March 15th, 2008
By: Shama Hyder
My friend and colleague Liz Strauss is doing it again! She is hosting the conference of the year for bloggers who want to get to the next level. Here is what they are saying:
Part seminar, part conference, part deep networking event, SOBCon08 is even more about YOU!
We’re bringing back what you valued last year, and we’re adding more depth, more coverage, more opportunities. Take a look inside. Here’s some of what’s at SOBCon08 for you this year.
- Enjoy Entertainment & Open Comment Night
before the information flow begins.
- Build an actionable plan of working models
presented by experts who use them.
- Share ideas and forge working relationships through the unique integrated team-based approach.
- Show your expertise in the speedspeaking event
that invites attendees to present their best practices.
- Be part of the most incredible group of participants any conference has ever known.
They are calling it, Biz School for Bloggers. It’s good to know the business of running a great blog whether you blog for money or entertainment. Check the schedule. No term papers are required.
Whether for love or money, if you blog for readers or community, you’re in the business of blogging. This conference can help you achieve your goals, faster with more confidence, and more predictably.
So, what are you waiting for? Sign up here.
P.S.
If I know Liz, she is going to make this an unforgettable event!
P.P.S.
I won’t be there personally due to previous client engagements, but I am hoping you guys will let me know how awesome it was.
Posted in The Best Video Blogs, Business Blogs, Info Blogs, Training, Coaching, Mentoring, Seminars, Web Entrepreneur Community | 2 Comments »
March 14th, 2008
Dear Shama,
After years of working in the corporate world, I decided to strike out on my own. As a coach. I researched a lot of professions but this stood out for me. It just felt like my calling. I researched professional organizations and even got my certification from a well known coaching association. They did a good job going over the ethics and history of the coaching profession, but nada when it came to marketing. The advantage of being in the corporate world was that I never had to market myself. Clients came to us because of our big name. Now, I feel like I am drowning in a pool of coaches. How do I distinguish myself? Do I have a chance of making it in this field?
-Coach in Trouble in Dallas
Dear Coach in Trouble,
First things first. You do have a chance of making it. Even better, you are more likely to succeed because you are open to getting help when you need it. The question you are asking is a very important one, and one that I wish more coaches and professionals asked themselves. How do I distinguish myself in my field? Marketing works best when it is built on a solid platform. You can try every marketing strategy and tactic in the book without results if you don’t have a solid offering and niche. Your first task is to define who you want to work with and what problem you can help solve the BEST. A life coach cannot work successfully with everyone in the world. They are bound to have more success with certain types of clients and certain types of issues. Your job is to find that certain type of client and problem.
Second, offer them a solution that no one else is offering. A new or more updated solution to an old problem is what you are looking for here. For example, I was recently approached by two attorneys who want help marketing their law firm. I offered to come hold all our marketing sessions at their conference room. Is it a bit inconvenient for me? Yes. But does it make the service that much more valuable to the client? No doubt about it! By making one small tweak in the way I deliver my services, I had offered them something no one else had thought of offering them before.
Once you have clearly defined your niche and the problem you wish to help them with, we can talk about how to fill up your practice. But, first things first.
Best of Luck!
-Shama
Posted in Dear Shama Letters | 2 Comments »
March 11th, 2008
By: Shama Hyder
I just wrapped up my first South by Southwest (SXSW) conference ever and aside from being a bit overwhelmed and tired, I am truly excited. One, it has inspired me to blog more and continue sharing my expertise. Two, it allowed me to meet some amazing folks. Here are the top 5 things I learned at SXSW 2008.
1) There are some amazing people in my field- I sometimes take this fact for granted, but one of the reasons I love what I do (marketing) is because of the people I get to interact with, and SXSW was no exception. I got to meet some phenomenal bloggers and colleagues. Here were some of my favorite people at SXSW:
- Jonathan Fields- This was the first time I met him. Jonathan is not only a fantastic writer but also a warm hearted individual. His blog is a very good reflection of him. If you subscribe to it, you will see exactly what I mean.
- eMom- eMom, also known as Wendy Piersall, is a passionate entrepreneur. She is planning some groundbreaking things to help parents succeed as entrepreneurs and I sincerely wish her all the best. It’s rare to run into such a caring individual!
- Shoemoney- Jeremy Schoemaker is one of the most popular bloggers on the net. He is also a great guy to have lunch with. I have been reading Jeremy’s posts for a few months now, but meeting him in person was a real treat. We chatted about his businesses (he has a lot) and how he got started with the blog. He is a real straight forward guy with a lot of knowledge. I am hoping our paths cross again soon.
- Scott Allen- It was great fun meeting Scott again. A technology entrepreneur and author, this guy knows the virtual world better than most. I will be reviewing his newest book soon.
To keep this list from growing out of control, I will briefly list the other great people I met. You can check out their blogs to see why I feel they are such rock stars-Brian Massey, Eric Doggett, Thom Singer, Alex DC, Jose Castillo, Liz Strauss, Shashi Bellamkonda, Mohammad Saleem, Rohit Bhargava, Dave Evans.
2) Schedule tentatively- I attended only 3 of the panels I had originally planned on checking out. As with any huge conference, it’s best to plan tentatively and go with the flow. I skipped panels to eat with friends. I attended different sessions due to recommendations. I spent a lot of time lounging in the BlogHaus lobby. I also didn’t attend any of the parties I was so excited about. Why? Well, because I am not really a party person. I don’t drink, and I am usually in bed by 11 pm. As excited as I was about the prospect of attending one of Google’s infamous parties, it just wasn’t me.
3) Leave panels that are boring- Rudeness is not one of my hallmarks, but I was disappointed by some of the panels at the SXSW. My view on panels is this: if you can say it in an article that would take me 10 minutes to read, don’t do a panel on it. I left some of the panels I was eagarly awaiting because they were utterly boring. Time is valuable and best spent at panels that deliver solid content with strategy. Interactive panels were the best. My two favorite ones were Art of Speed with Tim Ferris as moderator and Social Media Revolution with Charlene Li.
4) Don’t be afraid to ask- My favorite part about SXSW were the lunches. No, not the food, but the company. Twitter friends would randomly ask who wanted to do lunch and we would all meet (often for the first time) and head to a local haunt. The conversation and company was unbeatable. Sometimes all you have to do is just ask!
5) Set an intention but not an agenda- An intention is a goal held without any expectation of the outcome. An agenda is a set of goals in a to-do list form. An agenda is worrisome and feels heavy. An intention is much more light hearted and allows for change. I went to SXSW with an intention to meet fellow colleagues and to learn something that may help me help my clients. Both things were accomplished. I also noted people at the conference who seemed to have an agenda in terms of who they wanted to meet and what they wanted from them. It didn’t look too promising. Go with intentions over agendas any day!
Posted in Web Entrepreneur Community | 9 Comments »
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