The hashtag #altsummit was buzzing on Twitter and Instagram this weekend with chatter about packing for Alt Summit. Attendees like myself were asking questions about what to wear, sharing links to packing lists, and snapping photos of possible outfits.
If there was ever an occasion to dress to impress, it would be a blogging conference like Alt Summit. However, transforming the Grand America Hotel into a real world catwalk is not Alt’s primary intention. Alt Summit exists to bring together design and lifestyle bloggers to learn and share ideas and to connect with potential sponsors.
In other words, Alt Summit is for networking
For an introvert like myself, just the thought of networking makes my hands sweaty. So I called up Andrea Nierenberg of The Nierenberg Group for a pep talk. She may be the queen of networking, but she actually considers herself to be an introvert–which gives me great hope! Andrea graciously offered networking tips to help me prepare for three days of connecting with bloggers and brands.
First, she suggested that I prepare a “tangible tool kit” to make meeting and following up with new contacts easy.
What goes in a tangible tool kit? Here are the essentials:
- Breath mints – no explanation needed!
- Hand sanitizer – it is cold and flu season, after all! plus, a little bit of hand sanitizer can be used to dry damp or clammy palms.
- Tissues – for a runny nose or to discretely dry sweaty hands
- Business cards – the general consensus is to bring 150-200 business cards; you won’t hand one out to every person you meet.
- Two card cases or plastic sandwich bags- one for your cards, one for the cards you collect.
- Two pens – pens get lost easily (at least mine do!)
- A small notebook – to jot down notes immediately after speaking with somebody you’d like to follow up with later
- Camera and memory card – so you never forget a face!
Besides gathering supplies for my tangible tool kit, Andrea suggested I also prepare my “intangible took kit” — or networking state of mind. By doing a bit of brainstorming before the event, she said I’ll be able to engage fully and more productively at Alt.
Want to brainstorm along with me? Here are some questions to ask yourself:
- Who are the 3-5 people (bloggers, brands, or speakers) you are most interested in meeting at Alt Summit? Think strategically about those attending. Who do you really, really, really want to meet? Set a goal to research those people before you leave for Salt Lake City.
- How will you initiate conversation with other attendees? What is your “opening line”? It may be helpful to think in advance of what you will say as you meet new people, especially if you are introverted. Open-ended questions are the easiest way to start a conversation. Even a simple, “Hi, I’m ____ from the blog _____. Who are you?” can be effective.
- What are 2-3 follow-up questions you can ask to keep the conversation going? Again, if you tend to be shy, it’s always a good idea to have a couple of get-to-know-you questions in your back pocket. These questions can range from “What are some of your favorite blogs?” to “What did you think of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosting the Golden Globes?”
- How will you answer the question “What is your blog about?” Be ready to quickly and confidently answer this inevitable question. Rather than just reciting your blog’s tagline, come up with a 30-second infomercial about yourself and your blog. Brands, especially, will want to know what differentiates you.
- What specific goals do you hope to achieve at Alt Summit? Make Alt a success by working towards goals specific to you and your blog. Do you want to connect with 5 brands? Hand out 100 business cards? Set realistic goals and take the appropriate action steps to meet them.
Whew! That’s a lot to process!
To help you prepare your own tangible and intangible tool kits, the amazingly talented Erika from Foxtrot Press created an Alt-worthy checklist to download and print. Take some time before heading to Salt Lake City to brainstorm, using Andrea’s tips as a jumping off point.
Click here for the Networking at Alt Summit Pre-Event Checklist.
Good luck! I hope to meet you all at Alt Summit!
BIG thanks to Andrea and Erika for making this post possible.
{photo by b.a.d. photography}
Yes yes yes times a billion.
I went last year and it was at Alt Summit that I got the idea for my company. This year, I know I’m going to network and meet people. I want to look nice, but there’s so much emphasis on the clothing sometimes that it can get overwhelming for those of us who aren’t fashion bloggers. You’ve just got to remember why you are going.
Great post! See you at Alt!
This was excellent – truly excellent!
PJ thanks for sharing these notes and your checklist. Incredibly helpful as I pack today. I look forward to connecting with you in Salt Lake City.