Welcome! C’mon In!

It’s with pleasure and enthusiasm that we welcome you to the SOBCon08 blog.

SOBCon and Utterz announce the
GET MY MESSAGE Contest!!

Do a Commercial for Your Blog, Win a Nokia N95!

SOBCon attendees and all website owners alike are invited to submit a commercial for your blog or webpage to the SOBCon Utterz “GET MY MESSAGE” contest. Entries will be reviewed and judged by SOBCon (Biz School for Bloggers) attendees on Sunday May 4, 2008 in Chicago and one lucky website owner will win a Nokia N95 mobile phone. .

Why Make Your Commercial?
This is your opportunity to tell people why they should visit your site AND you’ll get unbiased advice on how to improve your message and drive more traffic. That, and you’ll get a lot of free promotion by being a featured participant in the GET MY MESSAGE Contest.

How Do I Participate?
Make a short commercial for your blog or webpage using Utterz – no longer than 60 seconds and 1,000 characters. Create your commercial using any combination of audio, video, pictures and text. Then, submit your commercial by tagging it “GET MY MESSAGE Contest” on Utterz.

Some suggestions:

• This is your value proposition. In other words, why do people care about visiting your website?
• Use a combination of media. Record some audio, make a video and upload an image – anything goes!
• Keep it short
• Get creative
• Keep it clean

Oh yeah and be nice!

What Then?
Commercials will be posted on Utterz.com and published to
http://getmymessage.blogspot.com/ so everyone has one place to view them. Before, during and after the event, people are invited to leave replies to each others’ commercials with words of encouragement, praise, or advise. User submissions can be edited based on this feedback right up to SOBCon on May 3 and 4. Please note, only one submission per person!

On Sunday, May 4, SOBCon attendees will have a chance to view everyone’s commercials in work groups. They will narrow the field to a set of 5 finalists based on the lessons learned during SOBCon ‘08. Then, we’ll ask everyone online and at SOBCon to vote on their favorite commercials in real time! The winner walks away with a brand spankin’ new Nokia N95.

For more information about the SOBCon Utterz GET MY MESSAGE Contest, see the announcement at Utterz.com or For questions about the contest or about the Utterz service, email email lizsun2@gmail.com and/or sim@utterz.com.

Friday Open Comment Night!!

Meet us under the stars and the Chicago Skyline.
We’ve hired the “Summer of George” to host Open Comment Night this year. “Summer of George” was designed and built as a party cruise boat. The main salon is fully enclosed, carpeted, and climate controlled. Her interior is elegantly understated offering a 360 degree view from mahogany trimmed windows. We’ll have a bar aft, banquet tables for Open Comment Night snacks, and conversation. No worries, we’ll leave time to visit upper the skyline and the stars.

It’s going to be an incredible Chicago experience! Christine Kane appearing live to open a evening of food, drink, and conversation with folks we admire in the breathtaking beauty of Chicago architecture and the stars.

Karen Hanrahan is pulling together a schedule for the weekend that will include all details of where to meet and what to bring for every event. We’ll email the details to every attendee and post them on the Internet as well.

Meanwhile be prepared for an elegant three-hour tour, without Gilligan, Chicago style.

Online Business Masterminds Meet in Chicago

(Chicago, IL) The Summit Executive Center, at the corner of Lake Street and Michigan Avenue in Chicago, has hosted meetings by the most influential International Brands. On May 2-4, it will be the venue where influence and business meet the technology and masterminds of the Internet. This group of corporate and entrepreneurial online professionals have joined together to offer what some are calling “An Internet MBA in 48 hours.”
It’s 48 hours of social business, social media, and serious conversation by thought leaders about what works on the Internet.

“This year, we’re calling it, Biz School for Bloggers, but it’s about all forms of Internet business and social media. The totally interactive format is focused on building an actionable plan that combines the solid thinking and models of business with the social culture and nuances of the Internet,” says Liz Strauss, the content creator. “Speakers present the most-successful “how-to” model in their field of Internet expertise. Then participants, working in 6-person mastermind teams, collaborate and apply that part of the model to their business. At the end of the day, each attendee has given their business a 360 degree.”

Speaker/presenters include:
Anita Bruzzese from Gannett USA Today, on online reputation management, Brian Clark, Copyblogger, on online business models that work, Lorelle VanFossen of Lorelle on WordPress, one focusing your business to get noticed, Chris Garrett, on managing the editorial, Chris Brogan, on social media and social networking choices that produce, Dave Bullock, on a sales model that converts, Liz Strauss, how to build an irresistible offer and Wendy Piersall on success management.

And the attendees are just as impressive. In the community of business bloggers, this group of professional is defining online business by the conversations and relationships they make every day.
To quote Tony D. Clark about SOBCon07

It’s fitting that a great blogging conference mimics a great blog…

That’s exactly what the beta edition of SOBCon was. And like other really good online betas, it was hard to distinguish from a production version.

May 2-4, 2008, 200+ of the most deeply networked, conversational business bloggers on the Internet will be defining how business works best there. If one evangelist can move a crowd, think of the influence in the single room that is SOBCon08.

The event includes a pre-conference “open mic” night with interactive storytelling. And a Sunday SpeedSpeaking Challenge in which anyone can compete. Sponsors are planning interactive participation, including virtual attendees, woven seamlessly into the event.

SOBCon08 is a one-of-a kind experience. You can find out more at http://www.sobevent.com or call Liz Strauss at 773 619 0371

More Info

See this post for information regarding hotel accommodations.

I’m delighted to share this video taken at SxSW by Jason Falls, Social Media Explorer. It’s short, sweet, and informative.

Would you invest one day of experts, models, and teamwork to build your business around your strengths, your situation, and where you want to be?

Congratulations to Todd Jordan who WON the Plante and Moran / Starbucker Contest. see this post)

SOBCon08 the NEW Conference Model

Part seminar, part conference, part deep networking event, SOBCon08 is even more about YOU!
We’re bringing back what you valued last year, and we’re adding more depth, more coverage, more opportunities. Take a look inside. Here’s some of what’s at SOBCon08 for you this year.

• Enjoy Entertainment & Open Comment Night
  before the information flow begins.
• Build an actionable plan of working models
  presented by experts who use them.
• Share ideas and forge working relationships through the unique integrated team-based approach.
• Show your expertise in the speedspeaking event
  that invites attendees to present their best practices.
• Be part of the most incredible group of participants any conference has ever known.

We’re calling it, Biz School for Bloggers. It’s good to know the business of running a great blog whether you blog for money or entertainment. Check the schedule. No term papers are required.

Whether for love or money, if you blog for readers or community, you’re in the business of blogging. This conference can help you achieve your goals, faster with more confidence, and more predictably.

The INVITATIONS ARE NOW EXTENDED TO EVERYONE! But the number is still limited to keep the experience as intimate as it was last year. That means one room — approximately 250 people. Check out the registration page.

What are you waiting for?
Chicago, we’re coming back again!
Register NOW!!