My first ProBlogger experience!

This March, ProBlogger decided to hit the road and run some East Coast training sessions!  On Tuesday last week they were in Brisbane and I went along and had my first ever ProBlogger experience.

If you’ve read my post ‘All about that bag’ you’d know that I had a few fears about the day and was a tad nervous! I was however – prepared! I got some business cards printed and I planned my outfit.  There – important stuff sorted!  As for my FODP (Fear of Disappointing People)  – pffft!  I had an epiphany while I was actually at the event surrounded in around 100 bloggers, as this quote suddenly appeared very clearly and strongly in my mind:

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those that matter don’t mind ~ Dr Seuss

I caught a train into the city. It’s far more relaxing than driving in and having to pay a fortune for parking. I could have got a train that arrived 15 minutes prior to the 11am registration time BUT that’s not me. I like to have time up my sleeve. Time to sit, have a coffee, collect myself, and let the nerves take hold!  Surprisingly, my nerves were not too bad actually!  My train got in to Central Station at 10:15am. I had 45 minutes to kill – or so I thought. I actually had 1 hour and 30 minutes to kill because registration was not in actual fact until 11:30am but I didn’t find that out until way later!

I sat on a seat in Anzac Square for a while before deciding that it might be best to find the actual building where I have to go and perhaps have a coffee at a nearby café. Lucky for me there was a café at the bottom of the building where the event was taking place.  So, I ordered a coffee and sat down at a table. I looked around and there were at least two ladies that I thought looked like bloggers (coz you know us bloggers – we all have a certain look … not!) and so I smiled at them whilst inside hoping one of them would ask if I was here for the ProBlogger event and then we could be friends and I wouldn’t have to walk in alone!

Anyway – I digress! The sun had been behind the clouds but came out and it was soon very clear that I was sitting in a hot spot, so I moved to a table in the shade.  Being the diligent blogger that I am, as I waited for my coffee, I was checking my phone. I noticed a comment on a photo of Anzac Square that I had posted on Instagram. It was from mrs.lauren.roney. See the photo below, and check out the comments!

A photo posted by Min (@writeofthemiddle) on Mar 2, 2015 at 4:28pm PST

Turns out she was a blogger here for the same event and she was sitting at the same cafe as me and so once we got that figured, she came over to my table and joined me.  I had just met Lauren from Sand Castles and Paper Crowns!  She was as nervous as me and she looked gorgeous.  Obviously a fashion blogger I thought and I was right.  She does blog about fashion and beauty, as well as life in general.  We were both relieved to have found each other and be able to walk in to the event together.  We chatted for awhile and then Janet from Middle Aged Mama turned up and sat with us.  I’ve met Janet a few times previously.  So now the three of us could walk into the event together.  Perfect! 

So up we went in the elevator to the 11th floor and we approached the registration desk and grabbed our ID lanyard’s.  There we were met by Darren Rowse, Mr ProBlogger himself.  I know him well (well sort of – he is always in my Facebook feed and my inbox!) and so I guess I just sort of expected he would know me too!  I said “Hello Darren –  I’m Min” … {no sign of recognition} … “err … from Write of the Middle”.  Nope – there was no recognition in his face at all!  LOL  He didn’t know of me but he was friendly and welcoming regardless!  It is my aim to one day have Darren Rowse recognise my name and know who I am!

So then we walk through to the fall out area where bloggers are starting to accumulate and chat and off I go on a whirlwind of meeting new people and seeing a few that I have met previously.  There were so many unfamiliar faces!  So many blogs I have not yet discovered!  There are so many bloggers!!  So meanwhile 30 bloggers were ensconced in a room with the Olympus people doing a beginner’s photography workshop (9:30 to 11:30am).  Though I could have, I didn’t put my name down for this or for the later Intermediate workshop (2:00 to 4:00 pm) because there were limited spots and I wanted to leave them for bloggers who would appreciate and have more to gain from attending the workshop/s than me.  Finally, at around 12:00 pm we all made our way into the room and sat down for the ProBlogger part of the day!  First up, Darren Rowse gave his keynote talk about the challenges facing bloggers of all levels with regards to standing out as a blogger in a crowded blogosphere and building an audience.   I managed to snap a photo of Darren speaking whilst madly scribbling dodgy notes (I’ll do my best to summarize the key points).

Fantastic to at last meet and hear Darren Rowse speak! #pbevent #olympuslovesbloggers A photo posted by Min (@writeofthemiddle) on Mar 2, 2015 at 6:15pm PST

Darren provided examples of bloggers who were successfully obtaining a full-time income from their blog whilst not having huge daily traffic numbers.  The examples also showed the diversity of their income streams, e.g.:  advertising, sponsored posts, freelance writing, eBooks, eProducts, presenting and speaking gigs, consulting services, banner ads, affiliate promotions and more!

Take Home Tips!

• To best monetize your blog diversify your income streams
• Think about what you could write an eBook about
• Target the right reader
  • who are you trying to reach
  • how can you serve them
  • how can you attract them to your blog
• Aim for connected and engaged readers
• Do something different and/or fill a gap
• Pick a fight (not literally) – stand for or against something!
• Think about your format.  Could you change it up?

Then Darren introduced the panel of speakers:

Speakers other than Darren Rowse. @mumatopia @chelseamomentsaday @sociallysorted #pbevent #olympuslovesbloggers #latergram #onthetrainhome

A photo posted by Min (@writeofthemiddle) on Mar 2, 2015 at 9:18pm PST

Caz McCullough, Author of Your Brilliant Un-Career who spoke on the topic of How to laser focus on your readers to increase engagement and readership.  Key tips from my dodgy notes:

• What keeps your readers awake at night?  Write about that!
• Hone in on what matters.
• Look at the comments on your blog posts and on the posts of other bloggers that you identify with.  Create posts that answer those questions or address those concerns.
• Visualize you’re having a coffee with your ideal client and that is the voice you should write in.

Chelsea Smith of Moments A Day who spoke on Getting over your love-hate relationship with Facebook.  Key tips from my dodgy notes:

• Be sure that your FB page compliments your blog and its branding.  Does it have the same feel and vibe?
• Use FB ‘Interest Lists’ to find content to share on your FB page.  It’s far more time efficient and effective in finding relevant content.
• Set practical goals that you WILL do!
• Collaborate with other bloggers.

Donna Moritz of Socially Sorted who spoke to us about the challenges of how she grew her blog to a Top 10 Social Media Blog and Best Business Blog in Australia.   She spoke on how you can get results and earn money even with a small list and small traffic, and how she managed to push past that first block of 1000 unique visitors … the tipping points/inflection points after that, and then her top 3 tips for growing your blog.  Those top 3 tips are:

1. Pivot your blog (dodgy notes here but they say: with content & focus; programs/affiliates/speaking; social media marketing)
2. Blogs ‘heart’ visual content (apparently Infographics are BIG)
3. Provide massive value (an example of providing a summary of quotes from within a blog post on SlideShare was mentioned)

Before I knew it, it was all over (except for those who were doing the intermediate photography workshop with Olympus after lunch) and it was time for lunch, more chatting and networking and then I headed home on the train that was invaded by a gazillion noisy school boys ( #schoolsout )!

My first ever ProBlogger event was over in a flash.  I didn’t even think to take any selfie photo’s with other bloggers!  I left having met some fabulous new bloggers (and yes I handed out some of my swish new business cards and received many bloggers business cards), with a notebook full of dodgy notes, a brain full of stuff I need to do, feet that were killing me, and a realization that there is SO much stuff I do not know or understand and that I have lots to learn!  So of course I want more and would love to go to the main two day PB Event on the Gold Coast in August!  I’m mulling over thoughts of whether we can afford for me to go, particularly with the Tassie trip in April/May.  Regardless, onwards and upwards! 😉

Ciao for now,

[ This post is linked up with Essentially Jess for #IBOT ]