Sponsor Me to Attend BlogHer PRO 14
BlogHer just announced their next conference, BlogHer PRO ’14. It will take place December 3 & 4 in Redwood City. I had a good time attending BlogHer ’14 down in San Jose, but I was left wanting more take-home, actionable items that I could use to build my blog. This conference seems to focus more on that aspect of blogging. Most notably, it promises that I will walk away with a new, professional media kit. This is something I know I need, and would love to have.
Read MoreWhat I’m Bringing to BlogHer ’14
Are you going to BlogHer ’14? I am! This will be my first journey to a BlogHer conference. I’ve been to plenty of conferences in my career, but none that seems as, well, laid back as this one. When I found out that BlogHer is going to be in San Jose this year, I decided that it was a good opportunity to finally go since I’m an hour away in no traffic from San Jose. I’ll be pulling double-duty at the conference as I’ll be representing this here blog as well as my other blogs (Girl Scout Guide and Food Askew) and my day-job, Snow Consulting. I’m used to wearing many hats, so it should be a breeze!
Because my co-worker, Ginette, will be coming from Las Vegas, and I don’t care to commute, I’ll be staying with her at the Hilton San Jose, conveniently connected to the San Jose Convention Center. Of course, I have the advantage of being able to pack full size items in my bag, but generally speaking I still won’t. I keep a full set of small travel sized toiletries in my suitcase for travel, and I don’t really feel the need to tote a lot of stuff down when it’s not absolutely needed. Of course, I’m bringing the usual toiletries, clothing, etc. but these are some suggestions of things you might not have considered bringing.
Toiletries
- Julep Mint Condition Pedi Crème – My feet take a beating at conferences, so I like to have a good foot cream that soothes that ache to put on before bed.
- Julep Doublestep Foot Treatment and Friction Stick – I just got this in my July Julep Maven box and I love it. I have wide feet, so it’s awesome on the wider areas that rub the most and take the biggest beating when doing a lot of walking.
- Tea Tree Oil Foot Wipes
– For the same reason as the creme, I like having the wipes handy in case I need a quick foot refresh during the day when I run back to the room for something I inevitably forgot, but really need!
- Dry Shampoo – Always good to have for a quick hair refresh if there’s just no time for a full shower. I like the new Herbal Essences Naked Dry Shampoo.
Office Supplies
- Business Cards – this is non-negotiable! You’re going to meet a lot of fellow bloggers and brands. Networking is crucial and business cards are still a must-have item. I trust PsPrint, but by now you don’t have time for that. Even if you have to go to your nearest FedEx Office, Office Depot, or OfficeMax TODAY to have some made, DO IT. It’s totally worth the investment. If you’re on a super tight budget, buy the kind you can print yourself. They’re better than nothing and a missed opportunity.
- Tablet – I like my iPad because it fits into my stylishly huge purse and it’s easy for quick internet usage if there’s WiFi (I have a WiFi only model) and convenient to look up stuff as a speaker is talking and take notes.
- Notebook & Pens – Because some speakers speak WAY too fast to be able to get everything typed out on that screen keyboard! So I personally find it faster to write things down sometimes. Being Back to School, notebooks are super cheap right now at most stores. Personally, I’ve been using the same composition notebook since 2007 for all my conference notes!
- Nikon D5000 DSLR – Complete with extra batteries, different lenses, monopod, battery charger, filters, etc. Besides being an amateur photographer, it’s always easier to use your own pictures in a blog post instead of trying to get permission to use someone else’s!
- Smart Phone & Extra Juice – My iPhone 4S still works just fine, but in some low-coverage areas the battery can go to hell. So I have one of those USB battery backup chargers AND an external battery charging case, just to be sure.
- Laptop – with cord, mouse, etc. It won’t leave my room, most likely, but I’ll need it for evening work so I don’t get too far behind.
Clothes
- Comfortable Shoes – I love the few different pairs I have of SKECHERS Women’s Work Shoes.
- Cardigan or light sweater – Sometimes conference centers are colder than you’d think.
- An extra of nearly everything – You never know when a glass of wine might get spilled on you and you’ll wish you had another shirt to go change into! It’s worth the room in a suitcase, TRUST ME!
- A Geeky Shirt – This is really only if you’re attending the little geek meet up spearheaded by Williesha Morris (see Facebook group thread). Personally, I can’t decide which fandom to represent. At least I have options. Need one? Try ThinkGeek!
Miscellaneous
- Granola or cereal bars – I always WANT to make it to the provided breakfasts, but sometimes I’m just running too late and I’d rather have a snack with me than have to wait until lunch. Plus, I’m a rather picky eater, so I don’t always like the food that is provided.
- Gum and/or mints – Because no one wants to talk to someone with gross breath. You can never have too many either.
- The nail polish you’re currently wearing – I’ll be wearing some custom Minx wraps, but I always bring my current color of nail polish with me when I travel. I’ve tried several at-home gels and even they are unreliable, so I’m always prepared if my polish chips and I have to do a quick touch up. If you’ve got an elaborate design, I’d stick with whatever color is the base or closest to the tips as that’s the most likely area that might need a touch up while you’re at BlogHer. Don’t forget to keep the polish in a sandwich bag – the bottle is glass and can break, and you’d rather in the unlikely event of a breakage to have the disaster contained, right?
Like I said before, everything else is pretty run-of-the-mill in terms of travel essentials. I used to bring my own water bottle, but I found there was ample water around the conference centers to keep me hydrated. This is the first time I’m going to BlogHer, so I’m glad that I’ll be driving and can easily run to a store to get anything I might forget or, worse case scenario, drive the 60-90 minutes back home if there’s something irreplaceable I forgot at home!
What’s on your packing list for BlogHer ’14?
Read MoreIt pays to have Klout!
Seriously, it pays to blog! Well, mostly in freebies so far! Last month I told you all about the Poshly Custom-Tailored Freebies I received. I’m still giving those products a good testing, so I’ll have reviews for them soon I hope! Since then (okay, and a bit before that) I’ve been paying more attention to Klout, more specifically the Perks section.
Klout has come through with a variety of perks that suit the variety of things I blog about perfectly! First, it was Blowfish for Hangovers. I intended to give it a good try after my planned Halloween shenanigans, but I ended up with a cold so I didn’t drink. I think I’ll be really tying one on at Thanksgiving, so let’s hope I’ll be able to test on good old Black Friday! Check out Blowfish for Hangovers on Twitter!
Next, I was invited to host a #RTGirlsNightIn and provided with a fantastic set of makeup brushes from Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman. My small Girl’s Night was a success and the brushes are fabulous! I haven’t worked with makeup brushes this nice since I was doing stage makeup in college, and let me tell you, it makes a difference! I’m stoked to have these brushes and I think I converted a few of my friends! Check out Real Techniques on Twitter or Real Techniques on Facebook!
Changing gears from beauty products, the next Klout Perk I received was 50 custom business cards from MOO Cards. Again, I’m totally a believer in MOO now! Coming from a background working for a professional printing company for 5 years, I’m very picky about the quality of my business cards and where I get them from. I remember getting a set of cards from MOO when they first came out, back when you could only get the very small cards (I think they’re still in a drawer somewhere in the recesses of my desk!). I’m super happy that the printing looks good, the stock is nice and thick, and even the obligatory Klout logo looks good! More on these in a later post, but in the meantime, check out MOO Cards on Twitter or MOO Cards on Facebook!
Back to beauty, just today I received TWO packages – a Klout Perk from Freeman and my very first Vox Box from Influenster!
The Freeman Perk contained three lovely masks with a great card full of suggestions for creating a Multi-Mask routine for folks like me with combination skin (i.e. oily in some places, dry in others). There’s a Freeman Feeling Beautiful Cucumber Facial Peel-Off Mask, an Avocado & Oatmeal Facial Clay Mask, and a Charcoal & Black Sugar Facial Polishing Mask! The first two I’ve seen on shelves before but haven’t tried yet and the third I’ve plain never seen! I can’t wait to try them out! Check out Freeman Beauty on Twitter, Freeman Beauty on Facebook, or Freeman Beauty on Instagram!
I have more Klout Perks coming to tell you about soon! Check out the brands who were kind enough to send me some stuff to try! You can also give me more Klout by giving me a +K on these topics and check out my Influenster profile too!
Disclosure: I was given complimentary products or samples because I’m a Klout influencer. I am under no obligation to receive the sample or talk about these companies. I get no additional benefits for talking about the product or companies. Affiliate links for the products are contained in this post.
Read MoreThanks, Pro-California Merchants
Seriously, thank you to all the merchants who are based in California that are reaching out to affiliates dropped from other programs to offer their services to get affiliates up & running with their programs. And especially thanks to out-of-state affiliate merchants who are working WITH California affiliates to get through this law and not make the affiliates suffer.
Since I’m keeping a list of merchants dropping California affiliates, I thought it only fair to keep complimentary lists of merchants KEEPING California affiliates. Some of these merchants already have traditional sales tax nexus in California due to physical retail stores. Others have warehouses or corporate offices located within the state. Some, it’s important to note, are services which are not subject to sales tax at all. And still others – in the hardest situations – are choosing to make adjustments internally that will allow them to continue working with their California-based affiliate partners. If you’re a member of these programs, shoot the affiliate manager a hearty thank you for going to bat for their affiliates!
Please let me know if I’m missing any deserving merchants who have reached out to affiliates in California to support them. This list was last updated at 4:25 PM PDT on 8/1/11.
Keeping California Affiliates:
- 4Checks.com
- AC Lens
- AllPosters.com
- Art.com
- Barnes & Noble
- Baseball Rampage
- Best Buy
- Betty Mills
- Biggerbooks.com
- Blurb
- Business Checks
- Buy.com
- BuyCostumes.com
- CampSaver.com
- Carousel Checks
- CCBerries.com
- Checks Unlimited
- Cherry Moon Farms
- Christianbook
- ChristianGear.com
- Clickinks.com
- CPO Outlets
- DeepDiscount.com
- Deluxe
- DesignForYourWine.com
- Drugstore.com
- eBay
- eCampus.com
- eHealth Insurance
- EverythingFuriture.com
- EverythingOfficeFurniture.com
- Expand2Web Small Business WordPress Theme
- Extra Value Checks
- Fanatics
- GearForGoldens.com
- Girly Checks
- GreekGear.com
- GuidoGear.com
- Guitar Center
- Half.com
- Hancock Fabrics
- HappyBidDay
- Homestead
- Inkgrabber
- JoAnn Fabrics
- JustIrishStuff.com
- KelleyFurniture.com
- Kmart
- Knetbooks.com
- KnowEm
- Kodak Gallery
- Koyal Wholesale
- Layla Grayce
- Lot 26
- Loxly Gallery
- Makais.com
- MilitaryGearUSA.com
- MountainReservations.com
- NationalityShop.com
- Netflix
- NewEgg.com
- Office Depot
- Office Max
- Oneida
- PartyBeans
- Personal Creations
- Petco
- PetSmart
- Pets Warehouse
- ProFlowers
- PsPrint
- RavenTools
- RedEnvelope
- Ring Central
- Sears
- SellBackBooks.com
- Shari’s Berries
- Sheet Music Plus
- Shoe Shopping Spree
- Shopping.com
- Softball Rampage
- Spoonful of Comfort
- Surf Fanatics
- Target
- Tax Brain
- Tea Collection
- TheClymb.com
- TheFurnitureParadise.com
- Tiny Prints
- TShirtHub.com
- Viator
- Walmart
- Waxing Poetic
- WicksWorks
- WyzAnt
ASE10 Experience Extravaganza: Monday
Expo Hall Booth Duty, The Best Steak Ever, & Trivia Tweet-Up
After going to bed at a relatively decent time considering I was still battling with a 3 hour time difference, I got up in time to get ready, rush up to grab a little breakfast, and make it into the ballroom for Frank Luntz’s keynote. I have his book, Words That Work, though I haven’t yet sat down to read it. I’ll spare you the details here, as I plan on writing another post with the notes I took, so let’s skip ahead to the FMTC booth. We had a sparse set up, but simplicity worked. Despite issues I had working with PromoPeddler.com, the notepads we ordered came out looking great. And the flyers we ordered from PsPrint were awesome as well. I was sweating bullets for weeks because we had the pieces shipped directly to the hotel, sight unseen, so if they were messed up, so were we. Everything at the booth went swimmingly, and after a long day I was headed out with the Schaaf-PartnerCentric crew for dinner.
This is the part where the food lover in me comes out. Of course, I’m a big girl, so I must love food of all shapes and sizes, right? In reality, I’m actually a very finicky eater with an almost ironic love for Food Network. The night before, I’d passed on going out with the team as they were going to a Greek place, and that’s not for me. So a steakhouse sounded much better. Let me tell you, we went to Rothmann’s Steakhouse and I had a fabulous fillet Mignon. It was, hands down, the best steak of my life. That’s not really saying a whole lot considering I’m just 29 and am accustomed to steak places such as Texas Roadhouse and Black Angus.
After said fabulous dinner, the crew went to a party thrown by Google and I opted to go back to the hotel for some Trivia. Unfortunately, someone forgot to send the Trivial Pursuit disk down from their room, so Drew Bennett came to the rescue with some Mario Kart he had brought with him. Not being the biggest Mario Kart fan, I opted to utilize the room for the free conference WiFi and get some work done. For whatever reason the wifi in my hotel room wasn’t working, so I hadn’t been online and checked emails since the previous Thursday! I was able to get some work done, have a nice impromptu meeting, and even play a couple of heats of Mario Kart before the evening was through. And by the end of the evening, Trivial Pursuit was brought down and extended the evening from 12 am to 1 am. I stayed until the bitter end when they kicked me out… utilizing as much free wifi time as I could before getting back to the grindstone of booth duty the next day.
Please feel free to view all the photos I took in New York: Affiliate Summit East 2010 on Flickr
Read MoreASE10 Experience Extravaganza: Saturday Night & Sunday
Where do I begin? For maybe the first time ever, I don’t have a plethora of post-conference posts planned for this blog. This is mostly due to the fact that the only session I attended, aside from both keynotes, was the one I was speaking in. I spent the majority of my time at this summer’s Affiliate Summit East 10 behind a table talking to people about For Me To Coupon. Nor did I use a single drink ticket provided by the staff! Overall I was able to get some great networking jammed into my time in New York, as well as catching up with old friends from all over that congregate at Affiliate Summits like a family reunion. BUT, let me tell you some great things about the parties I attended & working the show based in the expo hall – something I haven’t done in a couple of years since my days at PsPrint.
Before I go into my long recap, some housekeeping. For the sake of keeping my long recount of the weeks events from overwhelming you, I’m going to devote separate posts to each keynote, my disgust at some things that have become common behavior at conferences, the Audience Conference, & something we like to call Affiliate Super Friends. So keep an eye out for those posts in the next few days…
Saturday Night: ABestWeb.com Reception & Buy.at Black & White Affair
Saturday night, after I was done with the Audience Conference and had some dinner & a nice short rest, it was all about the parties. What lovely parties, put on by some lovely folks! First was the ABestWeb.com reception, put on at Cinema the Brasserie. Don’t be fooled, this was no movie theater – it was a very open feeling restaurant with a small lounge area near the bar that we inhabited. I drank a lovely white wine while chatting with some great people. Appetizers were passed around along with great conversation with other posters from the ABW forums. I was able to put some faces to screen names of a few folks I didn’t know in person, and also able to catch up with some old regulars. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m no where NEAR an old hat on the ABW forums, but I do like the crowd of posters that tend to show up when events are thrown.
Directly after, we walked over to the Buy.at party being thrown at trendy Inc Lounge. I LOVED the interior and vibe of the party when we first arrived. As a new advertiser on their network, Ghirardelli was sponsoring the shindig, so the trays of chocolate desserts were everywhere! There were comfy couches to hang back on, which was very well received by my tired feet after walking there from the ABW party. At the beginning of the evening as people trickled it, it was nice to sit & chat, have some drinks, and talk… but as more and more people showed up, it got very loud and hot and crowded. To me, it turned from chill lounge to something closer to a night club, which really isn’t my cup of tea. So a group of us left a bit earlier than the scheduled end time of the party & headed back to the deli across from the Hilton for some snacks before bed.
Sunday: Podcasting 101, the Meet Market, Newcomers, & ShareASale’s Under the Stars Party
To keep it short, I think our panel, Podcasting 101, went really well. If you were unable to attend, you can view the slide presentation here. My voice was almost gone from yelling to speak to people at parties, but I made it work. We didn’t have many people when the session began, but more filtered in…probably after they bum rushed the ShareASale meet market table to get their party passes first :). We got some good feedback from people, and I hope this finds a life beyond Affiliate Summit via the presentations and videos.
After the presentation and some questions afterward, I booked it over to the package room to grab the flyers & notepads we’d had shipped to the hotel in my name, then upstairs to the Meet Market to relieve Forrest at the FMTC table and deliver the goodies. BIG thank you to an unknown gentleman from Woot.com who noticed my struggle with the three boxes and kindly carried one up to the Meet Market for me! We sat for the remainder of the meet market talking to people about the service, save for one trip I made down to the sundry shop to grab some beverages and the short opportunity I had to walk around. Because most of my time was spent at the table chatting with folks, I didn’t get a chance to check out all the other tables, but I did walk an aisle or two to hit some that caught my eye (both via their products/services and brightly colored swag).
After carrying our materials down to the FMTC booth, I headed over to the Newcomer Program meet up, headed by the lovely Jen Goode. There I met my super newcomer Jennifer from Affordable Style, who opted to gift me with a fantastic purse from one of their brands HandbagHeaven.com. I am very glad that Jennifer seemed to really get a lot of help from what I clued her in on about the summit & she was able to have a very productive first conference and learn a lot about affiliate marketing in general while there.
Instead of dinner, we went straight to the ShareASale Under the Stars party at the Empire Hotel, with a promise of food. We had some difficulty getting a cab in the rain as someone jumped into our rightfully gotten cab, and then had to stand in the rain outside the hotel waiting for the bouncers to let us inside as the line for the elevator was longer than space inside the lobby would allow. As usual, SAS knows how to throw a spectacular party! Despite the rooftop bar location, the venue had rolling awnings so no one was rained on, drinks flowed freely, and appetizers were passed around. The appetizers only seemed to last for about an hour or so as droves of people started showing up. It got crowded quickly, and a couple hours into the party we’d reached capacity and people were being turned away. Some say this is because the bouncers downstairs stopped checking for the SAS party invites and let just anyone in, but I can’t really confirm this beyond people telling me that no one asked to see the pass they had. It’s a shame that people were turned away, but I guess that just means a bigger venue next time! Or, tighter controls on invitations 🙂
Don’t worry your pretty head… there’s more to come when I recap Monday and Tuesday! Please feel free to view all the photos I took in New York: Affiliate Summit East 2010 on Flickr
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