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We are but days away from Vidcon and heavily into the final stages of preparing the TubeBuddy booth for the event; planning for something as simple as a 'dorm-room style' motif along with a couple televisions and computers, microphones and multiple, daily product testing presentations can be a lot more difficult than it sounds (huge shoutout to our very own Katie | TeamTB for being the amazing event organizer that she is). But you know what else is difficult? Being that channel with 100 subscribers who pays top dollar (or wins) tickets to these illustrious events. Not long ago (2019) I was that guy... and I walked away from my first conference experience with some tips/tactics that I hold fast to even to this day. And so in preparation for Vidcon I would like to share my top Conference Tips/Tactics with you so that you can get the most out of your experience... and could also serve you well in life.
Front Row Guy
I learned this from a college professor years ago. Did you know that sitting in the front row at school automatically earns you a letter grade? Ok, admittedly there is no evidence to suggest that sitting in the front row versus sitting in the row just behind the front row is going to make the difference between getting a B and an A in the class. But think about it; do you think a single one of the front row kids gets a B? This is largely due to the fact that it forces you to pay attention. Fight the urge to sit in the very back and force yourself into the uncomfortable position of being front and center. I did this at Video Marketing World for the Joe Scott presentation. He was on stage preparing for what was one of the best presentations at VMW; I walked in early and walked directly to the front. It was a commanding performance and a spectacle... and one that he noticed. It caught his attention and he mentioned that everyone should follow suit (they didn't, cowards).
Tell me this didn't earn me a letter grade?
Tip Your Servers/Door Guy/Parking Garage Attendant
Also a tip you should carry with you in life, but one that can have an effect on your experience. These servers, door guys and attendants are not just serving you... they are serving Mr. Beast. They know the inner workings of the event. If you don't have extra cash don't worry about that, we all understand. But you need to be very kind to these guys. I hung out with a few of them at VMW and when I left they opened the gate for me in the parking garage. For free. Those conversations were worth their wait in gold... literally. Also, Buy Extra Coffee. When you go to Starbucks before you get things started grab a carrier. There will be someone there who did not get their coffee, probably someone who is working really hard and is also privy to the inner workings of the event. Worst case scenario you made someone's day a little brighter. Best case scenario you end up in the elevator with Mark Rober and he's fiending for some Joe... which brings us too...
Prepare Your Elevator Pitch
Ok, you do not need to write down an entire spiel about why Peter McKinnon needs to have you on his channel in order to present to him in the elevator should you end up in that position. There is a difference between being ready for that moment and attacking a man in a blind alley. You don't need a sales pitch; but a simple magic trick that you can nail effortlessly in an elevator when you have ten seconds to be noticed is all you need to be remembered. And that in and of itself is the win you are looking for.
Be Social!
One of my biggest accomplishments came from one of my biggest failures at VMW. I was shy. Like absurdly shy. Now I can fake it and go walk up in front of a crowd to sit in the front row... but actually walking around and talking to people? No thank you. So between sessions I went and hid in a corner. One of the other attendees noticed me and he went and hid in the corner with me. We got to talking about YouTube and he ended up becoming my buddy for the event (and he actually got me to open up a bit with other creators). That guy ended up being a really big-name creator... his name isn't important but what is important is the networking that can happen. You don't know who you are talking to, noone is walking around with subscriber counts above their head. You are human beings. Take advantage and make friends and connections in the industry. There is simply no way of telling who is going to blow up, who is going to become a valuable asset on your journey or how they are going to help you. And also; be mindful that it is entirely likely that you may be the person helping someone else. Someone out there may be that channel with 2 subscribers, who will end up with 10,000,000. If you see that guy in the corner go and say hi. They may be the future asset you are looking for,
Own The Cringe
When I first started YouTube I was watching a lot of Nick Nimmin's work; I am a big fan of his style and the information he gives and was a member of a really interesting group of creators who all banded together on Saturday mornings to join in on the fun that are the Nick Nimmin livestreams. On one particular stream Mr. Nimmin gave me a ticket to my first conference, and the first thing I did when I got there was to walk right up to him and say thank you. There was another creator already talking to him (one of our group from Saturday morning livestreams) and so I stood and waited... patiently... for over twenty minutes. It was awkward, it was embarrassing and when I finally got my chance he was already gassed, I was off guard and the whole moment was just... weird.
But guess what? He doesn't remember that. Do you know how many 'weird' moments he has had at all these conferences? I walked away with that titular cringe story and now I'm telling it to you. Is it a great story? No. But did I let it avert me from future introductions? Absolutely not. It's cringy and that sucks... learn from it and move on. Then go tell your friends the story.
TAKE NOTES
A couple years ago I overheard one of the tech YouTube guys talking about an Apple event he had gone to. They were in a massive theatre and someone was giving a presentation on the latest technological advancements that were going to revolutionize the industry. The whole room was silent as everyone was furiously taking notes... on pads of paper. Not iPads. Paper. For all the technological advancements we have seen in the world those at the cutting edge of the industry still rely on good, old-fashioned note-taking. And you should too. Don't think you are going to walk away from these presentations with some new frame of mind and the ability to memorize everything you hear. Take notes. Take lots of notes. If for no other reason than to be seen as that guy in the front row taking notes.
Don't Drink
Don't drink... says the guy who enjoys a glass of 20 year old scotch. 'You are asking me to go to the YouTube event of the year and hang out with Hank Green and I don't get to drink?!'
If you want to come home with stories of how you partied out with Logan Paul for five minutes sure, go ahead. But if you are there for the purposes of growing your YouTube channel then this is the time when you take things seriously. Is YouTube something that you want to do for a living? Then guess what; this is the other side of that job that everyone wants to ignore. When you are at a conference you are on the clock. You are working. And if you are drinking on the job you are not the employee that you need to be hiring. Take this seriously. It may cost you stories of partying with the big dogs, but if that is your goal then you weren't really in this for the right reasons in the first place.
Front Row Guy
I learned this from a college professor years ago. Did you know that sitting in the front row at school automatically earns you a letter grade? Ok, admittedly there is no evidence to suggest that sitting in the front row versus sitting in the row just behind the front row is going to make the difference between getting a B and an A in the class. But think about it; do you think a single one of the front row kids gets a B? This is largely due to the fact that it forces you to pay attention. Fight the urge to sit in the very back and force yourself into the uncomfortable position of being front and center. I did this at Video Marketing World for the Joe Scott presentation. He was on stage preparing for what was one of the best presentations at VMW; I walked in early and walked directly to the front. It was a commanding performance and a spectacle... and one that he noticed. It caught his attention and he mentioned that everyone should follow suit (they didn't, cowards).
Tell me this didn't earn me a letter grade?
Tip Your Servers/Door Guy/Parking Garage Attendant
Also a tip you should carry with you in life, but one that can have an effect on your experience. These servers, door guys and attendants are not just serving you... they are serving Mr. Beast. They know the inner workings of the event. If you don't have extra cash don't worry about that, we all understand. But you need to be very kind to these guys. I hung out with a few of them at VMW and when I left they opened the gate for me in the parking garage. For free. Those conversations were worth their wait in gold... literally. Also, Buy Extra Coffee. When you go to Starbucks before you get things started grab a carrier. There will be someone there who did not get their coffee, probably someone who is working really hard and is also privy to the inner workings of the event. Worst case scenario you made someone's day a little brighter. Best case scenario you end up in the elevator with Mark Rober and he's fiending for some Joe... which brings us too...
Prepare Your Elevator Pitch
Ok, you do not need to write down an entire spiel about why Peter McKinnon needs to have you on his channel in order to present to him in the elevator should you end up in that position. There is a difference between being ready for that moment and attacking a man in a blind alley. You don't need a sales pitch; but a simple magic trick that you can nail effortlessly in an elevator when you have ten seconds to be noticed is all you need to be remembered. And that in and of itself is the win you are looking for.
Be Social!
One of my biggest accomplishments came from one of my biggest failures at VMW. I was shy. Like absurdly shy. Now I can fake it and go walk up in front of a crowd to sit in the front row... but actually walking around and talking to people? No thank you. So between sessions I went and hid in a corner. One of the other attendees noticed me and he went and hid in the corner with me. We got to talking about YouTube and he ended up becoming my buddy for the event (and he actually got me to open up a bit with other creators). That guy ended up being a really big-name creator... his name isn't important but what is important is the networking that can happen. You don't know who you are talking to, noone is walking around with subscriber counts above their head. You are human beings. Take advantage and make friends and connections in the industry. There is simply no way of telling who is going to blow up, who is going to become a valuable asset on your journey or how they are going to help you. And also; be mindful that it is entirely likely that you may be the person helping someone else. Someone out there may be that channel with 2 subscribers, who will end up with 10,000,000. If you see that guy in the corner go and say hi. They may be the future asset you are looking for,
Own The Cringe
When I first started YouTube I was watching a lot of Nick Nimmin's work; I am a big fan of his style and the information he gives and was a member of a really interesting group of creators who all banded together on Saturday mornings to join in on the fun that are the Nick Nimmin livestreams. On one particular stream Mr. Nimmin gave me a ticket to my first conference, and the first thing I did when I got there was to walk right up to him and say thank you. There was another creator already talking to him (one of our group from Saturday morning livestreams) and so I stood and waited... patiently... for over twenty minutes. It was awkward, it was embarrassing and when I finally got my chance he was already gassed, I was off guard and the whole moment was just... weird.
But guess what? He doesn't remember that. Do you know how many 'weird' moments he has had at all these conferences? I walked away with that titular cringe story and now I'm telling it to you. Is it a great story? No. But did I let it avert me from future introductions? Absolutely not. It's cringy and that sucks... learn from it and move on. Then go tell your friends the story.
TAKE NOTES
A couple years ago I overheard one of the tech YouTube guys talking about an Apple event he had gone to. They were in a massive theatre and someone was giving a presentation on the latest technological advancements that were going to revolutionize the industry. The whole room was silent as everyone was furiously taking notes... on pads of paper. Not iPads. Paper. For all the technological advancements we have seen in the world those at the cutting edge of the industry still rely on good, old-fashioned note-taking. And you should too. Don't think you are going to walk away from these presentations with some new frame of mind and the ability to memorize everything you hear. Take notes. Take lots of notes. If for no other reason than to be seen as that guy in the front row taking notes.
Don't Drink
Don't drink... says the guy who enjoys a glass of 20 year old scotch. 'You are asking me to go to the YouTube event of the year and hang out with Hank Green and I don't get to drink?!'
If you want to come home with stories of how you partied out with Logan Paul for five minutes sure, go ahead. But if you are there for the purposes of growing your YouTube channel then this is the time when you take things seriously. Is YouTube something that you want to do for a living? Then guess what; this is the other side of that job that everyone wants to ignore. When you are at a conference you are on the clock. You are working. And if you are drinking on the job you are not the employee that you need to be hiring. Take this seriously. It may cost you stories of partying with the big dogs, but if that is your goal then you weren't really in this for the right reasons in the first place.
