

How to “hack” yourself into conferences for free - AndrewWarner
http://blog.mixergy.com/conferences-for-free/

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tsally
Not a fan of the copying/borrowing a badge ideas. If you don't support
whatever the conference is covering, you shouldn't be there. If you do, you
shouldn't mind fronting some cash to support the event.

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silencio
Sometimes it's not possible to front cash to support the event due to lots of
factors having nothing to do with lack of money or laziness. All the people
who asked me about copying my WWDC badge were people who had the money to do
so (and I know at least one tried to offer even more money than they were
worth to existing attendees willing to sell their tickets), but Apple was
actively refusing to sell any more tickets to the event due to having reached
maximum capacity. I certainly hope that's not the case next year, but who
knows. Moscone West is not exactly huge.

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streety
I realise I'm stating what for most will be obvious here but there is a reason
why they stop selling tickets once they reach maximum capacity.

If there is a fire they may not be able to get everyone out safely if there
are too many people. I could dream up other possibilities but hopefully the
idea is already clear.

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silencio
I understand that. My wishing for next year was for Apple to move to a larger
venue to have increased capacity, not to illegally stuff more people into an
overcrowded venue.

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anewaccountname
How to "hack" free food: just steal it!

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sh1mmer
While 3 out of 7 point are "stealing" in some capacity there is some goodness
in here, specifically:

 _Volunteer_ , _Offer to write_ , _Offer to speak_

As someone who's job it is to go to conferences to speak and look after the
Yahoo booth I see a lot of conference action.

You will get so much more out of a conference by participating in a positive
way than shiestering your way in. Both in the way people treat you but also
your motivation to engage with the topics. I've met some really great friends
and colleagues by offering to blog for them out of the blue, or help out when
a speaker drops out.

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AndrewWarner
You're right. Those 3 methods are best.

Let me ask you this though. If you knew that someone in the audience was so
eager to hear you speak that she borrowed her friend's badge, would you be
upset?

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yters
If I heard everyone in the audience was so eager to hear me speak that no one
bought an entrance ticket, and therefore I would not be able to fund my
research that made my speeches so interesting, I would doubt their intentions.

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herdrick
Walk in the service entrance, then act like you belong there. Will work for
most conferences.

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icky
You might accidentally end up volunteering that way...

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silencio
I had a few people ask if they could photocopy my WWDC 2008 badge (twas sold
out, all about iPhone, et cetera). I can't believe how trivial it is for some
of the conferences I've been to either. I could easily see that happening, but
I wonder just how many people actually do so.

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AndrewWarner
In her book, I think Sarah Lacy has a few examples of people doing that at the
Web 2.0 conference.

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jaytee_clone
Though it's fun to sneak into places (I had my share), it's better in the long
run to use participatory strategies (e.g. what the author listed: volunteer,
blog, speak, party)

Or better, organize and start your own conference. We are entrepreneurs after
all.

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rokhayakebe
Hi, my name is PG let me in.

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wmf
Claim to be nickb instead; apparently nobody knows his real identity anyway.

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AndrewWarner
I tried finding out who he was and interviewing him. I didn't get anywhere. I
didn't realize he was such an unknown. Seems like a sharp guy.

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twampss
His life story:

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=99923>

