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This post is a sponsored post opportunity from BlogHer. All opinions are my own. I signed up for this opportunity to bring my readers a great opportunity and to help connect more bloggers!

 

 


 

Kerry Washington is the Key Note speaker for BlogHer'14!
Kerry Washington—a keynote speaker for BlogHer’14!

I’ve been blogging her on A Well Crafted Party for just over 4 years now. I’ve done blogging part-time & full-time. Blogging is now such an integral part of my life now that has provided myself and my family with opportunities that I could have never dreamed of being able to part-take in. But, most of all, it has brought some of the most amazing PEOPLE into my life.

When I started blogging I never thought that it would take me away from my computer and out into the world so often. Moreover, that going out into the world more often would help take my blogging to the next level! It is funny how those things go together, isn’t it?

“Blogging” is one of the main content areas that I provide here on the blog, because… lets face it, often BLOGGERS are some of the best blog READERS. I like to provide the tools and opportunities that have been helpful for me in my blogging journey including Portland-area meet-ups, blogging tips, and blogging printables. I’m really excited to be able to also share a little about this year’s BlogHer Conference and a link to some discounted passes, because let’s face it, networking is an important (and fun!) part of the blogging world and BlogHer is one of the best ways to get yourself into a room with a plethora of other bloggers and brands.

****Get your conference passes (with a discount) by clicking on the following link to the BlogHer’14 Eventbrite page.****

More about BlogHer’14:

  • The BlogHer Annual Conference turns 10 years old this year! (What!?!)
  • Dates: July 24-26, 2014
  • Where: San Jose Convention Center in San Jose, CA
  • They’ve got childcare covered. “We are proud to announce Childcare at BlogHer ’14 in San Jose! We have once again partnered with KiddieCorp and are offering childcare for all three days—Thursday, Friday and Saturday—at a subsidized rate of $50 per child, per day. “

BlogHer Keynote Speakers of 2014:

  • Arianna Huffington: Arianna is the chair, president, and editor in chief of the Huffington Post Media Group. BlogHer attendees will get the opportunity to hear Arianna discuss the evolution of her business, social media and of her thinking about wellness.
  • Kerry Washington: Ms. Pope… excuse me, actor and activist Kerry Washinton will be speaking about her causes and work and how the social platform amplifies them both.
  • Tig Notaro: Comedian Tig Notaro will share about her brand of comedy. (If you haven’t seen her… she is hilarious. Her talk is bound to be talked about!)
  • Jenny Lawson: The Bloggess returns to BlogHer again this year to tell a story of BlogHer success.If you haven’t read her blog. Do. It is amazing, real, and oh-so-funny.

Why go to a Blogging Conference?

That line-up alone makes me want to go! But, more than that, there will be bloggers, brands, parties, and many different classes to help with blogging skills! The opportunity to not only hone your skills, but to also have the opportunity to meet the brands and fellow bloggers that can help get your blog to the next level is too good to pass up.

I am not sure if I will be able to attend this year. But, boy oh boy, I am going to try! Meeting other bloggers and building on my blogging skills are important to me. More than that… I love the opportunity to connect other bloggers together. I have a goal to go to a future BlogHer conference, and then someday, a goal to see my name up on that speaker list too!

Have you been to a BlogHer in the past? Tell me about your experience in the Comment Section!

bh_14_anniversary

Blogger Networking Tips // A Well Crafted Party
Aubrie LeGault Photography

I’m not great at meeting people. I love people. I love the idea of meeting people. But, when it comes right down to it meeting people is hard for me. My palms sweat. I forget words. I feel awkward. Then, after it all, I obsess about each and every conversation and how I responded.

When the Social Events Vice President of Portland Bloggers, a local blogging group that I work on, suggested we have a Speed Networking event I definitely broke out in a sweat thinking about participating in an event where I had to talk to EVERYONE. Boy oh boy, was I sure glad I went though! So many amazing bloggers with great goals, hopes, & dreams. I will be working with some of them in the near future and I can’t wait to bring some of the collaborative efforts to the blog.

The event was held in the gorgeous event space at Cyril’s at Clay Pigeon Winery. Cyril’s provided a wonderful menu of meat and cheese platters. We also got to try some of their amazing Pinot Noir. (Read my past review from a dinner at Cyril’s at Clay Pigeon Winery and check out their cheese club if you are in the Portland area and like cheese!)

Cyrl's at Clay Pigeon Winery Blogger Speed Networking // A Well Crafted Party
Aubrie LeGault Photography

The cool part about this type of event, a “speed dating” style event, is that I had plenty of practice meeting people. I got the opportunity to work on my “elevator pitch” and figure out just how I wanted to represent my blog in about 90 seconds. Portland Bloggers’ provided a great tool for the bloggers at the event to work out a quick pitch about their blog that they could use at the event. It is now yours to download for free! Use it to craft your own Brand Statement and elevator pitch.

Free Printable Branding Statement Worksheet

Five Tips for Presenting your Brand in a Party Situation

1. Be Prepared. Bring your business cards to parties, meet-ups, the grocery store… you never know when you are going to need them! Need a quick, cute design for your cards? Download this free file and get printed though your favorite business card printer. Moo.com helped to sponsor this event and provided attendees with a discount. I received my Moo cards recently and they were a great quality! I get compliments on them constantly. Business cards are a great prop for talking about your business.

2. Practice talking about your brand. This is going to feel weird…. but, you should practice talking about your brand to a mirror, friend, or loved one. Practice talking about why your brand is different than others. Practice talking about your brands in different ways.

3. Ask Questions.  Yes, you need to talk about YOU when you are presenting your brand. But, if you ONLY talk about you then you and your brand will either be forgotten or thought of negatively. Ask questions about the person with whom you are talking.

4.  Find common ground. While asking questions work on finding a common ground. You blog about fashion and the person you are talking to blogs about their kiddo? Chat about blogging platforms, photo taking, etc. You can find common ground with most bloggers out there… work on it. Give them something useful or interesting to help remember you!

5. Gather Contacts & Reach Out After the Event. While you are working hard on promoting your brand go ahead and keep the business cards you’ve been handed. Write notes on them if necessary. Then email, Tweet, Facebook, or Instagram with your new friend!  Well, they aren’t your friend quite yet… but, they could be! They could be a friend, collaborator, promotor, or future business partner.

What are your tips for networking?

The 2018 Blog Planner is Here! Check out new planner and my new website, A Well Crafted Blog.


 

 

Last year I designed a free blog planner with the input of the amazing Portland Bloggers team. I was excited last January to release a free printable blog planner for bloggers everywhere to utilize in organizing their blogs. Since then I’ve connected with bloggers from all over that use the planner! It has been such an amazing tool for myself in my own blog, but also in connecting bloggers with each other!

In my connections with bloggers that use the planner and with my own use of the planner I found several little edits I wanted to make. I’ve been working on these edits off and on over the year and am super stoked to finally release them! There is now not one, not two, but THREE different styles of printable blog planners with the updated planning pages.

Pages included in all three styles are:

  • Cover (2 NEW Styles!)
  • Weekly Blog Planner
  • Monthly Blog Planner
  • Blog Stats Tracking Sheet
  • Blog Post Brainstorming Sheets
  • Blogger Collaboration Sheets
  • Affiliate Networking Tracking Sheet
  • Blog Project Budgeting sheet (NEW!)
  • Expenses and Income Tracking Sheet
  • Blog Goal Sheet
  • Blog Focus Worksheet (NEW!)
  • Blog Sponsor Tracking Sheet
  • Blog Stylesheet (NEW!)

 

Check out the three printable sets:

Traditional Style Blog Planner

Black & White Style Blog Planner

Handwritten Font Style Blog Planner

 

Click HERE to download the 2014 Blog Printables.

 

OR, click here to get your 2018 version! 

 

Want more blogging resources? Check out these great e-books!

(Affiliate links are used below. Affiliate links help pay for the free content available to you on this blog with no additional cost to you my lovely readers! Thank you for supporting A Well Crafted Party)

  • Love blogging, but feel like you are selling your soul a tad to promote brands on your blog? Check out this ebook by Ruth Soukup, “How to Blog for Profit: Without Selling Your Soul”.
  • Joy Cho’s “Blog, Inc: Blogging for Passion, Profit, and to Create Community” is one of my favorite blogging books. I have it in ebook and paperback form (yes, I’m strange) and have many different quotes and tips book marked to look back on when I need a little inspiration.