The conference was in Orlando this year, so it was a no brainer for me to decide to go. (You know... because I live in Orlando.) I was really excited about going, but unfortunately had a very rough start to my day. I actually had a rough start to BOTH of my days, but let's focus on day 1 first.
The conference was in the Disney area, which typically takes about 45 minutes for me to get to. I made sure to leave my house with plenty of time to spare, because traffic heading into downtown can be pure craziness. There is no way I could have planned for the traffic I experienced. There was an accident on the way, and it took me TWO HOURS to get there. TWO HOURS! Then, I parked at the wrong hotel and spent 20 minutes trying to figure out where the conference was. I was a mess, a serious hot mess.
I finally made it to the conference about 10 minutes after the Keynote had started. On a positive note, there wasn't a line for me to check in. HaHa. I quickly got my name tag, goodie bag, and schedule for the day. I headed into the Keynote and thankfully was able to find a seat near the back.
Keynote
I missed hearing Amy talk (atleast... I think she talked first), but I entered while Adam (the CEO of TpT) was discussing some changes and trends with Teachers Pay Teachers. It was inspiring to hear him talk about the growth TpT is experiencing and their plans for the future. Jenn Bengal ended the keynote by talking about her path with TpT. I always love hearing other sellers talk about their journey with this company and how they got where they are. She was awesome and I immediately regretted not signing up for her session.
Session 1: Yes! You Can Make Videos with Kayse Morris
This is a session I had mixed feelings about attending. Videos SCARE me. I'm not kidding. The thought of videotaping myself is absolutely terrifying. Let's not even talk about the time I had to videotape myself teaching for undergrad - YIKES. Anyways, as much as videos scare me I know this is something I need to start getting more comfortable with. Kayse was awesome and gave lots of tips to make videos. I realized how many ways I could make videos of my products WITHOUT having to video my face. This was reassuring.
28% of Google Searches result in a YouTube video.
50x easier to reach page 1 of Google with a video.
With those stats, it's not question that I need to get into video. I loved all of Kayse's tips, and especially enjoyed all the example videos she showed. One of my summer goals is to make a video of one of my products. I go back to work in 2 weeks, so I better get to work.
Session 2: The Real Truth from a Successful Seller with Erin Cobb
Without a doubt, this was my favorite session. Eric Cobb was hysterical! She gave an awesome presentation and was 8.5 months pregnant, bless her heart! I loved how real she was. She said many things that I feel like other people think, but no one has the courage to say. In terms of goals, she suggested make monetary product goals instead of a goal based off number of products created. For example, don't make a goal of creating 4 products each month. Instead, make a goal to make $20 worth of products. I LOVE this. I'm using it.
She also gave EVERYONE who attended her session a Teachers Pay Teachers Seller Planner. It's amazing.
She has the planners for sale in her TeachersPayTeachers store. Go check it out to see more previews of the inside, and then buy one :) You definitely need it. Erin's Teacher Seller Planner
Session 3: TpT Product Planning from Start to Finish with Shelly Rees
Shelly discussed the 9 step process she uses when creating a product for TpT. She was very detailed and explained the importance of each step. I love that she included creating pins for your products with her list. This is a step I often overlook, but I know how important it is. She also talked about creating a specific work schedule. Almost every session I attended emphasized the importance of treating TpT like a business. I struggle with this because of mom guilt. I know as a single mom I need to be a bit more creative with planning a "work schedule." I'm working on it. (I'm actually at McDonalds right now, typing this blog post, while my son plays. I feel less guilty about working while he plays if he's with other kids! #momwin)
She also gave everyone a product planner. This one is more detailed to ensure you go over each step of the process. I've seen her post on Facebook about hosting a few webinars to go over her steps. If you are struggling with the overall process of creating a product, I would suggest checking it out.
Session 4: Marketing Face to Face with Michele Luck
As I'm trying to expand my TpT business, I think its important to explore all avenues of promotion. I was very impressed with Michele. She travels to conferences all over the country and hosts a Teachers Pay Teachers Sellers booth. She has a group on Faceobok and sellers can sign up to promote with her at conferences. Sellers can send her business cards and sample books, and Michele will have them displayed at her booth. She went into detail about how she finds conferences, the hidden costs of being a vendor at one, and the strategies her and her hubby use to draw people to their booth when they are there. This is not an avenue I'm 100% ready to go down yet, but I could see myself doing this in the future.
After the sessions, there was a huge teacher meet-up planned. I made arrangements for my son to go to camp and had to get home to pick him up, so I wasn't able to go. There were amazing giveaways and everyone who attended got a bag full of goodies. Yes, I'm jealous. Check out the hashtag #2016OrlandoMeetUp to see some of the pictures.
Want to read about day 2? Head over HERE.
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