IFBC Conference Tips for Attendees

The International Food Blogger Conference (IFBC) was held recently in Seattle and I had the pleasure of attending. The conference itself is a great value and here’s why -if you’re a blogger who publishes regularly and agrees to write 3 posts about the conference, the registration fee was only $95. Usually, the conference fee is $395 and that’s a pretty steep price when you’re a beginning blogger. Honestly, that’s a steep price for any blogger, so there’s real value in attending IFBC.

IFBC Conference Tips for Attendees

Here are my tips for getting the most – regardless of what you spend – out of a conference. These don’t just apply to IFBC but they’re fresh on my mind.

• Be Economical – There are so many conferences to attend – and not all have such a relatively low entry price – that when you’re starting out, find one in your own city or area to attend instead of spending the time and money to go far away. Find a roommate, too, and you can share the lodging costs. The hotel can cost as much if not more than the conference cost. Yes, you can “write it off” on your taxes but you still have to pay for it.

• Be Positive – All conferences are organized differently (usually for a reason) with various types of speakers and events. Head into each one with an attitude of, “I am going to get the most out of this that I possibly can.” Select the particular programs that you think will be the most interesting and helpful to you, based on what your goals are for your blog.

• Be Social – Bring business cards! You’d think in the social media world the ancient business card would be passé,  but not so. I always seem to give out all my cards regardless of how many I bring. What’s  great about conferences is the interactions you have with fellow attendees and presenters. After you have spent an hour or more in a session, you always get mingle time to discuss your mutual interests.

Thank you to my sponsors…

A big thank you to Earthbound Farm Organic and Copper River Salmon for sponsoring me to attend IFBC. These companies are treating the earth well and making available healthy, real food for us to cook, feed ourselves, and feed our families.

What’s your tip for attending a conference? Do you like to take trains, planes or automobiles to conferences?

Go Gingham related links:

BlogHer in my backyard – a fun blogger event I hosted
BlogHer food and too much fun – recap from 2012
BlogHer food in Austin, TX recap from 2013
IFBC: People, Place and Program – recap from 2013
The launch of my professional site is here and my first speaking schedule
Free tools for your blog or website – really, free!
WordPress resource books – you can find these at your library

Disclosure: IFBC gives bloggers a discounted entrance rate if they share about the conference with their readers.