SOBcon - a shout out to all who are there!

Break a leg, willya! The line up of speakers as listed at SOBevent page. All of you top notch. All of you ROCK and have no idea the influence you project. I hope to see piles and piles of posts. To think it all started with trying to keep it quiet....shhhhhhhhh! Forever will it be one of the best event launches I've ever experienced.

• Andy Sernovitz
• Phil Gerbyshak
• Liz Strauss
• David Armano
• Mike Sansone
• Drew McLellan
• Mike Wagner
• Terry Starbucker
• Rodney Rumford
• Ben Yoskovitz
• Chris Cree
• Robyn Tippins
• Diego Orjuela
• Vernon Lun
• Wendy Piersall

And attendees!?!?! - ooohhhhhh, am I jealous. Remember to HAVE FUN!

• Sandra Renshaw
• Brad Shorr
• Timothy Johnson
• Tammy Lenski
• John Yedinak
• Joe Hauckes
• Tim Draayer
• Jeremy Geelan
• Carolyn Manning
• Sheila Scarborough
• Steve Farber
• Dawud Miracle
• Doug Mitchell
• Jeff O'Hara
• Dave Schoof
• Jamy Shiels
• Adam Steen
• Hannah Steen
• Chris Thilk
• Barry Zweibel
• Eric Bingen
• Ellen Moore
• Cord Silverstein
• Jean-Patrick Smith
• James Walton
• Sharan Tash
• Vernon Lun
• Tony Lee
• Paul Mangalik
• Scott Desgrosseilliers
• Mark Murrell
• Muhammed Saleem
• Kammie Kobyleski
• Easton Ellsworth
• Mark Goodyear
• Ann Michael
• Kent Blumberg
• Ashley Cecil
• Robert Hruzek
• Sabu N G
• Mazur Krystyna
• Lisa Gates
• Franke James
• Chris Brown
• Troy Worman
• Karen Putz
• Chelsea Vincent
• Jesse Petersen
• Terry Mapes
• Andy Brudtkuhl
• Premchand Kallan
• Lucia Mancuso
• Peter Flaschner
• Derrick Sorles
• Michael Snell
• Ella Wilson
• Mike Rohde
• Ayush Agarwal
• Thomas Clifford
• Rajesh Srivastava
• Claire Celsi
• Jason Alba
• Cristiana Passinato
• Sean R.
• Alex Shalman
• Lorelle VanFossen
• Cristiana Passinato
• Brad Spirrison
• James Bergstrom
• Raj Majumder
• Keith Levenson
• Ari Garber
• Dr. Rob Wolcott
• Cheryll Cruz
• Sharon Scherer
• Jonathan Phillips
• Todd And
• Jason Wade
• Jill Pullen
• Doug Bulleit
• Xochi Kaplan
• Wendy Kinney
• David Dalka

Here is the quest - again from the event page:

• Respect that in business and blogging all things are based in connecting relationships
• Treat our blogs like a business, or a business-like hobby
• Define a vision for our blogs that inspires others to be part of it
• Identify like-minded bloggers whose blogging goals match our own
• Evaluate our blogs through the eyes of a first-time reader
• Use links, trackbacks, and comments to lead to increased participation, and extended reach that could develop into business ventures
• Ensure presentation, navigation and all reader experiences are intuitive, simple and elegant
• Know our brand values as readers define them and be able to articulate the unique and remarkable values we offer
• Understand basic tools that are useful in adding video, podcasting, social media, and voice commenting
• Reach out beyond the blogosphere to non-blogging readers to become a resource they rely on
• Recognize the traits and characteristics of a successful and outstanding blog

What an astounding opportunity to learn and share with the best of the 21st century! Changing the world one blog at a time.

An SOB and I didn't even realize it...

No one ever accused me of being overly fast - fact is I don't run for the simple fact I don't like to have both my feet off the ground at the same time :)

Yep - it's true - a month ago - week 65 SOB's - (one of my favorite numbers by the way). Thank you Ms. Strauss - I am convinced you are one in a million! A happiness influencer!

I can be a Successful AND Outstanding Blogger. Wait - I am! I'd like to thank everyone for the consistent encouragement and comments. Its a bit like going into the Hall of Fame. I sincerely feel the support of all the SOB's in this blog nation. Check it out - I even got the purple button (puffing chest out)

Here's the class I went in with - we're the 65'ers:
Tino Buntic - the 2K Blogger Guy
Greg Balanko - Business Coach
Gifter - the Internet Wishing Well
Robert Hruzek - Middle Zone Musings (written by a guy with a GREAT first name:)
Mike Wagner - Own Your Brand - a wonderful posting on becoming an SOB
Todd And - Marketing meets Media and connects - what a concept :)
Jodee Bock - You Already Know This Stuff

That's some tall cotton. I believe a visit to each spot in SOB nation worthy of our eyes and our hearts. Don't forget the CON in May!

And, DA - if you see this...looks like I was already an SOB when you called me one last week - ;)

Marketing Metrics and Success

Little bit of a conversation going at MarketingPathway on top 10 internet marketing metrics. I'm probably missing something without having numbers to use as examples but Doug's metrics make some sense. He responded back to my post - #1 action in having a conversation. Be responsive to those who take time to comment :)

I'd be curious to hear how some of you value his metrics - and more importantly - the ones YOU value.

My belief is the relationship comes first - money is a bonus! Granted a nice bonus - but still, a bonus. But the relationship - the communication - is what it's all about. What communication metrics do you value?

Success is a whole other ball of wax and pot of stew. I am having too much good fun with Successful Bloggers and the Con in May. Hoping to figure out a way to meet some fine readers while I work on SOB acceptance speech.

Psssst - Shhhh - its a secret

Absolutely cannot resist. I first saw it at Logic + Emotion during my Friday afternoon runthrough. Opening my big yap and leaving a comment only made me wonder more. Then it pops up on my feed reader at Mike's Converstations. Then Chris puts the same graphic up. When DA called me a perceptive SOB...well, that's all it took. Add persistent, too! And whether I'm right or wrong - it doesn't matter because at this moment - this very moment - I am having too much fun! My body is reacting to my emotions and they are running at a fever pitch. It's a blog high! The feeling you get that can't be described. I'd go so far as to say - and I KNOW Midwest winters...they are cold - I wish I was gonna be in Chicago on Sunday Feb. 18.

You can take the boy out of Iowa but you can't take Iowa out of the boy. The curious gene grows deep. So I wander over to Liz's place. And there it is! Eureka! Imagine this - a few bloggers show up somewhere and a celebration of sorts takes place. Its a not-so-secret bunch that thrives and flourishes on blogging - and more to the point - they thrive on conversation and the resultant success. Who's calling who an SOB? :)

I'm guessing that many - if not most - of you reading this post already recognize the value of community and conversation. I see many of the same names and faces in all kinds of places. What kind of crowd did I stumble into? What is fascinating to me is the conversation takes place across vast distances. This little path I've been on has taken me to Alabama, Australia, Des Moines (I been there), NY, Rhode Island, Russia, Texas...and those are the places just off the top of my head. The community ain't so small, but its pretty tight!

What does this mean for organizations? The organizations that we are part of and that are part of us? The communities we live in and SHOULD be making stronger? Here's what I think. Some see communication via pixels on a screen (blogging) as impersonal. The reasoning goes something like this - its a solitary activity consisting of ego driven ideas. How can it be of any help? Here's the reality - it might be solitary but it touches many - one at a time. It's an intimate connection. Its about sharing and giving to each other. Its about helping one another grow into our human potential. And its fun!

The buzz around Pssssst is hive worthy. I'll know this time tomorrow. And soon will find out whether David is right about me being an SOB! Great fun and happiness!