I am attending a conference soon and want to be able to promote my blog, book and white papers. How can I do this if I am not on the agenda and don't have an "in" at the event?

Conferences are generally oriented toward professional development and the only ones who are supposed to shamelessly promote their products are the exhibitors. However, this does not mean you can't help educate and enlighten conference attendees with your content. There are a couple of ways you can respect the conference organizers and attendees and still meet your own needs.

First, be sure the content you want to promote is consistent with the theme of the conference. This is what the attendees are there to learn and your material should at least add to the body of knowledge. If your book or research does not advance the state of the art, promoting your content will damage your reputation - the opposite of what you intended. Second, design a few innovative ways to get your material in front of attendees. Since you aren't part of the program, consider handing out postcards with a description of the content and significance of your book, including a picture of the cover to strengthen your brand. Post a note (if allowed) on the conference bulletin board describing how people can get copies of your white papers. Talk to presenters with similar content to see if they will mention your work or even hand out your work with their own.

Tip: Your goal is to create the impression in the mind of attendees that your material is the "secret" that didn't make it onto the conference agenda. They should consider it a bonus and feel like they are getting additional value. Remember, always work with the conference organizers to make sure your activities are appropriate

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