Have you been to an offline conference yet? If you’re brand new to this Internet business, it’s understandable. You may think,
I can’t afford it. I can get what I need right from the comfort of my desk chair via computer. I see a lot of the stuff on UStream, anyway, why bother?
Because at conferences, you make important friends.
You make relationships that last a lifetime.
You really need to start saving right now. Even if it’s only $10 a month, put it away and when you have enough money saved up, put your butt in a car or in a plane and get out there and let people know who you are!
Here are some people I met or know and got to visit with this week at JVAlert:
Carrie Wilkerson, the charming and brilliant, Barefoot Executive
Erik Stafford and his wife Wendy. They’re made for each other. Both very cool people.
Ross Goldberg, who I’m getting to know just a bit better. He offered moral support for my fibromyalgia, which was severe this weekend. Thanks for that, Ross!
Willie Crawford, along with Mrs. Crawford, who is very nice
Warren Whitlock
Joel Comm
Dan Nickerson
Adam Urbanski
The ever friendly and fun, Jeff Wellman
Felicia Slattery
Alan Bechtold
Gina Gaudio – Graves and her really nice-guy husband, Bill, who’s just a sweetheart
Wendy Y Bailey (Don’t call her Wendy, she’s “Wendy Y” I happen to think that’s cool.)
Carl Galletti
Bob the Teacher (Jenkins)
Ray Edwards
Michael Angier
Bob Burg
Paul Counts. Watch him. He’s a very smart young man.
EricaBiz, who stunned me with her brilliance
Chris Moos
Should I go on? I mean, really. This is a pretty sweet list, eh? I mean, they’re all uber nice folks and it’s a pleasure just shake their hands or to hang with them a while. That was the best part. Really!
But, I also learned some very cool stuff. Adam Urbanski is just charming to listen to, and I imagine he’s a pretty swell coach. Joel Comm gave some really cutting edge info about SMS Marketing, which really interested me. Bob the Teacher did an excellent presentation on teleseminars, though I’m pretty much all set with setting those up, eh? But for people who haven’t done them, he’s a great teacher. Hence, Bob the Teacher, right? He’s very good at what he does. Bob Burg was hilarious and a real pleasure to listen to. I already told you about Carrie, and well…
then, there’s Ken McArthur. He’s just a sweetheart, and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him. He’s a great person and what more can I say?
So, you see? I didn’t know most of these folks before last year when I went to JVAlert. I just met Carrie in June, and she’s incredible. I love her energy, her sense of humor and her “mad skills” as she likes to say, as a marketer. Sharp lady.
And I made new friends of people whose names you wouldn’t recognize, but you will and I bet it won’t be too long, either. But new or old friends, it was just awesome.
I even got to hang with a couple of my amazing peeps from Blogging4Boomers, Cathly LaDow and Laurie Tossy. That was sweet! Wish I’d had more time to spend with them. Met some folks in The ListBuilding Club, too, like Daniel Perry, who is an attorney and was a judge for three years. He knows his stuff, and I regret that I didn’t have time to chat with him more. I’ll be interested in his new product, for sure.
The moral of this long and very animated story (Can you tell?) is…
Go to live conferences. Don’t waste the opportunity to meet folks. Except, pick your conference wisely. JV Alert isn’t one of the big impersonal conferences where the speakers are untouchable. Everyone at JVAlert is on a level playing field, and you can just walk up and talk to anyone. It’s great and a ton of fun!
OK… I don’t get a commission. I’m jes’ saying…