I attended a Podcamp unconference over the weekend. It was so much fun. Not only did I learn from the sessions, which covered topics such as podcasting, metrics, and monetization, but I met so many wonderful people as well. The conference was a two day event with days full of sharing information and dinners and parties at night. It was busy and exhausting. In order to get as much out of the conference experience as possible I have suggestions that might be helpful.

 – take the time to say hello and introduce yourself to as many people as possible. If there is a person at the conference whom you admire, say hello.  Say hello to the person you’re sitting beside, the person who presented and the person in the coffee room. Chances are you have come across these people online and just may not recognize them. If not you’ve just made new connections!

–  remember the hallways, lobbies, and all public spaces in the venue. You’d be surprised how much networking occurs in these busy spaces. Hang around and introduce yourself to the other people hanging around there.

– remember business cards. I’ve asked this question a few times on Twitter and I always have someone say “business cards are obsolete”. That may be for someone who’s famous online, but business cards are like souvenirs for encounters. Make yours memorable. One of my favorites has a picture of the person and their url on it. Be generous in handing them out.

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It’s conference season coming up. SXSW is the big one that comes to mind and, of course, there’s the one we’re all looking forward to – SOBCon 2009. Plan your time there wisely you so you can walk away with a wonderful ROI in the relationships you create there. Are you planning on attending any conferences this year?

from Kathryn aka @northernchick

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photo credit: @SuzeMuze