Blogging Bootcamp for Wedding Professionals

Okay, so this blog post is specifically geared to all of my wedding industry friends and colleagues.
If you do not have the great fortune of knowing Liene Stevens as I do, now is your chance!
Liene Stevens is the founder of Blue Orchid Designs, a wedding planning firm
with consultants in Arizona, New York and Washington DC. Since the launch
of the Blue Orchid Designs blog in 2006, it has grown to include over 3000
unique daily visitors, including brides, wedding vendors, national magazine
editors and all of her proud aunts.
Known for her honest and pragmatic style, Liene will share specific strategies
and tips on how to find and leverage your unique blogging voice, how to
consistently develop killer content, how to effectively promote your brand
online and more.
Even better--she's my friend!

Here's the deal-io:
Who: Any wedding professional who wants to effectively leverage online
media to grow their business
When: May 7, 2009
Time: 9 am - 4 pm
Where: Celebration Golf Club
Cost: $150 per person
Since the launch of the Blue Orchid Blog in 2006, it has grown to include
over 3000 unique daily visitors and is partially to credit for the launch of
two new Blue Orchid Designs offices on the East Coast. In the Blogging
Bootcamp, Liene will share specific strategies and techniques she has
personally used to grow the Blue Orchid Designs blog to where it is today.
This workshop is open to all wedding professionals, not just wedding
planners. Space is limited and will be filled on a first come, first served
basis so reserve your spot now! Laptops are optional and lunch will be
provided.
Topics covered will include:
*How to discover and leverage your blogging voice
*How to maximize your blogging ROI
*How to develop killer content - consistently
*How to set short term and long term goals for your blog
*How to effectively analyze your stats and blog traffic
*How to increase your readership and keep them coming back for more
*Specific strategies and techniques to use your blog to improve your main
website's SEO or "findability" on Google
*How to promote your brand through your blog's design and content
*Maintaining professional boundaries while still being personable
*And more!
The Blogging Bootcamp will not be a class on blogging philosophy. You
already know that blogging is a good idea. We'll be showing you how to
do it so that it is worth your time. No topic will be off the table, and any
questions you may have will be fair game.

**Don't miss out on this excellent opportunity to build your business via the blogging medium and getting to know one fascinating dame--

The Smart Planner Feature

The Smart Planner, huh? I'd like to think that I am, however, the true credit goes to planner and blogger ingenue Liene Stevens of Blue orchid Designs and The Smart Planner.

Both blogs, specific to the wedding market, gear towards brides and wedding professionals alike. I have been reading both of Liene's blogs for some time now, and recently had the great pleasure to {all to quickly, I'm afraid!} meet Liene in Orlando where she was a speaker at Engage 08 with Rebecca Grinnals.

Thanks for the insightful questions Liene and, well, just thanks for asking!

Here is her post:

Friday, June 27, 2008

Meet the Planners :: Lisa Konecny
Name: Lisa Konecny (center in photo)Location: Orlando, Florida

Company Name: E Events

Number of Years in Business: 5

Website: e-eventsdesign.netBlog: e-eventsdesign.blogspot.com and http://www.escapeluxurydestinations.com/

How did you get started in wedding planning?Serendipity really. I was one of those overly enthusiastic-yet-unfulfilled- stay at home mommies. I planned and coordinated countless fundraisers and social events for everyone but myself. One day, my daughters’ ballet teacher squealed that she had just become engaged and I had always done such a nice job planning events for the school, and “would you mind?!?” Little did I know she was an Orlando Magic dancer with the guest list crowd to match. Four months later on the night of her wedding, 300 satisfied guests and a beaming bride . . . you could say I was in it to win it!

If you had to start over what one thing would you do differently? Not a darn thing. It truly is called “Baptism by Fire” for a reason, and for that reason, you could say I was reborn!

What's your favorite item in your emergency kit?Can it be two?? We keep a journal inside our emergency kit for our brides to put pen to paper what they are feeling in the hours and moments just before they walk down the aisle. And I could never stay in business without the “booby tape.” I feel like our industry has single-handedly kept Fashion tape in booming business.

What is the best piece of business advice you've ever received? When I was feeling daunted by the “greats” that started in this business (in my area and beyond) I could literally sit paralyzed with fear and excuses. Then I heard, “When you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision.” It made me realize then and remember to this day that if it doesn’t make me nauseous, it’s probably not worth it.

What two people (past or present) would you have as guests at a dinner party and why?Jackie O and Walt Disney. (I’m such a sucker!)

I have been forever obsessed with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis since I was a little girl. My grandparents were so impressed with her when she campaigned for JFK in NYC in Spanish (my family is from Puerto Rico). She was so intelligent, so poised, graceful, courageous, strong and private even when her life experiences threw her into the spotlight. She embodies so many qualities that I admire that I would revel in conversation with her.

Have you ever known the back story behind Walt Disney? What I admire about him is his humanness. He came from humble, meek beginnings, had a strong relationship with his brother Roy, he was unsuccessful at business (many times over!!) and was such an incredible visionary. He had the ultimate wit to embrace and pursue his creativity while leaving “business” to Roy. That could be you, me or your readers! I would need much longer than a dinner party with him! Here is a fairly direct quote from Walt Disney that I look at every day and encourage your readers to think about this week: “The way to get started is to quit talking and get started.” I know we all have fear; goodness knows I have fear! It’s those of us that have the courage to push through the fear that reaches our maximum potential.

What are your three favorite blogs besides thesmartplanner.com?WEDDEX, Style Me Pretty and Southern Wedding Style. That was sooo not fair! There are too many!!
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***Photos courtesy of Mark Pennington photography and Karey Michelle***