5 Promotional Opportunities at Blogging Conferences

By Patti Londre 

Whether you’re a natural self-promoter or shy to the concept, representing your blog at blogger’s conferences can greatly enhance your attendance value. But not every method you hear about is a good idea, and some can even backfire by being too heavy-handed or insensitive to conference organizers and/or their paid sponsors.

At Camp Blogaway, we do everything we can to ensure attendees meet and mingle, but bloggers are encouraged to “think marketing” here, too. How to go about it? Here are our five Camp-sanctioned* ways to maximize your visibility during your conference – they are easy and cheap! First of all typically there wil be a travel or hotel company associated with the venue. They will be eager to promote the hotel or travel company associated with the event.

• Bring business cards for your blog. And obviously, hand them out. Blog name/logo, URL, your name, email, twitter, Facebook. No need for phone or address.

• Make use of the Networking Table for your flyers, business cards. Consider standing out on that table. How about a Signature Recipe on a card? A postcard from Camp? Invitation for a fun contest? Luggage tags?  Whatever you do should be easy to carry home and good enough for someone to not toss in the trashcan.

• Give away a nibble. How about a candy with your card attached? An imprinted lollypop, or other cute snack. Two things are important here – first, that your goodie doesn’t appear to give an impression that you are a “sponsor” at the event, and second, that it is packaged properly. You don’t want to be the one whose goodie leaked or melted in suitcases.

• Wear your blog. This is easy. Just buy a packet of Ink Jet T-Shirt transfers and iron yourself up a logo shirt or apron. FUN.

• Follow-up. Conferences often provide contact info lists for all its attendees: bloggers, sponsors, speakers, staff at the event.  If your conference doesn’t provide a list, really make an effort to collect business cards. Reconnecting once home is a valuable way to help you make things happen for your blog.

*Note that each blogging conference has its own set of approved marketing opportunities for attendees, so definitely check with the organizers first before going whole-hog with creative visibility ideas. Following their guidelines is good PR for your blog.

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About the Author:
Patti Londre is the Fearless Leader at Camp Blogaway Bootcamp for Food & Recipe Bloggers