5 Reasons to Connect with Other Bloggers in Person

This is a guest post from FinCon media sponsor and friend, Tom Drake.

As a blogger, it can be too easy to see other bloggers as “the competition.”

And, even though that’s true to a certain extent when it comes to vying for a reader’s interest or placing high in search engine rankings, other bloggers can also be your friends, and even valuable helpers and mentors.

Many bloggers know the value of connecting to others online, and it is a good idea to do some networking online and make those virtual connections.

But it can also help to meet with bloggers in person. While technology means that you don’t have to get together with people face-to-face, it’s still a great way to connect.

Here are 5 good reasons to connect with other bloggers in person:

1. Really Get to Know Them

I’ve attended both of the past FinCons, and no matter how well I think I know someone online through skype or email, the fact is that you don’t really get to know someone until you spend a little time with them.

Being able to really get to know someone, and connect on a personal level, provides a level of satisfaction that online contact just doesn’t offer.

2. Forge Deeper Connections

The in-person connection is stronger than a connection made online. Whether it’s a blogger with the same experience as you, or more of a mentor-mentee relationship, a deeper connection usually means that you are more willing to help each other. It’s harder to say no to someone that you actually know, and have a good connection with.

3. It’s Easier to Keep in Contact

Before meeting someone in person, it doesn’t seem as personal, so you may not feel as though you need to keep in contact with them. However, once you have had made that deeper personal connection, you want to keep in contact. It’s a good reason to set up a mastermind group, and keep working with each other to brainstorm ideas and help each other out. That increased contact can be a real benefit.

4. You Understand Each Other Better

No matter how well someone communicates, certain things are lost over the Internet, and even over the phone. Being able to be in the same room with someone, and speak with him or her face-to-face can bring another level of understanding to your conversations.

There’s a reason that many people still like to conduct business transactions in person; it’s easier to understand what is going on, and there is less chance of misunderstanding when you have the benefit of meeting in person.

5. It’s Fun!

One of the best reasons to connect with other bloggers in person is because it’s fun! It’s great to get together with others who have the same interests, and who really “get” where you are coming from.

A lot of the people in my every day “real life” don’t understand what blogging is, and they aren’t that interested in it. However, when I spend time with other bloggers, we can really talk about what interests us. It’s fun to be able to hang out with great people and share your interests. Plus, the FinCon parties are a blast!

If you haven’t had the opportunity to connect with other bloggers in person, give it a try. Attend a conference like FinCon or at least arrange a meetup in your area. You’ll be surprised at the great things that can come from these connections.

Tom Drake shares his blogging tips and monetization ideas over at Create Hype, but is most known in the FinCon crowd as the blogger behind MapleMoney.