My Trip to Bloggy Conference 2012

 

Having spent three days last week at my first blogging conference I wanted to share some of my thoughts and feelings on the conference Bloggy Conference 2012.

As far as conferences go, I’ve attended local, state, regional and nationals one before so I can only say that I had assumed this conference (although specific for bloggers) would be about the same format. I honestly will admit that I was a little disappointed at first with the seemingly small number of bloggers and sponsors in attendance. I had expected far more vendor/sponsors although I can’t remember where or why I was got that impression. It may have been that I was comparing this conference to other events (homeschooling, networking, etc.) that I have attended over the years.

Not to say that the presenters/sponsors were anything but wonderful… BloggyMoms, Honda, Homes, ForRent, Hatched it, Headbands of HOPE, Thirty-one Gifts, Neon TikiTribe, Johnny Rockets, Zone Perfect, BSquared Productions, Grey Bloom Desgins, Moo ~ all offered the attendees excellent contacts, links and or items. What I mean was that I was expecting several dozen vendors at the minimum. Again, I take responsibility for my confusion or expectations.

Having said the above, I have to sit back now and laugh at my expectations! I thought I knew what attending a blogger conference was all about. Oh, I couldn’t have been more wrong in my understanding than had I expected all the ladies to be of one faith or background.

Once the conference started, I forgot all about my expectations and was completely enthralled by the speakers and the activities.

Phil Hollows (Opening Keynote Speaker) is the Founder and CEO of FeedBlitz, social media’s email marketing service of choice and premium FeedBurner alternative. Talk about eye opening, jammed packed session!

 

Other speakers from some of the sessions that I participated in (we often had to choose between several at each block of time)

Melissa Jennings {Social Media Panel} and part of the fabulous duo at StockpilingMoms.com

Andrea Deckard {Turning a Blog into a Business} is a former HR professional with 10 years of experience working with Fortune 500 companies. She is with SavingsLifestyle.com

Debba Haupert  {Closing Keynote} built the online community of women called: GIRLFRIENDOLOGY

Leah Segedie {Connecting with Brands} is with Mamavation.com

Angie Keiser {Photography Session – Pictures Say 1000 Words} offered in addition to sessions, a photo shoot for all the attendees!!  Woohoo! She is co-owner of Keiser Photography  and half of the duo behind 2 Sisters & a Blog.

Nathan Engels {Show me the Money!} with WeUseCoupons

Understand that this list is less than half the speakers at the conference. I chose the sessions that I thought would offer the most information that I could use in my venture.

By the end of the first day, I felt overwhelmed with input. I had a TODO list a mile long!

The attendees were treated to a private dinner and party at Johnny Rockets on the Banks following our first day. What a wonderful group of people to get to know! Their spirit filled dancing, fantastic attitudes and wonderful food was an excellent way to end day one. I think everyone had a blast at the tweetfest!

    

         

Day 2 and Day 3 were as exciting and as packed with information, tips and time to connect with other bloggers and the sponsors.

Sadly, all good things must end. While I didn’t have the emotional connections that many of the bloggers did with each other, I did pick up on the feeling of love, friendship and support among the bloggers….a family in a way. There were warm reunions and new friendships made… as well as business networks and plans for events in the coming year arranged.

What I took from the conference:

• Blogging isn’t just my hobby. It needs to be treated seriously. We were asked the question of “why” did we start blogging in the first place. To always remember the “WHY” and to honestly assess if only one person were to read and be touched by your blog would you continue… For me, the answer would be YES!!  If my sharing of my beliefs and experiences helps just one person…it is worth it! Now don’t get me wrong…I would LOVE to make a profit (ok, yes the big bucks) from blogging but for me it is more of a ministry and outreach than a business framework.

• Starting small and being locally focused is ok.  I don’t have to be worldwide or known throughout the country to be a solid, growing, thriving blog. 

• Social media is a must in the current market! Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube and other forums in addition to Facebook were presented in way that it some-how all made sense!
  
• Content is KING! Posting must be consistent…even if not daily.

 

In summary:
~ I plan on putting into practice as many of the tips/tricks/systems/programs as possible during the upcoming year.

~ I plan on attending the Bloggy Conference in 2013 including bringing several other local bloggers as guests because this information is invaluable.

~ I plan on offering my assistance to the “newbies” next year as a veteran. Coming to one of these conferences can be overwhelming if you don’t have a friend to walk through it with you. This would be my only non-positive take away from the conference…and I don’t blame anyone or feel it was intentional in any way. However, there were so many reunions that unless you were jumping up and down or pushing your way into existing groups, you found yourself on the outside looking in. I am an outgoing and visual presence. I am not a wall flower and will usually walk up and join in a group in a heartbeat. Here though, I did not feel as free to do this and found myself sitting alone or with another newbie, Tamara with (Mommyland) who by the way, has become my accountability partner and online sounding board!

Simply Sherryl