Tips for Attendees

Some of the tips presented here apply to in-person conferences but many also apply to online conferences such as Virtual Fox Fest.

Before the Conference

Preparation helps. Don't wait until you arrive to start figuring out who and how you will connect with others. Use these tips to get a head start.

Learn How to Connect

If you're shy or introverted, check out Sacha Chua's The Shy Connector presentation and her follow-up post. Then read Scott Dinsmore's The 31 Habits of the World's Best Connectors for more tips.

Make Yourself Known

Give others the opportunity to find and connect with you:

• Make sure you are listed on the conference Who's Attending page.
• Post on the conference Facebook page.
• Tweet using the hashtag #VirtualFoxFest. Tweet your interests and see if anyone shares them.

Connect With Others

Don't wait until the conference starts to begin making good connections. Do some prep work and start early:

• Review who's attending using the Who's Attending page.
• Bookmark people you want to meet.
• Set up a search for the #VirtualFoxFest hashtag and monitor the conversation before the conference.
• Reach out to people before the event. Follow them on Twitter, read their blogs, or send them an email. Emphasize what you have in common and how you can help each other.

Download Session Materials

Session materials (white papers, samples, and slides) for most sessions will be available before the conference begins. Downloading and reviewing these materials in advance can give you a headstart on learning and help you prepare questions to ask during the session.

Test the Technology

Virtual Fox Fest uses HopIn as the conference platform. To make sure your experience is as smooth as possible:

• Read the Conference Guide for tips on optimizing your connection.
• Make sure you have a microphone if you want to talk with others.
• A webcam is not required, but if you want people to see you during social sessions, make sure it is connected, that you frame your webcam view, and that your area is organized and clear of sensitive information and only shows work-appropriate material.

During the Conference

Once the conference starts, the magic starts to happen.

Monitor Twitter

Set up a search for the #VirtualFoxFest hashtag and monitor the conversation throughout the conference. Watch what people are talking about and jump into the conversation when you have something to say.

After the Conference

After it's over, don't let your connections wither. You'll be tired. You'll be inspired with new ideas and knowledge. But take the time to reach out and solidify the connections you made.

Send Follow-Ups

Email the people you met and tell them you that you remember them and enjoyed meeting them. Use your notes to reference your conversations. If you were going to send them info or make an introduction, do it. Send them links to any notes or posts you wrote about the conference.

Connect via Social Media

Add the people you connected with to LinkedIn or Facebook. Follow people on Twitter. But keep in mind that not everyone uses every network, and some people only use Facebook for personal use, so don't be offended if the request isn't always accepted.

Use tags in LinkedIn or lists in Facebook to track who you met at the conference and how you might want to follow up in the future.

Write a Blog Post

Summarize your notes from the sessions or your experience at Southwest Fox into a blog post you can share with others. Email the link to info@swfox.net so we can add it to the Links page. Share the link on Twitter using #VirtualFoxFest, then post a link on the conference Facebook page.

Keep Connected

Continue to follow the #VirtualFoxFest hashtag to see the post-conference followups. Like the Facebook page to stay connected throughout the year.

Download Session Materials

Session materials (white papers, samples, and slides) may have been updated during the conference so if you downloaded them before the conference, be sure to download again after the conference. Play with the samples and think about how to incorporate the ideas learned in each session in your own applications or development practices.

Apply the Knowledge and Ideas

Hélio Vogas' article How To Transform Your Next Conference Takeaways Into Real-Life Results describes strategies for bringing back the new knowledge and ideas to your team and to your work.