Why Conferences are Ideal Places to Network

I was recently invited to attend the International Children’s Film Festival by the director of one of the award-winning films being shown. The event was part of WonderCon 2022 held in Anaheim April 1-3. WonderCon is very similar to the world-famous ComicCon event held in San Diego every year, except it seemed quite a bit smaller – I was told that this was also due to COVID.

Lots of opportunities for those that wanted to take a picture with their favorite superhero or Sci-Fi movie character

After the films, I decided to walk through the main convention floor where artists, writers, and vendors had their booths. It was quite the eye-opening experience; I usually attend much more business-oriented conferences with a bit less fanfare, entertainment value, or overall enthusiasm.

I stopped at as many booths as I could, sometimes speaking with people for quite a while. Of particular note were the artists and writers that create the many comic magazines, books and animated movies that so many people read, collect and watch. They were extremely passionate about their work, the future of smaller-scale artists, and the general state of the arts after the COVID pandemic and in this economy.

So why is this of interest to small businesses?

Lots of different types of fans attend WonderCon

Before I answer that, I must confess that I have not been very interested in comics, fantasy, sci-fi, and animated movies in a long time. I felt like I had outgrown this phase of my life. After all, I am a serious business entrepreneur now and I don’t have time to read comics or watch “children’s fantasy” movies.

Well, I quickly changed my mind. To begin with, there were very few children at this conference. Sure, I saw some, especially at the Children’s Film Festival, but the majority of the people on the convention floor were adults. Some were quite a bit older than I was (and I’m a Gen-X’er). For the most part, this was very much an adult audience.

Now I’m not just saying this because of the sometimes scantily clad people wearing their favorite fantasy character costume – such as the group of Princess Leia Slaves who walked by us a couple of times. I’m also not saying this because some of the artwork does teeter dangerously into misogynistic themes and outdated blaxploitation. No, I’m saying that this was just an older crowd in general that encompassed all those things, but much more as well.

The attendance was very light this year, according to several regulars we spoke with

More than anything, the people standing in the booths were small business owners. Very few worked full-time elsewhere and did this as a side-hobby. Instead, for most of them this was their primary occupation. They had already established their business credentials and were well on their way to being self-sufficient.

The Winner Twins have an amazing story of success, definitely worth checking out

Granted, some were famous such the hugely successful Winner Twins, authors of the best-selling Soul Series of books. Others where part of larger publishers, such the talented people I met at the Stranger Comics booth promoting their new Asunda series books featuring a black heroine and coming soon as a fantasy series on HBO.

Considering how much interest the booth received, this is undoubtedly going to be a popular TV series

However, most of the artists I met and spoke with were less well-established and still building their brand, their identity, and their unique contribution to the industry. In short, they were struggling with the same concerns that many small businesses have.

At other conferences, when I introduce myself as a blogger, I usually see people pull back and look on this profession with some suspicion. At WonderCon, it was the opposite. It wasn’t just genuine questions about what I did, but there seemed to be a shared experience. Granted many of these artists also blog and manage their own sites, but there was also an understanding about the business-side of what I do.

I have long said that the best way to meet other small business owners is to go conferences – i.e., places where many of them come together. Let me refine that idea a bit. It is not just about going to small business conferences; it is also about going to conferences that are more specific to what your business is about. So, if you are an artist, go WonderCon. You might be surprised who you will meet.

Did I mention that there were tons of vendors there as well?

Conclusion

Unfortunately, I only had a couple of hours to spend on the convention floor. Had I known that there would be so many people to meet and talk to, I would have scheduled more time, maybe even booked a hotel room nearby. For those booths where I did not have the opportunity to speak to the owner, I picked up a business card and I am in the process of reaching out to everyone.

If I can give one small piece of advice about the cards that I picked up: make sure it is legible. I understand about having creative license, but if the font is not legible, you could be missing out on that next big opportunity.

You should also include an email address at a minimum. You don’t need to have a full web site (although I also think that is important), but so many cards didn’t have an easy way to contact the owner/artist. I realize that Instagram is trending right now, but not everyone uses it to communicate, especially the kinds of people who might want to do business with you. So, yes, include your WeChat or Discord handle if you must, but remember that email is still the most basic way that folks communicate.

Aside from that small detail, I have to say I was genuinely amazed at the spirit, passion, and the talent I encountered at WonderCon 2022. I also believe there is considerable overlap between what you do and what we do at Gig-Zine.com. It was a wonderful opportunity to share stories and I will be sure to attend the event next year.

The day’s swag haul…