Why I Attend the Savvy Blogging Summit (from blog to business)

This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission when you make a purchase at NO additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our site in this way!

I’m in Atlanta this weekend for the Savvy Blogging Summit 2012 – a conference designed to help equip you in turning your blog into a business.

Yes, I started this blog years ago as what I thought would be an easier and much more streamlined way to let my friends know when to find a good deal and how get to Disney at the cheapest time of year.

Little did I know just how much work that ‘simple’ idea would be!

Don’t get me wrong – I LOVE what I do.

Well, maybe not the strange looks when I tell 93.7% of the world that my full-time profession is ‘blogger’…they look at me strange and act like I play on Facebook all day while watching Top Chef marathons (well, maybe the Top Chef marathon part is right).

But that aside, I realized about year two into blogging that if I was going to continue blogging, I would either have to find a way to make money to rationalize the time spent doing all the research and writing

OR

just quit.

I’m not a quitter.

So here I am. 2012. Actually making a living from my blog. Well, maybe not so much from my blog per se, but from the opportunities I’ve created as a result of having an online voice.

You’ll notice there aren’t a lot (if any) ads on my site. I don’t think they’re pretty and can be distracting. Honestly, I probably don’t have the volume of traffic or the type of blog that would make me much money even if I did have ads pasted all over my site (no offensive if you do…some of my favorite bloggers do and it works for them…it just hasn’t for me).

So I’ve learned to simply focus on what I am good at, which over the years I’ve funneled into 3 categories:
1. Writing
2. Teaching
3. Speaking

Since I’ve realized that, I’ve been able to now have a traditional media presence, both on TV & Nationally Syndicated Radio. I’ve also been able to put my Masters in Communications to use to partner with brands I love in unique ways to both introduce them to you as well as bring you some great deals and giveaways.

That being said, I’m here at the Savvy Blogging Summit for a number of reasons:
1. To learn what it takes to further build my personal brand
2. To learn other blog ‘stuff’ I don’t know
3. To connect with bloggers I know & respect, as well as meet others and get to know more about how they do what they do
4. To connect with brands and find out the ways in which they are looking to partner with bloggers
-And perhaps most importantly-
5. To remind myself I am a businesswoman who is actively pursuing my passions while contributing to my family in a unique way

For those of you who just come here looking for a deal or are checking in on the latest with our family, this may not matter to you. But I pledged long ago to be as transparent with all of you as I possibly can through this medium I get to share on each day. That being said, I want to try to de-mystify this blogging world in whatever way I can.

Bloggers may not be the traditional way of marketing, but I guarantee we are the modern marketing machines that brands should get to know.

We have an audience, we love our audience, our audience trusts us, and we would never do anything to jeopardize that relationship.

If I like something, you’ll hear about it. If I don’t like something, you’ll hear about it.

If I’m struggling in my relationships, I want to share that with you to get feedback. If I find something that works great with our family, I want to scream it from the rooftops so it will help your family too.

In a nutshell, that’s why I’m here. Consider it continuing education, consider it a girls’ weekend, consider it a business trip – whatever you call it, it’s necessary. It challenges me, it teaches me, and more importantly, it makes me take a step back and analyze whether or not I’m on track with my mission, vision & goals.

I never take your presence here for granted. Are there any questions you have for me when it comes to blogging or how to turn blogging into a business?