Category: Blogger Opportunities

Summer Camp Jitters (and why you should attend #AWBU anyway!)

I loved summer camp! From the time I was seven years old I spent at least a week and as many as 8 at summer camp.  I even spent a summer before college serving as a camp counselor.

My whole kid-year revolved around camp.  I thought about it and planned for it all year long.  I would spend weeks prior to camp perusing the isles of CVS stocking up on travel sized toiletries to fill up my Caboodle, gathering Archie Comics and Teen Beat and collecting candy to hide in my suitcase. (Twizzlers and Atomic Fireballs were my favorite!)  I spent hours each night listening to my favorite radio station (Q106) waiting for the best songs to come on so I could hit record on my cassette player and make an epic mix tape that I would play on my “against-camp-rules” walkman that I would sneak in in my pillow case.

I learned how to shave for the first time from one of the “cool” older girls at camp. I met my future college roommate and one of my bridesmaids at summer camp.  I fell in love countless times and even wound up engaged (which was later broken-off…thank goodness!) to a guy from camp.  But most importantly I formed some wonderful friendships and created some wonderful memories to last a lifetime.

But…I’ll let you in on a secret…going to camp was REALLY HARD for me.  I loved it but I was also very nervous about it.  In fact, I was so nervous about camp that I honest-to-goodness believe that I threw up EVERY MORNING of EVERY DAY that I ever stepped foot on the grounds of Ganderbrook Christian Camp.  True story!

My maiden name was Bulissa.  I was known as Julie BARFLISSA for my entire camp career.  Even now, if I bump into someone from my old camp days and they don’t remember me I just say “Barflissa” and they start howling with laughter and memory.  I would wake up so jittery that I was pretty much useless all morning.  I couldn’t even go near the lodge/mess hall until well after breakfast was over as the smell alone would have me retching.    By 9am I was a-okay and ready to go for the day.

Weird? Yes. But weird is my M.O.

Anyway…my point is that sometimes things are difficult but those same things can sometimes have the biggest impact on who we are as people.  Camp really helped mold me and form me into the person I am today.  A lot of who I am was shaped in those early years in the woods of Maine.

One of our goals with Arkansas Women Bloggers Unplugged is to provide that “summer camp” kind of feel.  We will learn some great things from some talented people, we will form bonds with other like minded women and we may even do some arts and crafts! (Morning calisthenics will be optional! HAHA!)  You are not expected to have 5000 facebook fans or to get 30,000 daily hits on your blog.  Even if you DON’T HAVE A BLOG we want you to join us! If your blog has been sorely neglected for the last 4 years, we want you there.  If you have no desire to monetize your blog, we want you there.

Coming to a conference is really stepping out of your comfort zone for a lot of people. Myself included!  It is scary and that’s okay.  I totally get that.  But we want to welcome you with open arms!  So please don’t let fear, jitters, or whatever you want to call it be the reason you don’t attend #AWBU!  You can barf every morning if you want to because at the end of the day it will all be okay!

Learn more about the conference & REGISTER (early bird rate ends on July 31!)

Check out the conference agenda!

Want to learn more?  Follow @ARWomenBloggers and #AWBU on Twitter and register for our Twitter Party on Tuesday, July 24 at 8p CST to interact with other attendees and get the details!

 

Why I Write News (Or, This Week’s Missed Opportunity)

Why I Write News (Or, This Week’s Missed Opportunity)
By Christie Ison
fancypantsfoodie.com

Well, that’s what I get for sitting on a story.

If you follow me on Twitter, you may have seen this tweet from me in February about the 80’s favorite Mr. Dunderbak’s coming back to McCain Mall. Details had come from the owner via Facebook, so I immediately started courting him for a phone interview. He was nervous about saying too much before the lease was squared away and declined.

About a month ago, he finally sent me his phone number. I was sick, then busy, etc. etc. Today, I finally did the interview, only to find that Arkansas Business ran their own story today. Bleh. It may just be food news, but by golly, I hate getting scooped. Especially when I had the info five months ago or so.

Lesson learned, for myself and other bloggers: If you happen across the info on a really great, timely story, it’s worth the effort to write a news-based article. Work to confirm it, just like a good journalist. Then write.the.post. It earns credibility for yourself and for blogging as a profession/hobby/whatever. Writing it before anyone else does — even better.

“But my blog is just recipes,” you might say. Or crafts, or stories about your family. What good does a news-style piece do in your blog? I’ve found the the occasional timely news-style story brings readers in hordes, readers who stick around and read my more casual ramblings. You can do the same with news items that relate, even loosely, to your blog’s emphasis.

My most well-read blog post, which still gets search engine pings every day, is a poorly-written one on Alton Brown and his kooky entrance (and departure, repeat) into the world of Twitter. Is this directly related to my blog mission of local food and resources, and what you can take away to use at home? Not really. But I’m a big fan (or at least, now, a devoted gawker), as are a good many of my readers, actual and potential. News brings readers.

I’ve done several other, more mission-appropriate news stories, too, putting on a more formal journalism hat than my usual silly blogger one. Having a journalism degree puts me at a bit of advantage here, but it’s not a requirement. Learn some basic skills (interviewing, using quotes, inverted pyramid or news feature style, how to properly quote/summarize/rehash other news sources, etc.) and go to town.

As I enter what I believe to be the next phase of my blog, I wonder what to do with these news-type stories. Should I focus exclusively on local, feature-style food stories? Must they all include a recipe? Is there even a place for news-type articles anymore?

For the time being, I’m going to keep writing news. And I won’t wait.

P.S. I’m still running the story, and it’s gonna rock.

You can read Christie’s piece on Mr. Dunderbak’s here.

 

Don’t let the Arkansas Women Bloggers Unplugged Conference be a missed opportunity! Click here to learn more and register today! Early bird pricing ends July 31st!

Top 10 reasons to attend WordCamp Fayetteville

Top 10 reasons to attend WordCamp Fayetteville

Guess what, ladies? WordCamp Fayetteville is coming in July and we think that members of the Arkansas Women Bloggers should be there. WordCamp Fayetteville is the premier technology event in Arkansas. The 2012 conference is July 27-29 in Fayetteville and tickets are only $30.

WordCamp Fayetteville is planned entirely by a grassroots committee that is dedicated to helping make the blogging and website world a better place through the use of WordPress.

Here’s the cool part. Most of the people involved, from the planners to the participants, are not technology gurus. They are much like ARWB members in that they come from all walks of life and have varying technological skills and knowledge.

There are four tracks this year:

  • WordPress 101 (Beginner)
  • Content Creator (formerly the blogger track)
  • Entrepreneur
  • Developer

The whole idea of WordCamp Fayetteville is to learn how to make one’s blog or website better but we wanted to go into more detail about all the reasons ARWB members should register right now for WordCamp Fayetteville.

 

10. Bragging rights-you can say you went to a techie conference and impress all your friends with your smarts.

9. Food you don’t have to cook-the ticket price pays for a great catered lunch (we heard BBQ?) and access to the after party, which has even more fantastic food. Who wouldn’t want to come just for the food?

8. Iceberg-both the beginner’s track pre-conference session and the after party are being held at the Iceberg CoWorking Space in Fayetteville. This will be the perfect chance to check out the new venture and either join or see ideas for developing coworking space in your own area.

7. Get hired-in the previous two years of WordCamp Fayetteville, people have found new employment in various forms including jobs with sponsor companies, new ideas for businesses to start themselves or simply ways to improve and/or monetize their existing blogs.

6. Learn from others-the best part of WordCamp Fayetteville is all the learning that goes on and we don’t just mean in the sessions! People in the WordPress community love to share ideas, help each other troubleshoot problems and discuss their sites. The sessions themselves will be jam-packed with information that will take your WordPress and blogging skills to a whole new level!

5. Make new friends-folks come from all over Arkansas and the surrounding area for this. It’s a great chance to meet new people and make new buddies!

4. Put a face to the Twitter handle-we all have people we follow on Twitter whom we’ve never met in real life. This is the chance! Get to know people beyond the @ symbol (by the way, did we mention that the @wcfay is on Twitter also?).

3. Free stuff-there’s a growing number of raffles, give aways and other prizes that will be available throughout the day!

2. Make your site look/function better-WordCamp Fayetteville will teach skills that will help make your blog or your website function and look a lot more professional and that will help get more followers.

1. Blog brighter and better-the tagline for WordCamp Fayetteville is Blog Brighter! and we aren’t joking. Learn how to write better and attract a larger audience to your blog or website.

 

You can check out their event webpage to learn more about WordCamp Fayetteville and register online.  The deadline to register and still be guarenteed a t-shirt is July 15th so act fast!

And of course don’t forget about our very own Arkansas Women Bloggers Unplugged Conference.  Click here to register for AWBU! Early bird registration for #AWBU ends July 31st.

Arkansas Women Bloggers Unplugged Conference Announcement

You no doubt heard the news last year.  Bloggers from across the Natural State and beyond gathered together for hooting, hollering, bonding, crafting, learning, unwinding and the beginning of many, many friendships.  We unplugged our computers and plugged into nature and each other.  #AWBU became a legend of its own.

You came from El Dorado, Texarkana, Searcy, Fayetteville, Old Washington, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Little Rock, Bentonville and beyond.  Even our neighboring states heard about it – and they came too.  Some of you missed it.  Don’t let that happen again!

It’s finally time for our second Arkansas Women Bloggers Unplugged conference.  This isn’t Blissdom, BlogHer, Blog Sugar or anything like it – and it isn’t meant to be an intense “real” blogger conference.  #AWBU is better: it’s your chance to unplug for the weekend, network with other Arkansas women bloggers, pick up tips, gain inspiration and grow – as a human, and as a blogger.

So, drum roll please……… when and where?

The ARWB Gals - Beth, Stephanie, & Julie

Friday, August 24 (arrive between 5 & 7ish) – Sunday, August 26 (after brunch)
at The Ozark Folk Center State Park
in Mountain View, AR.

This year you have another opportunity to experience our unique conference style.  We will have the opportunity to connect with our Arkansas and Ozark heritage as we converge on the Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View, Arkansas.  Will wifi be available? Yes but… We will challenge you to disconnect, just for a bit, to build friendships, learn how the art of storytelling can improve your blog, eat delicious food, sip some wine and pick up some great techniques that you can take back to your blog after the conference is over. AND…the rumor is there may even be traditional jig dancing!

So… plan now to just do it.  Step away from the screen.  You can do this.  We’ll have an idyllic setting and real, live, face-to-face connections with other bloggers and inspiring speakers to fuel and refresh you to return home ready to face it all.  You know, the work – the play – the cooking – the cleaning – the amazingly improved and refocused blogging.

Who: Women bloggers (and would-be bloggers) in Arkansas and beyond
When: Friday, August 24 (arrive between 5 & 7ish) – Sunday, August 26 (after brunch)
Where: The Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View, Arkansas
Cost: Pre-registration is $135/person before July 31. After August 1, it is $150.

Cost includes meals, speakers, activities, and park admission to craft grounds and concerts.  Lodging is additional, we have arranged some special conference rates. An optional Foodie Friday program will be offered from noon to 5p on Friday – details coming soon!  Optional Sunday Craft add-on and Ropes Course options also available.

Lodging is the responsibility of the conference participant and is not guaranteed with conference ticket purchase.  A block of rooms has been reserved in the Dry Creek Cabins located on the Ozark Folk Center State Park grounds and will be available on a first come, first serve basis.  The cost for a room with two queen beds will run approximately $77.00 per night.  We highly encourage you to get together with other conference participants and share a room to help lower the cost (yep, $38.50  night).  Rooms holding more than 2 people will incur an additional $10 charge per night.  Participants must call 1-800-264-Folk (3655) to reserve rooms.  Please indicate that you are with the Arkansas Women Bloggers group.  The Folk Center can take care of split billing for you.  Other lodging options are available throughout Mountain View.  Participants needing a roommate can contact Julie Kohl at Julie@arkasnaswomenbloggers.com for assistance.

HERE’S THE SCHEDULE! 

Click here to register today!

We can not wait to see you in the mountains,
The ARWB Gals

 

Attention Fashion Bloggers! SWAPNISTA Little Rock

Since 2008, SWAPNISTA has been Atlanta’s premiere fashion swap. It is a chic, savvy way for women to network, swap fashion, shop and get pampered, all while supporting a local charity.

Founded by Keren Charles, a fashion blogger, style expert and thrifting diva, SWAPNISTA has helped hundreds of women experience the benefits of swapping as an alternative to thrift shopping or consignment shops. We transform the venue into a Girls Night Out atmosphere, to include:

The Swap Room- Once-loved fashion from attendees; donations from retailers and designers.

The Style Wars- A Fashion Show & Style Competition featuring local fashion bloggers.

Philanthropy-  Unclaimed items and/or a percentage of proceeds benefit selected charity.

Swapnista Little Rock will happen on June 9, 2012 at Project Runway Alum Korto Momolu’s Design Studio in Little Rock.  Sponsors include Krystal Bijoux Jewelry, So Jaded Makeup, and We Love Colors.

We are seeking fashion and beauty bloggers to strut the runway in the SWAPNISTA Style Wars Fashion Show & Style Competition!

*The Details* We are looking for 12-15 bloggers to showcase five of 2012’s top spring trends:

-Color Block
-Tribal Print
-Florals
-Neon
-Peplum

The winner will receive The Coveted Clutch designed by the Spoiled Diva.  Any bloggers interested can sign up HERE.

#Bean2Blog: Meet Your Community

#Bean2blog P. Allen Smith
Photo credit: Kelly Stamps

Written by Lyndi of nwafoodie

Today I want to talk about community.

Merriam-Webster defines community as “a people with common interests living in a particular area.”

I think I can safely say that we all joined the Arkansas Women Blogger’s community specifically for the reason that it gives us access to each other. Access to discover who is in our backyard.

We are here to learn, grow, share, and build on that community.

Last Tuesday, I had the extreme pleasure to meeting seventeen other Arkansas women bloggers at P. Allen Smith’s Moss Mountain Garden Home just outside of Little Rock at an event called #Bean2Blog. The Arkansas Soybean Board selected a cross-section of female bloggers from Arkansas to come to the farm and learn about the benefits of the humble soybean, one of Arkansas pride and joy bushel crops.

To say that we learned a lot that day on the farm would be an extreme understatement. Each one gathered knowledge in their unique way and then shared that knowledge by their own unique voices.

I loved meeting those ladies and wanted you to meet them, too.

Pour yourself a nice cool drink and pull up a chair or get comfy on the couch. Today you’re going to meet the #Bean2Blog ladies and hear their unique voices about the event. You are going to swoon over P. Allen’s gorgeous farmhouse and post a billion Pinterest photos for inspiration. You are going to laugh and fall in love with a real Arkansas farmer and immediately want to be adopted into his family.

You are going to want to hear all of their stories. I guarantee you will find a friend or two in the process.

I know I did.

Here’s a bonus. Some of these lovely ladies may be in your very own backyards.

Just waiting for you both to “meet” each other.

Enjoy the tour.

Northwest Arkansas Region
1. Stephanie McCratic, Evolved Mommy, “That’s Soy Controversial”
2. Lela Davidson, After the Bubbly, “Beans, Bloggers, and Big Ass Vegetables”
3. Amy James, Our Everyday Dinners, “Part IV. The People, The Boots.”
4. Kelly Stamps, Kellys Korner, “My Day at Moss Mountain”
5. Lyndi Fultz (me), nwafoodie “Learn, Share, Teach, and Continue Building on Lessons”

Northeast Arkansas Region
6. Sara Bird-Bogner, East 9th Street, “I’m a Little Country at the Garden Home Retreat”
7. Anita Stafford, Aunt Nubbys kitchen, “Bean2Blog 2012”

Central Arkansas Region
8. Alison Chino, Chino House, “Soaking it all in”
9. Ashley Ederington, The Ederington Family, “The Inaugural Bean2Blog Event”
10. Jerusalem Greer, Jolly Goode Gal, “ Soy Joy Pt2 Mucking Around the True Love Tree”
11. Johnice Hopson, Wynns Folly
12. Christi Ison, Fancy Pants Foodie
13. Tara Johnson, Taste Arkansas, “Bean2Blog”
14. JoBeth “Boots” McElhanon, Boots McBlog, “The Little Things, Part 2. The Farmhouse”
15. Kricia Palmer, Palmer Home, “A Simpler Life”
16. LaTonya Richardson, 40s, Reasons to Live, Love & Laugh Out Loud, “The Miracle Bean”
17. Cara Wilkerson, Living the Home Life, “Life Outside the Construction Site: Moss Mountain Farm”
18. Fawn Rechkemmer, Instead of the Dishes, “P. Allen Smiths #Bean2Blog Part 1”

Happy Reading!
Lyndi

Lyndi of nwafoodie is a girl who just happens to live in beautiful Northwest Arkansas. Much of her blogging inspiration comes from this gem of a place she refers to as the proverbial land of milk-and-honey. Read about her in the ARWB January 2012 blogger of the month autobiography.


When Bloggers Take Over the Universe – Food Blogger Bake Sale

On Saturday, April 28, bloggers will take over the universe!

Well, not really. But at least Arkansas. Sort of.

On that day, Arkansas Women Bloggers will hold their Spring Meetup at Historic Arkansas Museum in Little Rock. At the exact same time, bloggers across the United States will be taking part in the third annual Food Blogger Bake Sale, benefiting Share Our Strength in their fight against childhood hunger.

Christie Ison of Fancy Pants Foodie is chairing the event for Arkansas, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 6th and Main Streets in North Little Rock, adjacent to the Argenta Certified Arkansas Farmers Market.

Organized in 2010 by Gaby Dalkin of WhatsGabyCooking.com, the national Food Blogger Bake Sale features food bloggers from across the country who unite to support the cause by holding bake sales in their states on the same day.

Last year, the Arkansas team raised over $1,000 with our first sale ever, and every dime went to support awesome Share Our Strength programs such as No Kid Hungry and Cooking Matters.

“Oh, no,” you say, “I’ll be at the AWB conference all morning and can’t participate.”

Au contraire, I say! You can double your blogger prowess that day by doing one or more of the following:

  • Bring some baked goods (smaller, individually-wrapped items work best) to the conference. We’ll have a runner bring them to the sale. No, a runner in a car, silly. Contact me  (christie@fancypantsfoodie.com) first so I can add you to the list and give you some tips on labeling and such.
  • Stop by after the conference and buy some goodies. You can take the Blue Line River Rail trolley from the museum ($1 if under 65, 50 cents if over) and get off at Stop #1 in the Argenta area of North Little Rock. Have lunch at Argenta Market or Starving Artist Cafe, then come by and see us.
  • Post something on your blog about the Food Blogger Bake Sale. I can provide copy and/or badges to help you promote this important event.

You don’t have to be a food blogger to participate. If I get your food donation confirmed by April 2, your blog name will be included in news releases about the event.

Thanks so much, and happy world-ruling on April 28!

Donation Packaging Instructions:

Donations need to be individually wrapped, preferably smallish things like cookies or cupcakes, or smaller cakes. Full size cakes are OK but don’t sell as well, and are harder to wrap. Packaging should be clear and ready to go with the buyer.

Pretty tags, labels, ribbons, etc. are encouraged. We may even do a get-together sometime before to make pretties.

Computer labels are the easiest. Label needs to have what it is, who made it, and any blog address. It can link to the recipe if it’s on the blog.

Additionally, there is no need to price your items.  They will take care of that for you!

Don’t forget to email christie@fancypantsfoodie.com to let her know to expect your donation.

 

Bloggers + Arts Organizations

Bloggers+ arts organizations
Written by Jodi of Everything and a Racehorse.

There’s a scene in the 80’s classic movie, Beaches, where a fledgling theater company opens a show and has a post-show party. Mid-party, someone runs into the theater with a pile of newspapers, just hot off the presses, and everyone devours the reviews. Lines from the reviews are quoted, and they include lofty philosophical posturing and big words designed to make eloquent cultural statements. The reviews are good, so everyone is happy, and the star actress goes on to a successful career on Broadway.

When I entered the arts administration world a few (ok, 11) years ago, the tradition of the theatrical review was still more common than not. The Beaches scene wasn’t actually that far from the truth. A show opened a multiple week run, and on opening night, a reviewer or critic came to the show and wrote a review that was published the next day. If it was good, sales went up, and if it was bad, the marketers buckled down and designed a plan to convince everyone that the critic/reviewer was wrong.

Much has changed since then. In most places, including Northwest Arkansas, where I live and work, reviews in the newspaper are a thing of the past. Our dogged arts reporters try to keep the tradition alive by posting online reviews and blog entries, but they certainly don’t have the influence of vaunted arts critics like Ben Brantley of the NY Times or Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times, and even those legendary reviewers are becoming less important in the average consumer’s decision to attend an arts event.

Opinions vary on if this is a good thing or not. Here’s an emotional article from someone who believes the latter, but many believe that in the age of facebook and instant (and often anonymous) comments, audience feedback is the most powerful tool marketers can harness (here’s an example of what I’d call “extreme patron reviews”).

The debate about the demise of the theatrical review will likely continue, but what does this mean for the average blogger? It actually means great things, because marketing types like me are always searching for new ways to connect to our potential customers, and popular blogs can be an excellent way to meet this goal. At Walton Arts Center, we’ve enjoyed some fun partnerships with blogs and bloggers over the past few years, to the point where creating a promotional giveaway for certain very high traffic blogs is just a regular part of our marketing efforts.

So, if you’re a blogger with a pretty good following (ie, more than just your parents and close friends), and you have a love of the arts, you might consider blogging about the art that you see and experience. Depending on the philosophy and marketing tactics of the arts organization, you might find yourself with opportunities to get free tickets or early access to shows, or have your blog featured on the social media platforms of those organizations.

Here are some tips about how to form a partnership with an arts organization:
1. Don’t be afraid to call us or email us; we’re pretty busy, and it might take a time or two for us to be convinced you’re the real deal (see #2), but if you are, we’ll definitely get back to you.
2. Know your statistics, and who’s reading your blog, and try to determine if they match the organization’s target demographic
3. Offer to blog about a show, or host a giveaway, in advance of the performance date
4. If it’s a show with multiple nights, offer to come on “press night” and post a “review” the following day
5. Put a link to the organization’s main site, and their blog site, on your blog (simple, but valuable!)

If you do decide to do a “review”, you’ll endear yourself to the arts organization if you:

1. Do your homework; know the kinds of shows you like and can talk intelligently about, and read reviews from other critics
2. Be professional in both your praise and your criticism, and don’t make it personal if you disagree or dislike something you see or experience
3. Try to say more than “I liked it,” or “I hated it.” Try to reflect on the audience and the context in which the performance happens (ie, did the audience seem to engage with the content, did it speak to larger issues in the community and society?)
4. Ask lots of questions of the marketing staff; we love to talk to you and brainstorm with you.

Most of all, have fun and be open to new ideas. Marketers are really interested in the audiences you are speaking to, especially if you’re a trusted voice in your readers/subscribers lives.

Jodi is a former actress/producer turned arts administrator who looks to blogging as a creative outlet since she’s no longer on or backstage. Originally from New England, she came to Arkansas by way of Wisconsin, collecting a master’s degree in business (and an appreciation for mild winters) along the way. She currently lives in Fayetteville with her shelter dog, Sadie. She spends her days as Vice President of the communications department at Walton Arts Center in downtown Fayetteville.  You can hear Jodi Thursdays during the noon edition of Ozarks at Large on KUAF 91.3FM and can check out her personal blog at http://carominus.blogspot.com/.

Meet One2One Network and BlissDom Co-Founder Barbara Jones

PRSA Arkansas is bringing Barbara Jones, founder and CEO of One2One Network and co-founder of the really popular BlissDom women’s blogging conferences, to Little Rock. She will speak to the PRSA group on Friday, July 15 at the Little Rock Club.

She is going to meet local bloggers the evening before, Thursday, July 14, at 6:00 p.m. for drinks and chatting. How very cool is that!

If you are interested, contact Natalie Ghidotti  at natalie@ghidotticommunications.com, she will give you more information.

Barbara Jones Bio:
Barbara Jones is the founder and CEO of One2One Network, a leader in the women’s word-of-mouth marketing space.

Barbara developed the concept for One2One Network in 2007 when she noticed a lack of resources to reach adult women and moms through her marketing efforts for Columbia Records. The mother of three decided to venture out on her own to achieve her goal of reaching women like herself where they really were. In January 2008, Barbara established O2O to give women an opportunity to share information about new products and services with their friends, family members and colleagues.

One2One Network is made up of women in the U.S. and Canada between ages 18 to over 55 from various backgrounds and in a wide array of life stages – from career and entrepreneur newbies to seasoned corporate veterans, from first-time mothers to mom ‘experts,’ and from the simply computer savvy to social media mavens. The common bond between the 12,000+ members is their love of discovering new products and deals combined with the innate desire to share information.

Prior to founding One2One Network, Barbara spent 20 years in marketing, sales and distribution in the music industry creating successful campaigns for a wide variety of artist and soundtrack projects. Her prior positions included senior vice president of marketing for Columbia Records and senior vice president of marketing for Warner Bros. Records among others.

Barbara is also the co-founder of one of the top women’s blogging conferences called BlissDom. Located in both the U.S. and Canada, BlissDom is a partner in the integrated brand agency, Blissful Media Group.

Call for Proposals – AWB Unplugged Conference

The dates are set, and now we need your help!  The Arkansas Women Bloggers Unplugged mini-conference will be held June 10-12.  We KNOW you’re planning to be there anyway, so why not propose a presentation, workshop, or panel discussion?  We’re looking for bloggers who are willing to share their knowledge, trials and tribulations, and personality with us!  This is a great opportunity to get yourself and your blog in front of a prime target audience – your peers! Here’s what we’re thinking:

  •  Sessions will be about 50 minutes each
  • This is an unplugged conference, so we don’t want any coding tricks or design concepts.
  • What we do want is proposals for sessions in the areas of blog photography, making money with your blog, topic generation and writing tips, PR & marketing, personal branding, honing your message/goals, and whatever other non-techie topics you think your peers need to know about
  • Panels are encouraged, as long as panel members have diverse perspectives. (Panels may be given longer session time)

If you would like to present at Arkansas Women Bloggers Unplugged, please send a short description of your proposed session (one paragraph will do just fine) along with your name and blog address to arkansasbloggers@gmail.com.  Deadline for proposals is April 15th.