Successful Blog

Networking: Where Virtual Really Does Meet Concrete

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Sean McGinnisSeems to be two camps when it comes to networking: Love it or hate it. But fact is, to bring your business to any level of success, you need to network. While networking online has offered us the opportunity to connect with people around the globe, nothing can replace real live, face-to-face meetings. In 2010, trendwatching.com identified “Mass Mingling” as a trend, showing how the online social revolution is fueling an increase in real-world meetups. (Article is a good read!) And since Sobcon is built on the principle of “Where the Virtual Meets Concrete,” we’ll be dedicating our June 16 Sobcon Twitter chat to discussing networking strategies.

For our June chat, we’ve recruited a networking pro from our Chicago area Sobcon family, Sean McGinnis (@SeanMcGinnis), of 312 Digital. as our guest host. His extensive experience in a variety of fields — including law, marketing, and publishing — has required him to be a master connector. We think you’ll enjoy gaining new insights into the world of networking, both online and off.

Join Sean and our June moderator, Heidi Thorne (@HeidiThorne), for what is sure to be a lively and informative chat.

Chat Date/Time: Thursday, June 16, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central Standard Time.

Follow along on TweetChat at http://tweetchat.com/room/sobcon or on Twitter with #sobcon

Not Speaking IS the New Black

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You might have heard the story of how I lost my voice at SOBCon 2011 and how I came to give the closing keynote without saying a word … even though at the moment we started my voice had come back. If not, you’ll find the story called how to turn a fail position to a win on successful-blog.com.

In the meantime, people have asked me to offer the text of those 27 pages so they might read them again and so that others might too. So here they are … with special dedication to @LisaHorner for more reasons than one.

Not Speaking IS the New Black
by the Event Whisperer and Friends

Can you see me?

Can you see each other?

Can you LISTEN with your eyes, and your mind, and …

(i love you) your (i love you) heart? (i love you) THAT MATTERS!

Can you see, feel, hear, taste, and touch your own brilliance … and …

the amazing brilliance inside each other?

People and stars are made of the same stuff!!

Leaders believe and act!

Leaders want to build something solid

strong and valuable

balanced to serve the customer and the company,

because without balance, we fall over.

Without each other, ideas are …

hollow, flat, and too flimsy to grow.

It’s the balanced foundation that LEADS to …

true innovation. ( <3 IRRESISTIBLE IDEA!) And it's the love of persuasion -> the fun and the meaning

that is influence, loyalty, TRUST.

Patrick Kidd and my dad taught me that

and each of you did too!

Thank you.

I’m blinded by the brilliance in this room.

believe then act.

[Thank you, @MarciaHansen, @gapingvoid, and Intel for the beautiful prints that embodied the spirit of SOBCon this year.]

Related:
How to Turn a #Fail Position into a #Win

The English Language Doesn’t Have a Word for It

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Dear Friends,
Friends seems like such a small word as I sit here — tears of gratitude in my eyes.

It’s 8 days after I left my home to check in at the Hotel 71, where — caught in weird math glitch going on my head about the event account and hotel bills — I actually heard the words “It’s okay. I AM the event,” drop out of my mouth.

I am anything but the event. I simply am the person who sets up the dominoes.

You, who come with your open minds and open hearts, you are the destination and the event. You who have been there more than once know that … at the nuance of setting up dominoes and blending colors I’m fairly good, getting better every year.

But also that …

for every nuance that I pick up from the air, from your eyes, and from the timbre of your words, I always will be woefully inept at seeing the obvious while I’m living it. It’s just not my gift.

And those of you who can see the obvious, don’t for a second think it’s not a gift, because those of us who can’t, know it is.

For every nail we hammered into every board we set as we raised the barn that was SOBCon this year, I know many friendships were forged between the splinters and between the cracks in my voice. I know it was you who did that.

Terry and I did what we could to make an environment, but you were the experience.

People say lives were changed by what happened in that room, over that weekend. Ours were too. We can’t take credit for that.

I know what I bring.
Terry knows what he brings too.
Do you know which parts were you?

With all of my head, all of my heart, and all of the meaning lives in my fingers and my feet, I’d like to thank every one of you who showed up to give and receive — attendees, presenters, sponsors, volunteers, family, and friends — those who watched on the stream — and that Starbucker guy who can’t seem to remember his own name.

My gratitude for what I learn from you is so deep.
The English language doesn’t have a word for it.

You already have changed the world.

Thank you.
Liz

Watch The Livestream of SOBCon Chicago 2011

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Thanks to Bitwire Media and NewTek for presenting the livestream of SOBCon Chicago 2011.  (FYI, our Twitter hashtag for the event itself is #sobcon11)

If you want to make sure you don’t miss our great speakers & content, the event schedule is HERE.    Our thanks too to our sponsors GMC, GoToWebinar, Network Solutions, and Glam Media,  and our event partners SmartBrief, Freshbooks, and No Limit Publishing.

 

Here’s the stream  – enjoy! (If for some reason the screen is blank below, go HERE)

Streaming Video by Ustream.TV

Bitwire Media

 

 

 

Join @MackCollier for the next #SOBCon chat April 21

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Mack CollierWant to learn more about business blogging strategy? Then plan to join us for our April monthly #SOBCon chat with Mack Collier (@MackCollier on Twitter). Mack is a top social media and blogging consultant, trainer, and speaker specializing in helping companies use social media to better connect with their customers. If you’re active on the Twitter chat scene, you’ll most likely recognize Mack from the active Sunday night #blogchat sessions which discuss a different blogging topic each week.

This is your chance to get insight on your business blog from one of the best in the business.

Join us on Thursday, April 21st, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. (CDT) and learn how to better connect with your customers.

The Next #SOBCon Chat Is March 17th – Join Us!

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Hi all, join Heidi Thorne (@heidithorne) and her co-moderator Leslie Joy (@leslieajoy) for the next edition of the #SOBCon Twitter chat  on March 17th, at 1PM EST /Noon CST/11 AM MST/10AM PST.

All you need to do is follow the “#sobcon” hashtag.

The Topic for this month is “When Consultants Need Consultants”

SOBCon: Hey Heidi, why this topic?
Heidi: “Most of us in the #Sobcon community are consultants of some sort or another. We give advice for a living. Sometimes, though, we get stuck professionally. And sometimes it’s difficult for us to recognize when we, ourselves, need a consultant. We’re too close to our own situation. We slip into the proverbial “plumber with the leaky faucet” scenario. Or we become the personification of insanity by doing the same old thing and expecting different results. We’ll discuss hiring professionals to jumpstart your business back to where it needs to be or even to the next level.”

Here are the questions that Heidi and Leslie will be addressing during the chat:
  1. Have you ever hired a consultant or coach for your business? For what purpose?
  2. What triggered you to seek out a consultant for your business?
  3. How did you determine what consultant was right for you or your situation?
  4. Did you gain the results you wanted from a consultant? Any surprises?
  5. Any tips for finding a good consultant?

See you at the Twitter #SOBCon chat on March 17th, at 1PM EST!