Last weekend I had the honor of going to BlogWorldExpo in Las Vegas and meeting many of my on-line friends in person. In these days of social media and high technology, we sometime miss the personal contact with other real people. I went to Blog World at the request of my friend Dave and he was so right in suggesting I attend. (Thank you Dave!)
Not only did I learn from the speakers in the various seminars, I got to meet many Twitter and on-line friends face to face. What struck me the most, from any other seminar I’ve ever attended, was how real these people are. I’ve been to Internet marketing seminars where so much is about the flash and sizzle of converting traffic, which is a real turn off to me. Maybe I’ll never be as successful as I could be, because conning people to do something subconsciously just isn’t my cup of tea, even if it’s profitable.
The people at BlogWorld were real. Maybe it’s because they make their living sharing from their heart through their blogs. Maybe it’s because blogging just attracts that kind of person. But for whatever reason, I’m hooked.
Since I’ve started InspireMeToday.com I’ve had the question, “How personal can I get in my blogs?” One of my social marketing heroes, Chris Brogan, spoke to that subject. He recommends that you “write to the audience like you’re speaking with your best friend, after you’ve had two drinks”. In other words, write with no inhibitions and write what you’re really feeling. So, although I’ll forgo the alcohol when writing to you, you may notice my blogs getting more personal and including more details on what I’m going through with IMT in the process of launching this site and inspiring the world. Please feel free to write to me at [email protected] or post a comment on my blog. I want to have a relationship with you, our loyal inspirees. ☺
After hearing Tim Ferris, author of the 4-hr Work Week, and Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park speak, a young woman from Brazil commented that BlogWorld is where real people come and leave famous, and famous people come and are real. I thought that was a great way to summarize exactly what I was feeling too.
No matter what happens with the growth and success of InspireMeToday.com, I always want to be able to be me, to be real. I believe it’s only from that place that we can truly connect to others. Let down the guards, put away the thoughts of how you “should” act, and just do what you feel in your heart. How cool is this to find a business where you can not only really do this, but build a business around it! Wooohoo!
So to all those I met at BlogWorldExpo, thank you for being you. I treasure having you in my life. The world is a better place because of you. Thank you.
Thank you for summarizing the BlogWorld experience so beautifully! Yes, it really felt magical to chat with approximately 2,000 possibility-oriented maverics. These are people who see the potential of what we create together when we participate in a community. I heard some of the same words repeatedly: Open, Add Value, Participate, and Collaborate. These people really get that it doesn’t matter if others are doing what you’re doing – it legitimizes the experience because several people are interested in it!
Many thanks to Gail and InspireMeToday for creating a lovely, uplifting, encouraging experience every single day.
It was great meeting you at BlogWorld, Gail, and finding out about InspireMeToday. I’m glad Jay Berkowitz of http://www.tengoldenrules.com/ set up that informal dinner meeting where I met you and so many other bloggers.
Gail —
You are so right! : ) I agree with you completely though I hadn’t thought of it in precisely those terms. But I did realize how cool it was that everyone I met was so REAL! I thought it was because of Twitter — and maybe that does have something to do with it. Maybe the very nature of Twitter tends to breed more transparency becuz it’s harder to be phony in 140 characters!
At any rate — one of MY great blessings of BlogWorld, as you know, was meeting you and I’m very happy I was able to be of some small assistance to you in planning your last minute trip here to Vegas!
Blessings of Infinite Love & Gratitude,
Stephanie
Re: ““write to the audience like you’re speaking with your best friend, after you’ve had two drinks””
Chris’ advice is excellent! And tie that in with Liz Strauss advice to “just be yourself” and I’ve done just that. So far, so good! And the end of the day, I want people to see who I am. If I can do that, I’ll know that the people who like me, like me for being me. Does that makes sense?