Heading to a blog conference? Let’s talk business cards and media kits!

Tis the season for blog conferences and there are a few fun tips I’d love to share with you as you are planning ahead for the fun event! If you are a first time attendee I bet you’re already overwhelmed with excitement and anxiety! Trust me…blog conferences are the best places to meet new friend, network and meet with companies! You want to be prepared to make an impression with all of them and business cards and media kits can help you do just that!

Business cards at a blog conference are like baseball cards for girls! Ladies will be passing them out and trading them at every turn! Cute ones catch your eye, unique ones stand out! Some of the cutest and most creative cards I’ve ever seen were collected at a great conference and if the conference you are attending is catering to a creative crowd get ready to be blown away!

Now don’t freak out! It’s not a requirement to have an over the top business card! In fact for the past three years I’ve handed out my simple two sided card with no bells and whistles attached and felt pretty darn good about them. As long as you have the basics covered on a business card you are set!

 

 As long as you have the basics on your business card you are ready! Making sure you have all the important contact info clearly listed is key! Optional things you can also add to a business card are more  for personal preference. If your inbox is your arch enemy and you prefer to communicate over the phone then by all means add your phone number! If you are super smart phone savvy and want to add a QR code then go for it!

If the design of a business card is freaking you out don’t be afraid to hire a pro. Simple Business card design can be more affordable then you think. $20 or more will get you a great design that you can then upload to a site for printing. Ask around and see who does great design work. This is also a great service to trade for. If you sell ad space on your blog approach a designer and ask if they would be willing to trade design work for a month of ad space!

Check out the following designers who offer business card design work at a great price…

Creative Kristi Designs $15 or $20 for two sided cards

Sparkle and Crafts $15 or $20 for two sided cards till April 30th, mention this post for discount.

Bella Creative $25 card design

(If you design business cards and can offer your skills for a good rate, add your link to the comments section and list your price!)

I love www.vistaprint.com for business card printing! Easy to upload to, great quality and fast delivery! I do upgrade to a heavier paper and get a two sided print. And always order more then you think you’ll need!

Now you can totally stop here when it comes to business cards! Like I said, I passed out simple cards for years but if your personality or blog sites would lend it’s creative juices to every other department in your life, why not let it leak into your business cards as well! You will quickly learn that there are so many fun ways to spice up even a basic business card once you have them printed. It’s all how you present them!

If you are a seamstress why not run your card through your sewing machine and add a simple stitch effect! If you blog about kids crafts why not tie on a crayon and really stand out from the crowd. Customizing your cards is a fun way to show off your personality and make an impression. And don’t think you have to jazz up every card you pass out! If you know great companies will be there that you might have an interest in working with, why not create a handful of “special” cards just for them. This takes away the overwhelming task of creating 300 cards that drip with personality!

Check out how I spiced up my simple printed card with minimal effort and supplies…

Cute mini velum envelopes found at Micheal’s Craft store and washi tape from Target ($4 for a 4 roll pack!) takes a simple card and turns them into a cute package! These are the cards I created to pass out to business and companies. The velum Chevron envelopes mimic my Facebook page header and are in my signature color!

Don’t get stressed out about making super adorable cards. The truth of the matter is only 10% of attendees will be going all out!

Media kits?!? What the heck! This might be the first time you’ve ever heard of a Media Kit so let me hold your hand and walk you through it. Not everyone will need a media kit but eventually you might so here’s the 411 on what it is, when you’d need one and what to include in a media kit…

A Media Kit is gathered information that talks about your site, yourself, your accomplishments and your stats. It’s a fancy resume of sorts but of course all cute and full of info!

Here’s what mine looks like. I have 4 main points of interest.

“About BCD”: I talk about what my blog is all about. I touch on the topics I write about, companies I have worked with and what a first time visitor would find on Blue Cricket Design. I also include how long the site has been running.

“About Me”: This is where you gush about yourself! HA! No really. This is where you talk about all your accomplishment that have to do with your blog and your interests. If you are known for a specific skill then mention it here. If you have been involved in a huge campaign mention it.

“Press”: This is where you list all the fun you’ve been involved in. If you have been featured, published in print, appeared on tv, been on the radio or gotten other media attention, list it here.

“Stats”: List your current stats for monthly page views, facebook fans, pinterest and twitter followers etc. This gives a realistic view of what your reach is. This section of your media kit will need to be updated regularly.

And lastly be sure to have contact info listed. Mine is on the very bottom and I included my web address and email address.

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So now that you know what a Media Kit is and what it includes the next question you might be asking is why would I need one? Lots of companies who work with bloggers are looking for this information! If you had all of it in one place then it shows that you are ready and mean business. A printed media kit at a blog conference is the perfect tool to hand a company you want to work with! You can also use this as a digital copy and email it to companies. Some companies will even ask for a media kit. Just be ready!

I attached my business card and was ready to rub elbows!

The last conference I attended I researched who was going to be there and found out a rep from a book publishing company was going to be in attendance. Because I did my homework I was prepared! I printed off my latest e-book “Kids in Training” and made a package that included my media kit, business card and book. It was presented nicely and ready to be handed off!

Take advantage of a conferences website. Check out the sponsors, which companies will be in attendance and who you might want to make time to visit with. Some per-conference homework will go a long, long way! Take the time and get prepared. You are spending a lot of time and money to attend these gathering so take advantage of all they have to offer and be prepared!

SNAP! is just around the corner! So sad I might not be able to come this year, I’ll either have a brand new baby or be ready to pop any minute! Be sure to get business cards ready and have enough fun for the both of us! What conferences are you attending this year?