WordCamp US 2024: Connections, Insights, and a Dash of Fun

Aaron at WCUS

Just got back from WordCamp US (WCUS) last week, and wow, what an experience! My wife and I decided to make the trip together this year, and it turned out to be an incredible journey both personally and professionally. Overall, we spent about $1,450 for the two of us to attend. We opted for a cheaper hotel a few blocks away from the main venue, which worked out great. Plus, we enjoyed free meals from all the after-parties and socials—can't beat that! We also snagged plane tickets on sale back in March, so planning ahead definitely paid off.

Pre-Event Preparations

Before the event, I wanted to make the most out of my time there. I booked around 20 meetings ahead of time. How? I used an X post with a calendar link—TidyCal is a cheap lifetime deal from AppSumo that's been super handy. I also DMed many X connections and even ran a sub-$20 X ad targeting WordCamp keywords. This strategy helped me line up meetings with WordPress business owners, @docsbotai customers, YouTubers, podcasters—you name it.

The Marathon of Meetings

The first day was intense—back-to-back meetings that were pretty exhausting for an introvert like me. But it was worth it. I also had about 10 impromptu meetings just by bumping into acquaintances from previous WordCamps, X followers, and floor introductions. The WordPress community is tight-knit, and it's amazing how many connections you can make in such a short time.

Valuable (and Sometimes Painful) Feedback

One of the highlights was getting valuable feedback on DocsBot from customers. Some of it was hard to hear but essential for improvement. I walked them through how to enhance AI support responses and expand usage across more products and use cases like pre-sales, retention, and copywriting. I also gathered a number of reviews and case studies that I can use for marketing. This face-to-face interaction is something you just can't replicate online.

Networking and Potential Partnerships

I had some exciting conversations about potential partnerships, including one with a big WordPress host that shall remain nameless ;-). Learned some influencer marketing tips from YouTube's craylormade, which was enlightening. I also asked many pointed questions about what marketing channels are working for fellow entrepreneurs and B2B sales. Probably will be able to book two or more podcast appearances from the connections this week.

A Significant Milestone: LOI for Infinite Uploads

I've been in talks for much of the year with someone interested in acquiring Infinite Uploads, my first WordPress SaaS. We even did an escape room together, which was a fun way to get to know each other better. Came away from the trip with a Letter of Intent (LOI)—we'll see how that works out, but it's a significant step forward.

Personalized Gifts with a Twist

I wanted to bring gifts but didn't want to do the usual swag. So, I trained a Flux AI model on their online images to generate fun pics of them in various styles, including their products and the WordPress logo. Printed them out to hand out—it was a great laugh and even got some shares on social media!

Katie Keith

Fun Moments and Personal Connections

Picked up my annual favorite shirts at the Gravity booth and chatted about my trademark struggles with Carl Hancock. it's amazing how just following each other on X opens doors—you feel like you know the person already. Got to wow Mark, the founder of WordFence, with a demo and talked AI. Love geeking out and building these relationships you could never achieve via cold outreach.

Attending Sessions

Believe it or not, I only went to three sessions:

  1. WPAI to see what my fellow AI fanatic @jameslapage has been working on.
  2. Gravatar to support @ronnieburt with some well-planted questions.
  3. The Brand session to get some unofficial legal advice on my trademark issues.

Each was valuable in its own way, and I'm glad I chose quality over quantity when it came to sessions this year.

Quality Time with Old Friends

Hung out all week with some of my favorite old @wpmudev coworkers. Bought way too many shoes at the Nike store with my best bud Joshua Dailey. Also, I never want to see another Voodoo donut until maybe next year. It's these personal moments that make the trip memorable beyond just business.

WordCamp US 2024

My Wife's Role and Support

My wife got to learn and practice her DocsBot elevator pitch and was a great support throughout the event. She came away with a renewed interest in helping more with the business. I'm determined to turn her into the next great B2B AI influencer!

The Takeaways

Overall, WCUS was a huge success. I think it's a much better investment than sponsoring a small booth where you're stuck all week. If you can be super strategic with your time to connect as much as possible, the ROI is incredible. In-person connections are more valuable than months of work on social media; combine the two for some amazing synergy!

For $1,450, I Came Away With:

  1. Probably 2+ big customers and likely much expansion revenue.
  2. Lots of feedback on my product to guide its development.
  3. Potential influencer partnerships/affiliates.
  4. At least two podcast bookings.
  5. An LOI for the acquisition of my first SaaS!
  6. New marketing ideas to implement.
  7. And lots of friends and ongoing connections.

Moving Forward

Now, I just have to do better than last year at following up, closing deals, and keeping up the relationships! The real work begins after the event, and I'm excited to see where these new opportunities lead.

Thanks for reading! If you attended WCUS, I'd love to hear about your experience. Feel free to reach out on X @UglyRobotDev.