A strong finish for Blogworld Day 3

Blogworld went out with a bang. The last day was filled with informative and helpful sessions. I'm leaving Vegas  today with a full list of action items to implement when I get home. Here are some highlights from Day 3.

Morning Keynote: The 7 harsh realities of blogging for bucks - Darren Rowse,  Brian Clark, Sonia Simone

#1: Free is not a business model. The more information you give away for free, the more people will tend to buy. If you give away 90 percent free, they are more likely to pay for the final 10 percent.

#2: The push-button Internet Cash Machine is on the fritz. The Internet is capable of helping you make money, but only if you build things that are real and meaningful to people.

#3: You are not scaleable. Set boundaries for how you connect with people. Do connect and engage, but you don't have to sacrifice yourself to social media.

#4: No one actually wears that much authenticity. Don't share everything (for example, things that are boring or make people not want to do business with you). People who do it right maintain their authority.

#5: Social media hates selling. But you have to sell to have a business. The trick: People don't trust what people say about yourself, you have to find other people to market for you. Great content will eventually sell itself.

#6: A blog is not a business. If you want your blog to be a business, start thinking about your blog as a business today and make that your goal.

#7: No one is reading your blog. There are so many blogs out there on your topic and sub-topic. You don't have to attract every person on the Internet, just a small focused group of readers that are into what you write. Be entertaining and useful.

Being an effective community manager - Betsy Aoki, Betsy Weber

Forrester Influencer Model - ways to create mass-influencing advocates.

Minute-by-minute demands of social media come with the job, just part of the evolution of the role of a community manager.

Thick skin helps. Have the ability to laugh at yourself because people can be very rude to you online. Goes with the territory.

From Jobbies to businesses: Strategies for Irresistible Success - Carol Roth, Liz Strauss, Terry Starbucker

Three types of businesses: Jobbie (hobby disguised as a job or business); Job-Business (a business entirely dependent upon one or two people); Bona-Fide Business (a business not dependent upon any one person for its success and longevity).

To get from a job-business to a a bona-fide business, you have to build something sustainable.

Five behavior changes for success: 1) Know why you are in business. 2) Think big. If your goal is achievable, think bigger. 3) Value your time. Don't be a business slut (why by the cow if the milk's for free?). 4) Be irresistible. Offer something different/special to customers. 5) Stop doing everything yourself! Even if you are in business by yourself, have partners and service providers.

Wow, this has been a fantastic conference. I'll be making some changes for both Reina Communications and my Greater Good Life blog. As I make these changes, I'll share them with you on the blogs. I hope these tips from Blogworld help and inspire you as well.