BlogHer Business vs. SXSWi = My thoughts

This has been a very busy start of the year for me.  I fulfilled some personal objectives and made an effort to be social, not just online but in person.  To this goal, I attended two very different conferences, SXSWi (South by Southwest Interactive) in March, and BlogHer Business (BHB) at the beginning of April.  I got done with SXSWi, and while it wasn’t perfect, I was happy that I went there.  That is, until I went to BHB and saw what a conference could and should be.

Don’t get me wrong - a lot of people GET SWSW and what they’re trying to accomplish.  I heard many times that I shouldn’t expect too much from the sessions, and SXSW is “all about the hallways.”  But why did I come out of those 4 days feeling like I had wasted a lot of time, after spending 2 incredibly productive days with the BlogHer crowd?  Three main areas of comparison come to mind:

Sessions - At SXSW, I got the feeling that a lot of them were winging it.  The session I always come back to as the best example of “phoning it in”, literally and figuratively, is the one on creative mobile content that featured Jeremiah Owyang, Chris Heuer and Chris Brogan.  These are thought leaders, people who have blogs I follow religiously and often quote in my own dealings.  No offense guys, but your session was useless.  Essentially, they broke the audience up and took us out of the room to “create”.  My group stood in the Bloghaus while Jerimiah talked with someone into what looked like a tape recorder.  I didn’t get any perspective into why he was asking the questions that he was (if he even was asking questions).  I got the feeling that Chris Heuer was trying harder, but still, it wasn’t working for me.  I didn’t see Brogan, so I can’t say what he was or wasn’t doing.   When you put the thought leaders of social media in a room, you expect more.   I got really angry when I realized that I was missing Kathy Sierra’s session, and after about 10 minutes of staring at this, I headed to Kathy’s well-prepared session (and learned a ton).  

In contrast, all of the BlogHer Business sessions were focused, information packed, and productive.  Plus, they run on time!  Speakers spend a great time planning what they are going to say, whether they have powerpoints or not.  Moderators add value by directing the conversation and adding their own viewpoints where appropriate.  In the two days at BHB, I got enough inspiration to last me at least a year.  Until I next BH event, I suppose!

Focus - SXSW is huge, and offers a lot for more than just me.  So, truth be told, you may be an interactive designer, or some other field than marketing and really would get more out of SXSW that I can.  BHB is totally focused on me and what I do - it’s for marketers, PR folks, advertisers and the like.  For that reason alone, I found myself at home there. 

Socialization - OK, so SXSW is all about the hallways.  But I have to tell you, I made more connections, and more valuable connections at BHB in 2 hours of meet and greet than I did in all my time at SXSW.  I’ll pull BHB’s hallways up against SXSW’s any day. 

I’m sure I’m opening myself up to some flaming and negative comments, but BlogHer Business was such an amazing and productive meeting for me, and I really wanted to give Jory, Elisa, Lisa and Kristy some love for making that happen.  I also want people to know for next year, when I have a choice, I’m going to BHB and skipping SXSW.  Anyone looking to better understand women bloggers and learn how to make connections with them cannot afford to miss BHB.   

Soapbox dismounted.  Flame away. 

BlogHer Business Day 2

Day two of BlogHer Business split off into two parallel tracks, one on social media creation, and one on social media outreach.  I first went to the “Outreach” session, but I might have been better served in the “Creation” panel discussion instead, especially since Wiley author and babe extraordinaire. Susannah Gardner was moderating.  I saw a couple of tweets that showed there might be more applicability for me in the other session.  Not that the Outreach one was bad - far from it.  I learned a lot about authenticity and transparency and heard some good examples of how it’s been put into play in dealing with reputation management (Calling Andy Beal!). 

After lunch, I headed upstairs to “Overcoming Internal Objections 101″ - this was a super panel.  Lena West showed you can be professional at what you do and still keep a sense of humor about yourself - I’d work with her ANY day.  Yvonne Divita and Margaret Gurowitz inspired me with their tales of creating blogs in a corporate culture that was slow to embrace them.

The next session was just as amazing.  “Beyond Blogging - Social Media Creation Best Practices” gave me more inspiration.  All the panelists were wonderful, but I have to give a shoutout to the charming and endearing Connie Reece who got to spread the word about the Frozen Pea Fund to an eager audience.  I wish this session didn’t run at the same time as “We Don’t Know What To Do With You,” which tackled how marketers are ignoring with women outside the young, white mom demographic.   I had to do a Sophie’s Choice between the two panels, and that hurt.  I heard really good feedback from that panel, so I’m hoping the topic will come up again at BlogHer this summer

Overall, it was two days that amazed, inspired and motivated me and the hundred of others who attended.  In my next post, I’m going to talk about how this conference made me totally discount and question why I attended SXSW at all.  GREAT job to Jory, Lisa, Elisa, Kristy and the whole gang at BlogHer.  GOOD SHOW! 

 

BlogHer Business Day 1

Well, I survived to tell the tale.  I’m not talking about the most excellent BlogHer Business conference in NY.  No, I’m talking about commuting home on MetroNorth.  Mr IT took his usual 5:30 train, and I took a 6:15 train, figuring I would take a cab home from the train station.  Once we got out of the tunnel, I got an email from him telling me that his train was stuck due to brake problems.  Net net, I got home 20 minutes before he did.  Little IT was at play practice, and then at the science fair, so she hadn’t eaten dinner.  We got take away from our local Chinese joint and all sat around the dinner table to decompress.

ANYHOW, back to the matter at hand.  I continue to be impressed at the quality of a conference BlogHer puts on.  Today was a review of the state of social media today and presentation of successful case studies in using social media and engaging bloggers.  The speakers were thoughtful and inspiring, and ranged from a true small business (a farmer who sells worms online), to mainstream marketers from GM and Method, to bloggers from Microsoft.   I was fortunate to experience these speakers surrounded by my co-workers, who were alternately inspired to do more in the social media space, and freaked out/frustrated that we aren’t doing more as a group in this space.  But we’re here, we’re listening, and we’re learning how to join the conversation.

Most of the case studies focused on how a company had a product or service they wanted to promote, and how they decided to court bloggers to help promote it.  The stories were charming in some cases, belying the fact that these are very savvy companies looking to push their products.  This was downplayed in almost all cases.  “We want to engage the bloggers, but not dicate to them.”  “We never tell the bloggers they must write about us.”  In a sense that reminded me of when Amazon first came online.  I would email their editor (editor singular - they have 50 or so, but back then there was only one) with suggestions for books to promote on the site.  They were always selected around a theme, but they were not always Wiley books.  Todd was always happy to take ideas into consideration and often did feature books I suggested.  Now, of course, there’s a 50 page manual that details the cooperative marketing plans involved in something like this.  I can’t help but think that the next time GM approaches someone like the Manic Mommies to provide complimentary transportation for their escape weekend that they will be more savvy (or cynical, take your pick) and present them with a “sponsorship” plan involving beaucoup bucks. 

Right now, we have a small window of time where the bloggers are happy with the engagement these companies are getting into.  Individual bloggers all tell tales of the thrill that came when someone offered them something for free for the first time.  Now, many of them have stacks of products lined up that they have little time to review.  Virginity in the blogosphere dies hard.   

Overall at the conference, there is less networking than at SXSW, but that’s more because it’s a smaller group.  However, the quality in attendance is the cream of the crop.  The people here are a mix of PR and marketing types, true bloggers, and folks in the media business.  I feel I like I made better contacts on line for lunch than I did in a day in Austin.   And I look forward to more of the same tomorrow.   

Do you have a BlogHer Hero?

I’m so happy to break news about a contest that Wiley is launching at BlogHer Business tomorrow. 

Speaking for many people at Wiley, we’ve all been blown away about the community that is the blogosphere.  How people can use this means of communication to inspire others.  To comfort others.  To advance the causes that impact women all over the word.  Maybe you’re thinking of some special blogger who has made that kind of an impact on others.  If so, and you want to “pay it forward” for him/her, have we got an opportunity for you.

Announcing the “Who’s Your BlogHer Hero?” contest.  In a nutshell, here’s how this is going to go down…I quote from the official ruleswhen I say that we’re looking for “a blogger that has made an impact in the life of women and how that blog inspires passion, innovation and ability to inspire a community.”  Said blogger can be male or female, btw.  The nominator will send in a 100 word essay on why this person is worthy of being the BlogHer hero, and a team of judges will pick one blogger to award an awesome prize to.  The prize in question is a trip for 2 to BlogHer in San Francisco this summer. 

Trust me, there’s tons of legalese on the official rules page, so don’t take my word for it (seriously, DON’T take my word for it) and check it out on the BlogHer site.  I can’t talk about any of the judging or criteria, but I can say that I am thrilled to have this opportunity to partner with the great folks at BlogHer on this amazing opportunity.  I’d also like to thank Alison Clarke at Wiley who has worked her tush off to make this dream of ours a reality.  More to come!

BlogHer Business 08

If you’re going to be at BlogHer Business tomorrow, please find some way to introduce yourself to me.  I’m not sure what I will be wearing, but I’ll be at the “Snarky Marketers” table for lunch.  It won’t be hard to spot me there.

Some (IT) Girls Are Bigger Than Others

I’m currently trying to put together responses to two conference speaking requests that I’ve received.  Yes, I am insanely popular, but it still costs $6 to get across the bridge on the way home, so I don’t feel all that special. 

Anyhow, I’m trying to put together a brief synopsis of what I have to offer to conference attendees who might choose to listen to me, and I’m in need of a bit of feedback from the masses out there. 

What I do - I’m a marketing director at a publishing house that has put out quite a number of technology and business books, including many on social media.  Plus, I can mix a mean pitcher of Sangria. 

What I can talk about based on that experience - should you consider writing a book, how you work on getting published, do you need an agent or not, and how can you best work with your publisher (or on your own if you chose to self-publish) to insure that your book gets the maximum visibly in the channel.  I’m also prepared to dash your dreams about how your book will make millions, you’ll get on Oprah, and get to quit your day job as you buy that dream house in Malibu.  Also, I’m not afraid to tell you never use cheap wine in Sangria, because that’s just bad advice that will hurt you in the end.

For those who have attended meetups and conferences like PodCamp, BlogHer and the like, if you had the opportunity to talk with someone in the publishing field, what questions would you want answered?  

BlogHer 08 registration now open

Got a tweet last week saying that registration for BlogHer 08 is now open.  They don’t have the program up yet, but those of us in the know don’t need no stinkin’ program to help us make the call to attend.  We know it’s going to be amazing.  I’ll be at both the NYC BlogHer business and SF BlogHer main events, as will Wiley, the corporate entity, in some way, shape or form.  Can’t wait!

Getting ready for BlogHer 08!

There was a conference call this morning to talk about the plans for BlogHer events in 2008.  Their plans include going from 2 events in 2007 to 8 (!) events in 2008. They’re doing an annual conference in San Francisco, a BlogHer business in NYC, and a 6 city bus tour of the southeast.  While I’m geeking out just thinking about being on a bus with a bunch of bloggers, I’m most excited to attend my first BlogHer business conference.  BlogHer was such an amazing educational and inspirational event, and to have it in my home city will be most excellent.