BlogHer 2012 Conference Recap

I had the privilege of being able to attend BlogHer 2012 in New York. BlogHer is one of the largest blogging conferences in the world. This year over 5,000 people were in attendance. The conference had a wide range of speakers, bloggers, companies, and others. The conference is what you make it. Below I share my thoughts, and I would love here your response.

How would you describe the BlogHer Conference overall?

BlogHer provides a wide range of value to those who can attend.

• It is a great place to find like-minded bloggers all in one place.
• It can provide a provide a platform for you to meet the right people and become a Brand Ambassador.
• You will have opportunities to learn from a variety of sessions.
• It also puts you in the same location as many remarkable people who are leaders in their field. For instance this years conference including several; amazing speakers such as Martha Stewart, Katie Curic, Soledad O’brien, etc.
• President Obama also addressed BlogHer this year, which made the first day of the conference phenomenal.
• Overall, it was a conference full of energy, lots of brands, and fun new opportunities for bloggers.

What were some of BlogHer‘s key takeaways?

• Develop your own unique voice and niche, and then try to build, share, and market your blog the best you can.
• Be original and authentic as possible.
• Let your blog become a trusted and authentic resource which is personal and inviting.
• Set at least 10 goals and work on achieving them, and then set at least 10 new ones.
• Don’t become overly concerned about what others are doing, have foresight, ambition, drive, and great follow-through skills.
• Go above and beyond at all times, this will help set you apart from your competition.
• Be respectful and trust-worthy at all times.
• Develop relationships with brands and other bloggers, which are complementary to your blog and your mission.
• Help others.
• Use your blogging voice as a catalyst for change.
• Be consistent when working with others.
• Know which apps help you work smarter and not harder.
• Make your information timeless so that your site will always be relevant.
• Be yourself, your gifts are unique, cultivate them and know how to use them to help you succeed.
• Don’t be afraid to monetize, value yourself and your time and make sure your blog is an accurate reflection of you.

Words of Advice about attending a BlogHer Conference

• Once you receive the map and schedule, study it and know where everything you need will be.
• Be friendly.
• Go to as many events as you can including brand sponsored dinners and parties which are usually offsite.
• Decide prior to the conference which venders who you are most interested in talking too. Then decide whether you want lots of “swag” or if you prefer to develop relationships with brands.
• Attend with a friend. Sure you can also meet new friends.
• Practice your “elevator pitch.” You will be sharing it over and over. Know unique qualities about yourself and your brand.
• Pack a lot of business cards (about 300-500 ).
• Never go to a blogging conference without a one page sheet with your stats; especially if you’re tryin foster new relationships with brands.
• Schedule meetings with the brands you want to work with the most, and then collect swag later.
• Be confident, not shy.
• Have fun. There are lots of parties so loosen-up and enjoy!
• Schedule a day to tour the city you’re visiting.
• Don’t over-pack. Leave room for some gift bags and swag so you wont need to ship everything.
• Be kind. (Kindness is sometimes overlooked because many fish are after the same worm, but at the end of the day you want your character to shine and who knows who will be blessed by your professional behavior).
• Follow up with brands and bloggers within 48 hours of the completion of the conference.
• Keep bottled water and lemon with you. On the last day of the conference, I felt like I was losing my voice, so stay hydrated.
• Take advantage of free massages and manicures. This conferences had a lot of different locations so after a while your body may start aching so just book a massage.
• Add eating food offsite to your budget; especially, dinner.

Overall, in order to gain the most out of BlogHer your actions must be extremely calculated and strategic. A person in attendance must have a plan in place and be willing to self-promote at all times.

Reader Response

1. If you attended BlogHer – What’s Your BlogHer ’12 Follow Up Strategy? Would you attend BlogHer again?
   
3. If you wanted to attend BlogHer, what would you want to learn most?

If you missed BlogHer ’12: Many of the sessions were live blogged. Click on the link to follow the sessions you missed.

Continue to follow the #BlogHer12 hashtag