TTL 6 Year Anniversary | Influencer Events

OMG Babes!!! Can you believe that it’s TTL’s 6th year anniversary!?!? I still cannot believe that this is my reality, and it makes me so emotional to think how I went from being a single mom with no job to now running a successful business. Of course none of this would have been possible without my TTL fam always supporting me and showing genuine love towards my content. I also have Carol to thank because without her being with me in every step of growing TTL, I would have never had achieved this dream.

Influencer Events

So this year along with every other one, I am so grateful for TTL and the blessings it has brought me. With “blessings” in mind, this year I want to shine light on a newer endeavor for TTL, which are all the influencer events I have been able to attend. I know for many influencers, being invited to influencer events is a pivotal moment and not something we all get to experience. I don’t take that for granted. 

Prior to the pandemic, I had never really gone to influencer events and was just trying to see where I fit into the realm of the “influencer world”. Like many influencers just starting out, I had always wondered: How do influencers get invited to events? Then of course the pandemic happened and events pretty much shut down for 2 years. Flash forward to 2022 and I am now beginning to get a taste of this side of influencing. I want to start off by saying that despite it looking like this happens overnight and that I’m always at events, it took me over 5 years (partly due to the pandemic) before I started getting regular invites to influencer events.

How to Get Invited to Brand Events

One of the first steps towards event-going that people don’t realize is the obvious: the organic creation of content to demonstrate a true interest and love for a brand. While it’s possible to be invited to events without prior brand loyalty, that is a rather rare occurrence, and it is more likely that I’ll be invited to an event pertaining to a product or brand I actually use and have worked with. 

Having a following and establishing connections is the next big step. I could create content all day, and while that is very important, at the end of the day it’s the people you meet, and the relationships you build that help encourage extending TTL beyond the blog or social media. When I attend events, it’s not uncommon for me to be one of few black women in the room (if not the only), as well as the only woman over 40. I don’t take my seat at the table for granted. I treat influencer events like an informal business meeting. My number one goal when attending events is to get face time with the people behind the brands and leave a good impression. I’m not there for the free food or drinks or even the free gifts. I am there to network and build long-lasting connections. From my perspective, building relationships with brands allows me to be seen as someone who is beneficial to representing the brand and helps me further build my brand. 

I also have found that in attending events, my networking has expanded as I have not only been given the opportunity to meet the people behind the brands which I find so fascinating, but I also get to meet other influencers. Some people may not realize this but my profession can sometimes become quite isolating. There’s a lot of work that goes into content creation and some days can feel like all work and no play. I have really had to work hard at creating a work-life balance and carving out time to leave the house, especially alongside the pandemic. This new life of attending influencer events has been so wonderful for my soul. 

There has not been one event where I haven’t met someone that I haven’t since talked to. I think that people kind of assume that you know everyone at these events and that we’re all within the same “group”, and while for some that may be true, this whole event-going thing is new for me. For that reason, I find myself really wanting to put myself out there to make friends and connections. In branching out, I have made friends with so many people who have shared their own perspectives and invited me to other events, meetings, etc. and even introduced me to new brands and recommended me for jobs. It’s moments like these that make me realize how much of a lucky girl I am to be in this industry. 

For all the micro-influencers out there wondering when your invite will arrive, I say hang in there. Like I said, this is our SIXTH YEAR!!! It took us 6 years to get to where we are now and this is because of patience and pushing myself to never give up, and manifesting what I want. I have had to believe in everything I do and not question myself. Believing in TTL has repeatedly shown me what I am capable of. Being an influencer and building a following does not necessarily happen overnight. It takes drive and grit, and I am really proud of my hustle to get to this point. With all this in mind, this new aspect of TTL has been one to really celebrate, especially as we celebrate our 6th year. Happy 6 year anniversary to my TTL family. I love you all dearly and thank you for your continued support. 

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