I had the chance to visit to @TwitterCanada Ain't that a sweet tweet treat!

First Things First: 

My street cred with my teens increases substantially when I casually dropped: "I'm going for a tour and Q & A session at Twitter Canada tomorrow, cause I'm cool like that".  

Recently I was lucky enough to be included in a small group to both tour Twitter Canada, and participate in a Q & A session with their Communication Lead. (thanks for the invite Julie!) This fabulous group was diverse in age, background, experience, interests, and domiciles. 

After a little pillow talk about the tweet swag at Twitter Canada, giving up on my "Free the Blue Birds" campaign to release a flock via my purse, and saying howdie to my pal Justin, Julie, Garrett, Christine, Chantel and I settled in for over an hour of talking twitter. The conversation was allowed to flow very organically resulting in shared insights about how we use twitter, what we love, what we would love, how twitter has evolved, issues we've experienced, and social media in general. Our discussion ranged from hashtags, hashtag hi-jacking, ease of following conversation threads, twitter parties and chats, engagement, reach, marketing, brands, speed of information sharing, trolls, twitter cards, twitter stickers, and video to name a few.

It's always interesting to see something from the other side and gain understanding why things are done certain ways, or the thought process behind changes or certain directions taken. This visit opened up an opportunity not only to share and hear others' experiences and perspectives, but also to have a voice to those at Twitter Canada. They certainly appeared to be receptive to hearing what we had to share, and in the spirit of twitter have a two-way dialogue. 

Although no secrets or specifics about the future of twitter were revealed, I did get a chance to see the people and faces behind Twitter Canada. Meeting IRL (in real life) always changes the dynamics of an on-line relationship and future interactions, and IMHO (in my humble opinion) that's a good thing.

Now if we could return to the topic of my swagger, Twitter Canada feel free to "swag her" (and by her I mean me) anytime! Thanks for the visit. Until we tweet again! 

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about Twitter Canada.

Group Blog Hug: (GTONGE1, Sober Julie, Life on Manitoulin, it's_pinkie, Cathy Thinking Out Loud)

Note: I was not compensated for this post. The purpose of this post is merely to share with my readers. All opinions are my own.

Five W's and How of Attending @BConnectedConf April 2016 #BConnectedConf

Everything You Need to Know About BConnected Conference 2016:

Five W's and the How:

What:
BConnected is a Digital Influencer Conference perfect for those wanting to learn how best to use social media to expand their digital influence and reach, market and showcase their blog, small business, or brand, and understand and keep up with social media trends.BConnected Conference 2016 itinerary includes:
4 Keynote Speakers,
9 Hands-On Learning Sessions,
Round Table Sessions,
and a Brand Exhibitor Hall
Wait! There's More: a 2-day conference pass also includes:
Breakfast, Lunch and Snacks each day,
a Friday night Tour, Sip and Socialize Event with Ottawa Tourism including a Haunted Walk,
a Saturday night BConnected Social BlowOut Party benefiting the Canadian Continence Foundation, hosted by Derick Fage, which will include a DJ, a Candy Bar, a Selfie Booth, a Silent Auction and more.
Free Head Shots by Barnyard Studio du Coin,
morning BodyGym Fitness classes with Fitness with Jules,

and a swag bag.

When:

The BConnected Conference takes place April 23-24th, 2016, which is a beautiful time of year in the Capital. You'll want to come in early for the Friday night Haunted Walk and maybe stick around for the Sunday night Bloggers Dinner.

Where:
The Marriott Courtyard - Ottawa, is the revue for BConnected 2016, and part of the unique mix of galleries, shops and restaurants that make up the historic Byward Market.

Why:

Investing in your professional development is a great reason to attend BConnected 2016, but the return you'll get from that investment will be so much more. A conference is a perfect way to network, meet contacts, interact with social media experts, learn how to improve your social media skills, and gain insight into the best ways to utilize social media and digital marketing to achieve your goals. A conference presents a unique type of environment and interactive learning experience.

Who:

Who is BConnected for? It's for Bloggers, Small Business Owners, Home-Based Business Owners, Digital Influencers, and anyone who wants to learn more about social media and digital engagement, influence and marketing.

How:

Register Now! and let the countdown begin. Get those packing lists ready starting with these 6 essential tools for a conference. 

Other Important Stuff:

The BConnected Hashtag: #BConnectedConf

Follow the hashtag and BConnected on twitter, facebook, and instagram.

Sunday 2 - 5 pm

Workshop on SEO and Social Engagement 

presented by Dan R Morris and Rachel Martin of Blogging Concentrated.

(Workshop Fee $20 with 1 or 2 day BConnected Pass, or $60 for Workshop only - includes a snack)

GIVEAWAY

Enter to win 

a 2-day pass to the upcoming BConnected Conference 

and the Sunday Workshop by Blogging Concentrated 

Saturday April 23rd and Sunday April 24th, 2016 

at the beautiful Marriott Courtyard Ottawa in the Byward Market.

Giveaway ends February 15th, 2015

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about BConnected Conference 2016.

Note: I am part of the BConnected Conference Team.

Fifty-One Social Media Acronyms #SocialMedia #GrowYourVocab

With so many acronyms used on social media, I often feel I need someone to ELI5 (explain like I'm 5 years old) all the different terms and short forms.

I understand why we use them; out of necessary (140 character limit), to save time, and just for fun. This post is about growing your vocabulary and shrinking it all at the same time.

I have compiled a list of 51 social media acronyms,

with my absolute favourites highlighted in red.

A

AFAIK - as far as I know

AWHFY - are we having fun yet

B

BRB - be right back

BION - believe it or not

C

C4N - ciao for now

CTA - call to action

D

DAE - does anyone else

DFTBA - don't forget to be awesome

E

ELI5 - explain like I'm 5 years old

EOR - end of rant

F

FF - follow Friday

FTW - for the win

G

GTG (G2G) - got to go

GNSD - good night, sweat dreams

H

HTH (H2H) - happy to help

HT - hat tip

I

ICYMI - in case you missed it

IKR - I know right?!

J

JK - just kidding

JSYK - just so you know

K

KHYF - know how you feel

KIT - keep in touch

L

LLPOF - liar liar pants on fire

LSS - long story short

M

MT - modified tweet

MTF - more to follow

N

NP - no problem

NTS (N2S) - note to self 

O

OOTD - outfit of the day

ORL - oh really?!

P

POIDH - photos or it didn't happen

PSOG - pure stroke of genius

Q

QQ - quick question

QOTD - quote of the day

R

RBAY (RBAU, RB@Y RB@U) - right back at you

ROFL - rolling on the floor laughing

S

SMB - small business

SO (S/O) - shout out

T

TBT - throwback Thursday

TL;DR - too long; didn't read

U

U2U - up to you

URTB - you are the best

V

VBD - very big deal

VBG - very big grin

W

w/ - with 

WOTD - word of the day

X

XBF (XGF) - ex-boyfriend, ex girlfriend

XTL - cross the line

Y

YOLO - you only live once

YSK - you should know

Z

ZZZ - sleep or snore

Do you have any favourites I missed? 

Please share in the comments section. 

Consider this my work so no NSFW (not safe for work) shares please.

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about some of the IMHO (in my humble opinion) best or more useful SM (social media) acronyms. 

Five Reasons for #Brands Businesses & #Bloggers to Participate in Twitter Chats @turnipseedtravel #SocialMedia

5 Reasons Brands, Businesses and Bloggers Need to Start Participating in Twitter Chats.

The first people I started following when I signed up for a Twitter account were Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber. No offense to their fans, but UGH! Was this really what made Twitter so popular, spying on the lives of celebrities? It just didn’t feel like the network for me and it took me a long time to get into the Twitter grove. (And, no, Kim and Justin never did follow me back – the nerve!)

I now know I’m not the only one who’s struggled to get excited about Twitter. One of the most frequent comments I hear, from private individuals and business owners alike, is that they just don’t “get” Twitter. They’ll say things like it feels as if they’re shouting into a void and they want this to change. They know that Twitter is too massive a network to ignore and they don’t want to be left behind. They just don’t know where to begin.

My number one rule for surviving and thriving on social media is that you’ve got to be social and, fortunately, Twitter makes this easy through Twitter chats. Twitter chats are regular, reoccurring discussions (using in a question and answer format) that center around a general theme, with a different focus at each new chat.

For example, the #foodiechats chat that occurs every Monday at 8pm EST, is perfect for anyone who loves food. Isn’t that all of us!? Each week, there’s a different focus, be it California cuisine or French wines, with people around the world chiming in as the moderate presents a different question to the group. That’s all you have to do. Just follow the hashtag and speak your mind! Like most Twitter chats, it’s non-corporate in nature (though there may be sponsored prizes), distinguishing it from the one time, promotional Twitter parties thrown by businesses.

If the idea of drooling over great food isn’t enough of a reason to dip your toes into the Twitter chat waters, here’s five great reasons to participate.

1.)    They’re fun! There’s little point in being on social media if you’re not enjoying yourself. And I can’t think of a better way to spend 30 minutes than talking about travel, or fashion, or wine. There’s a chat – or a few dozen chats – for literally every topic, interest, and hobby you can think of so there’s no excuse not to treat yourself to a relaxing, engaging, fun conversation with friends around the world.

2.)    They help you gain more followers – and a bigger audience. Everyone loves to see their social media numbers soar but the truth is that those numbers are meaningless unless you’re attracting the right kind of followers, people who will support and share your content. The connections you make in Twitter chats are with the kinds of followers you want. They’re active, engaged, and share your interests.  

3.)    It keeps you in the loop. Twitter is a fast paced network in a fast paced world. There’s no better way to keep tabs on your industry and community than to dive right into a chat with participants from around the world. If there’s gossip, news, or developments that you should know about, you’ll hear it here first.

4.)    It establishes your credibility. Want to prove you’re a chef who really knows their cheese, or a writer who always has the best insights? Short of inviting everyone to your house for a meal or sending everyone a copy of your latest book, you need to build up online credibility. A Twitter chat is a great place to make that happen. You can share your expertise in a smart, savvy forum and even post photos and video clips.

5.)    It inspires and advances your career. Every business is really a global business these days. A Twitter chat can help you connect with peers in similar fields from all around the world, allowing you to make the informal connections needed for networking. They’re a great way to form new collaborations with similar businesses and brands in different jurisdictions. Imagine being able to swap ideas with a fellow personal trainer, home organizer, or animator in Rome or Rio or Los Angeles!

I’ll never have Kim or Justin’s social media success but I can confidently say that Twitter is now my best performing network – and also my favourite one to hang out on. And Twitter chats have played a huge role in that. I’ve connected with amazing people and clients, learned so much, and have had a great time chatting with like-minded people from all over the world. Give them a try and see how it changes how you feel about Twitter!

I'm thrilled to have Vanessa Chiasson guest post here at Cathy Thinking Out Loud. Thank you Vanessa for your insight into what makes twitter chats so great. Whether Vanessa is sharing travel adventures on her blog, speaking at BConnected Conference, or hosting a Travel Massive Ottawa event she's always inspiring and engaging.
Be sure to follow Vanessa on twitter.

Vanessa from Turnip Seed Travel 

Vanessa Chiasson crafts content and strategies that inspire people to connect to their clients, to the web, and each other. She believes that social media and online content is an integral part of every successful small business and can walk anyone through the process, making it fun and empowering. See more of her social media tips at SculptSocial.com

Finding My Blogging Groove, #Blogger Burnout & Other #BloggerIssues

Is this blogger burnout? And if so how the heck do I get my blogging groove back?

Lately I've struggling to find the energy or the will to engage on social media and publish on Cathy Thinking Out Loud. Where these used to energize and excite me now they suck the energy out of me, which is further compounded by the stress of not posting with any consistency. I have ideas, numerous outlines, drafts and partially written posts; I just can't seem to motivate myself to complete, edit, add images and finally hit publish on any of them. 

Could it be I'm experiencing blogger burnout? Or worse a combination of blogger and social media burnout? The thing I like best about social media and blogging is the platform it gives me to share ideas, engage and interact with others. But lately it all seems like a chore or a one way conversation with myself, leaving me feeling alone and lonely in a crowd.

The above paragraphs were actually written in April of 2015; the beginning of a post I started in response to how I had been feeling. 

They were part of that large pile of partially written posts waiting to be finished. These feelings continued until very recently and as a result I was down to completing only posts I was committed to write and What to Watch Wednesday posts. Each time I looked at my blog I'd cringe at the post stream and how little I was offering my readers, but still I couldn't manage to motivate myself to do more. I've always known my Hubby doesn't read all my posts, in particular sponsored posts, but over the holidays he revealed he rarely finds ones he's interested in reading anymore, further confirmation (like I needed any) the content I've been offering my readers is at best lacking. I think an examination of the reasons I'm in this rut and how I might get my blogging groove back is far overdue. 

Apathy Begets Apathy

The Blog: I knew it would take time to grow readership and my numbers, but after 2 1/2 years my blog hasn't seemed to grow; month after month the numbers stay the same. Unless I'm running a giveaway visits and page views remain low. I want Miracle Grow for blogs that I can sprinkle on my posts then watch my readership grow. So if any of you know where I can my hands on some, let me know. The thing is, when people read what I write it inspires me to write more, but apathy begets apathy squashing my inspiration to write. Lack of inspiration leads to inconsistency in my posting, and for readers out of sight is out of mind resulting in fewer blog visits, and round and round the vicious cycle goes. But it's a new year and with that I'm determined to push myself to consistently press publish, and more importantly dig deeper to produce more interesting and diverse content, regardless of how many actually read it. 
Having said that but please visit me I get lonely!

Social Engagement When You Feel Anti-Social:

Twitter: As my twitter numbers increased I've found it harder to see people in my tweeter stream. Lists help but even so my experience has been the bigger the numbers the smaller the number of meaningful connections and interactions. Twitter parties once so fun and interactive are a challenge to engage and participate in because of their ever growing size and loss of the beloved tweetgrid. Over the past few years I've noticed a shift on twitter by many brands from 2-way conversational engagement to more 1-way promotional content. It's great to see brands embrace social media but I'm really interested in what the brand stands for and the people behind the brand. Even brands once outstanding at connecting with followers seem less likely to engage, retweet and have conversations on twitter. This may be a result of outsourcing promotions and social media, but I kinda miss the type engagement that inspired this best brands list. The end result is social media often leaves me feeling anti-social. 

We should all strive for the kind of daily agenda-free and personal engagement I see from my friend Todd (@tgreenc). Time to reinstate my daily ritual of  looking at 10 different twitter friends' feed to see what they've been up to and comment, engage or just say hello. Who knows, this type of social might just leave me feeling less anti-social.

Facebook & Other Social Media: Although I like other social media platforms time management of them is a puzzle I've yet to solve. I could spend every waking minute reading and responding to friends on the handful of platforms I'm active on and still miss the majority of updates and wonderful content shared. Add to that, sharing content on the CTOL facebook page, and my continued efforts to understand the ins and outs of the various social media platforms and I'll need to clone myself soon. Juggling life's obligations, the Blog and engaging on twitter, facebook, Pinterest, Google+, and Instagram can definitely trigger my my anti-social tendencies, followed by burying my head in the sand (aka marathon steaming sessions on Netflix). I truly have no idea how others do it. 

The Pressing Issue of Word Press

In my head I know exactly how I want my blog posts to look, and the design style and feel I want for my blog, headers, logo, and business cards. It's not a cluttered patchwork of what I've managed to add, edit, or customize on my own. I spend more hours fussing with positioning and sizing text and images for a post trying to get something remotely resembling the aesthetic I want than actually writing it. I really want more control over image and font sizing,  placement and editing options. I would love to figure out how to add a PDF with print option to a post. I want pull down tabs, and a user friendly browsing experience for all those who visit; so basically the polar opposite of what I have now. I want to switch from Blogger to Word Press but thinking about the learning curve involved to switch, maintain and trouble shoot issues for Cathy Thinking Out Loud triggers a flight rather than fight response in me. Plug-ins, hacks, hosting, self-hosting, domains and HTML code; all just synonyms for fear. I'm an advocate of outsourcing to the professionals and would be happy to hire someone to redesign and switch Cathy Thinking Out Loud to Word Press, AND give me one-on-one WP tutorials, AND be available for emergency IT and tech support, preventing me from having a complete mental meltdown. 

To that end I've started a list of potential blog-whispers referred by fellow bloggers.

I'm just not sure anyone truly understands just how blog-tech-code challenged I am. Assuming reliable, patient, knowledgeable, professionals who can tolerate my neurotic personality and whose services fit my budget exist; how do I find and recognize the one that is a good fit for me? Many blog-whispers are also bloggers or closely connected to the blogging community thereby increasing the threat level to DEFCON1 that I'll be exposed as the bat-s@%& crazy person I actually am. Cause that's been such a well kept highly classified secret up till now. Can you imagine the size of the cone of shame required if I was fired as a client due to my inability to grasp concepts and being too clingy-needy. So one my goals for 2016 is to find this superhero blog-whisper who can help me turn my blog vision into a reality.

Getting My Blogging Groove Back

I can't figure out how others pitch and post so often and consistently, it takes me hours to write each post. Not to sound pessimistic but my To Do Lists are pages long and my current rate of posts, pitches, blog maintenance, and social media engagement already seems unsustainable and overwhelming. So baby steps starting with: 

 Strategies to Feelin' Groovy: 

• Create and add a really great About Me page to the blog.
• Write everyday. Whether it gets posted or not it keeps the creative juices flowing and may inspire a really great post.
• Take at least one random picture a day. Not only are they fun to share on social media, a collection of images to use for posts makes getting from draft to published that much easier.
• Schedule time once a week to experiment and try a new photography technique or hack.
• Write and publish at least one non-sponsored post per week in addition to the What 2 Watch posts. Dig deeper to create more interesting and diverse content. 
• Read and comment on at least 1 fellow blogger's non-giveaway post each day. The comment lets them know I have read their post. No apathy here! 
• Tweet a hello to 10 people each day, just to say hello. 
• Research a different social media platform each month. By year end I'll be an expert.
• Reach out and get a few more names of blog-whispers who might be a good fit to help me redesign and switch my blog to WP.
• Find ways to better schedule blog and blog related activities, including an editorial calendar, and improve my time management skills. 
• Pitch an idea to a brand once a week, and don't be discouraged if pitches are rejected. 
• Examine goals and long To Do Lists once a month to track my progress and edit as required to ensure I continue moving forward without the burnout. 

Doot-in doo-doo, feelin' groovy!

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about blogger issues and getting my blogging groove back.

Teaching Kids About Grass Roots #Activism & Their Power to Make Change

Teaching my kids about "Grass Roots" Activism.

"I always wondered why somebody doesn't do something about that. 

Then I realized, I am somebody." 

 Lily Tomlin

That's such a great quote! I think or at least hope that everyone comes to this realization at some point. In the case of my kids I'm a bit more proactive, and want them to realize this earlier rather than later. I believe teaching our children kindness, empathy, tolerance of people, (but not necessary tolerance or acceptance of situations) and courage to take action will lead to a happier life and a better world.

A long time ago, in a community centre far far away...

at playgroup, over coffee, crafts and circle-time a conversation took place between four stay-at-home moms that went something like this:

Kris: "I'm concerned about my kids exposure to pesticides being sprayed on lawns in our neighbourhood. I'm thinking of starting an awareness campaign and putting together information on the health effects of these chemical pesticides, as well as alternative lawn care options. Is anyone else interested in being part of this?"
Cathy, Maureen, and Kirsten: "Yes!"

And so began our band of "Grass Roots Activists"

and the Breathe Deeply (My Lawn Is Pesticide Free) Campaign.

Our goal was two fold: increase awareness about the health effects of chemical pesticides, and compile and share information about effective alternative pest management and lawn care options. Each of us had different skill sets and contributed in different ways. I designed the signs, t-shirts, acted as purchaser/treasurer and applied for grants. Others made signs, researched and wrote pamphlets, and acted as campaign spokesperson and media contact. Together we managed to create 3 pamphlets, each delivered to more than 1500 houses, made and delivered more than 600 signs, distributed more than 100 t-shirts, and successfully applied for 3 different funding grants.

We spoke on the effects of pesticides, a need for a ban, and about lawn care alternatives to our Community Association, at City Council meetings, to local Girl Guides, and set up tables at local events. We were featured on local TV, radio and in newspapers, including The Globe and Mail.

Global and Mail: Tuesday, August 29, 2000

Janis Hass (Special to The Globe and Mail) 

"Outside, a homemade wooden sign on the front lawn sums up her (Kirsten Devenny) philosophy. It reads, "Pesticide Free." ... Over coffee in her living room, Mrs. Devenny discusses the use of pesticides on lawns with her neighbours Kris Wong and Cathy Canton. These stay-at-home moms have banded together to promote pesticide-free lawn care in their leafy Nepean neighbourhood of Crystal Beach. They're concerned about the effects of pesticides on the health of their children..."

(Chemical pesticides for cosmetic purposes on privately owned land were banned in Ontario in 2009.)

So why does this story matter?
From the time my kids were toddlers they've seen their Mom involved in efforts to make their world a better place, giveback or volunteer. They'd ask why I'm doing this, and I'd explain why I thought it was important. All of our kids were there when we met at the playgroup for strategy meetings, or went to the printers for the pamphlets. They saw (and helped) us make more than 600 signs. They helped deliver pamphlets and signs throughout their neighbourhood, and were there for the TV and newspaper interviews. They were central to all of this because ultimately it was about them.

I like to think that by setting an example we "plant the seeds" for our kids to grow into critical thinkers and engaged citizens of Canada and the World. I hope through our actions they learned they have a voice, and the power as one individual to bring about change. I think it's imperative youth understand how their local actions can have global impact, 

and that they must be the "somebody to do something".

Technology and Social Media: Tools for Change:
At the time of our Breathe Deeply Campaign smartphones, tablets, wi-fi and apps did not exist, and access to information and the "inter-webs" were not as user friendly as now. Today's technology and social media have been game changers to ones ability to connect, organize, amplify a message and increase awareness. This in turn has increased the potential ability to access people in positions of power and influence. I no longer need to leave my message to the media to interpret, hoping it's edited in a way that accurately conveys my position and that my comments aren't taken out of context. Instead I can initiate dynamic two-way conversations and information sharing, and rather than being reported on, be part of the process as well as the story.

I look at my cell phone and what it can do, and think how exciting, empowering and fascinating it all is. I hope as adults we instill that excitement, feeling of empowerment and fascination in our kids. I have great hopes for them, greener pastures and the future.

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about the grass always being greener regardless of the side I'm on.

(This story was originally posted as part of another post, but I think it's worthy of a stand alone post.) 

Quick shout-out to my husband of 23 years, who has always been supportive of my efforts. Although rarely seen in the forefront it has been his support and help that has made it possible for me to volunteer, be involved and contribute over the years. Not only has he bank rolled many of my efforts, he was (and still is) often left to pick up the slack and do double duty. He's a thinker and problem solver, so when I can't see a way or solution I can always count on him to find one. He is smart kind and generous, making him a perfect role model for our children, even if they don't know it yet. 

Cost-Benefit Analysis: Attending @BConnectedConfer - An Investment in My Professional Development.

Why Attend the BConnected Conference? 

Prior to my 20 year career as a SAHM I worked in banking, so doing a mental balance sheet and cost-benefit analysis isn't unusual for me. It's certainly a worth while exercise for any business investment including contemplating attending a blogging conference. With the BConnected Conference fast approaching I'm once again thinking about the benefits (many of which are intangible) compared to the time and financial investment to attend a conference.

The concepts of a cost-benefit analysis are pretty straightforward and applying them to attending a conference such as the BConnected Conference helps me to easily see the whole picture. 

In my opinion investing in my professional development always ends with a net gain even if the gain is not immediately realized. 

1. List all potential options.
2. List the potential costs and benefits in a common currency in order to compare and analysis.
3. Compare and analysis the costs and benefits, including possible positive and negative impact on both the participant and non participants, and risks. 
4. Brainstorm over possible ways to increase the benefits decrease the costs and reduce or minimize the risks.

Costs:

• the cost of the BConnected Conference ticket (there are a variety of ticket promotions and options that may reduce this costs).
• cost of the hotel (special rate available until April 1st)
• misc expenses such as parking. 
• meals.
• travel expenses (airfare, gas, train, etc).
• time away from family, and potential child care costs.
• cost of or potential loss of income for time off work for travel and the conference.
• risk of stepping outside your comfort zone. 
• risk of experience not being what you expected. (this risk as well as the comfort zone risk can be reduced by some research into what to expect, managing expectations, and putting mechanisms in place before hand).
• Note: some of these costs may be eligible to claim on tax return to offset expenses against earnings and thereby reducing the overall costs of attending.

Benefits:

• an opportunity to engage with and be part of a group of follow bloggers in real life including the BConnected Team. (chance to establish support groups, mentors and potential partnerships).
• a full schedule of excellent speakers and panels to learn from. (an investment into your professional development).
• an opportunity to network with brands, sponsors and other bloggers (chance to brand and showcase yourself, make contacts that have potential to lead to increased sales income and partnership opportunities).
• a chance to step outside of your comfort zone. (it is important to grow, and challenge yourself. This can sometimes be difficult when your job is mostly online).
• a chance that even if it is not what you expected it may be even better. (there is always something to be learned and to take away from each situation. Manage expectations and then be a sponge and take all the good from this experience you can).
• increased social media exposure. (it is easier to do this when a group is sharing on social media under a specific hashtag, and increased engagement).
• a clear message that you are taking yourself and your blog seriously enough to invest the time and money into making it better. (by an actual monetary investment in you and your blog you are demonstrating to yourself and others both are worthy of that investment).
• the expenses can be potential tax deduction or offset to earnings.
• provides a legitimate reason to get the much needed business cards you have been putting off. (you definitely need business cards for a conference).
• a chance to feel part of a community. (you will never read a tweet the same once you have met a person in real life. It changes the relationship and in my experience it changes for the better).
• a way for others (non participants aka friends and family) to see that this is a job, not just a hobby. When you are at the computer you are not "playing on twitter" you are a brand and business and should be treated as such).
• a chance to get away on a business trip at a beautiful venue that doesn't have to include family, but can if that is what works for you to increase benefits and reduce costs.

BConnected Conference 2015 will be my 5th blogging and entrepreneur focused conference and 

for me the biggest benefit for attending a conference is it forces me to decide whether I am serious about this or not. Nothing like a cash investment to get you to focus. 

Three months after I started blogging I attended my first conference. It was terrifying but it also changed everything; not just how I and others looked at my blog but also how I looked at myself. I saw all around me strong independent men and women doing their thing and that was inspiring. I also realized by talking to others at these conferences there were quite a few who saw me the same way; strong independent and doing my thing.

Update for 2017: 

The BConnected Conference 2017 is being held April 22-23, 2017 at the Renaissance Toronto located in the heart of downtown Toronto. Isn't it time for you to look at the benefits of investing in your own professional development. In my opinion the benefits far outweigh the costs. 

For some links to posts and resources about attending a conference take a minute to read:

• Worth The Read: Countdown to a Blogger Conference 
• Conference #2 under my belt. BConnected Conference - Different but equally great.
• A Plan to Attend vs Planning to Attend a Conference: Budgeting for a Conference
• 6 Essential Tools to Pack for a Conference: #What2Pack

Be sure to subscribe to the BConnected Blog and follow BConnected Conference on twitter and BConnected Conference on facebook to stay up to date on all the news.

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about the BConnected Conference.

Note: I am part of the BConnected Conference 2015 Community Outreach Team. As part of that team I received a complementary pass to the conference but am under no obligation to write a post about this conference. All opinions are my own including previous posts on my experience at BConnected Conference 2014 for which I attended at my own expense. 

Countdown to a #Blogger #Conference - Tips for Success #BloggerIssues #WorththeRead

Things to Think About Before Your Next Conference

Blissdom CA 2014 is fast approaching and I am feeling much more confident than last year. BlissdomCA 2013 was the first blog conference I attended and having been blogging for a whole three months I was more than a little intimidated and green as you can see from my post Blissdom post Reflections ... Did I find my Bliss? 

Photo via Blissdom Canada site

It's more than a year later and BlissdomCA 2014 will be my third conference; I have written 204 posts for Cathy Thinking Out Loud, 8 posts for PTPA Blogaholic posts, and several guest posts on other blogs. I'm feeling much more confident going into this Blissdom Conference having Conference #2 Under My Belt. I have a better idea how to prepare for, what to expect and how to manage my expectations so I get the most out of this experience.

I actually wrote this post a year and a half ago, and in April 2016 will be attending my 6th conference BConnected Conference in Ottawa, but all the resources are still Worth the Read. 

I can tell you the prospect of attending a conference where I had only met a few of the attendees in person was more than a little overwhelming. To make matters worse my avatar was a picture of my dog so no one actually knew what I looked like. 

BLISSDOMCA 2014 AVATAR

BLISSDOMCA 2013 AVATAR

Tip #1: Share a picture of yourself prior to the conference so people know what you look like. Speaking from experience, this really is important, especially if this is your first conference, you don't know other attendees, or you're a introvert. 

Tip #2: Get business cards! and make sure that the font is large enough for people to actually read! 

Before:

After:

Below you'll find some posts and resources for preparing for, and getting the most out of your conference experience I think are Worth the Read. I hope they shed some light on the 5 W's (Who, What, Where, When, Why) and the H (How) of blogging conferences. Knowledge is power, and being prepared is your best tool. Hopefully it will give some newbies bloggers the courage to attend a blog conference. No need to limit this reading to newbies; I know that this old dog can learn new tricks and think we can all benefit from these resources. BlissdomCA is mentioned because it's the next blogger conference I'm attending, but the resources and posts linked here provide excellent information that is not limited to any one blogger conference or even any one type of blogger conference. 

• How to Prepare for a Blogging Conference via Tales of a Ranting Ginger
• Ten Tips on What to Bring to a Blogging Conference via Maple Leaf Mommy
• Five Tips for Successfully Attending Conferences via Food Bloggers of Canada
• Bling Out Your Blog: 25 Helpful Resources For Attending A Blog Conference via Kayla Aimee Writes
• Bloggers IRL: Get the Most Out of Blogging Conferences via The Daily Post

If you find yourself at a conference I'm attending please say hi and introduce yourself. I would love to meet you IRL (in real life). 

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about what I think is worth the read.