I just got back from the SOBCON blogging conference in Chicago over the weekend. It was a great event with a huge array of speakers and panel members. I met quite a few incredible, life changing, people. As the conference wound down I found there was one over arching theme this year. One big take-away. Something we all need to do…
We need to tell our story…
We need to remove the filters of fear…
We need to be true to ourselves and our readers…
We need to share from the heart…
As I met some of the true thought leaders, it became apparent that the successful people in this business have built a brand around powerful ideas and are willing to share them with passion.
I met Anthony Iannarino of The Sales Blog, who is one of the most confident people I have ever met. I had breakfast with him on the first day and he shared how he has been blogging straight through for 120 days. He has built a great following and has one big secret…
He tells it like it is…
He has been in sales for years… he has been in the trenches… he has seen the enemy… and he knows that sales people still need to make cold calls, they still need to get up and get started before their competition… they need passion in their voice… they need to work hard… and they need to make that one last call… the one after their competition has gone home.
Anthony is an inspiration… because he has the confidence to know that he will be successful. There is no doubt in his voice or his actions.
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I had lunch with Lisa Haneberg and Steve Farber. They shared the trials and tribulations of professional speaking and gave me some great ideas about engaging an audience. They each have written numerous books and they shared some of their secrets of getting published.
Lisa talked about her motorcycle tour across the country to promote her book. She had a powerful story of engagement… She talked about getting off the couch and getting out there… about meeting one on one with her readers… about asking questions and fulfilling needs…
There was also a sparkle in her eyes through the lenses of her orange glasses as she shared the story of riding her motorcycle through a swarm of palmetto bugs.
Steve gave a presentation in the afternoon about love, energy, audacity and proof. The words form the acronym LEAP and take on the idea of taking a Radical Leap into a new life.
Steve talked about pursuing extreme leadership through the OS!M… the Oh Shit Moment… the time when you are facing your greatest challenge… like a downhill skier facing an extreme drop-off… like a presenter facing a fortune 500 boardroom… like a Indy car racer accelerating through a turn…
His talk was powerful… but the most memorable part of the presentation was the idea of giving back… giving to others by creating a greater than yourself mentor or GTY.
He talked about his mentee and his new, soon to be published book, and encouraged us all to find someone to be our own GTY person.
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The night finished off with one of Social Media’s greatest stars, Chris Brogan. Chris talked about putting all the pieces together, about creating our own brand. He added humor, irreverence, and a strong speaking style that captivated the audience.
But what came through was Chris’s heart. Chris truly cares about his community. Chris is always giving back. He routinely responds to tweets, answers emails, and answers questions, even when there isn’t a tangible reward for doing so.
Chris is the real deal.
Chris has put his ideas into a very compelling post that you should all read. It’s about creating your own brand… about giving before receiving… about telling your story… and about creating a compelling community.
Chris got me thinking…
Thinking about this blog and the story it tells..
Thinking about creating a better story…
Thinking about you… my readers…
I have just one question… What makes a great Story?
