I just spent four unforgettable days taking in the events and sessions surrounding the 2010 BlogHer conference that was held in NYC. And guys, I had the time of my life.
I connected with so many fabulous people, many of whom do what I “do,” but in a different niche, in a different area… I’ve been truly inspired by so many women, in a myriad of ways.
- Jen wishing Dora a happy birthday at the Nick Jr. booth at BlogHer
One of the many takeaways from BlogHer 2010 was a renewed perspective of the relationships I have with brands. Afterall, without brands and relationships, The Next Kid Thing wouldn’t be the blog that it is.
At the BlogHer sessions, at private events, in the expo or at parties, I met some of the many pr reps I’ve worked with over the years. And in some cases, I hugged and caught up with other pr reps and company reps that I already know and love. You all know who you are. And to the people who approached me and introduced yourselves, thank you. If you’re in the business of connecting with people, it just goes to show you how important an updated profile pic is on Twitter.
As for another takeaway from BlogHer, following a very thought-provoking panel on regulations, I spoke in great detail with one of my good blogger friends about how our professional backgrounds and career experience overlap our blogging endeavors, and that includes our ethics.
I did, in fact, come home with a lot of BlogHer swag. Some of the fabulous products will make great gifts, some of it will make other kids/families happy and of course, my kid will get his fair share of potty training and behavior treats/bribes.
Above all, this swag is intended to start, or in some cases, continue conversations with brands. And I’m certain many of the toys and children’s products I came home with will find their way onto the site or in my Twitter stream. Just like the products that I come home with from brand-hosted events in NYC, I consider these swag bags as tools and editorial inspiration, just as much as I consider them generous gifts from the brands.
That said, I don’t blog for the free stuff. I blog because, like many of my blogger peers, I’m a writer who took a passion and ran with it. The giveaways, events, opportunities and free stuff are added perks. And the friendships and relationships? Yeah—those, of course, mean more than any piece of swag. They’re an irreplaceable byproduct of all of this.
I’ll be sure to elaborate more about my experiences about BlogHer when I resuscitate my personal blog this week, but I wanted to send a huge thank you to my friends for a fantastic time and a much-needed break from the chaos that is my life.
