04.28.2009 – Chicago, IL — April 28, 2009 – The buzz on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other social media is getting louder every day, with Oprah Winfrey’s debut on Twitter last week the latest hit in the extraordinarily active online world. More than 112 million blogs are active now, spurring small and medium-size businesses as well as non-profit organizations to explore how to grab the eyes and ears of their publics on this powerful new medium. At Chicago’s SOBcon’09 May 1-3, an elite event for business bloggers and social media practitioners, there are valuable lessons to be learned from the Web’s most influential experts. The presenters are established social media stars, reaching a combined total of 8 million people weekly.
This event was a turning point in my life in Web 2.0. Not only did we talk about blogging last year, but the real meat of the event was business online. Attending this event really put me in the spirit of networking, sharing, and being a contributor online and off.
SOBCon08 brought wonderful folks into my life who I still meet regularly with. Five of us formed a SOB group. Our mentoring group provides us encouragement, feedback and connections.
Beyond that, SOBCon introduced me to other bloggers and has created lasting relationships. These relationships have turned into friendships as well as people I can trust for advice, inspiration, and learning a thing or two.
This year’s SOBCon is being attended by some of my friends and partners. Some of them will be attending for the first time. I’ll take credit for bringing several of these folks to commit to this event. It meant that much to me that I see the cost as an investment for anyone serious about blogging and business online.
Liz Strauss is the mastermind behind it. I encourage you to get to know her at Successful Blog even if you aren’t attending SOBCon.
It may sound like I’m gushing, but this event will change some lives. But it’s a winnowing exercise as well. Some attendees will find they’ve been mislead before now. They’ve been told about get rich quick systems, and how to get thousands of followers and fans. SOBCon will be a big debunking for them. A handful of folks there will drop off and give up. The rest though will be energized and enriched. They’ll form new bonds, go forward with new vigor, and join the ranks of the likes of Darren Rowse and Chris Brogan and Denise Wakeman.
To share one memory from last year, Denise just reminded me of our dinner at Ving’s. That experience is the type of bonding you don’t often get with people. And like I always say, there’s no better way to get to know someone than to break bread together.
Please visit the SOBCon site and consider it for your list of events to attend in the future. It will change the way you blog and do business online.
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Tags: Blogging, Business, Chicago, Chris Brogan, Denise Wakeman, Liz Strauss, SOBCon, SOBCon09
