Gal Morale: SOBCon '08

This will be a slight departure from topic, as I share about the SOB Conference I attended recently. You read me right - SOB (Successful and Outstanding Bloggers). This was a gathering of people who blog on a variety of topics - including professional bloggers, experienced bloggers, inexperienced bloggers (yours truly) and would-be bloggers.  It was a pleasure to meet up with friends that I had made online, like Phil Gerbyshak, Stephen Hopson, Terry Starbucker, Liz Strauss, Steve Sherlock, and Mark Carter (Carter)...and to meet new friends like Karen Putz, John Hong, Michael Snell, Sandy and Jim Renshaw, Karen Hanrahan, and others.

I came home inspired! I was going to re-dedicate myself to my blogs! In fact, I was going to start more blogs! Woo Hoo! Instead, I've let my blogs sit untouched for two weeks. I could give you lots of reasons why - schedule, family time, speaking clients - and all would be true. Except that the real reason is that blogging somehow became a more serious venture. I left the conference with a realization of the responsibility I have as a blogger....to write well, to check the facts, to be on the cutting edge with news....and it felt intimidating. Blogs and bloggers not only report on events and news....but they influence and change events and the news....Wow! What an awesome responsibility. 

As for me, I may take some time to rethink my blogs, and make some decisions about where I want to take them.

But you might also be aware of the power of blogs...because they are only going to grow in power. Word about you and your company will spread faster and you want to make sure that word is positive. Don't be like Steak and Shake, who find themselves in the midst of a blogging nightmare because of an incident involving Deaf Mom blogger, Karen Putz. More on this later, but suffice it to say that had they simply said YES to an easy customer request, they would not have this problem. Instead, they are in the middle of a PR nightmare and could easily find themselves in a lawsuit.

On the other hand, you could take a cue from Jobing.com and Zappos and use blogs to engage your employees and invite your customers to be part of your culture. Way to go!

It will be interesting to see, a year from now, how my attendance at SOBCon '08 has affected my blogs. In the meantime, be patient with me, will you?

A shout out and a  big thank you to everyone at SOBCon '08 for your warm welcome, generosity and sharing! Can't wait for next year.

Gal Morale, Private Eye

Attendees

• Cliff Atkinson
• Shashi Bellamkonda
• JJ Betts
• Chris Brown
• Chris Brogan
• Harry Brooks
• Anita Bruzzese
• Dave Bullock
• Mark Carter
• Brian Clark
• Tom Clifford
• Clay Collins
• Valerie Combs
• Chris Cree
• Lisa Cree
• Thomas Croghan
• Donna Cutting
• David Dalka
• Kevin Dixie
• Tim Draayer
• Monica Duncan
• Easton Ellsworth
• Kevin Ferrasci O'Malley
• Jonathan Fields
• Sarah Filipiak
• Mary-Lynn Foster
• Annie Galvin Teich
• Brian Gardner
• Chris Garrett
• Jon Gatrell
• Phil Gerbyshak
• Jared Goralnick
• Karen Hanrahan
• Joseph Hauckes
• Vicky Hennegan
• Scot Herrick
• John Hong
• Stephen Hopson
• Robert Hruzek
• Timothy Johnson
• Sara
• Pete Jones
• Todd Jordan
• Bob Kakoliris
• Christine Kane
• Adam Kayce
• Kristen King
• Scott Kolbe
• Jen Knoedl
• Stephen Koernig
• Bryan Kress
• George Krueger
• Amy L
• Tammy Lenski
• James G. Lindberg
• Eli Litscher
• Rick Mahn
• Sim Margolis
• Michael Martine
• Becky McCray
• Maria Meadows
• Cory Miller
• Ann Michael
• Dawud Miracle
• Debra Moorhead
• Matthew Murphy
• Paul O'Flaherty
• Tim Padar
• Jesse Petersen
• Melissa Pierce
• Wendy Piersall
• Sandra Ponce de Leon
• J. Erik Potter
• Karen Putz
• Susan R Quandt
• Sandy Renshaw
• Levy Rivers
• Barbara Rozgonyi
• Jeff Sable
• Sheila Scarborough
• Mary Schmidt
• Derek Semmler
• Maria Sharon
• David Sherbow
• Steve Sherlock
• Brad Shorr
• Louise Silberman
• Sonia Simone-Rossney
• Julien Smith
• Stephen Smith
• Michael Snell
• Derrick Sorles
• Terry Starbucker
• Liz Strauss
• Jon Swanson
• Ruth M Sylte
• Windsor Tanner
• Michelle Vandepas
• Lorelle VanFossen
• Colleen Wainwright
• Denise Wakeman
• James D. Walton
• Randy Windsor
• Sandy Wrenshaw
• Joanna Young

Comments

[Gal Morale]

Derek and Amy,

Thank you for stopping by. Brilliant comments - you're right, it's about just staying focused.

Let's make it a point to meet in '09 and compare notes!

Warmly,
Gal Morale

[AmyL]

Donna,

I too felt overwhelmed and have spent a lot of time pondering my blog and its future. Ultimately I think the experience will result in a better more focused blog. :) Those growing pains in the meantime can be a bugger though. Hope we all get back together at SOBCon09 with great things to report!

[Derek]

After attending SOBCon, I have to say that I had a similar feeling in that there was so much valuable information provided that I was worried that I would not seize the opportunity to use that information.

Fear can be immobilizing but I think an important take away was that we all have the power within us to do whatever we want.

Thanks for the reminder!

[Gal Morale]

Michelle,

Thank you for your comment. And you are so right...it's about getting our butts into the seat and writing. :-)

Warmly,
Gal Morale

[Michelle Vandepas]

I had a wonderful time too and you summed it up nicely. I try not to worry too much about the awesome responsibility, and just keep writing...:)...

[Gal Morale]

Stephen,

You know what a pleasure it was for me to meet you!!!! Thank you for your kind words and I look forward to our continued friendship.

Clay - couldn't fix the links on this post. However, thanks to Phil Gerbyshak, future posts should be fine....and I've linked to your blog on my most recent post.

Warmly,
Gal Morale

[Stephen Hopson]

Donna:

And a BIG SHOUT of thanks for giving all of us, especially me, the opportunity to meet you for the first time. I really had a good time getting to know you more and look forward to connecting with you even more in the coming days, weeks and months.

You summed up the SOBCon08 conference pretty well and don't worry about the steps you will take for your blogs.

There's no hurry - take your time and write from the heart. Eventually you'll find your niche/style and the right people will be drawn to it.

Blogging is definitely a big responsibility but it's also fun b/c you get to meet a lot of people you wouldn't otherwise get to know. And of course, it can be a powerful tool to spread awareness of who you are and what you do.

Best of wishes in your blogging endeavors! Don't ever hesitate to ask questions about blogging - I'd be happy to help you in any way I can.

[Gal Morale]

Terry,

You did such a fabulous job as emcee of the event and it was my pleasure to meet you in person - a fellow Starbucker! :-)

Clay - so nice to meet you as well. And I absolutely will link to your blog. For some reason many of my links and photos got lost when I posted - and I haven't had a chance to fix that yet...but I'll take care of yours right now.

Thanks to both of you for your comments.

Gal Morale

[Clay Collins]

It was very nice meeting you at SOBCon. Hey, I'm wondering if you wouldn't mind linking my name "Clay Collins" to my blog, which is at http://TheGrowingLife.com

Thanks a ton!

--Clay

[Terry Starbucker]

Hey Gal! It was a pleasure meeting you and having your wonderful positivity grace SOBCon08. We must see you next year! Thanks, and all the best.

Terry

[Gal Morale]

Hey Mother Earth!

It was my pleasure to meet you too!! You are quite a storyteller.

Thank you for your kind words and empathy! I look forward to our continued friendship.

Warmly,
Gal Morale

[Mother Earth]

beautifully stated my dear

a profound understatement of the century re: our responsibility as bloggers and how overwhelming it can be! I have felt that exact same thing!

It was so great to meet you. I look forward to keeping in touch.