Attending a conference is often overwhelming. You probably took a lot of notes and made lists of things you want to do for your website and/or business. Then you got home and were confronted with everyday life including, but not limited to: dishes, laundry, cooking, etc. The notes got put in a pile and they just contribute to your guilt.

Take one measurable action step.

This step should be more than just a conference recap. Doing just one big thing that you can share online will help you to feel better, your business to grow, your name/face to stay in front of the other attenders, speakers, and followers. Start with just one!

Here are 2 examples of things I did recently:

Affiliate Marketing Challenge: At Type A Advanced in Philadelphia Missy Ward spoke on affiliate marketing and issued a challenge to implement one of the strategies she taught. Then she promised to match the commissions made within 30 days of the conference.

This caught my attention because I had dabbled in affiliate marketing previously, but had let it fall by the wayside. I amped it up using some ideas I had gotten at the conference and was able to get money in my ShareASale account [affiliate link, of course] as well as a payment from Missy. I interacted with her several times so there is a better chance of her remembering me; plus she congratulated me publicly so other people saw my name that way. It feels like a win-win.

Any time a speaker issues a challenge they have given you a wide open door to better yourself and stay connected with them. Walk through that door!

Video Response: I had some great interaction with Rock and Roll radio legend Dayna Steele during and after her speech at Disney Social Media Moms. After I was home I looked up her website and social media sites because I was impressed with her. I honed in on her YouTube channel because I love video and decided to make a video response to a question she asked in her speech and one of her videos. I thought of it, recorded, edited, and uploaded one evening after supper. She loved it and started sharing it many places! While the only money I have made off of this action is through YouTube ads, it did help raise my stats and keep me in front of Dayna’s eyes and conference attendees. Feels like another win-win.

By connecting with a speaker you instantly get more credibility and they usually have a bigger audience to spread the word to.

I think that another key is that each of these actions are very specific. I didn’t talk about the whole conference or to the whole conference. I mainly interacted with one other person by building off of things they talked about at the actual conference.

Notice that these were from two different conferences. Maybe in the future I can do more than one measurable action for each conference.

What measurable action have you taken after a conference?

Take Measurable Action After A Conference is a post from: Blog Conference Guide for the (Un)Experienced

The SITS Girls are hosting 2 Twitter parties with a great giveaway. You must RSVP in their link up and attend one or both of the #WhiteCloudDiapers Twitter parties on this Wednesday, April 10, 2013 AND next Wednesday, April 17, 2013 at 9:00 AM PST/12:00 PM EST.

“One lucky winner will be selected to receive FREE airfare, hotel accommodations, and a ticket to the Dallas Bloggy Boot Camp happening November 8-9, 2013.”

See all the details on the SITS Girls site.

Trip Giveaway To Dallas Bloggy Boot Camp is a post from: Blog Conference Guide for the (Un)Experienced

Blissdom Speaker Resources You Have to Check Out

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Shelly Kramer shared some information from her writing workshop about things you should do before you hit publish. CC Chapman wrote a very nice thank you with a fresh podcast about stepping out into the unknown. Jeff Goins made his slides available and some other writing related freebies. Michelle Sarabia shares her notes from Start Night and shares that we need your dreams to start. Lucrecer shared why getting up at 5 am to hear Jon Acuff was worth it. David Molnar shares how he punched fear in the face and became a public speaker. Bianca shares her story of how her session started with only 4 people in the audience.

Attendee Recaps and Thoughts

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The Tshirt Mama wrote a comparison between Blissdom and BlogHer. Dallas Single Mom shares how a single parent attends a conference. Heather is now a Blissdom fan for life and Jamie shared her top 10 Blissdom moments, Mel shares her top 5 highlights, and Crystal learned to not compare herself to others.

***Here is the official Blissdom 2013 recap linkup on the conference site and find lots of pictures in the Blissdom Flickr stream. One2One Network is having a Blissdom Recap Giveaway that ends April 5, 2013.

Check out these videos about Blissdom 2013 where you can see and hear more about the conference:
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P.S. If you click on the word “playlist” that is at the bottom of the player you can choose which of the 7 videos you want to watch.
 

If you have or know of a great recap [or video] please leave us a link in the comments if you’d like it added to this post.

Blissdom Recaps And Free Handouts is a post from: Blog Conference Guide for the (Un)Experienced

The Writer’s Workshop Speakers for Blissdom have some books available that you might be interested in. Don’t wait until the conference to begin learning from these amazing speakers!

Annie Downs’ session is “Write Now: How To Write Wisely Through All Seasons.” She is the author of Perfectly Unique: Praising God from Head to Foot and From Head To Foot: All of you living all for Him.

Jeff Goins’ session is “When Good Writing Isn’t Good Enough.” He is the author of Wrecked: When a Broken World Slams into your Comfortable Life,
You Are a Writer (So Start Acting Like One),
The Writer’s Manifesto,
The In-Between: Embracing the Tension Between Now and the Next Big Thing,
and Wrecked: When A Broken World Slams Into your Comfortable Life

Megan Jordan’s session is “Uninterrupted Thought: Power Of Focus.” She is the founder and publisher of Story Bleed Magazine.

Books By Speakers For Blissdom Writing Workshop is a post from: Blog Conference Guide for the (Un)Experienced

The Life Development and Keynote Speakers for Blissdom have some books available that you might be interested in. Don’t wait until the conference to begin learning from these amazing speakers!

Jon Acuff will be a keynote speaker,  leading a session called The 3 Stages Of Every Awesome Idea, and working hands-on with attendees. He is the author of Start: Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average and Do Work that Matters, Quitter: Closing the Gap Between Your Day Job & Your Dream Job, Gazelles, Baby Steps and 37 Other Things Dave Ramsey Taught Me about Debt, Stuff Christians Like, The Graduate’s Survival Guide (Book & DVD).

Susan Cain will also be presenting a keynote speech. She is the author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking

Scott Stratten’s keynote will cover key business concepts related to marketing, branding, public relations, social media, human resources and customer service. He is the author of The Book of Business Awesome / The Book of Business UnAwesome and UnMarketing: Stop Marketing. Start Engaging

CC Chapman’s life development session is Living An Amazing Life. He is the author of Amazing Things Will Happen: A Real-World Guide on Achieving Success and Happiness, and Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business (New Rules Social Media Series)

Tami Hein’s life development session is Take 5: How to Gather and Get your Momentum. She is the author of @stickyJesus: How to Live Out Your Faith Online

Have you read any of these? Own them? Who are you looking forward to hear speak?

Books By Speakers For Blissdom 2013 is a post from: Blog Conference Guide for the (Un)Experienced

There is a great line up of speakers for Type-A Advanced in Philadelphia and a bunch of them have books out as well. You don’t have to wait until the conference to begin learning from the speakers!

Amy Allen Clark will be speaking on Driving Pinterest Traffic. She wrote The Good Life for Less: Giving Your Family Great Meals, Good Times, and a Happy Home on a Budget.

Maria Bailey will be speaking on Monetizing Video and Online Streaming. She has written:  Marketing to Moms: Getting Your Share of the Trillion-Dollar Market and Power Moms: The New Rules for Engaging Mom Influencers Who Drive Brand Choice.

Amy Bair will be speaking in the session. They’re Just Not That Into You – What Turns Brands Off and How to Fix It . She wrote Raising Digital Families For Dummies.

Deb Ng will be speaking on Community Management. She wrote Online Community Management For Dummies and Social Media Marketing All-in-One For Dummies.

Sharon Rowley will be speaking on Traffic Building. She wrote The Old English Version of Bede’s Historia Ecclesiastica (Anglo-Saxon Studies).

Andrea Vahl will be speaking on Maximizing Facebook Ads on a Blogger’s Budget. She wrote Facebook Marketing All-in-One For Dummies.

Missy Ward will be speaking on Advanced Affiliate Marketing. She wrote Internet Marketing from the Real Experts.

Have you read any of these? Do you have any of them? Take it along and get it an autograph!

Books By Speakers For Type-A Advanced In Philadelphia is a post from: Blog Conference Guide for the (Un)Experienced

Blogher 2012 hit New York City this past weekend and the blogosphere is buzzing with reactions. Over 4500 bloggers and hundreds of brands gathered at the Hilton New York for a weekend jam-packed with classes, parties, and other events. A few of the highlights of this year’s BlogHer conference were hearing from President Barack Obama via live video stream, and live appearances from Martha Stewart and Katie Couric.

As I reflected back on my own experience at BlogHer this year, I realized that most of my favorite moments this weekend were not connected with Blogher at all. So many of my best BlogHer take-aways occurred off-site or between events in the Hilton. Here is a round-up of post-BlogHer posts from other attendees:

BlogHer Take Away by Safire from Waterfalling-Up – Safire reflects on her own blog after attending the “Blogging because you love it” class.

What I Learned at BlogHer ’12 by Jessica at Found the Marbles – Jessica talk about the growing divide in the blogging community.

Getting Fit at BlogHer by Elena from CiaoMom – thinking about going to a conference to learn? Elena goes to conferences to get fit!

New York City Skyline at Blogher 2012

Thoughts on #BlogHer12 by Jo-Lynne of Musings of a Housewife – This BlogHer made Jo-Lynne think about re-branding her site.

BlogHer 12: Where Do We Go From Here? by Jodi from Jodifur – Jodi was not entirely convinced she wanted to go to BlogHer this year, and now she’s already making plans for hosting Homeher next year.

BlogHer 2012: A recap by Desiree from the Mommy Reporter – Desiree compiled a great list of the things that did and didn’t work at this year’s BlogHer.

BlogHer 2012: It’s complicated… by Kelly of The Centsible Life – Kelly discusses the people of BlogHer. The best and the worst.

She Gave Me an iPad by Amy from Resourceful Mommy – The conference moment that had the most impact for Amy was sharing a few minutes in the lobby with a friend….and a new iPad.

Looking in Looking out by Andrea of Lil-Kid-Things – Andrea was reminded that she’s part of a strong community, even though BlogHer wasn’t exactly the weekend had expected.

BlogHer: an out of body conference moment by Dresden of Creating Motherhood – Dresden shares her experience with (and a video) speaking at Voices of the Year.

Yet Another BlogHer12 Recap Post by Melissa at Rock and Drool – Melissa had some great advice: “YOU do what YOU gotta do to make BlogHer work for YOU.”

#BlogHer12 Recap: My Favorite Moments by Tina from Life Without Pink – Tina’s favorite moments included meals with friends and exploring New York City without kids.

Several bloggers wrote about dancing with the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall: see Eye-High Kicks with the Rockettes at BlogHer12 and Dancing with the Rockettes BlogerHer12.

Picaboo was searching for bloggers all weekend for their The BlogHer Collage Poster Project. Check to see if you were spotted, and then enter to win one of three poster-sized collages.

Chicago 2013, here we come!

Ready for BlogHer 2013? Roo has some great tips for getting ready for BlogHer next year: How to Work a Blog Conference Like a G. Girls Lunch Out also provided helpful tips in their article, 10 Ways To Make The Most Out Of BlogHer.

Link up your BlogHer 2012 recap posts:

Did you write a Blogher recap? Maybe you participated in a HomeHer event or simply followed along with the #BlogHer12 tweets. Link up your posts below!

BlogHer 2012 Conference Recap is a post from: Blog Conference Guide for the (Un)Experienced

If you weren’t able to go to TypeAParent Conference this weekend do not dispair. You will be able to access all of these amazing recaps and session notes that I’m gathering up for you that these amazing bloggers have compiled for you.

Crafting a Book Proposal by Ellen Gerstein and Amy Fandrei – This is one of the intensive hands-on workshops that were limited. Thanks to Well in THIS House for the session notes!

From Zero to Full-Time Income by Chris Garrett - live-blogged session notes written by Nicole on TypeAParent.com this advice will be priceless for those who are trying to evolve their blogs to the next income level.

Another Chris Garrett recap by Honestly and Truly – Less bullet point and more paragraph readable format.

 Don’t Rant Me: Getting Past Scores and Number by Dave Binkowski and Kelly Whalen – Session notes posted by Well in THIS House and will be enlightening to any blogger who feels stuck in the numbers rut.

Blog Design Dos and Donts - Session notes by Well in THIS House includes slide show of the presentation.

Facebook Page Brilliance by Melanie Nelson – Great notes by Butterscotch Sundae about how to make the most of your Facebook Page.

The Blogger Townhall Meeting – One of the favorite unique sessions of the conference, the blogger townhall meeting gives bloggers a chance to stand up and speak their mind. This year’s townhall was led by a panel of keynotes who opened up with a variety of topics. Liveblog notes on TypeaParent.com.

 Closing Keynote with Rene Sylar – A fabulous closing keynote by @Goodenufmother reminded us to shed the things that will hold us back and embrace that which energizes and supports us. Liveblogged notes at TypeAParent.com

General Notes and Thoughts:

Here’s a great post on Choosing a Blog Conference by Connie Foggles who reminds us to match the conference with our goals, personalities, and finances.

General recap by Two Bears Farm with photos of downtown and snippets of highlights from favorite sessions.

TypeACon Recap You WANT to Read – Hilarious recap by Amy Tucker.

Connect, Learn, and Laugh by Tonja Deegan gives an overview of what makes TypeA one of her favorite conferences.

Confessions of an IT Girl gives a look at the conference from the perspective of attendee, sponsor, and speaker. WHEW! What a triple-threat and unique perspective.

West of the Loop – A speaker on the blogging ethics panel, the recap quickly turned to food. Yum!

It’s Foodtastic - TypeACon 2012 Wrap-Up that includes some great inspiration for not downplaying your own successes.

Do you have a wrap-up? Leave it in the comments!

TypeAParent Conference Recap Links #typeacon is a post from: Blog Conference Guide for the (Un)Experienced

Blog conferences can be a lot of fun, and nothing dampens that like sore feet or coming home with blisters. So, when I started looking for shoes to wear to BlissDom this year I forced myself to think flat or wedge and to say no to hazardous heels. This is hard for me, because I like having a little added height.

Enter Earth Shoes
I’ve been wanting to try Earth Shoes for a very long time. I have majorly flat feet which causes me to have a lot of foot and back pain, and, I have longer second toes, so I usually have a hard time finding good shoes. Earth Shoes are known for being comfortable and good for your feet, but I had always shied away from purchasing because they seem a bit pricey and I can’t find them in stores to try before I buy. I have no problem paying for something I love, but to pay that much and not know if I like them? Well, this is one place where having the opportunity to review something really helps.

The new Earth® features a cushioned footbed for all day comfort, with:

a.  A padded heel area to displace shock
b.  A reinforced arch support to stabilize foot
c.  A multi-density latex cushioning layer for extra support
d.  See illustration here

Also? The Spring/Summer 2012 Earth® Collection is all under $100! Prices range from $79-$99 – and is made of real leather.

Me? I’m sold!
For this review campaign I wasn’t able to actually choose which pair to review, but it worked out really cool that the pair Earth Shoes sent me was 1) Open Toed (fabulous for my long second toes) and 2) The Color I Would Have Chosen. I was sent the Jacaranda from the Breezes Collection. The first thing I did was pull them out of the box and put them on. I wore them for 2 days straight, even tho they are a little big on me. They are very comfy except for a slight slipping around (I’ll exchange for a smaller size real soon!) and I enjoy having the extra height that a wider heel provides, without sacrificing comfort. I also love that I can wear the Jacaranda with jeans or a skirt! The laser cut upper is just really delicate and I love it! Even the bottoms of the soles are beautiful. The only reason I didn’t wear them to BlissDom is they are a tad too big and I didn’t want to end up walking several miles in them and have blisters later…

Here are a few spring and summer fashion ideas featuring the Jacaranda and one with my personal favorite, The Saffron:

Would I purchase a pair of Earth Shoes?
You bet. I’m already trying to decide which pair I want for spring. I’m leaning towards The Saffron. What do you think?

Would they be great for a conference?
Absolutely! Earth Shoes pays a lot of attention to comfort. They are worth every penny!

Contemporary designs. Contemporary comfort. Everyday value.
It’s Earth®. A modern collection of dress casual footwear, grounded in the ideals of promoting a healthy lifestyle. From dress styles and wedges, to casual styles, to everything inbetween, new Earth® styles deliver remarkably against their value with a comfort footbed that delivers wellness into every step.

Earth®. Step Into Wellness!

Want to win a spa getaway?
Join Earth Shoe’s Inner Circle and be entered to win a Trip to a Special Place on Earth!

Then head over to Earth Shoes’s Facebook page and ‘like’ them so you don’t miss any deals or new styles!

More conference fashion ideas…
Conference Fashion for Nursing Moms

I was compensated by Global Influence as part of a Bookieboo LLC campaign w/ Earth Footwear.

Blog Conference Footwear – An Earth Shoes Review is a post from: Blog Conference Guide for the (Un)Experienced

Last week 750+ women (and men) descended into Nashville for Blissdom, the premier blogging conference in Tennessee. Now, this is not just an ordinary conference for women; this is a gathering for women who find and express their bliss online.

With this in mind, you may be wondering who attends Blissdom, right?

Well, generally, women who find happiness in blogging and on social media sites; men are always welcome as well. But of course, that does not end there, the women and men who are interested to learn in a relaxing environment find themselves being encouraged and lifted up by attending Blissdom.

Bloggers who desire to take a break from all the writing, blogging and business management are encouraged as well to take part in this conference.

People who want to perfect their digital strategies, especially PR pros and marketers, also encouraged to attend. Why? Simple, so that they can meet influential bloggers and develop a business relationship with them.

But of course, Newbies are welcome to Blissdom as well!

Everyone is welcome at Blissdom!

Now that you know what Blissdom is all about, don’t take our word for our great it is!

Check out these great posts from Blissdom 2012:

• Still wondering what BlissDom is all about? Shan from Family Brings Joy explains.
• Looking for a full breakdown of Blissdom?  Check out Jo-Lynne’s Highlights from Blissdom on Musings of a Housewife.
• Bernice Wood at Living the Balanced Life shares how Chris Mann shows the true meaning of Blissdom: the power to believe in yourself.
• Ever wonder what it’s like to attend a conference with a broken body? Ang England from Untrained Housewife describes what it’s like to fight your body the entire way and still have a good time.
• Joey Fortman from JoeyFortman.com tells readers that Blissdom helped her remember that she was worth taking care of herself and that the personal connections made at Blissdom are worth the price of the ticket.
• Saying goodbye to a blog can be hard, but thanks to the empowerment found at Blissdom, Maddie from Domestic Anarchy can do so without a regret.
• The Hollywood Housewife has a great Blissdom wrap up about why sometimes staging a conference is the thing to avoid.
• Amanda from High Impact Mom gives quick video insight into her experience as a community leader at Blissdom.
• Get some Blissdom styling ideas for next year from Amber of The Amber Show.
• Did you miss Ananada Leeke’s amazing session, Fierce Living From Your Creative Heart? Stephanie from Adventures in Babywearing has a fantastic wrap-up and exercise straight from the session for you.
• Don’t miss Rachel from A Southern Fairytale‘s mouthwatering tale about her mouthwatering meeting with Crazy Ari and wrap up post at Blissdom.
•  Catch up on 9 useful and insightful takeaways from Blissdom with Ellen from Love that Max.
• In the Trenches of Mommyhood‘s Sarah breaks down what Blissdom meant to her in a lovely post from the perspective of a Blissdom staff member.
• Emily from Family and Life in Vegas writes about how she found her bliss again at Blissdom.
• Melanie from Modern Mami breaks down her experiences from Claire Díaz Ortiz’ “The Present Principle: How to be Present in a Demanding World” session.
• Don’t miss Blissdom in pictures on Babble’s Baby’s First Year blog by SalenaMae.
• Amy (yes, THE Amy Tucker) from Tastes Like Crazy writes how she allowed this conference to BE what she needed.
• Think attending a conference isn’t death-defying? Think again and read Donnielle from Naturally Knocked Up‘s Blissdom wrap up post!
• Read Dawn from My Home Sweet Home’s post about how Blissdom was like high school sans all the drama.
• Don’t miss how Shelley from Ground Beef Budget found her Bliss at Blissdom.

Have a Blissdom write up and want it added to the list? Leave it in the comments and we’ll add it asap!

Blissdom Notes and Recap Link-Up is a post from: Blog Conference Guide for the (Un)Experienced