We know the drill – you find an amazing conference online, tap on the “Register” link, and then your mouth drops a little at the price of the ticket. It is no lie that conference ticket prices can be a little breathtaking, and not in a beautiful sunset sort of way.

However, after biting the bullet and buying tickets to several conferences, we can confirm that the return on investment of the price of a conference ticket is almost to well to calculate. A little research can show the same holds true for the price of a ticket to Thrive this year so we wanted to show you guys exactly what the ticket includes as well as the monetary value above and beyond the price of the ticket itself!

Incredible Content

Thrive is striving to bring on only the best and most qualified professionals in their fields as speakers this year because their knowledge is extremely valuable! They will be sharing information that they normally charge hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars for because they are absolutely passionate about helping small businesses succeed. That benefit alone is worth well more than the price of a conference ticket!

Sponsor Connections

Nowhere outside of a conference will you get to make the same face-to-face connections with brands who are excited to be working with bloggers and small business owners. We have been combing through some amazing companies and have been diligent about selecting brands that want to come to the conference to connect with YOU and there is no amount of money worth giving up an opportunity to make those connections.

Networking Opportunities

In addition to getting to meet with sponsors, you’ll also be hanging with other bloggers and entrepreneurs who frankly, just get it. They understand the ins and outs of running a business on your own, the frustration of having problems getting paid for work, and sometimes the loneliness of being an entrepreneur and striking out on your own! It is the perfect place to make new friends, see old friends, and collaborate on new ideas together.

New Technology, Tools, and Ideas

Without a doubt, the creative space is constantly changing, evolving, and throwing us all for loops. As soon as we think we have something figured out, technology changes the game and we feel like we have to start back at square one. Conferences are the place to stay on the cusp of all of the amazing new technology and techniques that are becoming available in the industry.

This is a return on your investment that really can’t be quantified but imagine being able to save time and money by confidently placing your efforts on the most up-to-date offerings in the tech space that will help your business the most.

Training & Workshops

Many conferences offer hands-on workshop experiences to their attendees. Some are included in the regular admission price, and some are a little extra. In either case, training and workshops at conferences are the best places to get experience on platforms and programs that are being used daily by online entrepreneurs.

You’re also getting one-on-one access to a professional who knows their stuff, something that from home you may have to hand over big bucks to have access to. We’ve scoured the internet, looking for the best of the best, to teach all of our workshops this year!

Swag, Freebies, and Gifts

If you’ve never left a conference without an extra suitcase full of freebies from the swag bags and sponsors, well, you’re doing it wrong. Brands know that giving creatives and bloggers a chance to get their hands on a product infinitely increases the chance that you’ll want to tell your friends about it so they tend to load you down with it at conferences!

Thrive Creative Conference Extras

Conferences all have their own approach to taking good care of their attendees. Thrive is focused on giving you a weekend full of amazing information and actionable knowledge, time to hang with your besties over fun events and meals, and opportunities to meet and greet some amazing sponsors.

BUT – that is not all we have for you! As an attendee you also get access to our buzzing Thrive Alumni Group which gives you first looks at everything Thrive has going on, as well as discounted pricing on tickets for events and a close-knit community of bloggers and creatives to collaborate and commiserate with.

If this is your first conference experience, we also want you to walk in feeling confident and knowing a few people, so we will also connect you with a Thrive Mentor to show you the conference ropes and answer any questions you may have about attending any conference but specifically, what to expect at Thrive!

What Are YOU Waiting For?

To put it lightly – if a conference charged what it was actually worth for someone to attend, nobody would be able to actually afford it. A conference ticket is worth a fraction of the benefits you get from engaging in and attending a conference! If something is holding you back from grabbing your ticket today – we would love to know what it is! If you have any questions or hesitations – shoot us an email and let’s talk it out!

PSSST: Don’t Forget!

Conference tickets and travel expenses are ALL a tax write off! If you came last year, make sure you track those expenses for your accountant so you can write them off for 2016 and keep in mind you can write a ticket to this year’s conference off next year! Yay!

Many thanks to Meg Cady for capturing Thrive 2016 with amazing photos!

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