The WDA Conference!
An online 'How To' By Alison Cross
How it works!
If you've never attended an on-line conference before (and hey, I hadn't either!) you may be a bit nervous about what you need to do and where you need to go. If so, this blog post is for you. I aim to show you how a WDA Conference works, so that you are READY for the next one! Basically you just need to be familiar with facebook and the WDA Teachable website – and that's it!
But first up – you need to buy your access to the conference! In the last Virtual Conference and the Summit, tickets were available on the WDA Teachable website, in 'Tiers', with different prices. Which Tier will you choose? My advice would be to go for the one that is maybe a tiny little bit of a financial stretch because there will be lifetime access, discounted courses and maybe even a free deck (Tier 3 at the 2020 Lenormand Summit)
Anyhoo you've picked your Tier, you've paid, you're now a ticket holder for the WDA Conference– now what? You'll get your confirmation email and welcome to WDA email.
This next bit is really important, so lean closer … even closer than that!
So, before you do another thing, get into your WDA Teachable account and go to the top right little greyed-out person image and click on that.
See the drop down menu that appears? Hop onto the first item 'Edit Profile' and in the screen that opens up, it's REALLY important for you to hit that last tick box and light it up blue – the bit that says you agree to receiving instructional and promotional emails from WDA – that's how Toni and the team will contact you prior to the conference and where you will pick up any discounts for courses that may be offered. Toni provides plenty of information in that conference section – watch the videos and familiarise yourself with what's what!
In the days running up to the conference you will receive emails from the organising team, advising you of what's happening – just read the emails and let the excitement build!
Depending on what tier of access you bought, you will be admitted to the conference facebook group on the appropriate day. Now, don't get that mixed up with any other WDA group, it will be the CONFERENCE group that you are looking for.
And Friend, that's where the GOLD is! Well, the other attendees and the workshop handouts at any rate! Amongst the handouts will be a timetable of speakers – get that downloaded and maybe even printed out; it's your map for the weekend!
Worried about time differences? Not a problem – the team will provide a link to a time convertor so that you don't miss a moment of someone's presentation on the other side of the world!
The conference itself unfolds before you over the weekend within this Facebook group. Nearly all the presentations are delivered via fb live, with one or two maybe as video uploads. Something fascinating happening in the middle of the night when you're asleep? Not a problem! The video of the presentation will be available throughout the weekend for you to watch at a time suitable to you.
Watching live? Let the speaker know that you can see and hear them (or not!) so that they can get started with their session. Use the comments to ask questions or offer an answer – the speaker might not see it immediately, but most look at the comments area when there is a natural break in their conversation and will answer if they can. If they can't answer straight away (or if it's a video presentation that has been loaded up) the speaker can check in over the weekend and answer queries when they can.
Struggling with the tech? Sing out – the WDA team are there to help you!
There were a couple of breakout areas scheduled too – again, these depend on your tier and whether you want to chat to people face-to-face between workshops. I had my jammies on and my 'electrocuted' hair, so I opted not to attend the breakout area for my time zone – nobody needs to see my kind of freak show appearance in the morning!
Throughout the conference weekend, on the Facebook group, lots of exciting things will happen:
There will be an opportunity to buy raffle tickets for great offerings from speakers and other attendees.
There will be an opportunity to add your contact details to a thread so that your networking circle can expand.
There will be bonus workshop sessions (again, depending on your Tier!).
There will even be an opportunity for YOU to have a go at Facebook live at the end of the weekend – say thank you! Show what you've learned!
I promise you that you will find new experts to fall in love with, new friends to make, new divination techniques to try, heck – new stuff to buy and courses to try!
And if you bought Tier 2 or Tier 3, you will have lifetime access to ALL those workshops right there in your WDA Teachable account. There is honestly no better value event around (and I've been around!)
See you at the next gig!
Alison's tips for a brilliant conference!
- Log in to your WDA Teachable account and check that box that allows the software to send you emails!
- Read the emails that the team send you – they have lots of useful information – and discount news!
- Check out the timetable of speakers – who is UNMISSABLE for you? Build your conference attendance around those unmissable sessions.
- Some speakers you've never heard of? Tune in and ENJOY discovering new-to-you folks!
- Stay hydrated and comfortable! You are going to be sitting at your computer for a while - - Take advantage of breaks between speakers to go to the loo!
- For goodness sakes - get some sleep when you can!
- Arrange to meet up with friends in Messenger and watch sessions together – this means that you can chat and not disturb other attendees with your comments. It also means that the speaker isn't wading through too many comments, looking for questions to answer at the end of their session!
- Buy raffle tickets! There are great prizes on offer.
- There will be threads created for you to add your own social networking details and follow
other people too.
- Don't be scared to ask questions in the comments – speakers will respond! Maybe not right away, but over the course of the weekend, they will answer your questions!
Thank you so much Alison for sharing your experience and being one of the amazing speakers at the WDA Virtual Conference and and joining us for the Summit! Alison has been reading professionally since 2003 and is a respected reader in the Divination Community.
You can find Alison online, click the photo below to go to her blog.
Find the live videos from the May 2020 WDA Virtual Conference, and the August 2020 Lenormand Summit on WDA Teachable platform. Click the photos to be taken to the WDA Teachable website for more details. Join us! Become a WDA member with all the benefits!
