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10 quick and easy ways to prepare for blissdom (or any other conference)

By Nicole · Comments (26)

Sunday, January 15th, 2012

Blissdom ’12 is precisely 38 days away (37.2…more accurately, but who’s counting?) There’s plenty to do before then if you’re planning to attend. And I sure hope you are. This will be my third Blissdom; fourth blogging conference overall. If you don’t know about Blissdom, you can read more here, or leave a comment below…I’d love to bore you with all the details you’d ever want to know.

But if you are planning to attend Blissdom for the first time, you might want to do a few things to prepare. Its a fast paced weekend, jam packed with goodies. The more you can do and plan for now, the better your experience will be. Most of these things take 5 to 10 minutes of brain power and physical action, but will pay off big at Blissdom (or any conference for that matter).

Have some tips of your own? Please do tell below!

1. Order business cards – Probably better get on this one quick, if you haven’t already. You’ll want to arm yourself with a couple hundred business cards to hand out. Make sure you have current contact, Twitter and blog information included. Check out this post from Ashely of My Front Porch Swing…she includes a free template you can download if you want to create your own card. Need some recommendations on printing services? Check out…

Moo Cards
Overnight Prints
Vistaprints
Prinly

2. Plug in - Make sure to bring a power cords and extra battery for your laptop, if you have one. Unless things have changed since the last Blissdom I attended (2010), it would be helpful to bring a power strip as well. I’d recommend not bringing only an iPad unless you type on it really fast or have a portable keyboard (which brings you right back to the laptop thing, really). The sessions go pretty fast and I typically start seeing smoke rising from my keyboard by the end of the session.

3. DON’T make plans to rent a car - We did this last time, and didnt use the car once. Unless you know you’re going to need to leave the Gaylord during the weekend, I’d skip the rental car and stay put. There’s just no time to squeeze in an outing, at least in my experiences. But DO book a shuttle here (a be prepared to pay $40 for a round trip).

4. Coordinate with roommates - There will be plenty of swag to bring back home (and dont forget the Handmade Marketplace this year!), so leave some spare room in your suitcase by coordinating with your roommates on who’s bringing what. Maybe you can share a flat iron or new tube of tooth paste? Keep in mind that the room comes with one hairdryer and one iron. Still need a roommate? Follow the #blissdom Twitter stream and Facebook page for others looking too!

5. Plan to bring a good backpack – I have a great laptop backpack. It was so helpful to sling that puppy over my shoulder and have two free hands during the conference. Plan to bring, borrow or buy a good quality laptop carrier of some sort (I’d recommend the backpack variety…). I’m planning on bringing my trusty Luna Stripes Backpack from Casauri…

6. What to wear - Not sure what to wear? There are plenty who do and are willing to share. For starters, check out The Well Read Wife‘s post on attire suggestions and what’s hot this year. As more “fashion” gurus add their input, I’ll be sure to update you here. So stay tuned…but you want my humble input? I’d go for something like this…

or this…

and maybe…

Bottom line…go for comfort, especially in the shoe department. You’ll be walking a.lot. Choose some casual but cute ensembles that make you feel your best…both literally and figuratively.

7. Prep your blog - You’re likely to get some traffic on your blog from other Blissdom attendees during and after the conference. Be sure your blog is in tip top shape by taking a few minutes to make sure you have things in order. Update your sidebars (clear out the unnecessaries and rearrange things if necessary). Make sure to have a clear contact, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. link so people can follow you in all aspects of your online self.

8. Add a badge - Identify the fact that you’re Blissdom bound by adding a badge to your blog and the Blissdom 12 “Twibbon” to your Twitter profile picture. It just gets people familiar with you before you even arrive. And, lets your readers know you’re going too, therefore making it easy for you to set up some face to face meetings.

9. Leave some love notes - There is a lot of…shall I say, sacrifice?…that goes on for the rest of the family when mom goes away for a conference. I dont know how your family structure works, but for my family, its a joint effort to make sure everything runs smoothly while I’m away. Everyone pitches in…even Grandma…to keep everyone fed, dressed, warm and educated. I always leave Husband a huge long page of “to dos” and logistical details…bus stop times, homework schedules, sports practice times, etc. It just helps things go smoother. I also try to leave some love notes in creative, inconspicuous places to be discovered while Im gone. Look at these cute *free* printable love notes from vol. 25…

Download here

…and thedatingdivas.com

Download here

Corny? Maybe. Secretly loved by all? Absolutely.

10. Conference Confidence - Are you feeling a little apprehensive about going to a conference of 700ish women, representing you and your little blog? Well, know that you’re not alone. I cant imagine one person there that wont have the same feelings to some extent. Even the veterans get the jitters. But branch out, put your big girl boots on, and come knowing that you’re surrounded by like minded souls. The Blissdom gals do an amazing job recognizing this fact and take great strides to help you connect and feel welcome. Take them up on that offer…

Going to Blissdom? Let me know!

Comments (26)

twas 3 days until christmas…

By Nicole · Comments (1)

Thursday, December 22nd, 2011

…and I’m nearly ready.

The tree is up, the cookies for the neighbors are made, and the presents are {almost all} bought and wrapped. The computer has been off, projects put on hold (I promise to be back in a week!), and the family festivities have already begun.

I hope this time of year is a meaningful, relaxing and joyful time for you and your family. I want to thank you, my readers and clients and casual visitors, for making 2011 such a pleasant and successful year for me. I love my job and the amazing people I meet through this little blog of mine. I have some fun things planned for the new year…

PS. Before I sign off for a few days and go drink more eggnog I wanted to share some exciting news. See that little brown button over there?

> > > > > > > >

Yes, that one. Im thrilled and honored to be a part of Blissdom 2012 as a Community Leader! Are you going??

Comments (1)

21 Things I Learned At Blissdom…In No Particular Order

By Nicole · Comments (18)

Monday, February 8th, 2010

The Blissdom blogging conference has come and gone and I think I’ve spoken my quota of words for the next six months. I’m back with my (all male) peeps and in my uniform (velour pants and tee-shirt). As any good blogger would do, I offer you my recap of the little things I learned at Blissdom ’10:

1. The Opryland hotel is big. Like, …really really big.

2. Conferences can be very overwhelming if you’re an introvert. Am I the only one who feels that way??

3. Young women and moms are the fastest growing groups of entrepenuers today.

4. Women like photo bracelets. I got a lot of compliments on mine. (Want one? I’ve got a promo code! See below*)

5. White Chocolate Bliss is yummy.

6. Hotel food is rather overpriced.

7. The first time I went to a blog conference, the breakout sessions were the most helpful and informative part of the conference. The second time (and third) time I went, the one-on-one interactions were the most helpful and informative part of the conference.

8. I really want a Roomba now.

9. A laptop backpack is essential at a conference.

10. Harry Connick Jr. is a gifted performer and a gentleman.

11. Ivy is as sweet as her mother, Stephanie (and looks just like her).

12. Darcie can navigate a rental car, in the rain, at night, in a strange city like nobody’s business. Don’t let her fool you.

Photo credit: Darcie at Such the Spot

13. Pokens are cool, if you…and everybody else…remembers to bring them.

14. George Duran is really nice in person.

Photo credit: Darcie at Such the Spot

15. You should definitely use Google Analytics to track you stats.

16. I already knew this, but Michelle from Scribbit is a genuinely nice person.

17. I never take as many pictures as I tell myself I’m going to.

18. Make it very clear what your blog policies are (privacy, disclosure, advertising, comment deletion, etc), and when you’re offering advertorial content.

19. The Pleated Poppy makes the cutest posy pins (and I just bought me some…).

20. Using plugins like Link Within is effective in increasing page views and length of visit to your site.

21. Thanks to Audrey at Mom Generations, I realize my wardrobe needs a little face lift (and if she can dress all cute and feminine with 4 boys, I can do it with 3…right?).

For other Blissdom recaps, visit Musings of a Housewife (who hangin out with was one of the best parts of Blissdom!)

* Get 25% off a Snapfish photo bracelet until Feb. 13 with promo code “Blissdom10″!

I want to thank Snapfish for supporting me for Blissdom ’10. I’ve been using Snapfish for forever and am so entirely impressed with their service, customer service and business practice, and involvement in the blogging/social media community. Thank you Snapfish!

Comments (18)

Images from Blissdom

By Nicole · Comments (4)

Saturday, February 6th, 2010

My room

My room key

My roommate

Kevin Carroll = awesome

George Duran from the Food Network

Lunch (the first course)

Scribbit

Front row…Harry Connick Jr.

TasteMakers Potato cookoff

A special thanks to Snapfish for helping support me for Blissdom10!

Comments (4)

I’m Goin’ Ya’ll

By Nicole · Comments (2)

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

Today I’m heading here

staying here

with her

leaving them

with the help and support of these nice folks

wearing my pretty this, from them… (want in on this fun?*).

I’ll see him

and some familiar faces. And I’ll meet some new ones while learning oodles in the process.

I’ll be tweeting a lot of the juicy tidbits while I’m there (@myapronstrings).

And I. Cant. Wait.

See y’all when I get back!

*In honor of Blissdom ’10, Snapfish is offering 25% off their beautiful photo bracelets! In perfect time for Valentine’s no less. Just enter promo code “Blissdom1o” at checkout, and be sure to check out the other great photo gifts!

Comments (2)

Love {a Giveaway}

By Nicole

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

UPDATE: The winner of this giveaway is #150, Ellen!

In a few weeks we will celebrate one little four letter word. And its funny how that one little word can mean so many things.

For instance…

I love Peanut Butter Captain Crunch.

I love being a mom of 3 boys.

I love how my husband makes the bed every morning…even if I’m still in it.

I love my dog, Nacho.

I love my country.

I love my fabric shaver (the thingy that removed the little balls off sweaters…love).

I love blogging.

I love that Snapfish is partnering with me for Blissdom this year and my wrist will be looking fab in this…

From the silly to the serious, the tiny to the tremendous…love covers it all.

Speaking of Snapfish (which I love…), they’ve got a gob of cool stuff to celebrate the ones you love this Valentine’s Day. Like these photo cards…

and this flip book (I have one of these…they’re super!)…

I love these key rings too…

And because Snapfish is all about love for the readers of The Pixel Boutique, they are generously offering a $50 gift card to one reader! You can buy your wife that cute little photo bracelet, or your hubby a mug with your mug on it, or your parents a flip book full of pictures of little Suzy and little Johnny!

Win It! Here’s how to enter:

Comment on this post telling me what you might buy with your $50 gift card if you win.
For extra entries, tweet about this giveaway up to once a day and/or subscribe to this blog (and if you don’t know about Twitter, check it out!)
Entries must be made by Friday, February 5 at 11:59 p.m. MST.

Disclosure: Snapfish is supporting me monetary for the Blissdom ’10 Conference. I am also receiving the photo bracelet for free.

BlissDom Q & A: Your Burning Questions Answered!

By Nicole · Comments (5)

Thursday, February 19th, 2009

Last week I asked you if you wanted to know anything about my experience at BlissDom ’09. A few of you chirped up…so here goes!

Nicole Feliciano asked:

Did you come away with ideas that will REALISTICALLY and DRAMATICALLY increase readership?

My Answer:

Yes, definitely. But dramatically? That may be hard to measure. Though readership/stats are not an exact science, I know that the right people were on the job when it came to sharing great tips for increasing readership. Some of those tips were:

Use social media, like Twitter and Facebook, to your advantage. Build community, promote your blog and find new opportunities in that way.

Comment, comment, comment. Nothing builds community like commenting on others’ blogs. Being part of carnivals (my own tip) is a great way to increase your exposure and find some great blogs.

Respond to comments. As much as it is possible, especially in the beginning, respond to your commenters. Visit their blogs and make a point to say something about their blog. Find a way to connect, even if its something small.

Label your photos. In a very practical way, you can increase your Google search results by naming the images you use in your post something meaningful. Don’t just leave it as “img_20744″. Name it “BlissDom 09 tips and tricks to increase readership”. Google likes that…and so might you.

And finally, write good content. People will come back, and spread the word, if you offer something they like. This may be the hardest of all, in my opinion. But it makes the most sense, wouldn’t you agree?

Nicole also asked:

Can you compare it to Blogher?

My answer:

Gosh, that’s hard. It was different in so many way. Here’s my personal take (so don’t throw me under the bus!):

BlogHer was in San Fransisco…BlissDom in Nashville.

BlogHer had over 1,000 attendees…BlissDom had 250.

BlogHer appealed to a wider variety of bloggers (political, entertainment, etc.)…BlissDom seemed to appeal more to mommy, craft, tip bloggers.

BlogHer focused a lot on being free to express yourself however you wish because its your blog…BlissDom focused more on finding your niche and writing good, appealing content.

BlogHer didn’t emphasis social media *as much* as BlissDom did (and perhaps that was the difference that 8 months makes).

BlogHer did a good job (as much as I hated it) of making you meet new people with mixers, little games, etc….BlissDom left that up to the person, in a way.

The panels at BlogHer seemed to get off topic with so many questions from the attendees…BlissDom had success in staying on topic with good information while still taking questions from people.

Andrea McMann asked:

Have they released the time and venue for next year’s Blissdom? What’s your best tip (or best tips) for getting the most out of a blog conference experience?

My Answer:

Just this morning I got an email asking for my feedback on the conference. There was “talk” about having it twice a year, in October and February, most likely in Nashville. They also asked our opinion on if they were to increase the attendance, what a good cap would be. This year they kept the attendance at 250 people. That made it such a nice size…big enough that it was worthwhile but small enough that it was still somewhat intimate.

So…they may be opening it up to more people next year, and I’ll be it will go fast. You can sign up for the ’10 conference updates here. That way, you’ll be in the know for next year!

As for getting the most out of the experience, I would have to say to attend every session, ask questions, walk up to people you want to meet (something I need to be better at) and just be involved with what’s going on. Honestly, there were a few things I skipped out on because I was just plain tired and needed some down time. That’s probably one thing I would do differently for next year.

And last but not least, Mrs. Fussypants herself (um, hello????) asked:

What do we need to concentrate on for next year?

My answer:

{Gulp}

I think keeping the venue small, like this year, really lends itself to a better conference experience. As the popularity and “buzz” about BlissDom grows, I hope that the dedication to the intimate setting remains. And if you can come up with some fun, creative, non-dorky mixer games, that would be icing on the cake… (if they even exist).

She also asks:

What *one* thing stood out to make the weekend special for you

My answer:

It was obvious the amount of time and planning that went into the planning of this conference. The logistics, Hotel Preston (minus the possessed elevators…), was just right for the amount of people; the session topics and panelists were right on, the special guests were a definite plus, the sponsors and “swag” was over the top. Everything down to the smallest detail was obviously planned with the attendee in mind, and that made the experience as a whole very positive.

I hope this was helpful. If you want more, you can now download the transcripts from the sessions and the key note speech from Jen Lancaster! Check it out…