Getting More out of Podcamp Boston 3
I had a great time at both the original Podcamp and at PodCamp Boston 2. Being part of the PodCamp community has had a positive impact on my life and is one of the reasons I have gotten to know many of the people I know in the greater Boston area.
If you are lucky enough to be amongst the 480 people who made up the community of people attending PodCamp Boston 3, there is no doubt in my mind you are in the middle of a fun weekend.
And I really would have liked to be in Boston this weekend for Podcamp. If I was able to make it PodCamp, I would have liked to host the session: “PR 203: How to Pitch a Blogger” and lead the discussion.
While I’m pretty sure Chris Penn and Chris Brogan may have covered some of this during their opening remarks, the following are my words of advice for friends attending PodCamp Boston 3:
“Don’t Wait to Say Hello”
If I had a chance to send words of advice to friends attending PodCamp for the first time, it would be to “Not to wait to say hello.”
I have lost track how many times I’ve attended a conference and saw a number of people when I first arrived and said to myself I would catch up with those people later in the day or the next day only to never see them again the entire event.
"Don’t be SHY"
If you have a hard time meeting new people, now is a chance to break out of your shell and give the rebooted version of YOU a try.
"Be SEEN"
It is real hard for you to enjoy ad-hoc meetings if you are spending your time outside of the facility. You have budgeted the time to be at PodCamp for a reason. So take advantage of it. Make an effort to be visible.
”Ask Questions”
Now is the time to get questions answered. Ask questions of the people speaking and of the people you see in the hall ways. There is no such thing as a stupid question. The only issue comes when you regret not asking someone a question. At PodCamp there are many people around you who share a common passion and who are subject matter experts on a variety of topics. Be sure to seek out the people whose blogs you have read and who you may follow on twitter.
"Exchange Your Social Media Identities"
When you meet someone, be sure to tell them how to connect with you on the social networks you are active on. If you are not using your name as your TwitterID, be sure to share it. If you are active on Facebook and/or Myspace, be sure to let those people who you are connecting with know how to find you.
"ALLOW for serendipity"
Almost without fail the best contacts I make at a conference are unplanned - yes I talk with a lot of speakers and attendees I knew would be there, but almost always it is a random person I meet at a dinner, or while waiting in a line for an event, or just taking a shared ride in an elevator that ends up being the contact that sticks post-event.
"Be SOCIAL"
As a member of the PodCamp Boston 3 community, make it a point to go to the social events.
"Understand that some meetings will not HAPPEN"
Apply the 15 minute rule and move on. “Things happen” and not everyone is as efficient with their on-site schedule as you are. It helps to keep the cell phone numbers of the people you are meeting handy. (And it is ok to blow off a meeting or two in favor of something that just came up, so better to text/SMS the person and tell them you are running late and need to reschedule.)
"ENJOY yourself"
Give “having fun” a try. If in doubt what this means ask Chris Brogan. Chris understands how to “take having fun…seriously.”
Tags: podcamp, PodCampBoston3, Chris Brogan, PCB3, Jeff Pulver
