Attend Conferences

​Events/Exhibitor at an eventWhen considering going beyond, attending conferences as an attendee or exhibitor is a wonderful way to network and find the person that can take you to the next level. Before attending any event, you have to be prepared. Ask yourself a couple questions:

• What is your goal at this event
• Will you attend as an exhibitor
• How do you sell your books?
• Is your goal to sell books? How will you charge credit cards?
• Do you need to find a translator? an illustrator?
• Do you want to sell your book rights?

If you know your goal beforehand, you can prepare before attending the event.

• Large events share exhibitor names and contacts before the conference, so do your research and contact them beforehand
• Setup appointments before the event even happens. Share your booth number, your booth times, and your contact information
• How many copies of your book will you need? It depends on your goal, if you want to sell or network. Also depends on the attendance numbers and the duration of the event. If you want to sell books, take many copies with you. If you want to network, expect to give away free books to your new contacts that can potentially provide the service you need or with whom you can make a large sale.
• Network with librarians, educators, other exhibitors, and presenters.
• Are there workshops happening during the event that you would like to attend?. Are they open to attend, or a pre-registration is required?

These are just some of the considerations as you look forward to attending any type of event. Prepare beforehand not just for the event, but also to enjoy the location. If the event happens in San Diego, you want to visit at least one more location while you are there. If the event happens in Guadalajara, Mexico then enjoy the live Mariachi music and the tours of the city as well. Not everything has to be work. The best way to enjoy your attendance is by planning beforehand.