Earlier this summer I had the opportunity to attend Generation Beauty Toronto with two of my favourite ladies. I was invited as a member of ipsyOS, and so we decided to make a girls weekend out of it. Fast forward to two weeks ago, when ipsyOS invited me to attend Generation Beauty New York. I immediately texted my friend S, and within a few hours our plane tickets were booked and plans were made Now that we have already attended Generation Beauty we have a plan in place, and I wanted to take some time to share our tips with you.
I am going to organise my tips between those for everybody, and those for content creators more specifically. Hope these help you if you will be attending Generation Beauty in New York or in San Francisco!
You can read my coverage of Generation Beauty Toronto here, and here, and my swag haul here.
For Everybody
Get Charged Up
At many stations at Gen Beauty, the brands will ask you to post a photo on Instagram, or to follow them on social media in exchange for a product or sample. I found that most of the brands were very focused on growing their Instagram account, so if you don't already have an account I would encourage you to make one before you get there, even if you only plan on using it to get products. Add to that the SnapChatting you will surely be doing while you are there, the Facebook checking, and the playing games while in line and you will be burning through your battery pretty quickly. I saw one girl who ran out of battery and was denied a sample because she couldn't post about it on social media. Don't be that girl. Arrive with a fully charged phone, and bring a portable charger. You can easily order one from Amazon-- trust me-- it will be a lifesaver. also, pack snacks like nutty granola bars or other healthy, filling treats. Free makeup waits for nobody.
Comfort & Style
I know that the temptation is real to show off your killer sense of fashion at Generation Beauty. But the concrete floors are not your feet's friends. To be perfectly honest, most of my time at Gen Beauty was spend standing in line, waiting for free product. With that in mind, are your new heels worth it? Are they worth it? No. I wore a maxi dress to Gen Beauty, and my favourite boat shoes. If there was ever a day to choose comfort over style, this is the time. Now, I'm not saying to totally sacrifice style. So long as your shirt, hair, and makeup are cute, your selfies will be cute. Save you feet the trouble, and go all out on the makeup. What could possibly be a better place to show off your skills than at a convention full of beauty lovers? Exactly.
Bring a Friend
I just mentioned that most of Generation Beauty is standing in line, waiting. Would you rather stand in line and wait alone, or with a friend? Right. While I encourage you to speak with the girls around you in line (you all clearly share a passion for beauty!), bringing a friend with you means you have somebody to share the experience with, and somebody to have life chats with in line. My friend and I had such a great time at Gen Beauty Toronto in May that we booked flights to New York to attend Gen Beauty New York (we leave on Friday!). Aka-- we are having a total girls weekend!
Plan your Strategy
There are so many brands at Generation Beauty that getting to all of them can be hard! I wish I could say that brands don't run out of products, but they do, and I wish I could guarantee that you will visit every booth, but you won't. With that in mind, plan your attack. You can check out the list of brands attending NYC here. Take a look at that list and decide what are the brands that you simply must attend? What brands would you not really be bothered by if you missed? Figure out where you want to go first on Day 1 and first on Day 2, and then based on the lines, proximity and your desire for each brand plan your day accordingly.
Get Connected
Some ladies started up a Generation Beauty Toronto Facebook group. It was a great way to share tips about what each brand was handing out. I am hoping to find one for New York before I arrive! It was a huge help.
Make a Weekend Out of It
For many people, Generation Beauty is out of town. Why travel all that way to just go to the convention and then leave? For Gen Beauty New York my friend and I will arrive early on Friday, spend the day touring around, and then spend Saturday and Sunday at Gen Beauty.
For Influencers
Business Minded
I can't stress enough how important it is for you to bring business cards. They make you seem more professional, and they are an easy way for brands to follow up with you. Really, it is about getting the brand's card so you can follow up with them. They will get loads of girls asking to be on the list at the event, stand out and follow up. Your blog/channel is a business. Treat it as such.
Know Your Pitch
Be ready to tell any and every brand and attendee you meet your 30 second elevator pitch. What makes your channel unique? What is your angle? What are your videos about? Who is your audience? why should people check yours out?
I had a blast at Gen Beauty, and I can't wait for the next one. I'm looking forward to a great girly weekend full of makeup, travel, and Insta-worthy #ootd shots.
Read my Generation Beauty Toronto posts here: Day 1 Swag, Day 2 Swag, and my horrible first attempt at a video.
Let me know if I will be seeing you in New York!
I will be attending Generation Beauty New York complimentary as a member of ipsyOS.
No comments:
Post a Comment