It can be easy enough to get caught in the online marketing world either because of busy lives, juggling other work and even sometimes because we simply have not explored other avenues out there. If you have sequestered your work to the online world only, it's time to explore what else lies ahead in the non-digital world to get your name and work exposed more. Let's take a look at how the conference circuit can help you reach your book marketing goals. 
The top author conferences attended by writers, marketers and social media gurus
1. BlogHer. Held every year, this outrageously popular conference is a place to hone all of the skills an indie author needs.
- Learn the latest in SEO and social media trends along with asking questions specific to your industry. Attend break out sessions surrounding social media.
- Improve your writing skills. You'll get a chance to listen to speakers who talk about this topic from their own experience, but also attend mini-workshops too.
- One of the best fool-proof networking conferences. If you consider yourself shy and why you spend so much time online, BlogHer makes it effortless. There is an unspoken vibe that everyone is on the same mission to authentically market themselves and do so by encouraging and working with others. After the conference you always read bloggers writing, "I met so and so at BlogHer" and now they are promoting one another's work. If you are shy, take advantage of attending a talk specifically geared toward the shy blogger- you are not alone and this is recognized in the blogging community!
- It's not simply for women, men should consider attending too (many of the speakers are men as well
2. 99 U Conference. They advertise their goal of shifting idea invention to idea execution. Definitely a goal of all authors. This conference is full of action-oriented talks. Attended by creators, entrepreneurs, writers and business people alike, this is both an industry-specific and general audience where you can cross-interact with goal-oriented people.
- Top conference to learn how to design the most industry-targeted "swag" and media kits. You'll have an opportunity to develop one on site
- Hear from pros on how to cross-market your work. Think authors working with designers and photographers, teachers and educators
- Hear other indie authors speak on how to reach multi-faceted audiences- often these speakers started in one industry and became writers to fulfill gaps they observed in the marketplace
Find an industry-specific conference
- Contact industry-specific professional associations to determine which conferences are being held throughout the year related to your field
- Search Google "[industry name] conference show"
- Look to the chamber of commerce throughout major cities
- Visit Wikipedia's full list of author-oriented conferences held internationally here
Have you attended a conference in the past that helped up your author marketing skills? Please share with other authors in the comments below.
Keep the Faith and May the Force be with You!
