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If you’ve never attended a conference or trade show related to your small business, I’m going to talk you into it today.
Table of Contents
7 Reasons to Attend a Conference or Trade Show for Your Niche
Meet Like Minded People
Imagine a room (or whole hotel!) full of people with the same passions you have. People that you can talk crafts or graphic design to – and they actually understand! Yep, that’s what you find at conferences and trade shows.
Small Business Networking
In addition to merely meeting and visiting with like minded people, the connections that you make a conferences can be invaluable to your small business. It’s quite common to hear of introductions at conferences that have led to amazing partnerships and collaborations.
Meet Leading Creators and Figures in Your Niche
If you subscribe to blogs, channels, or social media, conferences give you the opportunity to meet the people behind the productions face-to-face!
Learn New Things
Whether it is a class on a new technique to bring back to your Silhouette or Cricut business or simply a faster way to do something you already do; conferences are great for learning.
See New Products and Vendors
Most conferences have a section for vendors to sell and show off new products. Obviously, trade shows have aisles and aisles of vendors.
It’s All a Business Expense
When you add in conference registration fees with travel and lodging expenses, it can get pretty expensive. Don’t let the expense scare you, because everything related to the conference is a business expense.
They are Fun
Last but not least, most conferences have special events during the conferences like contests, giveaway prizes, and more. There’s no better way to stay motivated in your small business than having fun while working it!
If you haven’t heard of the All Things Silhouette Conference, head here to learn more. If you can’t make the June date, there’s another one in November. If that doesn’t work out either, Mallory has a great list of creative conferences at this link. And, this link is helpful in locating a show near you.
Upcoming Conferences
Have I convinced you to attend a conference? This article has a list of upcoming conferences and trade shows.
Since 2015, Christine Schinagl has been helping crafters start and run craft businesses through her blog, Cutting for Business. As a Silhouette and Cricut crafter herself, she has a unique take on what works and what doesn’t work in the craft business world. She also enjoys teaching other crafters how to create digital SVG designs, available through the Design with Me series.