The TpT Conference is coming up and we are discussing everything you need to know. But, if you still have questions about it, join us in the MasterMind discussion too. You can find it at www.growwithusmastermind.com.
It’s time to get ready for the TpT conference! We’ll be there attending and presenting this year and we’re super excited. This is our favorite time of year as TpTers. We get to see friends and meet new people.
What we love about the conference
April and I have the same two things that we love the most about the TpT conference—the people and the renewed energy.
The people
At home, most people don’t really “get” what we do. But, when we arrive at the conference, we are surrounded by people that “get it”. They understand exactly what we do and what we deal with, both the good and the bad.
Your significant other or family and friends don’t really understand how frustrating it is to get a question through the Q&A. They don’t know the feeling you get when you hear that notification.
The renewed energy
When you head home from the conference you take with you so much renewed energy. You’ll feel ready to take on the tasks that you need to in order to grow your business again.
April attended the first conference but I didn’t. I had such FOMO (fear of missing out) after that first year that I haven’t missed one since.
If the conference is still open for registration when you read this, head over to the site and get signed up!
There have been a lot of questions bouncing around in the group, so we are going to answer the most common questions that we’re seeing.
But, first a little about our workshop
This year, April and I are going to be presenting a workshop at the conference. It’s called The 30 Day Blogging Challenge.
We are going to blog like we’re supposed to over this summer and want to invite you to join along with us. During the workshop, we’re going to outline everything you need to do in order to blog intentionally and then set up accountability for you when the conference is done.
When you leave the conference, you will have a plan in place and know what blog posts you’re going to create. During the workshop, we’ll be there to help you one-on-one. That’s why we love workshops!
Once you leave the conference we are going to have three weeks of accountability for you and follow up podcasts.
Not able to attend the conference? You can still join in afterward with the podcast episodes and accountability.
TpT Conference Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q – What should I bring to the conference?
Laptop – YES
I always bring a laptop to the conference with me, but I don’t usually take it to sessions. However, if you’re coming to our workshop, it will be helpful for you to bring your laptop to it.
It’s nice to go back to the room at night and be able to start trying out the things that you’re learning. It’s also not uncommon to see a group of TpTers sitting around with their laptops out working side-by-side. And, you might meet new people that you want to show something from your store or blog or check out on theirs.
Handouts – You decide
I used to print out all the handouts beforehand and bring them with me to take notes on. But, now I find that it’s more beneficial for me to bring one notebook that I call my “[Year] TpT Conference Notebook”. I put all my notes from sessions and workshops in here so I can go over them once I get home.
April likes to save all the handouts digitally. She often switches up what workshop she’s going to or jumps in on one that has room when she’s there. The digital downloads are helpful when they include links.
Our workshop is going to have a blog post template organizer. However, we made it a fillable form so you can use it straight from your laptop.
Business cards – That depends
April has found that it’s more helpful to keep track of people’s names and a little bit of information about them right on her phone. We both think it’s easy enough to find and follow people right from your phone. But, there are some times when having a business card is useful.
For example, if you have a business card with a link for a freebie, bring them with you. Or, if you are in a business where TpTers are your customer, bring your cards. We like to bring business cards for our podcast.
Q – When should I arrive? When should I leave?
Your schedule is completely up to you, but we recommend that you arrive on Monday (the day before the conference begins) and stay until Friday.
The keynote session begins at 8:30 am on Tuesday morning and you aren’t going to want to be late. Plus there are usually networking events and meetups that take place on Monday evening.
As far as leaving, it’s not a huge deal to leave Thursday night. But, the days are long and it can be nice to wait until Friday to leave. This gives you Thursday night to finish soaking in the information and sneaking in any last meetups with TpTers that are staying that final night.
However, most meetups and networking events take place on Monday through the end of the conference. So, if you can only add one extra day we think it should be Monday. You can also do early check-in on Monday evening and get your badge, swag, and conference materials so you’re ready for Tuesday morning.
Q – What do I wear?
What do you like to wear? Wear that. I don’t like to dress up so I stick with casual. You want to be comfortable. April’s plan is to wear maxi dresses because that’s her work-from-home attire.
Remember, it’s going to be hot outside which means they’ll have the AC cranked inside. Bring a sweater if you get cold easily. But, don’t forget to pack some clothes if you go out in the evenings.
We usually see men wearing things like jeans and a polo. To be honest, no one really cares what you’re wearing. Just pack what works for you and show up.
Q – Will there be breakfast?
On the calendar, it looks like Tuesday is the only morning they will have breakfast. But, we could be wrong.
In the past, breakfast has been things like fruit and pastries. April and I like a larger breakfast so we usually do our own thing in the morning. And, if you have gluten allergies, you’re going to want to be prepared with your own plan.
Q – What do you do when you get home?
You are going to walk away with a lot of information and a lot of things you’re going to want to try. It can be a little overwhelming when you get back home.
I always pick three larger things to focus on. Not things that I can knock out instantly. If I get through these three takeaways and get move on to others, great. But, I feel good when I can focus on those three solid things.
April’s process when she gets home is to decompress and figure out the main things that she wants to focus on. She does her planning for periods from January to June and July to December. This allows her to set goals for the second half of the year from what she’s learned at the conference.
When you’re at the conference, go ahead and write down everything you can think of. But, then when you get home cross some of them off. Think about what will have the biggest impact on your business and focus on those.
Do you have other questions?
If you have other questions about the TpT conference, head over to the MasterMind group www.growwithusmastermind.com and ask away.
Get ready for the blogging challenge
After the conference is done get ready to start the blogging challenge. It will have a huge impact on your business. We are going to focus on creating posts that will send traffic to your store. And, take full advantage of the accountability that will be in place.
We hope to see you at the TpT Conference!