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Have you considered going to Social Media Marketing World? Do you watched people attending on social media, seen their trips to the airport, their arrival. Have you followed the tweets, the live streams and felt the FOMO kick in?

Ever wondered what it’s like to be there amongst the top social media marketing professionals in the world?

That was me. I wached from afar and thought about going but wasn’t sure if it would be worth it.

One year I just did it (with a bit of a nudge from my business buddy Kate). I’ve never looked back and I’ll be going again this year for the fourth time.

I know what you are thinking. I was the same.

Is it worth the time and financial investment? Will it just a big party full of know-it-all marketers who’ll give you the cold shoulder? Are there any business advantages to going? 

Let’s think about it further…

Are you a marketer that would like to raise your profile?

SMMW attendees are top of their game. OK, that may not always be true. But there is a perception that if you’ve sucked in the knowledge and contacts from going to Social Media Marketing World, you take your work seriously.

It will help you shine a little brighter than your competitors.

Are you scared of losing track of what’s new in social media?

The worst thing about social media? It changes ALL THE TIME. How can you stay relevant?

You can read books and blogs, listen to podcasts, watch videos but there’s nothing quite like learning alongside other people.

At SMMW you get to discuss the presentations with other people who attend; you get to tease out the real learnings and discover other take-aways that you’d miss on your own.

What if you are attending alone, dos this still work? You’re never alone at SMMW. Everyone is friendly, like really friendly, like the most friendly people ever (even the speakers).

Grab your ticket here… (affiliate link)

Do you want to learn how to implement social media better?

Honestly, I thought I was up on my game until I attended some of the sessions at SMMW. People like Andy Crestodina, Amanda Bond and Ann Handley taught me new ways of seeing and doing things which I’ve been able to use in my own business and for customers.

I’m a better marketer because of it.

Do you like to geek out with other marketers?

If I talk about work at home, my other half drifts into a dream state only to be woken with the promise of chocolate. Even the cats get bored.

That’s what it’s like for us marketers. No one understands or even cares what we do.

One of my favourite things to do at SMMW is to walk into a room full of people and knowing I can geek out about marketing. 

Even at the parties and dinners we just talk marketing. It’s wonderful.

Do you want to grow your business using online tools?

What if you aren’t a full time marketer? What if you run a business and marketing is just one part of that? Is there value for you at SMMW?

Yes! You may not be able to do all the digital marketing for your business but you’ll get a good understanding of how stuff works. That knowledge makes it much easier to outsource to professionals who implement your campaigns. You’ll know what you need and you’ll know what it takes to do it.

Grab your ticket here… (affiliate link)

Things you can learn about at SMMW (an uncomprehensive list):

Facebook marketing (paid and unpaid), Messenger marketing, Twitter marketing, video marketing, Instagram marketing, content creation, content marketing, email marketing… the list goes on.

There’s way too much to learn while you are there but don’t worry. All-Access ticket holders get all the session recordings so you can catch up on more when you get home.

Do you want to build connections with customers and the people who refer them to you?

So far it sounds good, right? But what about real business results? Would you be better off staying at home and working?

At SMMW you network ‘till you drop. You’ll meet people from all around the world. I’ve collaborated with, got referrals and gained customers from people I’ve met.

If you want to make sales at SMMW go with a plan. Here’s some tips.

What if you are travelling alone?

Do you get the fear that when you arrive at SMMW you’ll be sitting alone in a corner?

SMMW is a big conference with a lot of people attending. Yet somehow it still feels like a community.

You can chat to anyone (or they’ll chat to you). I’ve met people in the queue to register, over lunch, waiting for coffee, at the networking events and even walking through the streets of San Diego.

You can even meet people before you arrive. There’s facilitated networking online where you can get to know people and even go to dinner with the people you meet before you attend.

You never need to have that fearful moment of walking into a room alone. 

And I’ll be there… I’d love to meet you!

What if you can’t travel?

Attending SMMW in person is amazing. I recommend it. But I know it’s not always possible. Maybe you have family commitments or you just can’t get away from work.

You will miss out on the networking but you still have the chance to learn if you buy a ‘Virtual Ticket’(affiliate link). This gives you full access to all the session recordings to watch in your own time.  

It’s enough to keep you busy for the year.

What if you don’t have the budget for an ‘All Access’ ticket?

Going to SMMW isn’t cheap. It’s a big investment to get an All-Access ticket (affiliate link), find a place to stay, travel.

If you want to meet people, geek out about marketing and still learn some stuff (but not everything) the community ticket is amazing value.

It gives you access to the Keynotes, the stages in the networking area and you’ll get to meet people.

So will I see you in sunny San Diego this year? Let me know and we can meet up.