Tips for First-Time Attendees of WordCamp Malaysia

Hi, I am Ruhani Rabin, I’ve been using WordPress for almost two decades now. I am strongly hoping this guide will help you prepare and make the most out of your experience, ensuring that you leave with valuable knowledge and meaningful connections.

A personal note from Ruhani Rabin, Lead for Venue and Contributors Day of WCMY24, Technology Consultant at RuhaniRabin.com

WordCamp Malaysia is an exciting opportunity for anyone involved in the WordPress community to come together, learn, and network. Set in the warm and welcoming multicultural environment of Malaysia, you’ll find a diverse group of people eager to share and collaborate. Malaysia is known for being one of the most diversified Asian communities, which adds a unique richness to the WordCamp experience. 

Whether you’re new to the WordPress world or a seasoned expert, attending WordCamp can open doors to new insights, partnerships, and friendships. 

Let’s go!

What to Know Before Attending WordCamp Malaysia

WordCamp Malaysia is a dynamic event that brings together developers, designers, bloggers, and WordPress enthusiasts. Whether you are a hobbyist, a developer, or a business professional, it’s important to know what to expect. WordCamp events are known for being friendly and welcoming, but it’s still helpful to understand the structure. 

There will be multiple sessions running simultaneously, ranging from beginner topics to advanced technical discussions. Prepare for a day packed with knowledge-sharing, and bring along an open mind to soak in as much information as possible.

Take some time to familiarize yourself with the event schedule. This way, you won’t feel overwhelmed with the many activities happening around you. It’s also useful to join any WordCamp community groups on platforms like Slack or Facebook. These groups can provide valuable context on what to expect, allow you to connect with fellow attendees beforehand, and give you access to key information about the event. You can even ask if you need some specific assistance. 

Essential Tips for First-Time WordCamp Attendees

As a first-time attendee, you want to ensure you have everything you need for a smooth experience. Here are some essential tips:

1. Weather Considerations

Malaysia’s weather is typically warm and humid, so it’s important to dress appropriately. Light, breathable clothing is ideal, and be prepared for the possibility of rain by bringing an umbrella or raincoat. Most of the venues will be air-conditioned, so you might want to carry a light jacket in case it gets chilly indoors.

Staying comfortable despite the weather will help you enjoy the event to the fullest.

Check the weather forecast. 

2. Dress Smart and Comfortable

WordCamp is generally casual, and you’ll want to wear something smart and comfortable, especially as there might be lots of walking between sessions. Comfortable shoes are a must, as you may need to move between different rooms and venues.

3. Bring Essentials and Pack Lightly to Avoid Fatigue

Bring a notebook, pens, and a charged power bank. Wi-Fi will be available, but having a backup power source is crucial for staying connected throughout the day. Additionally, consider bringing a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated and some light snacks to keep your energy up. In general, here are the items you should bring:

1. Lightweight Backpack.
2. Your Laptop/Tablet – specially for Contributor day.
3. Chargers – use multi chargers which can charge laptop, phone and tablet. 
4. A travel power adapter which adopts to your plug type.
5. Notebook and pen.
6. A fully charged powerbank.
7. Reusable lightweight water bottle.
8. Additional foldable lightweight bag for your swag and goodies, t-shirt and so on. Sometimes the given tote bag might not be able to cater or carry all the items. 

4. Get There Early

Arriving early can help you get your name tag, grab some coffee, and settle in before the sessions start. Plus, it’s a great time to network before the hustle begins. Early arrival also allows you to choose the best seats and get a good feel for the venue layout, making it easier to navigate between sessions. You can find the schedule here for the event day.

5. Don’t Forget the Goodie Bag

When you arrive at registration, make sure to pick up the goodie bag provided by the event organizers. These bags often contain valuable items like event schedules, sponsor gifts, stickers, and sometimes even discount codes or small tech gadgets.

Additionally, visit the sponsors’ booths to collect more goodies. Not only are these fun souvenirs, but they can also serve as conversation starters with other attendees.

6. Interact with Speakers, Organizers, Volunteers & Sponsors

Don’t be shy—speakers, organizers, volunteers, and sponsors (learn how the sponsorship works) are always eager to chat. Ask questions, interact, and use this opportunity to grow your network. You can identify the volunteers and organizers easily as they have different colored outfit. 

Everyone at WordCamp is there because of a shared interest on WordPress, so it’s an open environment for conversations. Most speakers are more than happy to discuss their topics in more depth, so take advantage of their expertise. 

Organizers can provide insights on how the event came together, and sponsors are often industry experts with valuable knowledge to share. Engaging with all these groups will enrich your experience and help you build meaningful connections.

7. Commute Options

Consider your commute options in advance. If you’re driving, our current venue already provides ample parking for the visitors. 

Location

Alternatively, public transport might be a more convenient option, especially in busy areas. Ride-sharing services like Grab or inDrive can also be helpful if you prefer not to drive. Make sure to plan your commute to ensure you arrive on time and without stress.

Want to get more info on Transport and Hotel? Check out my guide. 👇🏼

Choose your accommodation wisely as it would affect your travel time to the venue.

Must-Attend Sessions and Workshops

With multiple tracks often available, selecting which sessions to attend can be a bit overwhelming. Before the event, look over the schedule and choose sessions that align with your interests and goals. WordCamp sessions typically cover topics like AI, development, content strategy, SEO, business growth, and case studies of successful WordPress sites.

Schedule

For first-time attendees, try attending a mix of technical and non-technical workshops. For instance, consider joining a session on plugin development if you’re interested in coding. Similarly, marketing sessions can be beneficial if you’re a blogger looking to expand your reach. Workshops are usually interactive and give you hands-on experience, making them highly beneficial if you want to dive deeper into specific skills.

Importance of Attending Contributor Day

One of the key highlights of WordCamp is Contributor Day—a hands-on workshop focused on contributing to the WordPress open source project.

Contributor Day is a fantastic opportunity to dive into the community and learn about the various segments that keep WordPress running.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a developer, designer, marketer, or simply a WordPress user—there is a role for everyone.

Major parts of Contributor Day include:

• Core Development: Get involved with the core code that powers WordPress. This is a great opportunity for developers to make an impact on the software itself.
• Theme and Plugin Development: Work with other contributors to improve or create new themes and plugins, enhancing the flexibility and functionality of WordPress.
• Translation: WordPress is used globally, and translating it into different languages helps make it accessible to millions more. If you know another language, this is a crucial way to contribute.
• Documentation: Help improve WordPress documentation to ensure that it is clear and useful for everyone. This role is important for making WordPress easier to understand and navigate.
• Support and Community: You can also contribute by helping others in the community. This can involve providing support on forums or organizing future WordPress events.

Attending Contributor Day is important because it not only deepens your understanding of the WordPress ecosystem but also helps you build meaningful connections with others who are equally passionate.

The hands-on experience will provide you with skills and knowledge that are beneficial to your personal projects or career growth, and it’s a fantastic way to give back to the community that makes WordPress possible.

Contributor Day

How to Prepare for WordCamp Networking

Networking is one of the greatest aspects of attending WordCamp Malaysia. You’ll have the chance to meet like-minded people, including developers, designers, freelancers, and industry leaders. To make the most of it, prepare an elevator pitch about yourself. What do you do, and what are you hoping to learn or achieve with WordPress? Having this ready will make introducing yourself much easier.

Having difficulties generating a elevator pitch? Get help from ChatGPT – here is the prompt:

Create a short, catchy elevator pitch about [Name], highlighting their key expertise and notable achievements in [industry/field]. Mention their unique strengths, such as [list unique qualities or skills], and how these make them stand out. The pitch should be impactful and suitable for [networking events, professional introductions, LinkedIn summary, etc.], with a tone that is [professional, friendly, innovative, etc.].

Fill up the placeholders in the square brackets, including your name, here is a sample:

Create a short, catchy elevator pitch about Jane Doe, highlighting her key expertise and notable achievements in digital marketing. Mention her unique strengths, such as creative content strategy, data-driven decision-making, and strong leadership, and how these make her stand out. The pitch should be impactful and suitable for professional introductions, with a tone that is professional yet approachable.

Let’s move on with the list.

1. Write Your Name Clearly on Your Nametag

Writing your name clearly on your lanyard nametag can make it easier for others to remember and pronounce your name correctly. Oftentimes, people find it helpful to see the name tag, and it makes starting a conversation more comfortable. This simple tip can go a long way in making meaningful connections at WordCamp.

Well, hello there Mr. JW

2. Attend Group Photos and Take Selfies

Group photos and selfies are a fun way to capture memories and foster relationships. Make sure to join any group photos organized during the event, and don’t hesitate to take selfies with the people you meet.

These photos can help create a sense of camaraderie and provide a great way to reconnect with your contacts after the event. Sharing these pictures on social media and tagging your new contacts can also keep the relationship alive and create lasting connections.

3. Use a QR Code to Exchange Information

Instead of relying solely on business cards, consider using a printed QR code or QR code saved in the phone that links to your LinkedIn profile or personal website. This makes exchanging information quick and easy, especially if you or the person you’re meeting prefers a digital connection. Most of the time, printed business cards, get replaced.

Here is site to make free QR code, and here are some options that will allow you to make free personal link page with Tap Bio or Linktree.

4. Keep a List of Good Contacts or Speakers

After meeting someone, take a moment to note down important details. You can use your phone’s notes app or a physical notebook to jot down what you discussed or what stood out about that person.

This will help you personalize your follow-up messages later and remember key contacts.

Speakers

5. Build Talking Points

Prepare talking points that resonate with specific topics of interest. If you know what kind of people are likely to attend, think about how your skills or projects might relate to them. When meeting someone new, having pre-prepared talking points can make the conversation flow more naturally.

To make this tip even more practical, here’s a prompt template you can use with ChatGPT to generate talking points for WordCamp conversations:

Hi ChatGPT, I'm attending WordCamp Malaysia, and I want to prepare some talking points. Here are some details:

1. My skills include: [list your skills, e.g., web development, content creation, SEO].
2. The kind of people likely to attend are: [describe attendees, e.g., developers, designers, content creators, marketers].
3. I would like to discuss: [topics you are interested in, e.g., plugin development, new WordPress features, challenges in SEO for WordPress].

Can you help me create 3-5 talking points that would resonate well with these attendees?

You should customize the placeholders in the template to make it more effective for your own style and need.

6. Use Ice Breaker Pointers

Ice breakers are a great way to understand what the person you’re meeting is interested in or specializes in.

Asking questions like, “What brings you to WordCamp?” or “What’s your favorite part about working with WordPress?” can help identify common ground and steer the conversation in a positive direction.

If you need help with ideas – you can ASK ChatGPT for some ideas.

7. Introduce New Contacts to Others

When you meet someone new, don’t hesitate to introduce them to another person you know. This can help keep conversations going and make you a central point in a growing network. It also shows that you’re genuinely interested in building connections, not just for yourself, but for others as well.

This is crucial in building relationships within the community, as it fosters a sense of belonging and helps create a more cohesive and supportive network.

8. Move Conversations Between Different People

As you move from one person to another, try to carry interesting topics into new conversations.

This way, you can maintain engagement with different people and build on ideas you hear throughout the day.

It’s a great way to ensure conversations don’t become repetitive and to keep the discussions dynamic.

Also, bring business cards or digital versions of them to share. Connecting on LinkedIn or Twitter during the event is also a great way to keep the conversation going. Lastly, don’t hesitate to join the after-parties or informal gatherings—these can be the best opportunities to build lasting relationships.

Post-Event Actions to Maximize Your WordCamp Experience

After WordCamp Malaysia ends, the experience doesn’t have to stop there. Take time to review your notes and organize the information you’ve gathered. 

Did you miss the tickets or opportunity to be a sponsor?

Reach out to the people you met and connect with them on social media or through email. When contacting them via email, use a humane approach—personalize your message by referencing your conversation or any shared interests. Add in your photo with the person if you have already taken a selfie. This follow-up is essential for cultivating relationships and keeping the momentum going. Additionally, add your new contacts to LinkedIn or X (Twitter) to keep building a continuous relationship over time.

Another great way to maximize your WordCamp experience is to share what you learned—write a blog post summarizing the key takeaways, or even create a short presentation for your colleagues or peers. 

Engaging with the WordPress community, both online and offline, can help reinforce what you learned and keep you updated on future opportunities. I hope this helped in the process, do add in to the comments if you think there are other steps to improve as well.