Paparazzi Convention lives up to its rep as the Biggest Party of the YEAR!! Here are a few ways to maximize YOUR Convention experience and make sure that you and the people around you learn, grow and have the best time you possibly can.
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Whether this is your first Paparazzi Convention or your 8th, buckle up buttercup!! Paparazzi Convention has an energy that you can almost reach out and touch. Being there with so many other amazing, motivated people it exciting! If you are wanting to build and grow your biz, attending is a MUST.
Ok- let’s get to today’s tips and items to pack!
1- Put your best foot forward – I know this phrase gets used a LOT, but whether you are there with your team or you are a team of one this year, YOU are representing your business and the Paparazzi brand. Dress professionally, wear your jewelry and treat others with kindness and respect. You never know if the waitress at the restaurant or the Uber driver will think about buying some jewelry from you or joining your team so its important to represent yourself at ALL TIMES with professionalism and grace.
There are several opportunities to dress up for an event at Paparazzi Convention. If you have an invitation to the Life of the Party Luau, you can dress up in your best Hawaiian attire. The Black and White Gala is the time to dress up in your best Black and/or White outfits and the After Party is a fun time to show off your Country side. Joining in the fun of dressing up is a lot of fun and a great way to up your party factor.
2- Pack an Extra suitcase inside your suitcase- We have a duffel bag that I always pack in the bottom of my suitcase to bring home anything I collect at convention. You can choose to buy Zi collection items and Paparazzi branded apparel onsite and take them with you. All Fall inventory items will be shipped directly to your house. Please note, any items you “buy” with your Bling Bits will not have the option of being shipped home.
3 – Bring a notebook and a pen (or 3!)- When a thought or inspiration strikes, you can write it down. There will be SO many amazing speakers and moments to learn. You might think that you will remember something that struck you, but odds are that with all the other knowledge you will have, most thoughts and ideas won’t stay in your brain. So to help, write things down as they strike you. Later on you can go back through your notes and recall what you most wanted take home from Convention. Remember, inspiration recorded is inspiration remembered.
4- Pack Comfy Shoes– I know you have some stilettos that are dying to come out and play, but general session of convention might not be the time for them to shine. There are often lines to use the ladies room, go into the shopping venues and even walking around the event. Trust me on this one. Wear those slightly-less-cute, sensible shoes. Your feet will thank you for it.
5- Put together a Convention Survival kit- little things like headache medicine, band aids, gum, mints, feminine products, a granola bar and tums. These always seem to be the things I forget and wish I had during Convention. Also, bring a little cash with you in case you need to pick up a quick snack from a vending machine or concession stand.
6- Pack a Surge protector – You are probably thinking that I’ve lost my mind with this one, but when you have 2-4 women sharing a room and all trying to get ready in the morning, a few extra outlets for a curling iron, straightener, blow dyer, etc will be priceless. Also consider bringing an extension cord so you can use a mirror outside the bathroom in a pinch.
7- Bring a Good attitude – I know this one should seem like common sense, but I can’t tell you how important this one is. There are always little things that might bother us or something that might not go quite right. If you have your good attitude with you at all times, it will be much easier to remain calm, happy and you will be better able to enjoy your Convention experience. I mentioned this before, but I’m gonna say it again – you never know WHO is watching you and if you are calm under pressure or discouragement it reflects SO much better on you and your business!
8- Pack a Smile – Have you heard of RBF? It’s the look that your face might have when you aren’t smiling or talking. Sometimes it can look mean or grumpy and makes others less excited to talk to you. Now, I’m not saying to have a cheesy, fake smile plastered to your face, but a generally happy look will make you more approachable. Also, if you are feeling a tad bit cranky or irritated, a smile can help boost your mood and shift that negative energy so that you can enjoy your Convention experience a little more.
9- Don’t forget the Love – Paparazzi’s mission statement states that we “bring strength, independence and empowerment to individuals and their families by building confidence…” When we are showing others love, kindness and respect, we are building them up instead of tearing them down. We are adding to their bucket instead of kicking it over. We are making the world a better place. There are so many little ways that we can help others feel loved whether it’s by giving them a compliment or words of encouragement, offering help, or giving a smile.
Let me share a story. A few years ago at Convention I was SO excited I couldn’t sleep. I finally got up, got ready for my day and went down to stand in line and wait for the doors to open to the general session. I was in line 2 hours before the doors even opened and pretty close to the very front. As the time approached for the doors to open, I got even more and more excited. I watched as the few people in line before me allowed their team members to cut in line. I was irritated, but realized there were a LOT of seats in the room and that a few more people wouldn’t make THAT much of a difference.
Just before the doors opened, I say a woman walk up right to the front of the line an kind of hover. As the doors opened, she elbowed her way into the front of the line and went inside. Once in the doors, I knew just where I wanted to sit and made a bee-line for my seats. My hubby and a few friends were right on my heels and we settled down into our seats to wait for the general session to start. As I started to chat with those around me, I saw this woman again. She brought a chair to my row and placed it right next to me and sat down. Again I thought, “Oh well. No worries. Just 1 person,” and I went back to my conversation.
Just a few minutes later, she got my attention and told me I needed to move. She had her husband and a friend coming and needed a seat for them. I was polite but firm and shared that I’d stood in line for 2 hours to get the seats I did and pointed to all the other seats in the rows nearby suggesting that she take a nearby seat. Instead, she pulled another chair up to our row on the end and told another consultant in the row in front of us to move. Through the start of the session, she started making comments about the rudeness of other consultants. She shot me dirty looks when I would reach into my bag and at one point told her husband that I needed to leave because I was being disruptive.
What did I do? I got up and found a new row to sit in. It was a little further back, but I was able to listen without distraction and without her negativity. I even met an awesome new friend in my new row. Did her actions upset me? Yeah, they did. But I had a choice to make – let her ruin my day and my Convention experience or just find a new seat and I decided that it wasn’t worth wasting the money I’d spent to get there over her bad attitude.
Above all else, be kind and considerate to other attendees and to your roommates. Don’t take more space than you need, badmouth others, or take hours in bathroom if you are sharing a room with others. Make sure that you have a great Convention by being considerate and showing love to all those people you see at convention.
10- Find the Good- Maybe your roommate is a snorer or maybe someone didn’t hold the elevator for you. Maybe your food wasn’t made right at lunch or you slept in. No matter what happens, look for the good in the situation. Maybe you got to have a conversation you wouldn’t have otherwise. Maybe you got to get a few extra minutes of sleep. Maybe you didn’t eat as much of the food so your waistline won’t grow. Whatever it is, there is always something to be thankful for- a good to any not-so-good situation. When you are putting positive, happy vibes out there you are going to attract more positive and happy. The same goes for the reverse. So do you want more positive or negative in your life….you decide.
11- Find new friends- where else are you going to find a bunch or pink loving, jewelry crazy ladies who are all anxious to learn and grow their businesses?? Paparazzi convention is the PERFECT time to network, make new friends and build relationships. Whether you are standing in line for a general session, riding the shuttle to the convention center, eating dinner, riding the elevator or waiting in line in the restroom – there is bound to be another amazing person around. Ask where they are from and how long they’ve been doing Paparazzi. Then ask what is the BEST thing they have learned so far. Get to know them and exchange business cards or friend each other on Facebook. This is one of the ways I’ve built friendships and connections with other Paparazzi reps and have found some of my best friends.
Bonus tip- put your phone down!! Sure, the people who aren’t at convention are wondering what’s going on and you want to update them, but don’t trade in connecting with real, live people in person for some screen time. Comments on FB can wait. PM’s can be responded to later. Look around you and see who you can connect with today. You never know when that person will share a tip, challenge or suggestion that will help you explode your business and unless you build those connections you might be missing out later on down the road.
12- Be ON TIME- We’ve already talked about presenting yourself professionally and another part of that is showing up ON Time for the sessions and events. This shows respect for those around you and for your Paparazzi business. It also is a sign to the universe that you are showing up for your business and ready for bigger things.
13- Stay till the end- DON’T LEAVE EARLY! The speakers and trainers that Paparazzi has hired to come deliver life and business altering messages deserve your time, respect and attention. When convention attendees leave early to go stand in line for an event or shopping, it is disrespecting the event and the speaker. It is one thing to need a quick potty break or a drink but its completely another to leave to go take a nap because you were out too late the night before or to go stand in a shopping line instead of listening and being open to messages that may impact you in ways you don’t even know. Bottom line- Paparazzi is about love, like we talked about a few minutes ago, and when you are leaving early, you are not showing love.
14- Obey the rules- Paparazzi gives us a LOT of freedom. Freedom to make as much money as we want, freedom to run our businesses how and when we want. There are very few rules but the rules that we do have are to protect the Paparazzi brand, our ability to make a good income and the people who show up to the events. Last year, and I assume it will be the same this year, Paparazzi asked us to not video or live stream the general sessions and trainings. This was to honor the attendees the the people who showed up to the event. If attendees were allowed to live stream the entire convention to their groups, what would be the point of coming to the event at all??
There were several consultants who ignored this simple request and live-streamed the entire general sessions. If this weren’t bad enough, The ipads, phones and tablets they were holding up were actually blocking actual attendees from being able to see too! Please, please, please – follow the rules. They are there for a reason!
15- Leave the complaining at home- This is one I’ve been dancing around and around the entire episode, but it’s so important that I couldn’t make this list without sharing it. Complaining is like a disease. A cancer. Once you start to let it get a hold of you, it grows out of control and can even infect those around you. If there is something about convention that is bugging you or a way that you feel they could improve, email the events team. Griping about it to anyone who will listen is not a way to change it. It just spreads the negativity and gloom. Instead, focus on the positive. Compliment someone. Think about what you DO like. It will make your convention experience and the experience of those around you so much better.
Show Notes
Making the Most of Paparazzi Convention printable show notes