038: How to Choose the Right Conference; 10 Factors to Consider

You work hard for your money... in the wee hours of the morning when your house is finally quiet and you can hear your own thoughts...in stolen moments during naptime or playtime... you've worked hard to grow your business or blog.  You're ready to take it to the next level, but to do that, you might need to spend some of that hard-earned money.

A conference could be a great way to learn tons of new skills, come up with new ideas to market or grow your audience, or give you the opportunity to meet and connect with other influencers in your niche.

How do you know which conference is right for you?

It seems like there are about a million to choose from.  (We haven't counted, but we're pretty sure there ARE a million!) 

Although we wish we could push a magic button and out would pop the perfect conference for you, that's just not possible.  (Or is it.... someone get on this business idea STAT!)

Instead, we'll walk you through 10 factors that we think are really important to consider as you decide on which conference may be right for you.

After all, your money and time are worth SO much!  Before you click "buy now", we'll help you find the perfect fit.

The 10 Factors to Consider in Choosing the Right Conference as a Busy Mom Entrepreneur

1. Goals (for your business/blog, for you personally)
2. Cost
3. Location
4. Who's Going? (friends/colleagues/contacts)
5. Who's Speaking?
6. Topics Covered
7. Number of Talks/Sessions
8. Format
9. Timeline
10. Networking Opportunities

So I promised you a comparison chart with at least 8 conferences on it.  I'll be honest, it doesn't look very pretty!  The goal was to be really helpful, though, and if you open up the PDF of the conference chart below, you'll find that it's much easier to read and copy and paste the info that you need.

What do you think; is it helpful to have a comparison table like this one?  I'd love to break it down further into just handmade conferences, blogging conferences, social media, etc.  There are just SO many, and each one has unique offerings.

How to Choose a Conference that's right for you as a Busy Mom Entrepreneur: A Comparison Table (PDF)

And a Pinnable Image so you won't forget to reference this list when you're ready to pick the perfect conference.

 

Will you be attending any conferences in the next year?  If so, which ones?  We'd love to hear from you and how you made your decision!  Stay in touch!

~ Beth Anne

P.S. The only conference on our agenda at the moment is Social Media Success Summit.  In the podcast, I talk a bit about our decision-making process.  We hope to add more conferences to our schedule in 2015, and we'll keep you posted on where we'll be.  It'd be so fun to meet some of you in person!  We already think you're the best!