Paul Colligan – The People And Business Of New And Social Media

Your commitment to the industry speaks loudly. I hope others follow suit. Thank you Leo.

Paul- wonderful post! I was in your session about monetization and truly opened my eyes to a lot of new ideas. More tips on this next year would rock!

Acting like grownups no question… While working for a large financial corporation, I am trying to introduce and persuade social media to the business. I have to get leadership involved, if my leadership was in the closing keynote that would have definitely confirmed a “NO” with social media.

Your vision and passion throughout this expo was extraordinary and I hope to keep in touch with you!

Thanks for everything
Chris

I'm sure Rick will notice your comment and respond accordingly.

Top ten ways to tell you maybe went over the line … at number ten … “construction guys” are walking out on you. Thanks for being honest.

Yes, I agree this is something big #bwe09 that is, next year there should be more sessions with more people involved (the whole social thing in effect) the lighting rounds were interesting too. Next year should it be called New Media or Social Media?

Super post Paul!

This was my third year of attending the New Media Expo in one capacity or another. I’m saving my pennies for next year and hope to be back. Ontario was interesting but there’s so much more than podcasting that needs to be addressed that happened at this conference (blogging and social media – the bigger picture – it’s all part of the direction the Web is taking).

Speaking of racking up bills, I’m a small company and it was not an easy decision to come! …I was telling Chris Brogan I wrestled myself to the floor Thursday night before the conference and both lost and won the fight to come I just knew I needed to be here and I am SO glad I came!

Lastly, yeah, the final keynote; hmmm… Okay… let’s just say that, in my mind, the final keynote should be a wrap-up, a summary and both a visionary and inspiring talk that leaves people on a high, ramped up to go out and conquer and revved up, looking forward to the next conference. This final keynote left me scratching my head and confused as to the purpose of it.

I don’t think you should be taking flak about your comments on the final keynote. I think you should be applauded for your leadership in speaking your mind.

Thanks for this post Paul; it inspired me enough to comment! I’m sure I’ll be seding you next year.

It was great to see you there Paul and thanks for being at my session. I always like workshops that feel more like discussions and less like a monologue.

I've been through the maturation of a couple of industries and there are always growing pains. It's part of the natural process when the players are all trying to find their way and blazing new trails.

On the one hand, you see a lot of people crash and burn. On the other hand, it's fun as heck to have a front row seat to see an industry evolve.

See you soon.

Hi Paul,

I was in attendance at the Blog World Expo and I agree with your evaluation of this year's event. Great event and it and our industry can take it up a couple of notches if we all work together for the common good. I agree the closing event left me feeling out of sorts. Felt it offered no value except that I was happy for the guys doing the Star Wars Spoof on Youtube, having the success they are experiencing.

I also feel we need more concrete and clear information on how to intelligently monetize social media.
Faith
http://www.thenewfutureofnetworkmarketing.com

Paul it was nice to meet you at the event. I am taking all of the feedback in and will provide that to the guys at Blog World. I think they will definitely be listening as well. I'm sure they can use as much help as they can get during this formative time. Thanks for this recap and thoughts.

Blogworld and Internet Media Expo? P

Your session was one of the better ones there (they usually are) and it was nice to see numbers directly associated with names and not “there is this one guy who …” type nonsense. Didn't mean to interrupt but the “discussion” from the audience was getting silly and just had to do something. Thanks for being a great sport.

Paul

Yah, the Chad Vader guys were inspiring and, let's face it, when Hollywood and Silicon Valley stars are encouraging you to act like 13 year olds, it's hard to not get mixed into the fold. Personally I blame the thing on Guy Kawasaki. He's a lot smarter than this.

Before you deliver your summary, give these comments a day or two to finish. As you can see, we've got some important players delivering their two cents here.

Paul

1) Good use of name dropping in your tweet

2) I am one of those who misses some of the venues for networking that were in Ontario. The pool party was great for that on Saturday but the other official parties and many of the unofficial ones were in places where you would get hoarse just trying to talk. I think the show can be in Vegas and still have some of those. Kudos to Todd Cocraine for the RawVoice party where the beers were not $12 and the cokes $6 (Todd paid).

But, all in all I have a great time

Thanks Paul for this post, also for organizing the profitable podcasting breakfast and paying for the cab ride over. I met great people at the breakfast with whom I hope to keep in touch. Overall, attending Blogworld was very valuable for me. I learnt a lot in the sessions, and like I said I spent time with some really great people.

I do think some more information to attendees would help. A small example, I had no idea how to redeem my lunch coupons as a full access pass attendee. Saw a small sign on the Quizno's payment cart, thats how I figured it out. Maybe I missed some information.

I also agree that there should be more networking events that catered to people who don't drink or dance all that well. The tweets about pole dancing were especially intimidating!

That said, again, I think the conference organizers did a fabulous job offering a diversity of learning opportunities. I was so impressed with Rick Calvert's responsiveness pre, during, and post conference. Now, I have a lot to build on post conference.

After attending last year's NME, I was looking very forward to this year's event, and wasn't disappointed. I do agree that I would have liked to have seen a few more of the following:

1. Evening events that are outside of clubs where it's impossible to network. Sure, it's “cool” to have access to these places, but it certainly defeats (or at least seriously interferes with) the networking aspect. I found myself trying to help a few people with their podcast questions (see point #2 below), wile competing with “Lady GaGa” blasting over the speakers Bravo and thanks again to Todd and the RawVoice guys for the Peppermill event. A couple of hours there was worth more than the access to the nighclubs in the casinos

2. More “real-world” and hands-on approaches to some of the seminars. Many people I spoke with were looking for more of the actual “how-to's,” then screen shots of what they, or other people in their network have done monetarily.

3. More vendors int he exhibit hall. I was surprised last year at how few there were, but expected that with the joining of the two events, as well as the growth of “new media” (is it really that new anymore?), that there would have been more booths. Some companies that I expected to see from last year weren't even there, which was disappointing, but certainly no fault of the organizers

I think this event was incredibly beneficial, both in the speaker rooms as well as in the hallways, and I will definitely be back next year. I'd love to see it continue to grow. Thanks to everyone that made it all happen in the rooms, booths and parties and their commitments going forward. See you in 2010.

Tom, you know how much I love case studies. Wouldn't it be great to get everyone to release theirs at the show next year so the more lazy journalists can grab them all in one place?

P

Thank you for a fantastic post Paul. I will be sharing point #3 with all of our potential sponsors and exhibitors =p.

Thank you to Paul, Leo, John and everyone else for your offer of help. WE NEED IT! Let’s start with why we need it. Our concept for this event is to have 50,000 people there, not 500 or 5,000. I am 100% certain that the new media space is big enough to support an event of that size.

Our strength is also what causes one of our biggest challenges; our incredible diversity. Don mentioned that “The execution of the event was much better than I expected but really only seemed to kick into gear a month or two before the event.”

But the truth is we were working our butts off building and promoting this event since the closing day of last year's show. The problem is we were not conveying this info to Don's community effectively. We were trying but just not breaking through the clutter. We need help, we need evangelists in every community you can think of helping us spread the word and getting people mobilized to help build this into the event everyone wants it to be.

Very few people come to BlogWorld & New Media Expo and walk away saying “it sucked”. In fact year after year, more people come up to me and tell me “this is the best event I have ever attended” than any other event I have ever been involved with as an attendee, exhibitor, or organizer. I have been to literally thousands of events. That is not an attempt to pat myself or my staff on the back. Our event is a reflection of, and product of our industry, our attendees, our speakers and sponsors. They drive the focus of this event and make it what it is. This industry is thriving and exploding in size and influence while most other are struggling to survive in this economy.

Completely agree about monetization. This is by far our most popular track and could easily be three or even 5 times the size it is now.

The closing keynote show: I think your criticism is completely valid, but I am going to defend our decision and our guests 100% and at this moment am 100% committed to continuing this as a tradition for the closing keynote. This is why, we had over 120 educational sessions at this years show (not including WordCamp), and we had seven serious keynote talks. The closing keynote was meant to be a showcase for real talent and people who are real success stories in our industry, and end the show with “A Show”. Now admittedly there were some rough spots in our production, but Kevin Pollak is a very successful actor and comedian who has now entered “our world” and embraced it. Having him as a guest was a major coup. Matt and Aaron are freaking rock stars and deserved the forum. Jenny The Bloggess is one of the funniest people on the internet. I am guessing most people who were offended are completely unfamiliar with her. Please go read her blog. http://www.thebloggess.com this is her shtick. She is a comedic genius and I would put her in the realm of a Joan Rivers or Chelsea Handler. She is also very successful.

Her humor is off color, and not for everyone and we should have done a much better job of warning people what they were in for with her.

I didn’t want to get too long winded in any of these replies so I kept them as short as possible. I would love to expand more on this with anyone who wants to email rick@blogworldexpo.com, DM @blogworld or call me 858.309.4747 ext. 102

Thank you again for a great post Paul and thank you everyone who cares enough to comment and help us make this event a showcase for our industry.

Thanks for the quick reply Paul because I almost double commented to tell you I would love to talk to you about #7 ASAP

give me a ring anytime, or DM/email to set up a time. I know how busy you are. For the moment I have a lot of free time on my hands =p.

Rick…..Thanks for defending the decision to close The Blogworld and New Media Expo with “The Blogworld Closing Keynote Show.” I think the decision to make the finale of the event more of an entertaining “happening” was a very valid one.

As you so aptly stated, the conference was FILLED with serious, educational and fact-filled sessions. Not all of them were that well-attended, and some were pretty uninteresting, IMHO. Even the other keynotes were “fact-filled,” so to speak, and included their fair-shares of insights, inspirations, case-studies and visions.

By the time an event like Blogworld draws to a close, I, for one, think it is perfectly reasonable to “lighten it up,” so as to leave the attendees with an “upbeat” attitude about the whole event, and the thought that it was educational, thought-provoking and, yes, FUN as well!

Should the parties at the clubs had music levels far lower so people could network more and do more business? Perhaps. But they were PARTIES, for god's sake, engineered for people who chose to attend them to have some good old FUN, Sin-City-style!

Parties and reveling are a time-tested tradition at Las Vegas conventions of all sizes and shapes. So, to imply that the Blogworld Expo should cast all this aside and not allow for any juvenile or fun-loving antics is simply absurd! Despite what Paul Colligan may profess, very few people attend conventions, particularly in Las Vegas, with the expectation that it's going to be “all business” and “no fun.” Let's get real here, folks!

Should the “Blogworld Closing Keynote Show” have had more “serious” content, or content that, as Paul comments, paints us more as “grown-ups” (that need to “act like it,” whatever that means)? Not at all! Personally, I don't get Paul's point about “acting like grown-ups” and, as one of the producers and the announcer of the show, take a personal afront to the comment.

Further, to brand the Closing Keynote Show as “insulting and damaging” is short-sighted, misses the point, and is, simply, unfair.

Paul should know that all the people involved with this keynote event are, in fact, adults themselves. Each and every one of us (myself included) has had a significant degree of success in new media, mainstream media, or both. We didn't achieve this success merely by acting like slackers or juvenile “potty mouths.”

And, while we're on the subject, agree with it or not, there is now a totally valid and justified place for “adult” language and humor in ALL media. Just take a look or listen to Howard Stern on satellite radio, or just about ANY prime time drama or sitcom, or comedy special on HBO, Showtime, FX, AMC (and many other “mainstream” cable or satellite television networks) and you will find content just as raunchy, or more, than was presented in the Closing Keynote Show. Is it acceptable? Is it proper? Should it be broadcast? That's a value judgment to be made by each and every individual using their own standards of content. But, is is it valid? Absoulutely! Because countless MILLIONS of people are consuming this kind of content 24 hours of every day?

To take the position that “adult content” is inappropriate for a Blogging and New Media event that celebrates the freedom to create and monetize content of any and every kind, is, in a word, ludicrous.

As Rick states, we are aware that the Closing Keynote Show had its snafus and missteps. I'll be the first to state that the show could have been “better” and, as a decades-long seasoned pro, can state with confidence that it WOULD have been better had more time and money been spent on the production of the show. But, like Rick, I defend the bold decision to go with the concept 100%! I hope we do it again next year, but with more planning and preparation, a bigger budget and even MORE pizazz!

Let us not lose sight of the fact that blogging, podcasting and new media are not all about monetization and optimization. There is far more to discuss than all of the so-called “serious” aspects as presented by Paul in all of his meet-ups and podcasts. For one, how about the entertainment and production value of the content itself? How about raising the bar for the quality of production of podcasts, videos and blogs with some tried and true “professional” production values? How about striving to make podcasts, videocasts and blogs more interesting than a long-winded lecture from a boring college professor?

WIth all due respect and regard to Paul and what he is trying to do, I think the author of this blog post needs to “lighten it up” a bit himself, show a little more respect for the SUCCESFUL adults who work so hard to craft content that ENTERTAINS and ATTRACTS significant audiences, and acknowledge that there is a relevant place for content that is not just another tutorial about how to make money with blogging, podcasting or new media.

IMHO, it's the entertainment and production value of content that will be the the cream that rises to the top, as “new media” continues its metamorphosis into the new “mainstream” media and the plethora of content out there now which is focused on “how to” monetize, “how to” write or produce and “how to” attract an audience is, thankfully, replaced by truly interesting content that simply attracts large numbers on a regular and loyal basis.

Haven't there been enough podcasts on podcasting, blogs on blogging and videos about making videos? This writer thinks that there has.

The challenge we are presented with now is in innovating new ways to craft and produce content in such a manner as to attract audiences and effectively market products and services to the consumers “tuining in.” Leo Laporte, for one, has already become a master at this, and it is this subject that should be demanding our attention! There has been more than enough presented on the mechanics. Now let's just start producing some kick-ass unique content, as Kevin Pollak, Matt Sloan, Aron Yonda and Jenny The Bloggess are trying to do!

In closing, I can say that, from my perspective up at the announcer's lectern, it seems that most of the people at the Blogworld Closing Keynote Show were enjoying it, perhaps just because it was different and not what they expected.

Isn't that what the brave new world of new media is REALLY all about?

If it was intentional, you had me fooled! If not…well, chalk it up to the value of good professional prep work (which I know you are well acquainted with, Joe) and that, in itself, is a valuable lesson for new media producers.

I completely appreciate your opinion and value your feedback Nathan but saying “most of the audience walked out” simply is not accurate.

The room was full at the end of the keynote, with people sitting in the aisles and standing along the perimeter and in the door. So “most” of the people who were there stayed throughout and there is no doubt many of them were laughing throughout.

Intentional or not, I thought Joe's banter with Guy at the beginning made the program feel more like a tonight show format which is exactly what we were going for.

coolio.

Thank you Nathan.