Successful Blog

Only 14 Days to a Blogging Experience Like No Other

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SOBCon 07:

When you join content-rich conversations with authentic relationships, you are bound to make an amazing experience.

Here’s what you can look forward to.

  • Phil Gerbyshak’s conversation will explore how to create and grow relationships on your blog, and “how to be a relationship geek,” with 3 simple, but not easy, methods.
  • Liz Strauss’s interactive discussion on the stages of building a high-trust environment, how our writing voice builds loyal readers and keeps them involved, and how to win when we let the community drive our blog.
  • Brad, Sheila, and Marcus, who know how words make connections with readers
  • David Armano, Creative VP at Digitas, will discuss how “conversation architecture,” visuals, and “experience design” can establish and enhance our brand, our community, and our place in the market.
  • Jesse, who can see how a gamer might get over a wall, and he’ll be listening with the mind of a designer to be.
  • Rodney Rumford and Ben Yoskovitz will talk about how Video Blogging and Podcasting can extend our reach and the wealth of opportunities we can offer to invite readers to be part of our blogs.
  • Tony, who can diagnose a problem inside a plan and Tony D. Clark whose voice over talent could support the entire conference for at least 30 years.
  • Andy Sernovitz, the man who wrote the book on Word of Mouth Marketing, is sharing his experience and expertise on how to get important people interested and talking about us.
  • Tammy, who knows the people in every part of our job and the dynamics of conversation, and Lorelle on WordPress who can spread information faster than most bloggers.
  • DrewMcLellan, Mike Sansone, and Mike Wagner, are discussing the ins and outs of making our brand contagious in the very best ways through customer-centered business blogging.
  • Ashley, who brings a painter’s vision and delicate hand, Joe, who brings those grounding questions and computer expertise, and Jeff, who understands good to great and will get there.
  • The Tools Panel: Chris Cree, Robyn Tippins, Diego Orjuela, and Vernon Lun will explore how widgets expand our audience through social networking, vocal interaction, and connections to other blogs.
  • Tim and so many others, who bring the heart that calls folks to join with us, Steve, who is the extreme leadership that lifts us to try, and Dawud, who brings those goals he wrote that prove we express ourselves in our business.
  • Wendy Piersall, just back from the Elite Retreat, will be talking about how to attract and keep readers in the audience beyond the blogosphere.
  • Vernun, who knows how to celebrate others as part of our dream, >Robert, who will be there with a practical eye toward what is real, and Muhammed, who can’t help but provide energy and new ideas.
  • Franke James and Timothy, who know the “group think” of the situation
  • Our host, Terry Starbucker, Liz, and the Audience will blog critiques to answer the question, What Makes a Successful-Blog?

–Me “Liz” Strauss
SOBCon 07 limited seating. Register Now!

Blog Herald Today: Are You Looking in the Right Direction?

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Looking Up and Letting Things Down

I heard my little boy say, “Don’t look that way,” as he pointed left, “and walk that way,” as he pointed right. He was telling me to be looking in the right direction to navigate the mountain.

Read the whole feature in today’s Blog Herald by clicking the logo.

The Blog Herald

It’s about blogging and real life.
–ME “Liz” Strauss
SOBCon 07 limited seating. Register Now!

Drew McLellan Can’t Keep a Secret

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Or Can He?

Perhaps the real question is
Should he?

If by some force of magic, and you were Drew,
then would he?

If he were offered millsions of $dollars,
then what do think the answer is? Could he?

All I know is right now. Drew is
advertising that he’s got a secret about SOBCon 07.

Click the title to find out about the secret that Drew has.

Want to know [Drew’s Confidential] secret?

Pass on the secret . . . there’s only 16 days left!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
SOBCon 07 limited seating. Register Now!

You Can’t Write My Blog Post

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A Bad Facsimile

power writing hit logo

She came into my office and sat across the desk from me. She might have been the brightest person I ever hired. I know she is the best.

We were meeting on her first lesson for a teacher guide that she was working on. Her name was J.

I looked down at the lesson. I looked up at J. I said, “Do you like this lesson?”

J said, “Do I like the lesson? Well it has this, and this, and that.”

I repeated myself. “I said, “Do you like this lesson?”

J said, “Well it has that, and that, and this.”

So, I said, “J. This isn’t a test. Do you like this lesson? Would you actually teach from it?”

“Oh no! I wrote what I thought you wanted. I’d never teach it like that.”

J get this straight. You can’t write my lesson. I can’t write yours either. If we tried we’d both just fail miserably — we’d both write bad facsimiles. I’d write a bad facsimile of your lesson. You’d write a bad facsimile of mine.

Writing a blog works the same. You can’t write my blog post. I can’t write yours either. What I can do is pay attention to how you do things and find my own version of doing them that makes sense for me.

I can’t write your blog post.

But I can find my version. That blog post that would be only me.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
SOBCon 07 It’s incredible. Are you coming?

Related
10 Reasons to Write and Publish Every Day
Put Yourself into What You Write

Put Yourself into What You Write

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Sounds Obvious — So Why Do I Forget?

power writing hit logo

It’s a simple thought.

When you’re feeling like your writing has no life, put yourself into it. It’s your story, and that’s the tale I want to hear.

If you write about a business book that you just read, put yourself into it. What was it like for you to read it? Did you remember something you used to know? Did it get you inspired to try a new approach? Were you bored? Did it get you jazzed?

If you write about a blog that you’ve discovered, tell me how you reacted to it. What was the one thing that you found compelling? What surprised you? What was your response to the folks in the comment box?

From the time that we started talking, we’ve been telling each other stories. If I hear what you heard inside a story, I might want to give something a try. I might not. Either way I’ll keep reading what you wrote to see what your reaction was.

I can find information in lots of places.

But I can only find your story, if you tell me. That’s powerful.

Put yourself into it. You are the human interest in everything you write.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
SOBCon 07 It’s incredible. Are you coming?

Related
10 Reasons to Write and Publish Every Day

SOBCon 07: News and Updates

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Look at That!

Hi Everyone!
Only 17 Days Until SOBCon!
Then one room will be filled with so many people who know each other’s thoughts and ideas so well, but have never met.

SOBCon 07

Here’s a bit more of what’s in store.

  • The Chicago Sun Times and NBC/WMAQ will be attending.
  • Lorelle VanFossen of Lorelle on WordPress will be there too. She’s bringing a copy of her new book — hot off the presses — for everyone
  • Robyn Tippins, the fabulous new Community Director of MyBlogLog and popular advisor and blogger at Practical Blogging among others will be speaking on the panel in the afternoon.

Want to Know More?

To can hear interviews with speakers on iTunes, click the logo below.

Podcast Series logo and link

Char at Essential Keystrokes has fabulous in-depth interviews.

Joe at Working at Home on the Internet gave us a glimpse into the Wendy Piersall we admire.

A thousand thanks to

Zane Safrit and Mike Wagner for helping me through my very first podcast.

And a thousand thanks to Wayne Hurlbert of Blog Business World for the wonderful experience of our conversation on his Blog Talk Radio Show.

Wow! Folks are sure treating us nice.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
SOBCon 07 limited seating. Register Now!