Search Optimization & Audience Engagement Blog

Below are photos from SMX West 2012 in San Jose which were taken between February 27 and March 1. They were not uploaded to Flickr until April 21. Do the math. That’s 7 weeks after the conference. OUCH! I started thinking about all the blog posts with tips for preparing for a conference and realized I don’t recall a post about what NOT to do after a conference. Of course, the converse and take away should be, what TO DO after attending a search marketing conference.

1) Don’t wait weeks to upload conference photos.

Get your photos processed and uploaded within 1-2 weeks after attending a conference. Otherwise, the excitement has faded. We all get busy catching up on work and life after travels. Set some time aside to just do it earlier vs. later. Even better, upload them live while at the conference.

2) Don’t post unfavorable photos.

Don’t be afraid of the Delete key. Get ride of photos that show someone’s unfavorable side. We have all taken photos with eyes closed or gut hanging out. If you take such a shot, DO NOT post that photo to Flickr or Facebook. And while you’re at it, remove red eye before uploading!

3) Don’t forget to connect on LinkedIn.

Networking at conferences is key and getting to know other people in the search industry often means you want to connect with them on LinkedIn. You never know that that connection may mean to you down the road or how you may be able to help them land a new gig.

4) Don’t make promises you don’t keep.

We all know how easy it is to make decisions in haste while at the height of emotion and having just met your “new BFF.” Your intentions may be good, sincere, and honorable, but don’t – just DO NOT – say you’ll do something that you later do not do. It’s OK to say, “I’ll do my best to… Please follow-up with me in a week to remind me in case I forget.” Once you’ve opened the door for a reminder, follow through. As Nike says,

“Just do it!”

5) Don’t over-schedule upon return from a conference.

Plan white space. Did you catch that? Plan white space! In other words, plan some down time to to catch up, regroup, process, debrief, review notes, and ensure you do some post-conference follow-up.

Now, with all that said, and #5 being my latest egregious error, here are the shots. They may be late, but memories from SMX West 2012 in San Jose remain in full color! Good times!