I don’t want to play favourites – but I will 
In almost three years of attending blogging conferences in Australia and one in the US, the Problogger 2012 event felt like coming home.
It could have been the two-day program (that breathing space took away the intensity that comes with a one-day event).
It could have been the knowledge we could easily access audio recordings of all the sessions (a bit like eating out and getting menu envy from someone’s choices, I hate having to choose a session knowing I could be missing out on something really good).
It could have been the organisational super powers of the team behind the event.
It could have been the inspiring speakers. And the way they were directed by that team to deliver to the audience key, actionable takeaways.
In truth it could have been all of the above but there were something else too. Something not quite so tangible.
The vibe.
I’m telling you if the vibe in the conference room at Ethiad Stadium last weekend could have been bottled and made into a product to sell, we’d all be able to retire on the affiliate commission.
Do you know what I put that vibe down to?
INTENTION.
One of the Problogger sponsors, Oz Blog Hosting, produced a copy A Manifesto for Bloggers.
Download it here
Darren Rowse (aka the Oprah of Australian blogging) set that intention in March this year when the dates for the conference were announced.
He said that the conference was intended for – and aimed at – bloggers of all stages who wanted to learn how to make an income from blogging.
By making this the aim and intention for the conference at the outset, those buying tickets to attend were under no illusion about what they would be there for.
And THAT is a very powerful thing. To have 300 people from the one industry in the one room with the one intention … watch this space.
Powerful stuff will happen in Australian blogging over the next 12 months.
I predict we’ll see more quality ebooks being published, bloggers developing smartphone and tablet apps, bloggers getting book deals and more bloggers building relationships and becoming ambassadors for brands.
In a nutshell, more bloggers will be building a business from or because of their blog.
Can you spot a blogger you know and love?
My 5 key Problogger Event takeaways
1. Find 15 minutes a day. Just like the Norm Life Be In It ads of the ’80s encouraged us to find 30 minutes a day for exercise, Darren Rowse suggested we find 15 minutes every day to work towards the next project in our blogging businesses. It just made so much sense.
2. Write the content that gives YOU energy. This was from Darren too. I know myself if I’m not really “feeling” a topic I’ve allocated and planned myself to write for a certain day, I’m better off switching to something else. If you write what gives you a spark – or a sparkle (is that the feminine form of spark?) then there’s a big chance that sparkle will be passed on to your readers.
3. Create a point of difference for yourself. Stan Lee talked about creating a brand for your blog. I often get asked if it’s too late to start a blog and be successful and my answer is always NO. How many hairdressers do you see out there making a business of it when seemingly they offer the same thing. The key is, they don’t. They each offer something unique. When you’re a blogger and wondering about that unique part? That unique part is you.
4. Make sure you look around the corner because that’s how and where “shift happens”. James Tuckerman woke us up from our “not so fresh” state on the second day of the conference with his opening keynote. This idea is something that has been crucial to my business growth in the past four years. If I hadn’t looked around the corner and been open to shift – to new possibilities – I would not be doing what I love and do now.
5. Enter the fray and make big mistakes. I was lucky enough to be asked to interview media personality and blogger Sarah Wilson for a session on the second day. Sarah has long impressed me for the way that she’s created – and continues to create – a brand that sits really well with who she is. This quote from her was from the closing keynote of the conference. I love it because I’ve made a lot of mistakes since going into business for myself. I don’t beat myself up about them because I’ve only made them because I’ve got stuck in and tried something I’ve never tried before. Sometimes that something new has gone on to be something big; sometimes it’s gone on to give me a big fat headache and required a big fat glass of wine to forget. Either way, it’s all part of the excitement of learning.
Media personality and blogger Sarah Wilson delivers the closing keynote
… and there is always something new to learn. Always.
Now, unless you’ve been living under a blogging rock, you’ll be aware that all the audios from the 21 sessions are available to you to buy, download and absorb. You can find out more here. Yes, I will get a commission if you buy from clicking through from my link but I would not put that link here – and recommend it – unless I thought it was extremely good value and a great way to learn if you’re looking to create business goals around your blogging.
Do you have business goals with your blog? If you were at Problogger Event last weekend (or have already started listening to the audios), what are you planning to implement from what you’ve learned?
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Share your blogging know-how
Thanks so much to everyone who plays along with my Saturday blogging linky. Sharing your blogging knowledge with other bloggers and potential bloggers really is how this blogging world best goes round. It’s a bit like having a mini online conference here every week.
Remember if you want to join in, just add your link below. The link needs to be to a post ABOUT BLOGGING (all others will be deleted). Please fill in the box where it says “name” like this: BLOG NAME: Blog post title. That way your blog gets a plug and if you include the title of your post, you’ll attract readers interested in the topic.
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