So you’re on your way to your first travel blogging conference! It’s a big step in your travel blogging journey, and you can learn a lot from attending a travel blogging conference.
Together we’ve attended over a dozen travel blogging conferences. Laurence’s first one was in Spain in 2012 and mine (Jess’s) was in Italy in 2014 (where the two of us first met!). Since then we have attended over a dozen travel conferences as both attendees and as speakers.
Based on all our conference experiences, we wanted to share some tips and advice for attending your first travel blogging conference (or any blogging conference really). Hopefully these will address any questions, concerns or worries you may have and help you make the most of your first travel blogger conference.
17 Tips for Attending your First Travel Blogger Conference
Our tips for attending a travel blogging conference do, of course, apply to other types of conferences and professional events as well.
1. Research the Travel Blogging Conference
This may seem obvious but you should read as much as you can about the conference in advance so you know what to expect, and whether this is going to be the right conference for you.
If the conference has taken place before, you might want to reach out to former attendees and ask what they thought of it to learn if it will be a good investment of your time and money. If it’s a new conference, do some research into the conference organizers and their background, to check that it is legit. Do bear in mind that any new conference is likely to have some glitches despite the best efforts of the organizers.
There are a number of travel blogging conferences out there but not all are geared to the newbie blogger so you’ll want to make sure there is content geared to where you are in your blogging journey.
The longest running (since 2009) and largest is TBEX (Travel Blog Exchange) which holds 2 to 4 annual conferences each year. TravelCon is a new one run by popular blogger Nomadic Matt that will have its first conference in 2018. But there are several others out there and we’ve been to a number of them. If you have questions about a particular conference feel free to ask us in the Comments section below.
Once you’ve decided to attend, you should figure out if there are any important deadlines. Many conferences offer a reduced conference fee for early registration for example. Others may offer discounted hotel reservations if you book early.
A number of conferences we’ve attended also have special meet-and-greet sessions, speed networking sessions, special workshops, and/or blogger tours, all of which usually have to be signed up for well in advance. You definitely need to learn when these will be available to sign up for so you don’t miss anything you really want to do.
If the conference has an email mailing list or Facebook group, you should join these so you don’t miss any relevant news.
It’s also important to understand the structure of the conference. For example, will the programming all take place in one building or will it take place in multiple locations? What is the focus or theme of the conference? What kinds of people are attending? Will there be organized tours or press trip opportunities before or after the conference?
Treat this as an investment in your blog and your business. Being fully prepared and going in with your eyes open will make your time at the conference easier, and make sure you don’t miss anything you really want to see. It’s your time and money that you are investing, so it’s important to make sure you get a great return on that investment.
2. Define Your Goals
When you’ve decided to attend your first conference, it’s important to decide what your goals for attending are going to be. Is it to learn technical aspects related to blogging? Is it to develop business opportunities? Is it to learn a specific skill? Is it to meet specific attendees?
Whatever your goals, it’s good to have a defined set of outcomes you’d like from the conference. If you have a lot of goals, as we often do, try to focus on those that are most important as it’s not going to be possible to do absolutely everything.
If your goals include meeting other bloggers or brand representatives, it is often a good idea to reach out ahead of the conference to try to schedule a time to meet. Once you are at the conference it will likely prove more challenging, so arranging a mutually convenient time ahead of the event itself will be more fruitful.
3. Organize Your Conference Schedule
Before the conference, you should save or print off the conference schedule and figure out what parts of the agenda you plan to attend as there are typically multiple events going on at any one time at larger conferences.
You might want to create your own spreadsheet in Excel or another program to make a personalized schedule that just includes the things you want to attend. Be sure to also include social events, organized meals, press trips, and any additional meetings you have set up that may not be on the main schedule.
Obviously attending the full conference will allow you to see, learn, and do more than if you only attend for part of the conference. So you may want to double check the conference dates and if there are any pre- or post-events before making your travel arrangements.
Try to be realistic when setting up your schedule as back-to-back meetings may not be a good idea at larger conferences as the distance across convention centers can be very large and some events may be in separate buildings.
If there is loads of great content and you can’t get to it all, you could see if the conference is offering any kind of session recording, so you can catch up on it later. Alternatively, find a “conference buddy” who you can split sessions with and compare notes with later.
It should go without saying that it is very important to show up to all scheduled meetings on time and if you tend to be someone who shows up late, try to arrive early. Nothing makes a bad first impression like arriving late or missing an appointment with an industry contact!
4. Be Prepared
Before you leave for the conference make sure you have all the things you’ll need throughout the conference. Find a professional looking bag, backpack, or organizer that you feel comfortable carrying around all day that you can store all your daily essentials in.
I personally often carry a tote bag similar to this one, and Laurence has a bag like this one (although I normally end up carrying everything in mine!). We also both own these zippered personal organizers and sometimes just take these to meetings as they hold our business cards, media kits, and notepaper for taking notes.
Each person’s needs for a conference will vary, but some things to consider for your day bag may be:
- Conference Schedule and list of any appointments
- Water
- Snacks
- Breathmints
- Cosmetics/hygiene products (e.g., chapstick, compact, comb, tissues, etc.)
- Pens/pencils & Notebook
- Jacket or Cardigan (I often wear this travel sweater and Laurence normally wears a black sports jacket at conferences)
- Laptop or tablet if you prefer to take notes this way
- Travel power strip (good when outlets are limited & we always travel with one – I have used this one since 2011)
- Power plug adapters to be able to plug in your devices (if traveling to a country with different electrical plugs)
- Phone & Battery pack or charger for your phone
- Business cards
- Copies of your media kit
You’ll also want to think about where you will be storing all the handouts, business cards, and brochures you’ll be collecting from people throughout the day!
5. Don’t Sweat the networking
One common piece of feedback we hear from attendees is that they don’t really like networking.
We hear you.
First, it’s important to know that you are not alone! A great many people don’t like networking, so don’t beat yourself up about it. It’s definitely something that gets easier with practice, but it doesn’t come naturally to everyone, and it’s not the end of the world.
Nearly every conference will have a series of mechanisms in place to make it easier to meet people, be that speed networking, break out sessions or small group meetups for like-minded people.
Many conferences also have a “welcome” session for new attendees. This is a great opportunity to meet other people who might be new to this type of conference, who will probably be feeling the same way as you.
Another option is explore pre-conference tools for meeting other attendees virtually. For example the conference is likely to have a Facebook group for attendees. You could also follow those talking about the conference on Twitter or other social media platforms. Chances are you probably already virtually know some of the other attendees from the online blogging world.
if you don’t know anyone attending, we’d suggest it might be a good idea to reach out to a few people at the same stage of blogging as yourself and introduce yourself. If they are also in your particular niche (e..g, solo female, airline points, budget travel) even better. This will at least give you some familiar names to aim for at the conference itself.
One other thing you might notice if this is your first conference is that it may seem like many people do seem to know each other already. This might seem like you are somehow being left out, but don’t fret about it.
Conferences like this, especially in a relatively small community like travel blogging, are often a great way for people who have been around for a while to meet up and catch up, and naturally they’ll be taking full advantage of that opportunity. This doesn’t mean they’re not interested in chatting with you though! So don’t feel intimidated to introduce yourself to someone you see as a “big blogger”, they don’t bite and most will be happy to chat with you.
6. Don’t Expect to Meet Everyone and do Everything
A common mistake prior to attending a first conference is the idea that you will be able to meet everyone you want to as well as attend all the sessions, break out groups, and events.
The reality is that in a conference environment, where there may be anywhere from 200 to 1,000 people in attendance, as well as possibly hundreds of scheduled events, it’s just not always going to be possible to meet everyone and do everything.
In addition, even if you did manage to meet everyone, many of those meetings are likely going to be fleeting and superficial.
We think it’s better to focus on meeting just a few people, but spending a bit more time with each one and really developing a more in-depth relationship. We’d also suggest focusing on those sessions that you really think you will learn from rather than trying to see everything and getting overwhelmed.
One other thing that can be disconcerting at a conference is when someone you meet in real life is entirely different to their online persona. This is pretty common in the blogging space and can be a bit jarring. But its good to remember we’re all human and sometimes we present differently online verses in person.
7. Dress for Success
If you are planning to meet with travel industry professionals, you’ll want to dress in a professional manner. This doesn’t mean you have to wear a suit, but you should dress in manner that makes you look like someone who can be taken seriously and will actually deliver on your promises.
Of course, it is important to be yourself while striking a nice balance between dressing up and being comfortable. Comfortable shoes are a must as you’ll likely be on your feet a lot during the day and as a travel blogger, you never know when you’ll be off on some city walking tour or hike. Unless you wear high heels regularly, try to avoid them at conferences and your tired feet will thank you!
Remember that most folks in the marketing world are not full-time hard-core travelers and will come nicely dressed to the conference and will expect you to have at least put some effort into your physical presentation.
That said, there are generally no dress codes at blogging conferences. We’ve seen some people come looking like they rolled out of the bed of a hostel, people dressed in pretty revealing outfits, and at least one person who seemed ready to head off onto an African safari.
We’d recommend that you avoid standing out because of the way you are dressed (e.g., “safari man” or “girl in miniskirt”), and go for something that is both comfortable and professional looking.
Business casual is a very appropriate look for these conferences. Laurence and I often wear T-shirts with our blog branding under a jacket or cardigan with a nice looking pair of pants (black, navy or khaki usually). Obviously if you are starting out you probably don’t have a branded t-shirt, so any nice looking shirt or blouse will do!
Of course, once you are well known in the travel blogging space, the less appearance matters. Gary Arndt gave an opening keynote talk at TBEX Europe in jeans and sandals and hey with 10 years of blogging you can definitely do that! But as a new blogger, you’re making a first impression so try to put your best foot forward.
8. Know Your Travel Blog
It is really important that you know your travel blog. By this, we mean you should know at least the following, which are questions you are likely to be asked:
- How many people read your blog (or view your videos, etc.)?
- Where are your readers based?
- What is your audience demographic (age, gender, income, etc)
- What social media following do you have?
- What is your blog’s niche?
- What separates you from the crowd?
- How much experience do you have in working with brands?
The first four are easy enough and you can easily find the numbers and information available in Google Analytics. The numbers that most brands will be interested in will be your unique visitors per month, and your page views per month. They’ll also want to know the top 3 or top 5 countries where your readers are from, and their approximate demographic information.
In terms of your blog niche, it’s important to know what your focus is, and to easily be able to qualify that with example content. For example, if your main focus is budget or backpacker travel, then you should be able to easily point towards some great content you’ve created in that area, and also to explain why it is you are passionate about this niche.
Standing out from the crowd is definitely always a challenge in a conference environment, but try to identify what makes your blog unique to you, and why a brand might want to work with you over someone else. It might be your unique story telling style, your particular niche, a particular skill or personal background, or the style of your videos or photos. It might just be that you have a compelling story. Whatever it is, figure it out in advance.
Finally, if you are thinking about pitching to brands, it’s important that they see you as someone trustworthy and experienced that they want to work with. If you have already worked with brands, that is a great head start, as you can point to successful collaborations you have had in the past. If not, don’t worry. Maybe you have some great comments from readers you have helped with their travel planning, or previous work experience that you can point to.
Once you have all of the above, you’ll want to be able to condense it down into a concise description of yourself, your blog, and what sets it apart from other travel blogs that can be said in approximately 1 minute. Also known as an “elevator pitch”.
If you are nervous about talking to professionals about your blog, practice giving an “elevator pitch” about your blog to a friend until you feel more confident. This is also a good time to click through your blog and make sure your home page, contact information, About Me section, etc. are up to date and that your blog is looking its best.
9. Know Your Conference Audience
Once you can recite your social media statistics, explain your blog’s niche, and have a good 1-minute elevator pitch about your own blog down, you need to focus on getting to know your conference audience.
Head to the conference website and begin researching who else will be there (bloggers, speakers, exhibitors) and make a list of the people who you would like to meet and why. Learn a little about the person, destination, or tourism board before the conference and come prepared with what you’d like to ask them or how you think you might be able to collaborate with them. You need to think about what you can realistically offer a business partner and how you can help best promote their product, service, or destination.
In many cases if it is not already part of the itinerary (e.g., “speed dating” or meet-and-greet sessions), it can be a good idea to try to set up meetings with those you are most interested in meeting before the conference so that you are sure to get a chance to talk with them.
Remember that people are very busy during conferences, so be respectful of people’s time and only ask for short meetings (10-15 minutes) and just know that they may need to take place while grabbing coffee or walking to a meeting. This is why having a very concise description of yourself, your blog, and the purpose of the meeting is so vital!
10. Promote Yourself as a Travel Blogger
Along with the prior tips about knowing yourself and your audience, you need to be a good salesperson. Think of yourself as a one-person marketing-sales-cheerleader team for your blog as you will need to promote your blog and yourself throughout the conference. If you just sit around and don’t take the initiative to go up and talk to people, you’ll likely find yourself missing out on a lot of potential relationships and collaborations.
If this is your first conference, you might want to start with just initiating conversations with other bloggers to build your confidence in order to approach the marketing directors, PR agents, and travel industry experts. Most people feel anxiety about approaching strangers (it’s totally normal!), but once you get over the first awkward few seconds to introduce yourself, you’ll begin to feel a lot better. Just know what you plan to say before you cross the room and you’ll be fine.
During conversations, remember you are there to sell your blog and promote it, so remember to be confident and point out the strengths and unique aspects and don’t let yourself get pulled down into saying things like “well I don’t have a lot of followers yet” or “my blog isn’t as big as his”. It may be true that you don’t have a big social media following yet and you want to be completely honest about your statistics, but you want to try to focus the conversation on the highlights and what you can offer rather than the areas of weakness.
If you get a sense that the person is not interested, start ending the conversation, hand them your business card, and thank them for their time. Move onto the next person and don’t dwell on conversations that don’t go as well as you planned as you’ll likely be surprised by how well most conversations do go.
11. Be Professional at all Times
It’s important to remember you are at a conference, and you are representing your blog and brand at all times. It is likely that people you want to work with are eating in the same restaurants and drinking at the same bars as you before, during, and after the conference. So being professional throughout the conference is important as you never know when you will run into people.
This doesn’t mean you can’t be relaxed and have a bit of fun, but you might want to save your serious partying for after the conference ends. Blogging is still a fairly new profession and there are many people who don’t take bloggers very seriously, so try to be a good ambassador for the good of bloggers everywhere.
It is also important to play well with other bloggers.The professional travel blogging world is fairly small, and the chances of running into the same people again are high. You also never know when a brand representative will ask another blogger for a recommendation for other bloggers to hire (it happens all the time), so maintaining positive relationships is definitely something to strive for.
12. Make (or Update) your Travel Blogger Media Kit
We think a media kit is really important for quickly getting across the message of what your blog is about, who you are, and why someone might want to work with. These don’t have to be lengthy affairs or overly complex designs – just one or two A4 pages will suffice.
If you do not have a media kit, we would suggest spending a little bit of time learning about them and looking at some examples so that you can create one of your own.
These are often created by bloggers using tools like Canva (what we use), Photoshop, Publisher, PicMonkey, or some other image service, which are then converted into an Adobe Acrobat PDF file. You can check out a good introduction post to creating media kits (and lots of examples) from Blog Maven.
Briefly, media kits should include an introduction section that briefly describes yourself and your blog, your website statistics, readership demographics, social media follower numbers and links, your contact information, services you offer, and any examples or testimonials from past partnerships/sponsorships (if you have them). Most are 1 or 2 pages long (ours is 2 pages or 1 2-sided page).
The media kit should be visually appealing and reflect you and your blog so do put some time into it as it might be the primary factor that a potential partner uses in deciding whether to work with you or not. Although it should reflect you and your style, make sure it is easy to read, professional looking, and includes all the relevant information.
For those of you who already have a media kit, make sure you look it over carefully and make any updates to your graphics, website statistics, contact information, etc. as needed.
Bring along plenty of paper copies to the conference and also have a digital copy ready to be emailed or viewed online. Be sure to print anything you need at home as hotel printing and copying services can be very expensive.
13. Invest in a Good Set of Business Cards
At conferences, business cards are very much alive and well, and they are still the primary way to get your contact information into the hands of other professionals.
It is a wise idea to invest in a set of business cards for your blog and keep these handy at all times during the conference. At minimum your business card should list your blog name and web address, your name, and your contact information.
Other things you might want to include (you’ll have to pick and choose with limited space): blog logo, a photo of you, your primary social media links, and any other vital information. The cards should be a good representation of you and your blog so you should try to choose a design that matches your blog or custom design your own.
Here is our both sides of our latest card (note we now just use 1 card for both of our blogs):
Other things you might want to include (you’ll have to pick and choose with limited space): blog logo, a photo of you, your primary social media links, and any other vital information. The cards should be a good representation of you and your blog so you should try to choose a design that matches your blog or custom design your own.
We recommend sticking to standard business card size (rather than squares or larger postcard ones) as cards are easiest to store together when the same shape and size. Although they can be stylish and “different”, many people receiving the odd-shaped business cards find them annoying.
Depending on where you will be and who will be at the conference, you might want to get some bilingual cards printed. For example if you are Italian but going to an English language conference, it might make sense to have English cards (and media kits) printed.
I would not invest a ton of money into business cards, especially if you are new to blogging. The average person who takes your business card will take it back to the office, input the most relevant info into a Spreadsheet or Email contact list, and throw it away.
There are a number of online companies that sell customizable business cards and VistaPrint and GotPrint are great for cheap and fast cards. Other more premium services include Minted and Moo. We’ve used all of these at some point, and it just depends what you are looking for and where you are based (most don’t ship worldwide).
14. Take Good Notes
Travel blogger conferences are often filled with talks, presentations, and workshops as well as plenty of time devoted to meeting travel professionals and socializing with other bloggers.
Chances are you are going to be meeting a lot of new people and be exposed to a lot of new information and ideas. You might think at the time that the social media tips, cool SEO tricks, and name of that French blogger you just met are pieces of information that you are going to remember without any difficulty. But if you are like most people, after a few days of constant information overload, you are bound to begin forgetting things. So it is good to remember to take down notes.
We recommend taking notes during the presentations about things you want to remember and who said them. When you meet someone at a conference, jot down something to help you remember them on the back of their business card or on your notebook.
When you get home from the conference you are likely going to have a lot of papers, handouts and business cards, but having short notes on them will help you remember and organize them effectively.
15. Follow up After the Conference
Conferences are a whirlwind of events and activity and you’ll likely be exhausted. Often there are post-conference meet-ups with other bloggers and blog tours to head to as soon as things are over at the exhibition hall.
However, you’ll want to take some time when you have a break to go back through your notes and send out thank you emails, follow-up on business ideas, and get in touch with new blogger friends.
Remind busy industry folks of the potential projects you discussed. Connect with new blogger friends on social media and start following their blogs as they’ll likely return the gesture which can help you stay in touch.
If you think that the other person take the initiative, you’ll find out that most people are as overwhelmed with information as you. So they are hoping you’ll take the initiative to further the business partnership or cultivate the connection!
16. Don’t Stress
If you are new to travel blogging (maybe you haven’t even launched your blog yet!), it’s possible that you’ve read all the above and are getting a bit stressed.
Don’t. Remember that everyone has started somewhere, and it may be that you just don’t have all the answers to the above questions yet. Don’t worry.
Our advice in this situation would be to treat the conference as a giant learning experience, which you can use to help shape your direction. Go to sessions that you think will be of most benefit to you and that are aimed at your current blogging experience level. Chat with bloggers in the same stage of blogging as you as well as those who have been doing this for a while. Practice your networking skills. Attend the sessions which focus on helping you improve your craft (video, writing, and photography). Enjoy yourself.
Don’t worry about what other people are doing, the meetings they may be having, or the successes they might be reporting—it is easy to start feeling like you are missing out or not doing as well as everyone else. Remember that everyone is at a different point in their travel blogging career, and the important person to satisfy at this conference is you.
Just remember that travel blogging is a marathon, not a sprint. Just attending your first conference is a major step in that journey, and we’re sure that you are going to take home some great lessons, experiences, new contacts, and ideas for your own blog.
17. Don’t Forget to Celebrate!
Don’t forget to take a breath after the conference, relax, and be grateful for all the good things about the conference. Take stock of all the new information you’ve learned, business contacts you’ve made, new places you’ve seen, and new potential friends you’ve made!
These are the reasons we go to conferences so don’t forget to appreciate them before running off to the next press trip or travel blogger conference!
You might also want to read our guide to becoming a professional travel blogger, which has information on everything from creating great content to how to make an income as a blogger.
If you’re planning to attend a travel blogging conference, don’t forget to pin this article on Pinterest to read later:
Have you attended a travel blogging conference? Have questions about attending your first travel blogger conference or want to share some tips or advice with us from your own experiences? As always, we love to hear from you!
rohit aggarwal Post author
thanks for the information
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
You’re very welcome Rohit, let us know if you have any questions. Best, Jessica
Jenifer Post author
Thanks for this very informative post. I’m going to my first conference next week. It’s not a blogger conference but the NY Times Travel Show. I’ll be attending the industry day on Friday and the public day Saturday. I’m trying to meet people to set up future collaborations. How would you approach a strategy of making connections on these two different types of days?
Best, Jenifer
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Jenifer,
We haven’t been to the NY Times Travel Show although we have been to larger shows in Europe that are very similar as well as one in California. The main difference is of course that most of the people at the booths at conferences like this are often not the right people for bloggers so it is more difficult to make connections. The folks there are also more likely to only be working for the US or North America parts of the team so not as useful to non US based bloggers. I’d focus more on the industry day in terms of making connections as the folks manning the booths on the public days are less likely to be able to be the right person to talk to.
I’d go in with some sort of list of places you definitely want to target. Do a little research on each, have your elevator pitch, have a media kit and business cards ready, and go from there. If there are certain ones you really want to meet, you can try to arrange a meeting time in advance. We tend to set up a few meetings in advance and be highly targeted (e.g., looking for assistance for a trip to Mongolia in Spring).
I wouldn’t go in with super high expectations as a newer blogger but use it to get your feet wet and hopefully make a few good connections.
It is also a good place to meet other travel bloggers as many attend the event and a few are even giving talks either at the NY Times Travel Show or the TravMedia IMM event happening that same week in NYC. I know that SATW (Society of American Travel Writers) is having some meet-ups for travel writers that week.
Actually in terms of meeting brands, the IMM event may be a better bet as it is specifically designed for media to meet travel companies.
Hope that helps!
Jessica
Allen Wang Post author
When I go to a new conference, I always feel embarrassed when I meet new people
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Allen, I think that is a common feeling for many people when they are in a new place and around a lot of people they don’t know. But normally it gets easier once you start talking to people. One thing to remember is that other people are probably nervous as well 😉 Best, Jessica
Dorie Post author
Great information, thanks! I am not planning to go to a travel blogger conference yet, but maybe in the future. Then I will read this article again 🙂
Greetings from Vienna
Dorie
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Dorie, Thanks for taking the time to comment. When you do decide to attend your first travel blogging conference, I’d suggest checking out the schedules for TBEX and TravelCon – those are both good for newer bloggers and both are relatively well organized with lots of content and presentations, chances for networking, and social gatherings. If you have any questions, just let us know! Best, Jessica
Ashley Baxter Post author
Great tips!
travelcats Post author
Thanks Ashley, glad you found these tips helpful!
vira Post author
thanks, this is very useful as I’m planning to attend my first TBEX this year.
travelcats Post author
Hi Vira, glad the travel blogging conference post was useful. Hope you enjoy your first TBEX conference. I plan to be in TBEX in Costa Brava Spain this year and potentially Thailand as well.
Fabiana Post author
I have never been to a travel conference before but I would like to this year. I will do everything I can 🙂
travelcats Post author
Hi Fabiana, I hope you get to a travel conference this year.TBEX is a good conference for first time travel bloggers as is some of the smaller European conferences such as TBDI.
Jenn Post author
I’m so behind on my wedding. This would get me a head start on my cards.
My conference advice is small but so helpful.
Smile and be friendly with everyone.
You NEVER know who you’re going to meet.
Last time I went to one I landed a great gig because someone remembered my kind heart.
travelcats Post author
Good tips for any conference, Jenn!
tim Post author
I would get my wife new stationary with her name. I also like those cool stamps with the addresses.
RICHARD HICKS Post author
I would get new business cards.
Danielle K Post author
I would probably buy some new fun thank-you notes!
trillina palemi Post author
So many things I would to get but now i dont know
Jessica Jackson Post author
what a great opportunity i have never heard of minted before
Ashley Busse Post author
I would order some adorable Christmas cards!! 🙂
cassandra Post author
I like the Striped Suit limited edition print by Faiths Designs
joanne Post author
i’m on the hunt for wedding invitations and minted has so many fabulous options!
Christina C Post author
I love Minted’s wedding stationary. I would love to get that.
Brooke Thomas Post author
I would use this to buy christmas cards
Julie Waldron Post author
My daughter recently got engaged and I would let her use it for save the date, invitations or thank you cards.
D Schmidt Post author
Visited and I would purchase Man and a Mountain limited edition print by Uros Zagozen
meredith Post author
Great site! I would probably use it for a print or cards.
Thanks for the chance
liz l Post author
Id buy Christmas cards- probably the one with bones!
Amy @ Amy and the Great World Post author
Wow congratulations! I can’t wait to hear about your experience. And I love Minted. I definitely need some business cards 🙂
Shannon Post author
Their business cards are fantastic! That’s what I’d use the credit towards.
Brittany Post author
I’ve never heard of Minted, but I’ve quickly fallen in love. I would definitely invest in business cards and stationary. I’m an old fashioned snail mail person 🙂
Ruth Griffeth Post author
Wow looking through everything on Minted, I found fabric I would most likely get fabric or personalized stationary.
Robin Wilson Post author
I would love to get some personalized stationary and notepads.
Toya Post author
Great Advice! I just recently joined the blogging world and this post really inspired me! Thanks for sharing!
travelcats Post author
Thanks Toya and feel free to contact us or leave us questions as you get started with your own blog!
Andee K. Post author
I would buy wedding save the dates and invitations with credit from Minted!
christina Post author
I love your instagram. I love your tweets. I love living vicariously through your travels.
I’ve only been to a few blog conferences, but your advice for travel conferences is the same… especially KNOW YOUR STATS!
travelcats Post author
Thanks Christina, I love following your posts and Instagram as well! So many yummy recipes! Yes, knowing one’s stats is essential. I just got off a press call yesterday in which I was asked a lot of detailed questions about my blog, stats, and partnerships services!
angela m Post author
I would buy the Vintage Pine Holiday Ornament Cards
Katie Post author
I’m gonna bookmark this post for when I finally attend a travel conference! All great tips, and I really need to get my media kit together… You’re business cards look awesome, such a great giveaway! 🙂
travelcats Post author
Thanks Katie, glad this was a helpful post for you. Feel free to get in touch if you want more info about our media kits or business cards!
Jennifer Post author
Very thoughtful tips. We’re getting ready to attend our first travel writers conference in October. Your advice is appreciated!
travelcats Post author
Good luck at your conference! Seems that a lot of people are attending travel conferences in October!
Elisa Post author
I would buy some art work for my walls — soaring bird and out to sea. Thanks.
Lilia Kharabora Post author
I would start with the dream big wall art for my daughters room. Than use the rest for Christmas greetings. 🙂 Thanks for this chance!
jodi Post author
i would get wedding invitations
jessica edwards Post author
I would get stationary for all the ladies in my family as a small Christmas gift!
Adelina // Pack Me To Post author
Great post! These tips definitely work for a variety of conference scenarios beyond just the travel industry. I think the point that most people forget is the follow up. Great, you have their business card, but it’s useless if you don’t continue the relationship. I also like connecting on LinkedIn as well. Or some just wait until they need something from that person and that just doesn’t work.
travelcats Post author
Yes, in my day job I’ve attended dozens of conferences so most of these tips come more from that experience rather than travel blogging conferences specifically! One great thing about blogging, compared to some professions, is that things are more casual as I am used to wearing a dark suit, pantyhose, and heels:) That is a great tip about connecting with people on LinkedIn (or other social media outlets)! Agreed, it is weird to get an email from someone you met 9 months ago at a conference that you barely remember who now suddenly wants to tell you they enjoyed meeting you and now want something:)
Samantha Kelley Post author
Would use Minted for the Save the Dates I have to send out soon!
Rob Shiels Post author
I would definitely get some thank you cards.
These always come in handy for most occasions
Rob
Ashley C Post author
I would use this towards Christmas cards for this upcoming year!
victoria Post author
I would get a jumpstart on my baby’s nursery. I love their photo prints!
ni Post author
business cards and planners
MaryAnn Post author
I would buy christmas cards
Anna | slightly astray Post author
Wow…great tips! And sounds very nervewrecking! Best of luck to you, and congrats for being selected to attend! I’m looking forward to reading about a recap of the conference. I wish I were as organized as you. And you totally reminded me that I need to make business cards. 🙂
travelcats Post author
Thanks Anna! I think people underestimate business cards because although I think most get thrown away, simply having one to give someone make you seem professional. Feel free to chat with me about conference tips after I get back if you are thinking about going to a conference yourself in the future!
Deb Post author
I would get Christmas cards.
Tracy Taylor Post author
I would get business cards for my husband!
Michele {Malaysian Meanders) Post author
The jacket really does help the outfit! I’ve never been to a travel blogger conference either. I haven’t quite made the leap from hobbyist to professional, so I am having a hard time justifying the expense of attending a conference. Italy seems like a fab place to go to your first one, albeit solo. Wishing for lots of good connections for you.
travelcats Post author
Yes, a jacket can turn a tee shirt from casual to dress casual so easily:)
So actually all my expenses for TBDI are almost 100% free (airfare, hotels, even most meals!) so you can actually get hosted (along with 100 other bloggers, 200 additional bloggers are being partially hosted) by many of the smaller travel blogger conferences (TBDI, TBCAsia) but not for the big ones (TBEX) unless you are an invited speaker or something. So it never hurts to apply for a hosted spot, we were pretty surprised we got selected (our blog was only 1 year old at that point) so just something to keep in mind if you do want to make that leap:) Thanks so much for the well wishes!!
Rochelle Post author
Thanks for the useful tips! With the $100, I would buy stationery to write personal letters to my loved ones. I love writing letters, especially because no one really does it anymore!
Selene M. Post author
I’d get postcards if they make them, or greeting and Christmas cards.
Fiona N Post author
I would love to win this awesome prize and make some Baby& Kids room signs for my kid and nieces!
Thank You for the chance
Mai Tran Post author
Garland Celebration Children’s Birthday Party Thank You Cards by Alethea and Ruth is so lovely.
Amy Heffernan Post author
So many things I would LOVE to get. Cannot make up my mind! 😀
Diana Post author
I would love to use this as a credit towards my family’s holiday cards!
Alison Post author
I would totally purchase wedding invitations from Minted! I love their styles.
Angela Saver Post author
I would buy the Fresh Christmas Wishes holiday photo cards!
latanya Post author
I like the Overlapping Watercolor Love art print
Lindsay Post author
I would love some stationary or Christmas cards (why not get it done early!?)
Laura P Post author
I like the tips! I’d actually use the credit for my upcoming wedding
Sarah Post author
awesome! i’d love to get some business cards from minted!
Aniek Post author
Just remember how to order coffee and gelato in Italian and you should be fine 🙂
Jai Dee Post author
Thanks for the advise and the good work guys. Love reading about your adventures!
Lisa Post author
I have never been to a travel blogging conference but all of your advice sounds great. I have been to other professional conferences and agree with a lot of what you said. I also like to know what the after conference events are, like meet ups in the evenings.
Muza-chan Post author
Interesting…
Crystal Post author
I just came back from my first blogger conference at Cedar Point. I did more playing than listening. Enjoy!!!
travelcats Post author
A blogger conference at Cedar Point (in my home state) sounds like a lot of fun!
Tari Lawson Post author
I would probably get some personalized wrapping paper.
Aniek Post author
Hi! Thank you for all the tips and ‘ci vediamo a Rimini’! All the best, Aniek
travelcats Post author
Glad you enjoyed the tips Aniek and look forward to meeting you in Rimini at TBDI! I need to try to learn a little bit more Italian before the trip:)
Heidi Post author
Thanks for all the great tips! I’d order more business cards from Minted- they have the coolest designs!
travelcats Post author
It is amazing how many designs that have in just in business cards alone, it took me forever to choose a design!
Amanda Post author
I would get some cute, unique thank you cards!
Mrs. AOK Post author
Congrats on being picked to go to the conference, I hope you learn a lot and have a blast 🙂 I’m going to my first conference next month, I’m excited.
I didn’t even think about having a media kit available, thank you!
Happy Saturday!
XOXO
travelcats Post author
Thanks, I am sure it will be a great time. It is in Italy after all:) Good luck at your blogging conference next month and glad these tips were useful.
Polly Post author
Best of luck on your first conference! (And this is totally great – we’re just designing new business cards!)
travelcats Post author
Thanks Polly!
Matt Post author
We need some wedding invitations so this would be perfect
Liz Post author
I would buy save the dates!
Maria Post author
Great tips! I’m going to TBEX Athens in Oct and it’s so close that I’m starting to panic a little. But thanks for the good advices!
travelcats Post author
Thanks Maria, I hope this was useful as you prepare for TBEX! I am sure you’ll be prepared and have a great time at the conference. We are waiting to attend TBEX next year when we’ll be based in Europe but I’ll be Italy at TBDI in just a couple weeks!
Maria Post author
Thanks! Wish you good luck at TBDI! Sounds pretty interesting! Can’t wait to read a post after! 🙂
travelcats Post author
Thanks Maria!
Corinne Post author
Jessica, As always you are on top of things! I love the Minted cards, and need to get some new business cards. Great tips!
travelcats Post author
Good luck Corinne, I hope you win some new Minted business cards for free. I love all the designs they have available — its quite amazing!
Corinne Post author
Jessica…thanks. And thanks once again for joining us on Weekend Travel Inspiration!