Alternate titles:
- The things people didn’t tell me about BlogHer before I went, but what I wish they would have.
- Unsolicited advice to newbies who might go to #BlogHer12.
- Things that did not happen to me at BlogHer, but that happened to a friend of a friend of a friend.
- Yet another #BlogHer11 recap post.
What I wish someone would have told me prior to going to BlogHer ’11:
- When packing for a blog conference, include a collapsible duffel bag in your suitcase. Use it to bring home massive amounts of swag, dirty laundry, or perhaps that blogger that you just adore and want to keep as your new real-life BFF. Not that I’m endorsing kidnapping. But you never know when that duffel bag will come in handy.
- Making eye contact with people in the hallways is really hard. People aren’t looking straight ahead. Everyone is tweeting, texting or emailing on their smart phones. If you want to get someone’s attention in the hall, the best tactic is to accidentally bump into them. Or, better yet, send them a DM.
- You will be showered with swag. And I don’t mean the fun, Christmas decoration sort of swag. I’m talking tchotchkes, in embarrassingly obscene amounts.
- Only bring home swag that you would be comfortable handing over to TSA for hand inspection. Don’t be tempted to pick up, say, paraphernalia from an adult toy booth, unless you’re willing to explain repeatedly to the security guard, “I swear. It was a blogging conference.”
- You’ll meet some people that you immediately adore. Some may exceed your expectations of what they would be like in real life. And yet others may fall a little short of what you would expect them to be by reading their blogs. That’s life, I guess. Or, more accurately, that’s life when you bring thousands of women together in one place. Move on to the next person.
- Drink tickets are worth their weight in gold. So much so, that they are sometimes bartered for swag, favors, and places in the ladies restroom line. Hold on to those suckers for dear life until you’re ready to redeem them. And if you’re not a drinker, for Pete’s Sake, give them to someone who will put them to good use.
- Don’t worry about buying meals when you’re at the conference. There is literally food everywhere. One night, I had a 12 course meal while making my way through the expo hall. And, yes, I regretted going back for seconds at the Dove ice cream booth. And thirds.
- If you think Twitter moves fast in every day life, just try to keep up with the hashtags when you’re at a blog conference. #itsimpossible
- No matter how short you are, ditch the high heels. You might get compliments on your cute new shoes. But the whole look is offset when you get blisters on your feet, and all you have in your purse are Hello Kitty band-aids.
- Starting a conversation with, “So, how long have you been blogging?” or “What’s your blog about?” might not be the best idea. Especially when you’re unknowingly standing next to someone that’s been blogging since the dawning of the internet, and you have no clue who they are. Instead, maybe start with, “Ooh, I love your shoes.” They’ll appreciate the effort you took in noticing. Especially if they’re wearing cute heels.
- Don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone. For someone who spends 14 hours a day behind a computer, this was a toughie for me. In some cases, I had to force myself to break out of my reclusive behavior to interact with real people. And, in the end, I’m glad I did. Even if it was scary.
- Smile. Please. You’re so much more approachable when you do.
- On the way home, allow extra time going through security. Especially if the conference is in San Diego, and the security line makes Black Friday shopping lines look like a walk in the park. And if you disregarded point #4? Just be forewarned that you might never get to your gate on time.
- Always introduce yourself by at least one or more of the following information: first name, Twitter handle, and blog name. Ideally, at least some of these are the same. Otherwise, you’ll end up starting conversations with, “I’m Kayleen, but my Twitter handle is @booyahsmomma, and I write at a blog called Chip and Bobo.” Yeah. I don’t blame you if were confused after meeting me.
- And while we’re on the subject of names? Whatever you do, don’t name your online identity or company with a name that contains an apostrophe. There might be a computer error that cuts off the last part of your name. And you might end up walking around with a badge like this:
And you might just feel a little silly. Either that, or it might be Booyah.