time standing outside of sessions, looking confused and trying to figure out where you want to go – have that ALL mapped out before you even board the plane.
6. Plan outfits and jewelry ahead of time. I know this sounds crazy, but you will agonize over what to wear if you bring 5,000 choices. Pack knowing in advance what you plan to wear for EACH conference day (including what to wear at night for the parties) so that you aren’t wasting precious time in your hotel room over what to wear. Having outfits planned ahead is one less thing you’ll have to think about when you are actually there.
7. Don’t worry about the parties that you didn’t invites to. Don’t worry about what anyone else is doing but YOU. I guarantee you didn’t get into every A-list party and you know what? You are not alone. There are tons of other bloggers who are in the same boat and the conference itself offers their own parties each night so you will always have somewhere to go. Don’t get hung up on what you think others bloggers are doing. Just have a good time with the bloggers and the groups YOU are with.
8. Wear flip-flops. Nobody, I repeat, nobody will be looking at your feet. In fact, everyone will be checking out your chest because they’ll be squinting when they come up to say hello as they try to read the little name tag that’s plastered across your boobs. You will be walking more at this conference than you have in the last month so be sure to wear something comfortable since nobody will be looking at your feet!
9. Let go of your expectations. Don’t have ANY pre-conceptions or expectations about this conference. As my mother always taught me, “Expect nothing and you shall never be disappointed.”
10. Have fun. Bottom line? This conference is the chance of a lifetime – the odds of attending a conference of this magnitude may not come around again for you for another couple of years – so be sure to enjoy it and make the most of every single minute you are there.
Feel left out already since you are not attending this year? No worries, because my bloggy friends Liz and Jessica have put together a really fun online event that will give you the chance to linkup and meet some new bloggers who are also not attending!
{Follow the hashtag #SummerBlogSocial on Twitter and check out their links for full deets! They even provide specific writing prompts to get this party started, so be sure to join in!} And if you are attending BlogHer, have a blast and give everyone a big hug for me!
These are great tips for small conference! I am not going to Blogher, but I looking forward to the Summer Blog Social.
Number Ten is the one I’ve been going by all along: this is never going to happen again, and so I’m going to go and enjoy.
And take it all in.
Good advice, Heather. Thank you.
Awesome list! I wentfor one day last year and felt totally overwhelmed. This year I’m going for the whole thing. Totally thankful for this list!
Great tips! I’m also not going to BlogHer, but I’m going to BBC, and I know some of these tips transfer well.
Great post as always, Heather! Off to check my avatar 😉
not going.
but will be having fun with Liz and Jessica next week for the Summer Blog Social!
Not going but still love the BlogHer posts! (Crazy much?)
I will be joining Liz & Jessica, though, and that’s fun & exciting #SummerBlogSocial!
Fantastic advice Heather! To all who are going to BlogHer, heed #10!
Thanks for the shout!
I’m curious to see if next BlogHer is in the middle of the country and more reasonable for me to attend.
I wish I was going. I’d love to see what these are all about and meet new people. Maybe next year I can make it.
Awesome, Heather! As a total conference newbie for blogging who has been to countless conferences for other reasons, I can’t wait!
Great advice Heather!
You just know there are going to be so many gals who wish they’d worn more sensible shoes! 😉
To all you attendees, have a great time!
Aw, man! I wish I was going! But these are some great tips to keep in mind for the future! 😉 I hope everyone who’s going has a great time!
This is great advice! I’m not going to BlogHer this year but the advice is goof for any conference one participates in with maybe the exception of the size. I’m going to keep this in mind for next year though!
What a great checklist! I will not be attending BlogHer this year as I’m still so new, but I’m making it a goal to attend next year. I am printing this list out as a reminder, and as motivation!
Thanks for info. This is my first conference. Helps me feel better.
I honestly don’t think I’m ready to attend BlogHer yet, so I’m not all that disappointed that I won’t be there. But this is a great checklist for blogging conference in general, so I enjoyed reading it since I’m hoping to attend *a* blogging conference within the next year. Thanks, Heather!
BlogHer is a big one so these tips are super useful!
Great tips! I’m so looking forward to BlogHer but as a newbie am already expecting to be overwhelmed! ::runs off to get cell phone numbers::
Great tips! I was feeling a bit sad about the private parties because I wasn’t getting invited to any and the ones I had a shot at, I ended up getting wait-listed for. I did want to go to one private one. So I decided to throw my ego out the window and went on Twitter to see if anyone had an extra ticket and needed a date! Somebody came forward, so now I’m a plus one! LOL! And I made a new bloggy buddy! You can’t beat that!
Unfortunately, I won’t be going.
I am however, looking forward to reading about it from all my blogger friends!
Great list – Getting ready feels a bit like cramming for a monster exam! With much cuter accessories, of course. More excited every day.
Great advice! I keep meaning to update my avatar… I don’t look totally different, but enough. Doh!
Good advice – and I’m happy to read I’m not the only one on this list not going. I agree with “What She Said!” 2012 is the year I’m going to SOME conference. Just not sure which one yet.
This is a GREAT list, Heather! I love it!! I am sort of nervous about how HUGE this is, but I think I have some of my tribe lined up to be with me at all times, and I have phone numbers, but I don’t have room numbers of sessions! EEK! I didn’t see those anywhere!
Oh I have to check out Liz’s blog because I am not going and want to link up. I feel sooo sad. I’m determined to next year and coincide it with our US trip. I laughed at the 15 year ago hottie comment. I definitely looked better back then and my branded image is my wedding shot. Eeks! Oh well.
I loved meeting you last year!
Thanks so much for a great list! I am going to BlogHer12 and this is SO helpful. I am a Birkenstock girl at heart, so I will stash my Birks in my conf. bag for when my cute sandals start to hurt. And I will most definitely make a list of cell phone #s. Thanks again!
Thanks for these tips! It is my first conference, and I am a new blogger. I don’t know anyone going, but NYC is my home, so I am not worried about the city at least. I have two pair of Birenstocks out to be packed!