5 Tips to Make the Most of Business Boutique

If you have made the decision to attend Business Boutique this year, congratulations! You signed up for an incredible business and life changing experience. You are in store for a powerful weekend. The speakers will inspire you. The Ramsey production team will go above and beyond to make the event extraordinary. Connecting with like-minded women will be unforgettable.

 

Needless to say, it’s going to be pretty epic.

 

I was lucky enough to attend this amazing event. To help you make the most out of this incredible experience, here are 5 tips. If you attended or are a frequent conference goer, feel free to leave a comment at the end with your tips and recommends.

 

Enjoy!

1) Branching Out

If you’re like me, you’ve convinced a friend or two to enjoy this experience with. What woman doesn’t love a girl’s weekend? Additionally, bringing a friend is a great way to cut down on costs and increase fun.

 

But…. There’s one problem.

 

Sometimes we cling to our friends. I know. I am just as guilty of this as well. Even at local networking events, I b-line straight for familiar faces. It’s my comfort zone and I’m quite cozy there.

 

Also, it’s not the friendliest gesture to bail on your friend entirely after coming so far. That being said, it’s a good opportunity for both of you to expand your personal network. Not doing so shortchanges you part of the magic from this event. All of these other committed, passionate and brilliant women are here to inspire you along your journey. And you will do the same for them. Not to mention, there is a very high probability that there are multiple women in the room who would benefit from your services or products.

 

Unless you get to know them and make that personal connection, that magic isn’t going to happen.

 

Rather than ditching your friend entirely, which I wouldn’t recommend to do out of the blue, here are a few ways to navigate the networking:

  • Be each other’s wing(wo)man. It’s likely that one of you is less outgoing. Together you can introduce yourselves to new friends and bring the other to the conversation. You’ll meet twice as many women that way.
  • If your friend would prefer to not network, then plan out networking time. Having a conversation before the event starts makes it much easier to slip away for 10-15 minutes of networking. Your friend might appreciate the alone time to recharge.

 

If you are flying solo, then this will be much easier! Introduce yourself to the woman you are sitting next too. Join another group for lunch. Ask the person behind you what inspires them.

 

 

2) Business Cards

 

The true strength comes in relationships. That’s why you worked so hard to go and meet new people. A nice “How do you do?” and “What do you do?” will only go so far in creating a real relationship. There has to be follow-up.

 

Insert the business card.

 

This is might be a good time to share a confession. I love business cards. Seriously! My husband thinks I have more business cards than shoes. Every time I have a new idea, my first go to is to create a business card. Bam! Idea solidified!

 

Now, I’m definitely not recommending that. In fact, it’s a bit more of a luxury spend than practical at the rate that I do it. My husband has graciously been weaning me off this habit and I think I have it under control. Additionally, I’m traveling a lot at the moment, so without a physical address, it’s hard to ship new cards all the time.

 

All that aside, business cards are important.

 

If you don’t have cards, I would recommend whipping some up before the event. Here are two great resources:

 

*Vista Print or Got Print are definitely the more affordable options. If you’re not really sure about your business and need a personal card, opt for them. If you are looking to create an experience by handing out your card, then Moo is the best option around. These are premier business cards (coupled with the BEST customer service you can imagine). For my marketing business, I have Moo cards. Let’s just say that when I give them out, I get a reaction. When you’re looking to make a good first impression, these cards can go a long way!

 

Many women pause on this until they have their business idea fully solidified. Traditionally this would be the best route. But it’s not a traditional time. You are about to connect with a 1,000 like-minded women who you will want to stay in touch with. If you’re not ready for a card for your business, make a personal one. Have your name and contact on one side and an inspirational quote on the other side.

 

{Procrastinator Tip} When I went to Business Boutique in November, I waited too long to order them online. Instead, I ordered at a local print shop in Nashville and picked them up the day before the conference. Where there is a will, there’s a way!

 

3) Follow Up

 

The magic is in the follow-up. I know I spent the last 5 paragraphs convincing you that you need a business card. You do. If everyone brings a card to this event, this next step works better.

 

The real power is in the follow-up.

 

Work to collect as many business cards as you give out. Once you collect a business card, you have the ability to control the follow-up. Let’s say it’s the secret sauce in cultivating a meaningful relationship. That relationship needs to extend past the initial event.

 

Whenever I go to an event I make a canned response in Gmail. {See how to do that here}. This is a template e-mail that I will customize to each individual I reach out to. A good format includes their name, how you enjoyed meeting them and a resource you thought they would find helpful.

 

Depending on your particular business, you might want to do a series of 2-3 follow-up e-mails to keep the line of commutation open. I am a fan of the first initial response a day or two after the event. Then two weeks later I follow that up with an inquiry to see if they have been able to apply any tactics or tips from the event to their business. The last follow up depends on my services or the event. Sometimes I share a blog post I wrote about the event. Other times it makes more sense to write an individual personalized note to warm leads.

 

Want more great resources? The Savvy Etsy Marketer resource page has you covered.

 

Which ever series makes sense for your business, make sure to keep the conversation going.

 

4) Choose A Focus Item

 

Christy Wright and the Dave Ramsey team have lined up a top-notch group of speakers and influencers to help you in all areas of your business. From social media to selling to business foundations and more, they are covering it all!

 

And you will be overwhelmed.

 

It happens at any great conference. The time you are underwhelmed is the time you need to find a new event.

 

So to avoid mirroring a deer in the headlights, you need to determine one area to focus on. Out of all the speakers and different topics, which is the most beneficial area to your business. Which one is going to give you traction on the road to profitability?

 

Focus your energy there.

 

That doesn’t mean you are not going to get to the other items. You will. Just not until after you focus in on the most important changes you need to make in your business. Once you get a good handle on that step, you can move onto the other areas.

 

Need Instagram help? Check out these 5 tips to getting started on Instagram.

 

Luckily they give you an incredible facilitated notebook to help you capture the key points from each speaker. Thank you incredible event team!

5) Pack Food

 

How to make the most of attending Christ Wright's Business Boutique event. Bottom line, I am a budget type of gal. I don’t necessarily try to make experiences more expensive than necessary. Additionally, I would rather skimp on the price of lunch and enjoy a nicer dinner if I can. It’s almost as if I’m a Dave Ramsey fanatic! Likely you are too if you are reading this.

 

So I packed a lunch at the event in November.

 

It was a deliciously affordable premade salad from a local grocery store. My theory was that by working a few vegetables into my day I might offset all of the scrumptious Southern cooking I was enjoying in the evenings in Nashville.

 

Not only did it help cut down on costs, there was a bit of a shortage of food trucks on the first day. They adjusted on day two to include more vendors, but the event started before everyone was able to get food on the first night.

 

If you do opt for taking advantage of the food truck or venue options, be forewarned. Not all vendors take cash.

 

Gasp! Didn’t anyone tell them who Dave Ramsey is?

 

When I attended the Smart Event in Los Angeles, the food trucks only took cards.

 

I think it was one of the MOST tweeted signs at the event. Also at this point, I think you could say I’m a bit of Dave Ramsey fanatic since I’ve admitted to attending two live events. Unfortunately for the vendors in LA, they weren’t familiar with his cash only teachings.

 

Looking to sell your product on Etsy? Check out The Savvy Etsy Marketer for what the top stores have to say about their success!

 

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