So I have to throw my 2 cents in about my experience at SXSW (as well as some tips based on my experience).
First…the peeps. I met and connected with some absolutely AMAZING individuals over the 4 days I was at SXSW. First, my awesome roommates, Rochelle Veturis and Jennifer Haubein: Jennifer and I have known each other for over a year, but this was the first time that Rochelle and I had met in person (and really we had only just met on twitter!). Jennifer thought we’d “get along” and it went way beyond that.

What can I say about these lovely ladies? It was a joy to room with them and we all got along wonderfully. In fact, there was one day that Rochelle and I just hung out in the room catching up on stuff, working and it was just such a companionable silence; neither of us talking, but so comfortable with that, occasionally commenting on something, but for the most part decompressing and having space.
Tip #1: Give yourself some space to decompress. SXSW was a whirlwind mentally and physically. You really need some time to just absorb and reflect (especially when you understand your basic personality).
I met some “new” people that I didn’t know from twitter or anywhere else, which was awesome, but I also wanted to connect more fully with some individuals and didn’t quite step out of my comfort zone to do that (my bad!)
Tip #2: Get out of your comfort zone and talk to those you want to talk to…you really won’t be bothering those people and you’ll be “shoulding” all over yourself if you don’t 😉
Tip #3: One thing that Rochelle and I learned was to comment on the person’s badge picture (this is especially handy if you didn’t catch the person’s name or you forgot!) “Oh wow, you’re pic looks so much better than mine” …or whatever. Now if the person doesn’t have a badge, you can ask them for their twitter handle, website, etc.
The parties….ah, the parties! We were very fortunate to have been invited to some cool parties (thank you Rochelle!) Gary Vee’s “secret” wine party ended up being not so secret; but we had a terrific time; the Microsoft VIP Party was off the hook (met some totally cool people there!), a few book launch parties;
Scott Stratten’s (@Unmarketing) book is coming out in October. He was incredibly gracious, nice, funny and what you see on the computer screen is what you get offline too. As I mentioned on Twitter, I took like 5 pictures and 4 of them are of Scott’s back while he was singing!

Shama Hyder Kabani also had a book launch party for “the zen of social media marketing”; if you’re looking for a quick, easy read with lots of very practical, actionable tips on using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and video, I highly recommend it. She too, was extremely gracious and took the time to offer tips and answer the questions we were pelting at her.
Brian Solis also had a book launch that we attended for his new book “Engage”. A well known thought leader, sociologist, and on the cutting edge of new media strategies, he also was very kind, engaging (ha!), and supernice. I’m looking forward to reading his book.
Tip #4: Listen more than you talk. I got some incredible information just be asking a few questions and listening…in a setting like this, people want to talk…let them. They will remember that you were the one who listened.
Tip #5: You will collect a bazillion business cards. Make a simple spreadsheet titled “SXSW”, enter the data and then throw the cards away, make a collage, placemats, or paper your wall with ‘em.
Tip #6: Now that you have the info…use it! Follow up with a tweet or an email about how great it was to meet that person at sxsw (reference where you met, etc.). Beyond being a smart business practice, it’s respectful and shows you care.
Tip #7: HYDRATE! I drank way too much coffee and other stuff. What I did not do was drink nearly enough water and I felt it big time. Buy some water at the grocery store and stock your hotel room, house, tent, car (wherever you’re sleeping) with some H2O; you’ll be glad you did.
One of my favorite times was hanging out at the AOL Seed Pod. I mean it was cool! MacBooks set up in the pods, cool wooden tree trunk seats (or round wooden balls if you’re working on your core), free drinks, food, and people checking in on you periodically to get you whatever you want. Because the pod is relatively small, it’s a great place to start conversations and yet when there are “lulls”, it becomes a little private office.
Tip #8: Plan on plans changing. It’s great to have a plan in place, but be prepared to go with the flow; a lot of the places we ended up were not in our original plans, but going with the flow creates a much less stressful experience.
Tip #9: Your perspective of the experience depends on…you! Did I need to spend the money on the badge? Probably not; now that I’ve been there and experienced it. So, now I know for next time. There’s no point in freaking complaining about it now…
Tip #10: It’s easy to get caught up in the hype and excitement of SXSW. Internet “stars” aside, just go, be you, have fun, and remember the “Interactive” part of the title…do it.
Did you go to SXSW? Are you planning on it? Am I going to meet YOU next year?
Oh, Danielle. Words cannot convey what a pleasure it was meeting you. And yes, I agree wholeheartedly with these tips. Had my schedule allowed, it would have been nice to have one solid day to decompress and follow-up with the amazing people we met. I must say, that’s one of things that really stood out about you. You took time in between all of the craziness to reconnect and thank each person you met. Loved that.
Thank you for your graciousness, good company, thoughtful questions and overall awesomeness. It was a pleasure meeting you and I look forward to your trip to Orange County. I already miss you and look forward to some more quality time, fun and juicy conversations.
And last thought, I hear you about Tip #7. I didn’t realize until Tuesday morning how little water we drank. Just imagine how keyed up we would have been had we actually been hydrated? I can’t even imagine it.
Big hug to you D.
Chat soon.
water, water, water! Indeed we would have probably never even slept if we’d have been hydrated a bit better;-) Dear Girl, the feelings you expressed are entirely mutual…a true blessing to have met and shared space with you. You are amazing to me…15 years ago I was nowhere near the level of self awareness and introspection that you have. I can’t wait to see how your journey opens up the most incredible experiences for you…and I can’t wait to see you again in person:-)
Love,
Dani~
Thank you Danielle for this post! Being a fan and follower of the incredible Rochelle, I am now following you and Jennifer and I greatly appreciate the insights into SXSW!
I am going to attend next year and these tips are helpful for me not only for SXSW but also other conferences. I love the hydration tip; we all know what to do, we just need to do it 🙂
My favorite tip that you shared? Listen more than you talk. Sound advice for anyone and everyone!
Thanks for the advice Danielle!
John
Hi John and welcome~
A pleasure to meet you! Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting. Really glad to hear that the information was helpful to you!
Awesome to hear that you will be attending next year~looking forward to meeting you in person. And you’re right, I think those tips apply to any conference that you may be attending.
Thanks for sharing which tip was your favorite. In our excitement of meeting people we forget that we need to listen and see how we may be of service, rather than doing most of the talking:-)
Nice to meet you!
Great takeaways Danielle! Sure makes me want to go and I don’t even know what it is 🙂 Tip #8 “plans change” is one of those life-tips that I’m still absorbing!
Well you certainly have made an impression in the OC through Rochelle and we look forward to hearing more from you. Keep up the good work!
Hi J
Thanks for your comments and welcome to my corner of the world! A pleasure to meet you and #8 is one I coach a lot of women on;-) easy to say…tough to do.
SXSW was a great time…made even more amazing by meeting and getting to know Rochelle 🙂 a true kindred spirit.
Thanks for your kind words; I’m looking forward to connecting with you!
Warmly~
Hey Danielle,
I’ve already said my hello’s on Twitter, but thought I’d let you know I’m not only a fan of your 140 characters, but the wisdom you share where Twitter just won’t cut it!
Glad you had a fun & insightful time at #SXSW! Jealous of your spending lots of time with Rochelle, jealous of your skyrocketed intelligence being around the best in Social Media, & jealous that you’re awesome!