Social Media 201 Conference a HUGE Success!

Unlike the stereotypical cloudy/rainy day Seattle is known for in the spring, yesterday’s weather was picture-perfect, providing attendees of the Social Media 201 Conference a gorgeous backdrop for our day filled with valuable content. And while crowds of Tea Partiers gathered on Washington State’s capitol steps 60 miles south protesting taxes and the government, more than 200+ people focused on how to use New Media to add value to the world and make more money.

While last year’s Social Media 101 Conference focused on the “why” of Social Media, this year’s conference was all about the “how.” Attendees represented both large and small businesses; because the conference was held at one of Microsoft’s gorgeous learning centers, quite a few Microsoft employees were there. But the majority of people in the room were small business owners like myself who see how important Social Media is to growing our businesses as we head further into the 21st century.

Some of the featured speakers included Mike Whitmore, Kris Ruby, Darren Williger, and Bille Baty. Every speaker and panel member came of their own free will and was not paid a dime for their time or valuable knowledge, a move that only reinforces the “What can I do to help you?” culture fostered in the Social Media community.

I plan to write a series of posts that go into detail about some of the cutting-edge knowledge I picked up about where Social Media is headed, but for now, here is a list of some of the biggest take-aways I got from the day:

• Social Media is here for good. If you or your company isn’t using it, you need to start using it. Like, today.
• Online readers are time-starved. Always honor this fact in your readers when you create online content.
• Content is indeed King, but total transparency is the palace in which the King resides. If you try to hide things online, it will come back to bite you. Hard.
• The majority of online conversations are happening on blogs and Twitter. This is another reason to start a blog and sign up for a Twitter account if you haven’t done so already.
• Contrary to what many people believe, Social Media is NOT free. I will go into more detail about this one in a future post.

I cannot say enough about the people who organized this conference. From the facility to the gourmet buffet lunch to the keynote speakers, the entire day was spectacular. As I drove the 250 miles back to Portland yesterday afternoon in time for my son’s Little League tournament game, I reflected on how important it is for us home-based entrepreneurs to get out there and attend events with like-minded people. I feel a renewed sense of purpose and an energy I could not have gotten any other way.

What recent events have you attended that added value to your journey as an entrepreneur? Please share them with readers here in the comments section! And if you find this post valuable, go ahead and retweet it and share the love. 🙂