Plan to Meet The Brands at the 10th BlogPaws Conference | Lola The Rescued Cat
Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Plan to Meet The Brands at the 10th BlogPaws Conference

The 10th BlogPaws conference is only 14 days away and I couldn't be more excited!  (You can read my previous two posts here and here for more info and tips and tricks.) One of my roles as the Cat-Focused General Ambassador is helping attendees connect with brands. It’s helpful to have a strategy so you can make the best of your time in the exhibit hall.  


Blogpaws|nose to nose awards



DEVELOPING A PLAN TO MEET AND INTERACT WITH THE BRANDS


1.  Have an elevator pitch 

An elevator pitch is a brief, persuasive speech that you use to spark interest in what you do. I’m still perfecting this, but I get a little better each year. You don’t have to have the perfect elevator pitch but you should be prepared to say what your blog is about. You don’t want to have the deer in the headlights look (like I did at my first conference!) TheMuse.com has some tips on How to Nail Your Elevator Speech. I recently realized I need to work on mine when my new vet asked me what I blog about!


2.  Bring Your Business Cards 

After you introduce yourself and give your elevator pitch, you want the brand representative to be able to get in touch with you. Don’t forget your business cards! Having a business card makes you look professional, organized, and seriously interested. Don’t worry about having fancy, expensive cards. You can print some at home that will be very professional looking. Canva has thousands of templates to help get you started. 




3. Be Social 

Interact with your favorite brands on social media before the conference. You can see the complete list of sponsors here. The list keeps growing, so keep checking it! Tweet about how you can’t wait to chat with them or share a post you wrote about one of their products; take a photo of your pet with one of their products and tag them on social media; tell the world why they’re meaningful to you. Get them familiar with your blog’s name and get on their radar.  You can find all the sponsor’s Twitter handles here. Being social doesn’t stop once the conference starts. Take photos of the booths and the products on display, or ask to pose for a photo with them. Post it all over social media and tag them. The brands will appreciate your efforts and the exposure. 


4.  Make a List

Sit down before the conference and make a list of brands you want to meet. Prioritize the list and start with your top choices and mark them off as you complete them. Trust me – you may have a plan in your head, but BlogPaws is such a whirlwind that you can quickly and easily forget who you wanted to meet. You don’t want to be sitting on the plane on the way home when it hits you: “Oh My Cat, I forgot to talk to Brand X!” Here’s a tip; there will be lots of cool products on display in the Cat Lounge that you can post about on social media.





5.  Follow-up 

Quick follow-up is so important! (Don’t do what I did after my first BlogPaws conference and wait too long or forget altogether. Learn from my newbie mistakes!)  Remember, the representatives will be speaking with a lot of people and it’s easy to forget a face that goes with a name, or even the name itself!  Quick follow up not only ensures they will remember you, it shows your level of interest in working with them and that working with them is important to you. (Remember to get their business card so you have the correct email address.) 


I’M AN AMBASSADOR!



In my role as the Cat-Focused General Ambassador I’ll be:

  • Networking with both the cat-focused attendees and the brands/products.
  • Sharing information about the brands on social media.
  • Helping connect attendees with brands they are looking for or align with the brand’s needs.
  • Helping attendees and brands get answers to any questions they may have.


Of course, if you have a need that is not cat-focused you can still seek me out and I will help you get your answer. 


SPONSORS I’M EXCITED TO MEET

As the sponsor list grows there are more brands I’m excited to see. Just a few are Chewy, Helen Woodward Animal Center, Petmate, Wellness, AAHA, Cuddle Clones and Morris Animal Foundation. I’ll be working on my plan very soon. 


10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

This year marks BlogPaws’ 10th conference! There are many surprises in store for attendees such as experiential areas complete with a living room stocked with books written by the BlogPaws community. (I heard Lola and Lexy meowing about purrsonally pawtographing our book for the event – be sure to look for it!)  Did I already say I’m excited? I didn’t? Well, I am! 

Mark your calendars today! Here is all the info you need: 



  • Dates: April 18 - 20, 2018
  • Venue: The Sheraton Kansas City at Crown Center Hotel
  • Location: Kansas Cty, MO


Haven’t registered yet? Use our link to get your ticket. And don't forget to make your hotel reservations here

I can’t wait to get to Kansas City to see old friends and make new ones. Will I see you there? 
Dawn
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of BlogPaws. The opinions and text are all mine.

Would you like to comment?

  1. L & L......14 dayz til...**** PARTEE TIME AT YUR PLACE ~~~~~~~~ YAY !!!!!

    oh, N pleez ta tell yur mom... may bee if her goez two one oh thoz storez
    that haz like 98 floorz..... N her getz in de elevator N stops at each floor;
    it mite help with her pitch....

    may bee ~~~~~~~

    ☺☺♥♥

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  2. BP has the perfect ambassador in you, Dawn! Great post and tips for those attending.

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  3. I am so excited about this conference it is my first pet conference attending and I am sure I will have a blast. Thanks for the tips and yes I have my elevator pitch and my business cards ready plus a wonderful smile =)

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  4. I'm not attending however I'm excited for you (and all the other Blog Paws members and pet parents). Sounds like you are prepared and ready to meet those sponsors and make some relationships. Wish you best of luck and enjoy! I'll be following online. :) Safe travels.

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  5. Oh Miss Dawn, I wish Mom and my flat self could go this year and say hi to you again in purr-son. They had super fun getting a photo with you at the Sorghum booth last year. You are sure to be a hit as Cat-Focused Ambassador! Cat furr-iends and bloggers will be in good paws (hand) with you there! Purrs.

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  6. LOVE this post! And every word is SO TRUE! I realized last year about the elevator pitch. I had no idea how to introduce us effectively and with a minimum of time. I'm not good at promoting myself - so it'll be a challenge this year too!

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  7. I have my list of people to meet. I just hope I make a good impression with them. I need to work on the elevator speech!

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  8. I can't wait!!! I am soooo excited and your tips are clear and concise! I would probably have failed on reconnecting too if I was not so prepared but I can see how easy it would be to let that slide! I am ready with my elevator pitch. Still practicing it out loud of course but it's ready to go as are my business cards. I do need to do a little PRE-connecting yet. I can't wait to see the experimental areas!! See you there :)

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  9. Have a big old time, I know you will and we will be missing you at breakfast time!

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  10. Your tips are much appreciated! I'm clicking through each one to make sure I've got it on my list! There are going to be so many talented people representing top brands at the conference. It will be a pleasure to meet everyone! I'm looking forward to getting to chat soon!

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  11. Lists are super important. They help you remember ALL the stuff you need to remember, you know? But you know what's as important as makin' lists? Bringing 'em with you. I can't tell you how many times Peep #1 has made a list and forgotten to take said list with her. THIS is why she forgets to bring me home copious amounts of nip whenever she goes shoppin', I am sure. MOUSES!

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  12. I'm looking forward to seeing you again at BlogPaws, and so is my human!

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  13. BlogPaws certainly picked the most pawsome cat-centric ambassador with you!

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  14. We know your humom will do a great job! We wish our humom could meet yours but she can't make it this year on account of Avalon! Last year it was Wilhelmina's fault! Our humom has to stop adopting so that we can be old enough for her to leave while she attends a conference! Hopefully she can meet you next year! She would love that :)

    the critters in the cottage xo

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  15. Great advice!! I so wish I could go to the conference! But already made travel plans for Spain--

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  16. I hope to go someday, if it is ever in New England or NY.

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  17. I am most excited about Halo and Caru. I haven't yet made a plan but need to start working on that - thanks for the reminder!

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  18. I know this conference is going to be awesome! BlogPaws always seems to pick great ambassadors to help it run more smoothly.

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  19. Okay two things: 1) I was absolutely horrible with follow up last year. I was so overwhelmed! Big mistake. 2) Will we finally get to meet at BlogPaws and perhaps even at Catsbury Park this weekend? Hmm.....

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    1. Yes! See you this weekend! Paws are crossed the snow ends early.

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  20. Great advice for people who are new to conferences. can't wait to meet you there! ~ Dear Mishu

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  21. How exciting! Have a great time! (and tell 'em we want a true west coast conference someday!)

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  22. We hope everyone has a great time at the conference!
    Have a super weekend...

    Noodle and crew

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  23. We hope you have a fabulous time meeting the brands (and seeing so many blogging pals, too) at BlogPaws!

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