With BarCampNashville looming on the horizon (aka, tomorrow), it’s only fitting that today’s post be geared toward the *camp scene and what to expect. Here are a few tips to remember tomorrow while you’re at the conference (and at future conferences thereafter):
What To Bring:
- Business Cards: Hand them out like candy, and accept them just as readily. Then, make sure you send a nice email thanking everyone for making your acquaintance, and make sure they know how to find you. Remember, the best plans are made on beer napkins after the fact!
- A Power Strip: You’ll be the most popular kid in school if you remember to "use one, provide many" – in this case, outlets! Plug in and let people around you share the wealth – it’s a good way to meet people too ("mind if I use your strip?").
- Laptop/Notebook: Take notes. Record the conversation. Do anything to remember it later because your mind will be swimming with details and it’s hard to remember everything on the first go around.
The rules of the road
1) Don’t go to a session every time. Spend some time networking, talking, and meeting people. If you’re giving a session, reserve a block for one-on-one questions. Remember: the advice you give out now will lead to paid-for services/goods later.
2) Ask questions. The speakers want to know you’re engaged and the best way to do so is to ask questions of them. You can either do it in the session or approach them later. One might ask during the sessions if the question seems to be "floating" around the room. The one-on-one sessions are great for those nagging, personally relevant questions.
3) Have fun! It’s a time to network, enjoy company of those you haven’t seen before (or haven’t seen in a while) and learn as much as you can. Keep your mind open and you never know what will come out of it.
So, that being said, have a happy BarCampNashville, and I’ll see you tomorrow!
