This is a great opportunity to grab an event pass super cheap!

I jumped on the deal myself, and registered Angie and I to attend. It’s June 5-7th in NYC. I’ve never been to New York, which has been on my list for awhile, and June 7th just happens to be my birthday (I’ll be 39). So I’m really looking forward to it!

I’ll probably stay over and do a little celebrating for this last birthday in my 30′s.

Surprisingly, the last time I attended BlogWorld was in Fall 2008. I enjoyed it SO much, it’s shocking it’s been 3 1/2 years since I attended!

If you hurry, you can currently get a FULL 3-day pass for only $147

While this event and community continues to grow (breaking attendance records and hosting peers from more than 50 countries in 2011), we’ve decided to buck the trend of escalating event prices and do something to help all of us with some economy-minded relief. We’ve lowered conference pass prices for 2012, making it easier than ever to access the rich educational content, community networking and business resources we enjoy together at BlogWorld.

REGISTER NOW BEFORE EARLY BIRD PRICING ENDS: Don’t miss out, get your BlogWorld NYC Conference Pass today!

That early bird pricing ends on February 22nd, 2012 – which is less than two weeks away. It’s a GREAT event, and an awesome deal. Something you should definitely consider if you blog, podcast, or create any type of content online.

And I know that you do.

This is my referral link, and I would greatly appreciate your click if you choose to join us on my recommendation. We can call it an early Birthday Present.
The event schedule is not complete yet, but I imagine there will be time to have a fun get-together on the evening of June 7th for anyone that is attending and would like to join us to celebrate my 39th birthday.

I’m super excited to be returning to BlogWorld. It was an AWESOME event, and I got a lot out of it last time I attended. I didn’t sit in on many sessions because the networking was *so* good, but I plan on attending more sessions on this trip and soaking up as much information as I can!

I hope to see you there!

Best,

p.s. BlogWorld is the one place you’ll have the opportunity to meet the TOP bloggers in the industry. I made awesome new friends, cut deals, and formed relationships that have continued to be profitable & rewarding to this day…

February 2012 will be the 7th NAMS event, which stands for “Niche Affiliate Marketing Workshop” and happens twice a year in Atlanta. I have presented and taught at every one of the first six events.

It’s an awesome event, and one where I feel I can truly make a difference by working hands-on workshop style with people that want to start a successful online business in affiliate marketing…

I’m SO passionate about it that I usually end up working myself to death, both leading up to the event and at the event. In August for example, I did four sessions in three days. One of those was a 2-hour presentation with over 60 slides.

And let me just say – I am NOT a speaker. LOL. I’m actually an introvert. So for me to go all out like this for an event is a big deal, and should give you a clue just how passionate I am about NAMS.

I come home completely wiped out and mentally exhausted, and always feel disappointed that I didn’t get to spend as much one-on-one time with people there that I would have liked.

That’s why I decided not to speak in February.

I will still be attending of course. I wouldn’t miss a NAMS event for the world! It is my absolute favorite event on the grid. Not only for the quality of content, but for the quality of people it attracts. It’s a great opportunity twice a year to catch up with old friends, hang out with my private group, and meet awesome new people.

And that’s exactly what I’m going to do this time. I’ve stepped down from the speaker role so that I can spend more time with all the people I can’t wait to see, and also attend some of the advanced sessions myself – which I’ve never had the chance to do (without working on my next presentation in the back of the room at the same time, at least – LOL).

It will be a much-needed break, and I’m very much looking forward to it!

If you’re interested in attending the event, there’s a way to get your ticket super cheap. Public tickets are $497, but NAMS Members get in for only $97. You’ll want to use the coupon code “MYNAMS85″ to sign up as a member – that gets you in at 85% off the public membership rate. Then, once inside, use the coupon code “lifechanging” to get the event ticket for $400 off (only $97).

You really can’t beat it for a jam-packed 3-day event with some of the coolest people in the industry. It’s one event where you will never feel alone or lost – it’s hands down the friendliest and most social group of like-minded online business owners I have ever met.

I would love to see YOU there too.

UPDATE There’s a new option to sign up for the NAMS Affiliate Marketing Workshop in February! See the details at: www.nicheaffiliatemarketingsystems.com <- Check it out
Much easier, and much cheaper…

Best,

p.s. Join up now while the coupon codes are still good. They change all the time! Remember, use the coupon code “MYNAMS85″ to become a member – that gets you in at 85% off the public membership rate. Then, once inside, use the coupon code “lifechanging” to get the event ticket for $400 off (only $97).

Steve Grossman just shared his post in the tour at Speakers, Listeners and Connectors.

BarCamp is an international network of events (called an “UNconference”) held in local areas around the world. Chances are there’s a BarCamp near you, and if there’s not… you could host one!

BarCamp Nashville will be held at Cadillac Ranch in Downtown Nashville. It’s a bar, so the atmosphere is fun & casual, and so is the event. BarCamp events are a great way to meet local bloggers, techs & online business owners. It’s a good place to make connections, learn from each other, and even make friends…

You can follow the tweet stream for BarCamp Nashville using the hashtag #BCN11. Or you can Google “barcamp location” such as “barcamp boston” to find a BarCamp near you.

Why Attend BarCamp?

It’s a great reason to get out of the home office and mingle with like-minded people in your local area. You might be surprised just how many bloggers, podcasters and marketers live near you! I know I was. It turns out we have a *huge* tech community in Middle TN.

Plus, you might just learn something.

The sessions are casual, but they’re given by real people in your area – not professional speakers. So you’ll get real people sharing real examples of method & strategies they’re using.

I’m not going to make it to BarCamp Nashville this year myself, as I have plans to visit my son. We’re celebrating his 20th birthday that week. I did go last year however, and look forward to attending again next year…

The next post in the BCN11 Blog Tour will be by Joey Strawn at www.JoeyStrawn.com Keep an eye out for it!

Best,

As always, it was a fabulous weekend. Quite a few members of my Private Brainstorming Group attended as well, so we had a chance to hang out and brainstorm in person.

*Photo: Brainstorming with Anita Hampl

You’ve probably heard me talk about NAMS before. It’s a 3-day hands-on event that happens twice a year in Atlanta, every January and August. The price is going up dramatically for direct event tickets, but there’s a new model in place now that makes much more sense for anyone that wants to get involved…

Note: the next live event will be February 10-12, 2012 in Atlanta

While you were able to get a ticket in the past for as low as $197 (with a coupon code), the current rate for future events is $497. However, if you are a NAMS Member, you’ll now get the discounted rates for each event twice a year.

In addition to that you’ll receive ongoing access to training & support plus bonuses, accountability groups, and membership to the private community for open discussion & assistance.

You can now join MyNams for only $9.70/month, using the current promo code: MyNAMS90. What a steal! The price will be increasing incrementally, so you’ll want to join in now to get locked in to this incredibly low rate.

The next live event is coming up in February, and will be held in Atlanta again. This is a great opportunity to get hands-on training on all levels of Affiliate Marketing and Internet Marketing. Since it’s workshop style, you’ll actually get a chance to implement things you learn right on the spot – while you still have the instructors on hand to brainstorm with you and help you.

I teach in the Beginner’s Rooms simply because that’s where my passion lies, but there are several levels of more advanced training & advanced masterminds available too. In the Beginner’s sessions we help you with every aspect of getting your online business off the ground, including setting up your first site – and having it live online – before the end of the first day!

I’ll let some of the NAMS 6 Attendees tell you about their experience, in their own words, including their take-aways and achievements over the 3-day weekend, in the comment section below.

It’s not JUST a great hands-on workshop where you can learn and implement (with help!), but it’s also a great place to socialize with others who are working online.

We hang out after hours together, instructors and attendees alike, and a lot of brainstorming goes on throughout the weekend. This is just one small group from those that attended the August event – my Private Brainstorming Group – there are actually 150+ that attend and hang out for the weekend:

Keep an eye out for the comments from people who have already attended, but definitely make sure you take advantage of this special offer to join MyNams while the price is still under 10 dollars!

Check Out MyNams (Coupon Code: MyNAMS90)

I hope you’ll join us, and participate, and consider attending one of the next two events – either in February or August 2012. I just returned home late last night from NAMS 6, but am already looking forward to NAMS 7 coming up in February!

Want To Listen In? You can download ALL of the audio recordings from the NAMS 6 Event for only $77 using the coupon code “IWASTHERE”. Click Here for Details The coupon code & special price ends on Friday at 5pm Eastern, so act fast if you want the recordings!

Best,

p.s. Being a member is the only way to get the discounted rate for the live events, and includes tons of support from Experts and Action-Takers. I encourage you to at least join up and check it out before the price goes up, and then make your own decision from there.

Yes, me. The OCD woman that checks (at least) three times that she has her keys every time she leaves the house.

I had stayed over after the Savvy Blogging Summit, and was enjoying lunch & coffee breaks on the terrace of the Cheyenne Mountain Resort before taking off to visit family in the area.

I got distracted when Hillary arrived with sweet baby Jackson, and set everything down to toss him up on my hip and enjoy his cute little smile. Then we left. And sure enough I left my Macbook Pro sitting there on the Terrace all alone, and never even looked back…

It was a couple hours before I realized it was missing. I was hanging out with Hillary and playing with the baby, and enjoying a nice stroll through the Cheyenne National Park. The prairie dogs were adorable, by the way.

Once we arrived at her place and I was gathering my bags… I realized my precious Macbook Pro was MIA. ::smackforehead::

In a matter of seconds I retraced my steps in my head, and realized I’d left it out there on the terrace. Ugh.

I had a seriously sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. But not for the reason you might think. The Macbook Pro, like all physical possessions, was replaceable. The data was safely backed up. And speaking of back-ups, Mozy can even locate your lost device now by tracing the IP address of your last backup (which happens automatically every 24 hours). Pretty cool, huh?

What concerned me most was the other thing that was inside my MBP sleeve: my folder from the Savvy Blogging Summit that contained ALL of my contacts and follow-up material. (My event notes were safely organized in Evernote)

Fortunately I was reunited with my purple Macbook sleeve, and all of it’s precious items, within a couple of hours. Many thanks to the awesome staff at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort, who remembered me AND my Macbook (lol).

I cannot even express what a relief it was to have it back in my hands. That manila folder is literally stuffed with highly valuable contact information & details!

(And yes, the contacts & connections I made at the Savvy Blogging Summit are worth FAR more than a single little Macbook Pro)

I’m sharing this whole crazy (and embarrassing) story just to emphasize the value of making connections, and then following up after live events…

Have A Specific Event Objective

Before you even attend a live event, you need a specific objective.
You should ask yourself:

• Why are you going?
• What do you want to achieve by attending?
• Who do you want to meet and speak to – and why?

If you know these specifics upfront it will make the event much more productive, and it will also help you organize a follow-up strategy that will actually benefit your business long after the event is over.

An objective is what makes an event an investment, instead of just an expense.

If you have looked through my Summit photos on Facebook you might think my objective was to kiss turtles, drink iced coffees, and lounge on the terrace (lol).

But I did have a very specific reason for attending SBS – and I’m happy to report that I achieved my objective…

AND I kissed a turtle.

My objective was very simple. I wanted to learn how these bloggers were connecting so well with brands and merchants.

My focus has always been on affiliate marketing, which I love (and do very well at), but with my new niche blog I’m especially interested in connecting with various brands. I’ve dabbled in that a bit in the past with good results, but it was very obvious that these “savvy bloggers” had some insider secrets.

I learned A LOT. And I made some very valuable connections. I’m anxious to see how things pan out over next 12 months as I implement the things that were shared at SBS. I’m expecting to see some fun results…

The Importance of Post-Event Follow-Up

When you return home from an event there are always a million things to do. Spend quality time with the family, unpack your bags, do 6 loads of laundry, catch up on email & blogging, etc, etc, etc. And often, if an event was really good, you just want to sleep for about three days straight.

And that’s all fine and good, but once you get back into your normal routine you have to make time for post-event follow up. Otherwise, like I said before:

An objective is what makes an event an investment, instead of just an expense.

Your follow-up strategy is going to be specific to your objective. It might be to study your notes, and get to work on actionable items or creative ideas. It may be to get in touch with contacts you made, or seal deals with potential JV partners. It might be to sit down and create a product that came to mind while you were at the event.

I’ve been to plenty of events where I didn’t make time to follow-up on ideas and contacts when I got back home. My loss. And lesson learned.

I kept all of my notes in Evernote. That way they would be easily accessible from any device – without any backing up or transferring of files. I could just come straight home, sit down to any computer, and get to work on the action items.

I also kept all business cards, brand notes & company flyers in my event folder so they would all be in one place for easy follow-up.

To stay connected I have saved the event hashtag (#sbsummit) search for easy access, and am also in the process of creating a Savvy Blogging Twitter List of people I met there. This will help me stay in touch with them and get to know them better throughout the year, leading up to the next Savvy Blogging Summit in 2012.

Like I said, your follow-up will be specific to your objective.

I would love to hear some other ideas from you if you attend live events or even local meet-ups and get-togethers. What types of things do YOU do following an event, to make the most of it?

Best,

p.s. You can get recordings from last years event, and you can also watch that page for recordings of the 2011 Savvy Blogging Summit event as well.

The Summit Sale ends on July 23. The discount code is “TheSprings”. All 2010 recordings will be 50% off plus if you get the recordings during the sale you’ll receive a free recording of Phil Hollow’s 2011 Email Marketing session:

They provided breakfast before things kicked off, and then at 9am I had a “Mentoring Session”. We were broken up into small groups of 4-5 people for an hour, which was a random selection to encourage meeting new people.

That was A LOT of fun.
We brainstormed, shared resources and discussed blogging strategies.

Next on my agenda was a scheduled “Work Break” (cool!). Tom Brownsword (@thebizprotector) and I decided to grab an iced coffee and do our work out on the patio. The day was just too beautiful not to enjoy!

Before we got started on our work, Tom and I were talking about the quality of this event – and how we’re both impressed with the organization, the content and the atmosphere here…

Every single person has been a joy to meet. There’s a genuine interest in getting to know each other, sharing ideas & resources, making introductions, and just having coffee and conversation even. Outside of the very few people here that I know, I’m a total stranger to this group. But I certainly haven’t felt like one.

And it’s not just the other attendees, but the sponsors and speakers as well. Several of them made it a point to find me after a session where I’d asked questions, and offer a resource or a more detailed answer in the hallway. There’s definitely an “atmosphere” to this event like none other I’ve experienced…

The Venue & Agenda

Unlike most events, they have given us plenty of leisure time to enjoy the beautiful weather & scenery here!

We have extra breaks, long lunches, outdoor evening meals & events, etc.

It has been FABULOUS

And the Cheyenne Mountain Resort…

Wow. Just wow.

The Monetization & Productivity Expo

Just before lunch I went into the Monetization & Productivity Expo, which was a room set up to mingle with the sponsors and companies. It was similar to a typical expo, but much more casual and conversational.

We were separated into smaller groups to access the Expo, which gave you a lot more one-on-one time with people you wanted to speak with. Again, incredibly well organized. I was able to sign up to affiliate programs on the spot, got some cool swag, and learned a lot more about the companies that are here.

After, we enjoyed a long lunch – and then another iced coffee on the back terrace before heading in for the afternoon sessions.

Phil Hollows kicked it off with a session on Email Marketing…

Phil is SO COOL in person, by the way. He’s funny, engaging, smart – and his presentation was full of actionable tips (just like his guide).

He talked about email engagement, list growth, social media integration, subject line hints & tips, branding and design, and much more. And he gave away t-shirts.

Next was the Search Engine Optimization Session with Troy Lerner

This was actually a very in-depth session, which surprised me. I expected it to be more basic for some reason. Troy was right on target – accurate information, great stats and detailed how-to information with *proof*.

He gave detailed how-to information, lots of resources, and live examples. He showed us what to look at in Google Analytics, how to use Google Trends, talked about Mobile Search stats and what type of keyword phrases to target for mobile searchers. It was an excellent presentation.

At one point he used the term “share-bait” (a play on linkbait), which I liked. Great tips for increasing your rankings through social media…

The closing session started off with the “Savvy Blogger’s Husbands” on a panel, answering funny questions about their blogging wives.

THAT was funny. LOL.

They ended the event with a Dinner & Tour outing at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. It was a higher altitude (and the end of several long days in a row) so several of us stayed behind and enjoyed a quiet evening on the Terrace.

The attendees at this event truly are “Savvy Bloggers”

They are not newbies or hobbyists, but very smart & talented bloggers. The content was a great match for the demographic. It was advanced, high quality how-to content. But not over-your-head.

There were no pitches. Even the sponsors and merchants were more interested in helping us than “selling us”. Everything was geared toward growing blogs and growing businesses, from the content to the networking – and even the companies that came to mingle with the bloggers.

The content was GOOD. The perfect mix of topics, on the right level, with plenty of time to implement & network in the event schedule. Truly amazing. Hands down the best event I’ve been to this year (and in awhile, to be honest)…

Best,

p.s. You can get recordings from last years event, and you can also watch that page for recordings of the 2011 Savvy Blogging Summit event as well.

The Summit Sale ends on July 23. The discount code is “TheSprings”. All 2010 recordings will be 50% off plus if you get the recordings during the sale you’ll receive a free recording of Phil Hollow’s 2011 Email Marketing session:

You can see my badge in the photo to the left, which has a QR code on it. Scanning the code will give you my name, website, Twitter ID and other contact information.

The QR codes made it very easy to get to know people, and organize their contact information. Brilliant idea!

The entire event has been very well organized, with everything operating smoothly and on schedule. Speaking of the schedule, it is full of great content. Here is a screen shot of my Agenda for day one…

All of the meals, including the snacks, were included with the event. And the meals have been fabulous so far! From breakfast on the terrace to a luau dinner, with snacks & coffee available throughout the day.

This (above) is my unique schedule, which is inside my badge sleeve. There are several sessions going on at once, and they move the attendees around so that they get to attend them all.

The agenda is located in the back of our badges, so you can just flip it over anytime and see where you are scheduled to be and when.

Very convenient. Again, brilliant idea. It’s all the little things that have made this event so easy and fun!

Not to mention the incredible venue, the Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs.

The views are simply incredible!

The food is great, the weather is perfect, the venue is fabulous
… but what about the content?

I have to confess, I rarely attend sessions when I go to events – or sit through an entire session, even. I just can’t hack it. Especially if the topic (or angle) doesn’t sit well with me, or it turns into a pitch-a-thon.

That has not been the case here at Savvy Blogging Summit. In fact, I attended ALL of the sessions on my agenda today – except for one. (I was brain dead by the end of the day and skipped my last session in favor of a mental break – lol).

The content has been impressive so far. I’m actually taking notes! And even learning totally new lingo. I’m taking my notes in Evernote, of course. I love the notes-synced-on-every-single-d​evice-I-own thing.

I can also easily click “share” and add my Evernote notes to a DropBox account that we (Angie, Tawnya and I) created to share our photos & notes from the event.

The topics were taught in small groups, to all attendees on a rotating schedule. That way you didn’t have to choose between topics, and everyone had an opportunity to attend everything – which I thought was especially nice.

You can see my agenda in the photo above…

The first session I attended was on accounting & taxes for bloggers with Jodi Stevens, CPA. It was very detailed. I’ve been doing this for over 14 years, but there were great questions and many people taking lots of notes.

Topics included how to do a trend analysis, how/why to keep personal & biz data separate, home office deduction tips, etc. Jodi also discussed Sole Proprietor vs LLC vs S & C corp (which is when I asked MY question *grin*). She also explained how to calculate ROI. Awesome session…

My 2nd session was “Brand-Blogger Relations” by Amy aka @momadvice. This was by far my absolute favorite session of the day, and where I learned tons of new blogger lingo! She discussed brand engagement, sponsorship, brand ambassadors, and basically how to form mutually beneficial relationships with brands.

Good stuff!!

I attended more sessions, took some great notes, jotted down some excellent resources, and met a lot of great people. It’s an incredibly friendly & social group – not at all snobbish or cliquish like you run into at some events. I haven’t met anyone here yet that I don’t like! I requested quite a few business cards, and look forward to following up with some of the cool people I have met here so far.

We also have great internet access, and power strips conveniently located throughout conference rooms. Like I said, it’s a very well organized event.

And with engaging content to boot!

I’ll share more about the content & resources with you in upcoming posts.

I’ll have more photos for you soon as well. We’ve been taking tons of pictures since we arrived, and just have to download and organize them so we can share them with you. For now, you can catch them on Facebook and Twitter.

I’m off to get some rest. I’m looking forward to tomorrow, the second and final day of the event. It should be equally fun, and full of more great contacts & content.

But just after Day One, I can easily say this is the best blogging event I have ever been to in regards to quality of content AND networking opportunities…

Best,

p.s. You can get recordings from last years event, and you can also watch that page for recordings of the 2011 Savvy Blogging Summit event as well. They should be ready by late July or August.

The Summit Sale went live at 12:00 am on Thursday and runs until July 23. The discount code is “TheSprings”. All 2010 recordings will be 50% off plus if you get the recordings during the sale you’ll receive a free recording of Phil Hollow’s 2011 Email Marketing session (available on or before August 1):

-Great deal!

Secrets from the World’s Leading Lifestyle Entrepreneurs

“Does your business support a lifestyle that you love… or does it dictate the lifestyle you have? Learn how to leverage your time and build a lifestyle you’ve designed, while generating profitable income streams.”

Are You Working Too Many Hours?

As you know, lifestyle is incredibly important to me. Above all else, that has been my ultimate goal along the way. To the point of changing my business model, turning down opportunities, etc…

I have a life that I love – which includes being a full time parent, traveling the world, enjoying quality time with my friends & family, and basically doing what I please when I please. But it wasn’t always that way.

Coming from a history of a very active business model, to now generating a nice passive income with much more freedom and flexibility, I highly recommend you attend this free event: Lifestyle Business Models Telesummit

This is the absolute most important thing you can do for yourself – and your business. Take it from me. There is no way I could have sustained the hours I was working prior to making these changes. It was the best business move I ever made.

I’m writing this to you from the patio at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs, after a relaxing day with good friends. I have a home that I love, two wonderful children I’ve been fortunate enough to raise myself, and a FUN career that supports my ideal lifestyle.

More than anything, I would love to pass that on to you – and really, to everyone I meet. I haven’t met anyone yet that doesn’t want less stress, more free time, to travel more, an increase in income, more time with their family & friends…

You owe it to yourself to at least check this out and read about it for yourself.

Best,

p.s. Be sure you go ahead and register today so you don’t miss out on this powerful free telesummit! Click Here to Register Free

I heard great things about their event last year, and am looking forward to a weekend with bloggers – and of course, some great friends who are joining me there.

One of my primary objectives at the Summit is to attend an elective session on Blogger/PR, and to learn more about securing those relationships. I’m also attending two others, one on advanced photography and one on vlogging.

I was looking over the event agenda earlier this week and am really impressed with the way it’s organized. It’s unlike most other events I attend, in a number of ways…

It’s very well organized, for one. The email communication has been great, keeping us updated on additions and changes – as well as weather, attire, options, etc. They have some very nice sponsors and networking arranged as well.

Sponsors include SwagBucks and FeedBlitz. You’ll remember my recent posts about both, so I am really looking forward to meeting them at the event.

Particularly Phil Hollows of List Building for Bloggers – which is one of my favorite guides on current list building & email marketing strategies.

Note: We have an exclusive discount code for Phil’s guide. See the end of this post for details.

We’ll be staying at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort, which I’m told has absolutely gorgeous views. My assistant @AngieNewton and my friend Tawnya Sutherland (@VAnetworking) will be my roomies for the weekend, and our friend @DanMorris is attending as well. Should make for a fabulous time!

You can follow along on Facebook and Twitter for updates, including blogging tips & fun photos. And of course you can expect a full review and recap from me here when I return next week.

Best,

p.s. You can get recordings from last years event, and you can also watch that page for recordings of the 2011 Savvy Blogging Summit event as well. They should be ready by late July or August.

Edit: The Summit Sale goes live at 12:00 am on Thursday and runs until July 23. The discount code is “TheSprings”. All 2010 recordings will be 50% off plus anyone who makes a purchase during the sale will receive a free recording of Phil Hollow’s 2011 Email Marketing session (available on or before August 1).

-Great deal!

Tracy Roberts, Nicole Dean & Lynn Terry

Joe Marsh & Nicole Dean

Bob the Teacher always looks this goofy... !

Hanging out with Bob the Teacher

Bob Jenkins & Lynn Terry

Cheers! -do we really have to??

Tracy Roberts

Laughing at each other! :D

My new friend Sheryl Siler - fun gal!

Hanging out with Internet Marketing gals

Rum & Coke makes everything funny! :p

Lots of laughs with Nicole Dean :-)

Having TOO much fun!

Hey Lynn, You`re Gonna Fall...

Whoa! Sheryl caught me before I went over LOL

Yes, you`re sexy Joe Marsh (lol)

I just got SOAKED hahaha

This was real cute till the wave drenched me from behind!

Willie Crawford rocks!

Bob Jenkins escorts us to the Crab Trap

I absolutely love my lifestyle.

While all the gurus are sitting in their basement offices in their bathrobes, crafting those big red headlines… I’m out there making them all true.

I flew to Florida to spend the day on the beach at Okaloosa Island, for Willie Crawford’s annual beach meet-up. I had a great day with friends – with lots of laughs, fun conversation and great food. It was a very laid back casual meet-up, and I’ll definitely be going again in the future!

I flew in that morning, and flew back home the next morning. The cool thing is that the entire day I was hanging out with friends on the beach… I was making affiliate sales online across multiple sites. That’s passive income at it’s best.

See: The Lifestyle & Income of a Super Affiliate

I wake up every day grateful for the opportunity to work online, and create a lifestyle that allows me to fly to Australia for the weekend on a whim, or spend ~$700 just to fly down to the beach for a day.

This opportunity is not available just for the rich or the lucky. I was broke and seriously UNlucky when I got started. If this is the lifestyle you want, and you’re having a hard time achieving it, I would love to help you get to the next step.

Speaking of, when I arrived in Florida I took a cab from the airport to my hotel. The driver, John, was a nice fellow and I was the only one in the cab, so we had a nice conversation on the way. It turns out he’s from Tennessee too.

I asked him how he ended up in Florida, and he proceeded to tell me the short version of his life story – or at least the more recent bits, 2004 to present.

The story made me sad, and it really stuck with me.

I pondered on that while staring out the window at the beautiful beaches, still listening to him, and thought of the chain of events in my own past. Life just happens, doesn’t it? And it’s not always so kind…

I used to wonder if things would ever let up, or if I was just going to continue to spiral downward from where I was. I always think back to this one particular phase of my life where I was broke, angry, frustrated, desperate and scared.

It was a hard time. I think it was the anger that got me out of it, pushing me to work 14-18 hours a day 7 days a week to “beat it”. And I didn’t give up until I did.

I often wonder where the difference lies between those that accept life as it is, and those that get mad and refuse to stay stuck where they are…

At any rate, it really made me appreciate the hard times I went through to get where I am today – because I truly believe it was the hard times that got me here.

Would you like me to help you reach your goals?

No matter where you are with your online business, whether you’re just getting started or already turning a consistent profit, you’re probably looking to put things on the fast track – or take it to the next level.

That can be difficult to do alone, without feedback or the support of a peer network. I know, because I’ve tried it both ways. My business really took off when I started creating a peer group, and having accountability partners.

I’d like to offer that to you…

The best way for us to work together is through my Private Brainstorming Group. We meet on the ClickNewz Forum, in the private area, and also have 5 webinar sessions a month where we do live brainstorming and member site reviews.

All you have to do is register at the forum, if you haven’t already, and then upgrade to Elite Member through your user admin panel – or using the link in the Private Brainstorming Group area.

I would love to see you there.

I hope you enjoyed the photos. I had such a great time! And on top of catching up with good friends, I came home feeling inspired and motivated – with some cool new ideas to work with. Including a new domain & niche to dive into this week!

Best,

p.s. About my Private Brainstorming Group – you’ll find there’s no big red headline, no sales copy, and no pressure to join. If you’re interested in checking it out, join us, even if only for a month. It’s an awesome community!

I’m staying with Tawnya Sutherland (left), business peer and good friend, while here. In addition to the event we’ve been brainstorming, meeting up with other friends in the area, and having an all around great time! We came back early yesterday in fact to go see a Circque du Soliel show.

Social Media Camp was an interesting event, for a number of reasons. If I know you at all, I’ll bet your two biggest questions are: 1) did it pass the “Lynn Terry Test” *grin*, and 2) will I attend again next year? …

The #1 Thing That Impressed Me Most About Social Media Camp

There were almost 700 people attending this second SMC event, with around 450 at last year’s first Social Media Camp in Victoria. What was most interesting about the attendees though, was the fact that almost all of them were locals – from the Vancouver and Victoria areas.

Most of the events I attend bring a crowd from around the world, or at the very least from around the country. There were very few of us there that were not local – myself, a guy from Connecticut, and perhaps one or two others.

It really made my southern accent stand out. LOL

Victoria is a very tech savvy city, often called “Techtoria”, and definitely ahead of the curve in regards to Social Media. They have embraced it full-on, both on a personal level and in the professional community.

Many of the speakers were local, as were the vendors. The majority of attendees held a Social Media position in their corporate job, or were local business owners looking to expand their Social Media reach.

The Content & Sessions at Social Media Camp

There were a combination of levels in the various sessions, but the content was mainly for beginners. There was a lot of basic training on topics like using Twitter, how to set up a blog for your (local) business – that’s actually interesting to read, finding your Social Media voice, etc.

I attended several sessions, but spent much of my time in the Genius Bar (right). It was a very comfortable room set up with tables and couches where you could relax, network or just brainstorm with others. They also had casual sessions on specific topics which were quite interesting.

It was a great atmosphere!

While much of the content in the main sessions was basic for me personally, it was on target for the event demographic. It may go without saying that after 14+ years online, what’s “basic” to me was actually very enlightening & helpful to others.

I was sitting outside the Victoria Conference Centre enjoying the sunshine during a break, and had a nice conversation with a lady attending that asked me, “What is a blog, exactly?” She wasn’t alone, and many others commented at how much they got out of the detailed training offered at SMC.

Tawnya did a session alongside Craig Cannings on Outsourcing Social Media, which was actually a controversial topic.

Many people teach that you absolutely must manage all of your Social Media yourself in order to have an authentic voice in the space. Also that you need to be personally available and personally engaging with your target market.

I don’t disagree with those points, but I also know from firsthand experience that it’s impossible to manage and maintain it all yourself, particularly as it grows, and still serve your market by creating new content and/or marketing your business.

Tawnya and Craig did a fabulous job explaining how you can strike that balance between authenticity and outsourcing. It was definitely one of my favorite sessions.

(I agree, I’m probably biased lol)

The Podcast Tent: Bringing the “Camp” to Social Media Camp!

Going with the theme of Social Media Camp, a bright set of local podcasters “set up camp” in the hallway.

Inside their tent were camping chairs and microphones – and a whole slew of other podcasting equipment.

Bob Garlick and Kim Plumley host the Garlick and Plum Jam podcast.

Setting up the tent was a brilliant idea because, much to their surprise, they had a waiting list of people on both days that wanted to climb in the tent and podcast with them!

I had to check it out of course, given my love of podcasting, and really enjoyed meeting the Bob and Kim. Super nice people! I checked back several times on the first day, but the tent was occupied the entire day from beginning to end…

I got smart and showed up early on day two, and hopped in the tent with Bob & Kim to kick it off with the first podcast of the day.

You’ll want to find Garlick and Plum Jam on iTunes and subscribe to hear my episode, and the others from Social Media Camp. You can also subscribe to their feed for updates. Definitely worth checking out, along with their other ventures which you can find at their site.

Venue, Vendors and Victoria

I can’t go without mentioning how wonderful the location and venue were. Victoria is a beautiful island with a very welcoming environment and friendly atmosphere. The views are simply amazing, in every direction.

The venue for the event was the Victoria Conference Centre. It was conveniently located downtown with endless shops and restaurants in easy walking distance. Just outside the Social Media Camp conference area was a gorgeous garden and fountain area where you could step out to enjoy the sunshine. Nice!

The staff was friendly, there was an all-day coffee service throughout the event, and lunch & snacks were even provided for attendees.

This was our view across from the Empress Hotel, which is where we stayed while in Victoria. It’s attached to the Victoria Conference Centre:

Tawnya and I got together with Barb Sabathil for a lovely dinner at the Milestone Grill there on the water. The picture truly doesn’t do the scene justice. Imagine warm sun, a cool breeze, good friends, sidewalk entertainment, boats and sea gulls coming and going, all topped off with a fabulous evening meal…

Oh – and the Vendors!

There were quite a few exhibitors there and they set up along the hallways. Unlike many events I’ve attended, they were not at all “pitchy” but instead more “fun & friendly”. There were games to play, prizes to win, and you could sit down and test drive various technologies and programs. It was very well done.

And there was swag. Lots of swag. I love geeky event swag!!

Social Media Camp Victoria 2012

Will I be back for SMCV12… ?

I’m already planning on it.

SMCV11 definitely passed “the LT test” – lol. I had a fabulous time, really enjoyed Victoria, and would love the opportunity to get to know the tech community here better.

I do think they could use more talks on monetization, but I understand they have an aversion to talking (out loud) about profit and sales here in Canada.

That’s what I gathered at least, so feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.

It was the one main difference I noticed between Social Media Camp and other events I’ve attended across the US. Other events tend to focus heavily on ROI and specific sales metrics.

That said, many of the people I spoke with personally were very interested in monetizing their online properties and increasing their sales, so I do think there’s an opportunity to introduce those topics at future SMC events.

Perhaps I’ll volunteer for that.

I know this was a lengthy recap, but I wanted to give you a detailed account of my first experience both at SMC and here in Canada. It’s been a very fun trip, and productive as well, and I am thrilled I had the opportunity to check out this new and growing event.

I’m off to get ready for a fun dinner with friends here in the Vancouver area. It will be a great night of catching up and brainstorming with Vera Raposo, Alice Seba and Tawnya Sutherland.

I’ll have a few more updates for you as well, including my run-in with HootSuite (ack! lol), so stay tuned. In the meantime, have an awesome day. I hope the weather is as fabulous where you are as it is here in Vancouver this week!

Best,

p.s. Tawnya Sutherland has been a gracious host during my first visit to Canada. She let me completely take over her coffee pot, her dog and her back deck – LOL.

If you’re not familiar with Tawnya, you may want to check out some of her work:

• How to Successfully Outsource Your Business
• How to Build a Successful Virtual Assistant Business

Good stuff!

The next week will be a welcome break from my home office and my usual routine. I return home on my birthday, June 7th, spending it doing what I love best: traveling!

Can I just breathe a huge sigh of relief that May is over, and my ambitious commitment to blog every single day in May for the Growing Your List series is behind me?? I don’t know about you, but I’m impressed I made it the entire 31 days! (haha) This little get-away is definitely great timing…

I’ll be sharing tips from the event and photos along the way on both Twitter and Facebook. If we’re not connected there yet, you’ll find me here:

http://www.twitter.com/lynnterry

http://www.facebook.com/lynnterrybiz

Meanwhile I have a fun Interview in queue for you next. It will publish tomorrow (June 2nd). Keep an eye out for that – it’s from a 19 year old kid with a successful niche website!

Best,

Next: Recap of Social Media Camp 2011 in Victoria BC

This will be my first ever trip to Canada, and I am really looking forward to it!

Social Media Camp Victoria had 470 people in attendance, making it the largest social media event in Western Canada, and the largest technology-related event on Vancouver Island in 2010.

The second annual Social Media Camp, dubbed #SMCV11, is scheduled for Friday, June 3rd & Saturday, June 4th at the Victoria Conference Centre.

Enjoy two jam-packed days dedicated to Social Media exploration, sharing, networking and learning!

I’ll be covering the event in my usual style- with photos and video, blog post recaps, and updates across both Facebook and Twitter.

I’m particularly interested to learn more about LinkedIn and Social Location Marketing (FourSquare, etc), but also excited to learn more strategies for using Facebook and Twitter more effectively. Not to mention Flickr and YouTube, which I aim to use more this year than I have in the past.

There are many women on the list of speakers, and many speakers I haven’t met or heard of before, so I am really looking forward to meeting some new people in the space. It looks like a fabulous event with a very focused topic, and I expect it will be very well attended.

Here’s the link if you’d like to check it out:
http://www.SocialMediaCamp.ca

If you’re planning to attend, let me know – I would love to meet up with you while we’re there! But if not, stay tuned here for updates & photos as well as cool tips I pick up from the event…

Best,

Next: Recap of Social Media Camp 2011 in Victoria BC

So of course I went, grabbed a spot at
a table right upfront, and enjoyed Jason’s insights live and in person.

I took notes there, and thought I would share them with you. There was one tip in particular (actually a stat) that really got my attention…

The venue for this event was really nice. It was held at Bound’ry in downtown Nashville on the 3rd floor. The event was hosted by PRSA Nashville, with a special invitation to Nashville Social Media Club members – which is how I heard about it.

Content Marketing Tips from Jason Falls

I managed to down quite a few notes on my iPad, so I’ll just share those with you in a quick list. First though, an interesting point. While Jason was speaking he mentioned The Cluetrain Manifesto. I’ve heard several people recommend this book but have never read it.

While he was talking, I grabbed my Droid X and opened the Kindle app, purchased the book (I got the 10th Anniversary Edition), then also sent it to my iPad (the two devices sync via the Kindle app, which I love!).

It makes for a good example of how easy online shopping is, and these days: mobile shopping. No matter where you are or what you’re doing, you can whip out your smart phone and make a purchase, then go back to what you were doing – all in under a minute or two.

Let me say that another way: No matter where your customers are, or what they’re doing, they can whip out their smart phone and make a purchase on the spot.

It’s also a great example of how well personal recommendations work, particularly when they are made conversationally and contextually…

Highlights from Jason’s talk:

• What does your market need to know?
  Deliver it to them in a compelling way.
• People don’t share “meh”. They share awesome.
  Note: they define awesome.
• Good content marketing is not about you.
• What does your market think is really cool?
• Email is content. Re-purpose it into an FAQ or into blog posts.
• Quote snippets of your longer content pieces in tweets, as tips in newsletters, as short topical blog posts. Then link back to the original longer content piece.
• Gurus make up rules. Forget the rules. There are no rules except to deliver what your market wants.
• Different social media channels require different forms of communication. Define your audience for each channel. Define your objective for each channel.
• Get likes and comments on Facebook updates to rank higher in the content stream, and to avoid being filtered out of the stream.

Questions To Ask Yourself When Developing A Content Strategy

• How can I make them smarter?
• What do my buyers need to know?
• What knowledge will help them do their job better?
• What knowledge will relieve their stress or pain points?
• What would capture their attention?
• What types of content would they enjoy most?

• What content resources do I have?
• What expertise do I have?
• What tangible items can I share?
• Who can I interview?
• What topics can I have fun with?

• What results do I want from my Content Marketing strategy?
• How do I want people to feel after consuming my content?
• What action do I want readers to take?
• What is the value of that action? How will I measure ROI?

Jason also defined the various content channels, and how they best work together – or not. For example, it annoys friends or fans when you feed your Twitter stream into Facebook. That content contains hashtags and @ references that aren’t relevant on Facebook.

Different things work better on different channels. For example, witty on Twitter but serious on LinkedIn. Entertaining on YouTube, conversational on Facebook.

As I’ve mentioned a number of times before… blasting the same content across every single medium simultaneously, over and over, is boring to your readers. And lazy on your part. A true Content Marketing Strategy ties everything together, and ultimately leads the right people to the right place in the right way.

Hot Tip! Community & First Time Visitors

One thing in Jason’s talk that really stood out to me was a statistic he shared regarding blogs. The stats came from a study across multiple niches, so the numbers are a standard metric across the board.

The lead-in was that bloggers tend to cater to their communities – their active readership. The stats though, prove that approximately 80% of your readers are first-time visitors. Only 20% are “community”.

He made the point that you could argue the 80/20 rule of focusing on “the 20 that count”. But the real question to ask yourself here is this: Am I catering to first-time visitors in a way that encourages them to become part of my community?

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had people visit my blog and then tell me later that they still had no clue what I do or what my blog is about (for them). That point was really driven home with Jason’s stats today…

It makes sense to put something in place to grab the attention of first-timers so that you can strategically lead them into your content and encourage them to become part of your community.

I Left With More Than Just Awesome Tips…

At the end of his presentation, Jason gave away a few books. I won one, Social Location Marketing by Simon Salt, for being the person who traveled farthest to attend the luncheon.

I only traveled 80′ish miles, but it was a *very* local event – LOL.

What a cool win!
I don’t have the first clue how to use things like FourSquare or Groupon, much less use them for marketing. I really look forward to digging in and learning more on the topic.

Jason Falls is an excellent speaker by the way. If you ever have a chance to sit in on one of his sessions, I’d highly recommend it. This is the 3rd time I’ve heard him speak, and it’s been great every time!

Best,

p.s. Proper Content Marketing comes down to knowing who you’re writing for and why – specifically. Alice Seba has just put together a totally free guide (no opt ins required) called “15 Things You Should Know about Your Target Market to Immediately Boost Your Sales” Click Here to Download it Free (the direct download link to the PDF file is right at the top of the page)

Note: Today is the last day to get in Alice’s Content Creation Course
for only $1 ** Special price ends today, May 18th, so act fast if you want in!

The theme for the event was Going Pro and it was all about setting your business up for success and taking it to the next level. I usually do Hot Seats and site reviews at Ed’s events when I attend, but otherwise just hang out – and of course brainstorm after hours with all the cool people there. Ed draws an awesome crowd!

I discovered (after I arrived, no doubt) that I was on the schedule to give a talk on the 3rd day of the conference. Oops lol. That was my fault of course…

“Going Pro”

As I sat through the first two days of the conference, I was doing a little bit of listening and a lot of reflecting. Many of the people attending were starting their first business, and looking to take it all the way – bigger, more, cooler, better. 

There was a lot of talk from various speakers about systems, processes, outsourcing, team management, exponential growth, etc, etc, etc. Basically, taking a “decent business” all the way to max profit potential.

My mind kept going back to when I got started myself, back in the 90′s. I started out with a physical business – and it did well. But I was ambitious and didn’t just quit at one business. By the end of the next year I’d started a second business and partnered in a third. 

I had locations, employees, partners, vendors, customers. I was working every waking hour – and absolutely loving it of course!

The Other Side of Going Pro

And then… life happened. As it always does. I went through an unexpected divorce, became a single mom, then my oldest child got sick – yada yada yada. When it rains it pours as you know.

That’s when everything fell apart. I fell apart, which is why it fell apart.

I never – ever – wanted to find myself in that situation again.

I looked at my original businesses and took note of what was good about them. It was the money earned that I didn’t have to actively work for. That’s when I turned to passive income sources, specifically via affiliate marketing. I was already doing it in my original businesses to some extent, so I decided to go with it 100%.

As I was listening to each speaker discuss various ways to “build an empire”, and considering the various models they used and the work involved, I decided that’s what I would talk about on Day 3: “the other side of going pro”…

Securing Passive Base Income

You absolutely need a passive base income. This is the minimum amount of money necessary to maintain your current lifestyle. Passive meaning that income will continue to come in each month, whether you actively work that month or not.

Last year I didn’t actively work for more than 4 months… and my annual income increased by almost 50%. Ask yourself what would happen if you didn’t work for more than a solid quarter. Ponder on that for a second. It’s not a pretty vision.

No matter what your business model, affiliate marketing is the easiest way to secure your passive base income. You can do affiliate marketing as a stand-alone business of course – or you can work it into your current business model.

I’m not going to tell you it’s super easy, like click button magic or something. It’s business, and it takes a serious investment of your time and energy to set up this passive base income. But it’s worth it.

Back when I was starting over I worked 14+ hours a day 7 days a week – whatever it took to get back on my feet, keep a roof over our head in the process, and set myself up for a better future. A better model. One that wouldn’t crash and burn if I couldn’t give it my full attention (again).

Now my life is amazing. By MY standards.

I’m actually living my life instead of being totally consumed by work. Which, at the young age of 37, is awesome… and of course I’ve been doing that for years now.

In my current business model there are no phone calls, no major customer support system, no clients, no huge team to manage, no walk-in customers, no meetings. None of that.

I travel with my children, have long lunches with friends, work from my back deck, curl up on the couch with my teen and watch Netflix marathons, hike the falls with my dog…

And even fly to Australia for the weekend just to hang out with my friends there. Which is exactly why I went. As I mentioned, I had no idea I was scheduled to talk until after I arrived. There were clues, sure – sales copy, emails, etc. LOL.

I missed them all! I was on a ski trip with the girls, curled up on the couch with Slim recovering from the flu, playing foster mom to another Dane for a bit – just “living my life” (not reading emails, obviously -oops!).

That’s why I called it “the other side of Going Pro”. It’s not that I don’t work and my whole life is just one big picnic. It’s just that there’s a whole lot more picnic than working. And I get to choose when to picnic and when to work. Nobody calls the shots but me.

And so, among all the speakers who taught systems and processes and million dollar ideas, I decided to talk about the other option: creating a lifestyle, and using passive income to support that lifestyle.

Affiliate Marketing is an ideal way to create passive income sources simply because it cuts out product creation, customer support, and so many other aspects of an online business that can keep you… well, busy.

As I mentioned earlier, Affiliate Marketing can be integrated into practically any business model, or used as a stand-alone online business model. Many of the attendees at the Challenge Conference had a service-based business, or planned to start one.

Since I started out online with a service-based business, I shared some of my tips for creating passive income sources in a service business. If you’re interested in that topic yourself, see:

How to Create Passive Income Opportunities In A Service-Based Biz
(Without Pissing Off Your Clients)

To be a true Market Leader in a service based business you need to be the GO TO person for your market. That includes analyzing all of their needs, even those outside the scope of your business, and making sure they are taken care of – by you, and your all-inclusive list of resources & referrals.

Take a look at the link above, and consider ways you can implement those points (or something similar) into your own business. The goal is to create a Passive Base Income so that your business and lifestyle are easily maintained – even when you cannot actively work. Or simply don’t want to.

I should mention, I don’t do service at all anymore. I shut that business down years ago. Now I strictly do niche affiliate marketing online. And I focus on promoting physical products: real products for real people.

I had a great time in Melbourne.

It was fun to catch up and hang out with my friends there, and brainstorm after hours. I came home feeling seriously motivated and inspired!

The trip there and back was awesome too. I did a lot of reading and brainstorming on the flight. And of course caught beautiful sunsets and sunrises from the sky.

THIS is the life I want. Being able to fly to Australia for the weekend just for fun, just for a few days, just to take a break from my usual routine and hang out with cool folks – without even worrying over the cost OR the time away. It was a nice perk to be able to share the concept of that lifestyle with everyone there…

Next, See: A Conversation with Super Marketer Lynn Terry

Best,

p.s. In my next post I’m going to discuss “doing things in logical order”. You can subscribe below to make sure you get notification when the next post comes out: