So in case you haven’t heard I will be attending my first ever blogger conference next month! Not just any conference but THE BlogHer 15 conference! I am beyond excited and beyond nervous!
Nervous about my first time in New York. Nervous about what to wear. Mostly nervous about having not met anyone there in person before. There are luckily a handful of bloggers I’ve connected with online since starting All The Things I Do, that will also be in attendance, but I don’t want to be the awkward needy person mentally screaming, “Please hang out with me!”
I’m not shy at all (if you can’t tell). I’ve been told by many people that I could make friends anywhere but being surrounding by some of the brightest and biggest women online content creators (like keynote speaker Gwyneth Paltrow!) when I’m a total newbie is intimidating!
So when I got an email from The Muse with an article: 8 Ways to Be the Person Everyone Wants to Talk to at a Networking Event, by Maria Tabaka of Inc, I felt like it was meant to be.
I’ll definitely try to incorporate most of these into my behavior, but the tip that really stood out for me was, Remember, Remark, and Repeat. I’ve been one of those people who is tragically “bad at names“. Faces I’m great with (and oddly enough birthdays. I might forget your name but if you tell me your birthday I will remember it. It’s crazy I’ll look at a calendar and my strange mind starts filling in birthdays). I’ve been on the opposite end of this, where (in the off chance) I remembered someone’s name and they couldn’t remember mine (it’s 3 letters.. .come on!) and it does kind of make you feel like they don’t consider you important enough to remember.
I vow to remember, remark, repeat at the conference.
“Hello, Liz. Nice to meet you.”
I hope it helps.
What are things you do to be more comfortable in social and professional situations?