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Ever Been in a Community on the Same Frequency?

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My SOBCon09 ROI

relationships button

Long before there was a SOBCon, I fell in love with a character in a book Radical Edge by Steve Farber.The character was so humanly written, the first question I asked Steve when I met him was whether Agnes is a real person. He said, “No,” and looked off at a vision. To this day, I’m thinking he got off on a technicality. Not important. What matters is her message. Here’s a dialogue between the character Agnes and Steve (also a character in the story.)

“I don’t know how much of that I could have accomplished if I hadn’t found my frequency.”

Steve questioned the idea, “Human beings are more complicated than than that.”

He got this answer.

“Yes they are, But it’s not about finding your frequency by ruling out everything else; on the contrary, it’s about finding the frequency that includes all those other important values and ideals. The very act of trying to wrap it all up is what’s really important, because in order to do so, you have . . . define them, think them through, understand them to their core, and evaluate your life against each one.”

A bit of challenge to say the least. Every year SOBCon brings that conversation back to me.

A Community on the Same Frequency?

Putting on an event that is not the usual has its downside. How do you explain to sponsors, speakers, attendees what they’ve never experienced? Ever tried to explain Cirq du Soleil to someone who doesn’t know it? I have such respect for the street team who first launched it.

Words alone aren’t adequate. Images are ambiguous. Even the passionate vision of an evangelist drawing details and answering questions is only a promise of a future reality. I can talk about what happens. I can talk about the value propositions and the offers. But until people experience it, I have to believe that a big part of their investment is trust.

In business you can contract schedule and budget. You can write specs and standards, but you can’t define human experience. The quality of experience is a function of how people invest their time, energy, and trust. I saw trust in every step of SOBCon

  • Trust with the planning. I trust myself. I trust my integrity. I trust my advisors who get relentless phone calls about the content ideas that change, evolve, grow, mutate like living organisms. I trust their honesty, patience, and good will for the conference.
  • Trust in my partner. Trust in Terry means I never think about whether he’s there to support me, whether I’ll need to defend my ideas. I trust that he’ll tell me when I’m off my rocker. I trust that he’ll be there in the dark of night when everyone else is sleeping.

  • Trust in the folks who offer the time to the project. It’s more than delegation when your house payment counts on it. It’s more than getting help when your name is on the letterhead. Trust is a big word when it’s possible that people could be making more work not less. It’s even bigger when some volunteers disappear or soon show they want the benefits of participating without much investment.

  • The mutual trust with the sponsors, speakers, and attendees. We all trusted that we all would deliver.

  • Trust that serious work can be fun. Being in a room where we can finally ask unabashed questions and get solid answers … or create new solutions is invigorativing and reminds us that we can do things we forgot we knew how. Our minds release different chemicals when we play with ideas.

  • Trust in ourselves. Letting go, asking unabashed questions to get solid answers … and creating new solutions … is invigorativing. How cool is it to be reminded that we can do things we forgot we knew how.

SOBCon runs on trust and produces actionable ideas.

It was 130 people all set on learning this new world of ours, all set on helping each other out. That kind of energy is electric, spontaenous, and self-generating. In a high trust environment, we talk and think faster and laugh more. The ideas come at the speed of the Internet with humanity and just don’t stop.

Trust doesn’t rule out everything else. It wraps up the other values … competence, integrity, generosity, comaradeship, and so many others. But trust is the fuel and the frequency of SOBCon.

Ever been part of a community on the same frequency?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

SOBCon09 … Words and Images of the IRL-ROI

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SOBCon09!! Thank YOU

The theme of SOBCon09 was the ROI of Relationships. We underscored the importance of relationships in business and had a chance to make and celebrate a few while we’re doing that.

On Monday @swoodruff asked, “Have you recovered from SOBCon09 yet?”

My answer was simple, “Who’d want to recover from that?” We all experienced the IRL-ROI — The In Real Life Return on Investment of Relationships. How do I describe a community a great minds working and shining side-by-side? I’m working on it. Until then, here’s what some folks have already said.

Top100 blogs in SOBCon09 Category by invesp consulting
Very cool set of charts ranking the blogs of SOBCon09

8 ways social media can learn from church
Let me suggest 8 lessons you may want to consider as you expand your social media efforts.
1. Great stories stick …

Be Nice
It may sound simple, over-simplified in fact, but it is actually not natural for humans these days. But one thing I can tell you for sure: I have been to a lot conferences (although only one other blogging one) and many networking events, and I have never had such an easy time speaking with and connecting to people.

What a Social Media Experience: 150 People In a Room Tweeting and Learning
I took a deep breath. I had come home. This was the kind of social media conference I had been looking for. This was going to be a blast.

What I Learned at SOBCon – Day 1
Zena Weist presents @jenchicago’s awesome video

Places to learn and meet
A thoughtful reflection on two meaningful connections and even more places to find content from the event.

Business Blogging Tips from SOBCon 09
It was a full 3 days, lots of talking, learning, photos, videos so getting interviews felt like a challenge for me.

Building Relationships Online? Meet Their Hierarchy of Needs
But, how do you build a relationships that only happen online? When Terry Starbucker spoke this past weekend at SOBCON, he listed the steps when approaching someone online in order to build a successful relationship.

CityChicOnAFarm goes to a Blogging Conference (SOBCon)
This CityChicOnAFarm was totally intimidated at first and thought “I soooo don’t belong here,” but after it got started and I started meeting many of the other attendees I realized I definitely needed to be there.

How Can You Change What You’re Afraid of?
This weekend, I was blessed with the wisdom, expertise, time, and friendship of more people than I have space to acknowledge here. I cannot begin to put a value on the support I received or the help I was given. I deserve none of it. I am no more special than anyone else and yet I walk away having been given priceless gifts. I doubt I could ever thank people enough.

SOBCon Synthesis: The Rise of the Digiloggers
What SOBCon is creating, in my view, is a new breed of businessperson – the “Digilogger“.
A Digilogger is someone, or a company, who can successfully synthesize what has and always will work on the “analog” side of the fence and blend it seamlessly with the digital tools we now have at our disposal.

Thank you everyone especially you, Terry, for the experience of a life, a heart, and mind.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

A Community Gathers SOBCon 09

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I grew up in a small community and gatherings were a regular thing. The community gathered, through some type of religious affiliation or volunteer organization, and the people came together. There was the planning that occurred up to the event, the talk surrounding who was going, and the conversation about looking forward to seeing so-and-so. People came together to learn, to discuss ideas, to renew old friendships and make new.

People worked hard and long to arrange schedules, offer up what they could, and sometimes make sacrifices to attend these community gatherings. I feel it’s all very much the same, as we have been getting ready to attend SOBCon 2009. I appreciate all that everyone has done – I want you to know that.

The theme this year of the “Biz School for Bloggers” is the ROI of relationships. I want to learn as much as I can from all the various sessions and bring back new tools to help me move forward. I also am very much looking forward to expanding the relationship part of that equation and adding a new dimension to the relationships I have developed through this blog, Twitter, and the online community in general.

Tomorrow I head to Chicago to meet people from my community. The journey to this point has been a crazy one! I’ve been ill and felt defeated. I lost hope and motivation. But, right now, I am holding the ticket in my hand and am more than ready to get on that plane!

Because I was so late in actually knowing whether or not I would be attending (seriously – I just found out for SURE yesterday!) I was holding back from announcing my excitement. But tonight it’s actually palpable out there on Twitter. I want to thank all of you, and you know who you are, who offered encouragement, support and really kept me going in my quest for a Chicago adventure.

I look forward to meeting you all. I feel like I have known many of you forever. Those in our community who cannot make it – trust me, I understand. Please ask us who will be there for the information and/or things you need.

And please comment about the relationships you’ve built through this community, through Twitter, and through your other online communities!

from Kathryn Jennex @northernchick

How Do You Exercise the Perspective You Need?

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The theme of SOBCon09 is the ROI of Relationships. To underscore the importance of relationships in business and to have a chance to make and celebrate a few while we’re doing that, I’ve opened up this series by successful and outstanding bloggers like you.

Exercise the Perspective You Need by Karen Sampson

These days it seems like everyone is worried about their money, the economy, or any number of things. What’s wrong is always available for you to focus on and a little perspective may be all you need to stop turning your worries into monsters and start breaking them down into bits you can tackle.

What Perspective Really Means

In order to get real perspective wherever you seek it, the answer is always the same: take a step back. There’s no way to inspect the box you may have found yourself in if you are sitting in a corner inside it. Perspective means looking at your problem in a different way, but it doesn’t take 20 years to have hindsight. It’s funny, but we all need to be reminded of this from time to time. So much focus can lend itself to entrapment, even a few minutes away from whatever is troubling you can shed light on ways to deal with it.

Take a Deep Breath

It sounds cliché’ sure, but researchers have established that your breathing patterns affect your body chemistry. Ever notice how you are breathing when you are worked up about something or something is frustrating you? Chances are you’re breathing shallow ineffective breaths. This not only charges your body with tension but changes your state of mind. Your mind goes on alert and only sees answers in its immediate path. Slow down, take a breath and get away from the problem. While it may not be possible or practical to forget the problem for too long, even a tiny break will help you make the most of future time spent on the project.

Do You Really Need an Excuse to Exercise?

Sometimes perspective can mean talking to other people who have faced the same problem, but in other cases those alternatives simply aren’t available. Take a walk. This simple and relaxing alternative always lets your mind reset itself so that you can come at your problem from a different angle. Do you really need an excuse to exercise? Think of this one as a double duty alternative: you’re increasing your fitness while decreasing your stress load. Both important if problem solving is going to happen on the long term.

Setting Goals and Translating Them

Breaking your problem into a bunch of smaller chunks can be a great way to pick away at it. Is there a portion of your question that you can answer? Then let that tiny tidbit be your guide and break up the rest of what you don’t know. It may be that as a whole the problem seems insurmountable. Think of things in the past that you have already conquered that you felt this way about. Your psychology will play a huge role in how effectively you can deal with any given situation, and if you have a relaxed confident approach you’ll find anything is within your grasp.

The view will be blue as far as your mind’s eye can see.

How do you exercise the perspective you need?

Karen Sampson writes about the online degrees. She welcomes your feedback at Karen.Sampson1120 at gmail.com

Register for SOBCon09 NOW!!

Experience the ROI of Relationships

Have You Tried Negotiating from the Same Side of the Table?

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Colgate Palmolive and Metzer Associates!

Monday, at a meeting at the Chicago Executive Summit, Louise asked how the SOBCon conference this year compared to last. She was surprised to hear that in this economy attendance and sponsorship are both tracking higher. We discussed what might be contributing factors:

  • an even more dynamic, high-value content offer
  • the increased interest in social media
  • the longevity of the conference
  • the return to such a fabulous venue — the city and the Summit facilities
  • and one other … more practice at partnering with sponsors.

Last year as I was putting together the sponsor kit for SOBCon08, I faced a marketer’s problem. How do you communicate the value proposition of a conference with a potential of 150 attendees to potential sponsors who would rather be reaching 150,000?

Knowing Where to Sit at the Table

In trying to find the correct sponsor value proposition, I considered the people who come to the conference. This isn’t a room of 150 “ones” — people who never met each other — but rather one 150 — people who are connected to each other. I thought I had it. I could even explain it.

If one evangelist can move a crowd, imagine what a swarm can do.

I’ve been wrong before. On it’s own the idea of a network of 150, didn’t carry much sway in the minds of sponsors who were looking for more concrete value.

I’d been offering a transaction for sale. I have this. This is why it’s of value. I pass the contract across the table. The magic didn’t happen until I metaphorically moved my chair to the other side of the table. It’s easier to make a deal when I sit beside the person I want to make a deal with.

“What are your goals for the next two quarters?”

“How can we configure a part of the conference to help you there? Would doing this work? Suppose we added an interaction like this one?”

From the same side of the table it’s easy find mutual goals and a path where doing business is natural.

This year, I built the conference with flexibility for sponsors goals inside their role as participants. I’m pleased and grateful that as a result I’m announcing that Colgate Palmolive and Metzger Associates have joined our sponsor team.

and

We love all of our sponsors: Wal-mart, Allstate, IttyBiz, BuzzCorps, Blog Catalog, Proforma, One2One Network, Pathable, and Summit Executive Center. And can’t wait for the chance to work at the same table with them and you!

Have you tried negotiating from the same side of the table?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Buy the ebook.

Register for SOBCon09 NOW!!

See the value of a powerful network!

Have You Ever Seen a Real-Life Social Business Ecosystem?

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This Social Thing Has Been Around for a While

We act like social networking is a new thing or that social media hasn’t been around since the first cave paintings. Who are we convincing? We learn the rules of relationships before we learn to read. Then we get into business and progressively learn how to undo them.

The part that is new thing was separating the “personal” from the “business.”

If you think about it, it’s … um … inhuman.

How can you give personal service when you leave relationships at the door?

Now we’re talking about social networking and social media marketing. Social business is not a new thing.

What Every Small Town Always Knew About Social Business

Step into any small town — say a town of 2000. Visit the general store and watch the owner go through a day of business. It may strike you that it’s a little like watching a Twitterstream.

  • Connecting conversation: The owner will have a short chat with customers about their families or their businesses.
  • Extending Relationships: Hang around and you’ll probably see the owner head off with a vendor to have lunch at a local diner — a “meetup” to “eat-up.”
  • Social Networking: The store owner will introduce the diner folks to the vendor. And they all know the lawyer and the banker.
  • Reciprocity: The diner owner will probably stop by the store later to pick what she needs for dinner.
  • Co-opetition: The store owner will probably leave huge tip because he knows that business is slow at the diner.
  • Multiplicity of Contexts: The store owner will see the diner owner and the vendor at the ball field when their kids’ teams play each other.
  • Mutual History and Values: Some customers and owners went to the same schools together. A few of them might even remember who wet his pants in first grade and who has a criminal record for staying out past curfew — when they still had one.

In small towns, businesses build a history together that is linked and interconnected. To try to check the social at the door would be ridiculous. Relationships and conversation are the currency that builds the ecosystem. Authenticity, trust, and reputation pile on the transactions that have been made on handshakes and over conversations at weddings.

People invest in each other. The resulting business has the same quality as the relationships.

Have you ever seen a real-life social business ecosystem?
Think we have a chance of building that on the Internet?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Buy the ebook.

Register for SOBCon09 NOW!!

Invest, Learn, Grow!