Comments on: What to take to the conference?

By: Liz

Liz — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 05:13:17 +0000

Jen, your list sounds spot on, and it is helping me make MY list. There is a blogger meet up on Tuesday night – are you going? Also, what are you wearing during the day – jeans??? business casual??? When they say comfy shoes, I’m thinking my Reeboks! LOL I’m looking forward to seeing you there!

By: Heather Rojo

Heather Rojo — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:50:27 +0000

I agree with all the advice, especially the comfy shoes and the address stickers for drawings! I don’t have a business, but I brought cards my daughter made for me with my contact info and blog URL. I gave and got tons of cards! I also practiced a two or three sentence “elevator speech” to say when I met folks, to describe my blog on the fly. It came in handy not just in the elevator, but in the ladies room, at luncheons and banquets, at cocktail hours, etc… I learned this the hard way when on the first morning I just said “ummmm”. I prepared one and had it down pat by lunch time!

By: Jen

Jen — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 01:41:11 +0000

Thanks everyone for the great advice!

I have a wireless cell thingy for my computer (not sure of the technical term) but my laptop is really heavy. I think that I’ll probably be to busy to use it much anyway, so I suppose leaving it in the hotel might be a better idea.

By: Amy Coffin

Amy Coffin — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:57:03 +0000

Business cards are a must. You can give them to new friends and put them in for vendor drawings. Take some blank cards too for those people you meet who don’t have their own. That way you’ll have their contact information. Have fun! Blog often!

By: Greta Koehl

Greta Koehl — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:09:12 +0000

Comfortable shoes. Clothes that don’t feel icky-sticky if it’s hot. Business cards are a good idea; I have some cheapie cards I use that at least have my blog URL and e-mail on them – there’s sure to be some sort of blogger meet-up.

By: Shaz

Shaz — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 18:14:17 +0000

Do not take your computer with you to
the conference. You will be surprised
at how heavy it gets and so quickly.
My husband is paranoid so ours always g
gets hidden in a suitcase in our hotel
room. They have been known to grow
legs and disappear. Also take some
kind of wrap or sweater, those conference
hall rooms can get very chilly.

By: Linda McCauley

Linda McCauley — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 16:39:21 +0000

Definitely do the business cards.

If you are thinking of carrying your laptop during the day to access the web, you can probably leave it in the room. Most conference centers don’t offer free wi-fi. (That was a surprise to me the 1st time I attended a conference.)

Return address labels are handy for registering for drawings in the Exhibit Hall.

A camera.

Hope I see you there.

By: Cynthia Shenette

Cynthia Shenette — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 14:48:49 +0000

As someone who’s recently attended a conference, your list sounds right on! Clearly you are a mom. Moms always think to bring snacks and drinks–always ready to pull a juice box out of a handbag at any time! I brought snacks and drinks too. Just an FYI from someone who travels quite a bit, mini fridges aren’t a standard in hotel rooms the way they use to be. Last summer one hotel we stayed at wanted to charge $30 a day! I also brought my computer to the conference with me. I didn’t lug it to the sessions, but left it in my room. I was happy to know I had it just in case.

Good luck with moving, and enjoy the conference!