Social Capital Conference – Much more than a Day of Learning!

The Social Capital Conference is approaching quickly, just over two weeks away, on July 26, 2014. It is much more than a one day learnathon, as the tagline suggests. This year, I have the honour of being on the Organizing committee and well as being a speaker at the event. I have been an attendee in the past and knew I wanted to be a part of this social media celebration. The conference may only be a day long, but it can be much more than a one day event, if you make the most of it.

Here are some of my suggestions to make the most of Ottawa’s amazing social media conference:

1. Start Networking Now!

There are many Twitter chats going on that you can follow by using the hashtag #SoCapOtt. Get involved in the conversions. Everyone is very open and welcome to new tweeters tweeting along, asking questions and giving their feedback.

Look at the lineup of this year’s speakers, start following them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, LinkedIn or Instagram. Find out who they are, what their background is, and make connections with those that pique your interest. Get to know them, and let them get to know you. This way it is much easier to narrow down which workshops you don’t want to miss.

2. Plan your Day

Study the workshop outline, decide which ones you want to attend and which round table discussions  you would like to be involved with. Bring your business cards for networking, people still use them.  Make sure you pack your smartphone, ipad, notebook or other mobile device, and charging cords, just in case. Bring a water bottle and a couple of small snacks. Lunch is provided, but sometimes we need a little energy kick.

Make plans to meet up with friends or new connections that you made before the conference. Find out which workshops there are going to, and make plans to share notes later. Find out what the #hashtags of the day will be, besides #socapott, the workshops may have their own hashtags.

3. Making the most of the Workshops

To make the most of the workshops, listen, take notes and ask questions. The workshop is much more effective with the attendees taking part in the discussion. There is also an advantage of having dozens of others also taking notes and sharing them online. Many will tweet as the event is happening and many will blog about what learned later. You pick up tidbits from sessions you could not attend, which can in turn spark discussions and connections. You can chime in with your point of view, agree or disagree, and have a robust discussion.

4. Stay Connected

You can maintain new connections virtually, even with your busy schedule. Social media allows you to keep up with what’s going on with the people in your network, and stay on top of trends they’re following. The information they shared will be more valuable because you know where it is coming from, a trusted source. That in mind, making coffee dates when you can, is always nice too.

If you haven’t already bought your ticket to the Social Capital Conference, leave a comment below and be entered into a draw to WIN A FREE TICKET! I will randomly pick the winner on Sunday, July 13 at 8 pm, so make sure you leave a comment before then. If you don’t win, I still have a great offer for you, use the code “crummymedia20” for a 20% discount on a ticket.

Bonus: Early bird is making an encore appearance for one day only! Buy your ticket tomorrow, July 11, 2014 to save $70!  

Will I see you at the Social Capital Conference? What workshop are you looking forward to attending?