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Why I Want to Attend LEAP Summit Zagreb? #LEAPzg

March 2, 2017 By 1

AttendLEAPSummitThere are so many great ways to learn and sharpen your skills these days: you can read blogs, listen to podcasts, watch how-to videos on YouTube, and attend webinars, just to name a few. Why bother with the time and expense of attending LEAP Summit in Zagreb, Croatia?

If that’s your attitude, then you may be missing out on one of the best opportunities to take your game to the next level. LEAP Summit provides a unique learning and career building opportunities that you just can’t find anywhere else.

Below you’ll find 5 reasons why you should attend LEAP Summit and consider sending your students and employees to conferences as well. 🙂

1. Iron Sharpens Iron

“As iron sharpens iron, so a person sharpens his friend. ” Proverbs 27:17 in the Bible. Stephen Covey also lists it as his sixth habit of highly effective people. To put it simply, “two heads are better than one.” Synergize is the habit of creative cooperation. It is teamwork, open-mindedness and the adventure of finding new solutions to old problems. People bring all their personal experience and expertise to the table, and together, they can produce far better results that they could individually.

I always return from a conference with new ideas and approaches that make me more effective and efficient at work. When people begin to interact together genuinely, and they’re open to each other’s influence, they begin to gain new insight. Don’t be “a dull axe” while your competition is being sharpened by others.

2. Meet Experts & Influencers Face-to-face

While not every conferences offers you the opportunity to meet people that you have been following online for years, your chances are greatly improved when you’re sharing the same space.

Sometimes it’s about taking a selfie with someone who’s influenced you, or sharing a business idea with someone you admire, or making a connection that can lead to finding your next mentor. This will never happen from an online success summit.

3. Networking Opportunities

Social media keeps me connected to people who are both local and live and work far away. However, there’s no substitution for meeting someone in real life.15271832_1040722436038580_8717944597149496358_oLEAP Summit has opportunities for attendees to mix and mingle, form new relationships, and strengthen existing ones. Over coffee or lunch, you may make a connection with the perfect provider or prospect. At a breakout session, you may find yourself sitting next to your next customer or mentor. Or, if you don’t go, maybe your toughest competitor will be sitting in your seat.

4. Learning in a New Space

Remember that scene in Dead Poet’s Society when Robin Williams made his students stand on a desk to get a fresh perspective?dead-poetsMany businesses have meetings off-site because it’s easy to find ourselves in a rut. Sitting in the same chair, in the same office or in the same coffeehouse, can keep us from thinking of new ideas. Taking a break out of the office, sitting in a new space, can spark us to new approaches that will grow our businesses.

5. The Energy of Like-minded Individuals

There’s nothing like being in a room of like-minded people, who are willing to take time away from school or work to learn something new and want to “better” themselves.

When you sit at the Summit, you discover that you’re not alone in wanting to improve your skills and bring something back to your office or organization. That energy is lacking in all online learning channels, regardless of how much chatter there may be around a hashtag.

LEAP Summit provides a unique convergence of networking, learning and fun into a single package. It forces you to grow and challenge yourself. Oh, and it is in Zagreb, my FAVORITE capital city in the Balkans. Just read about what you can do and see!

4 Smart Coffee Spots for a Zagreb Coffee Break
Photo Journal: Secret Walks in Zagrebarium

Next Steps

All of this has been on my mind a lot lately, as I countdown to LEAP Summit Zagreb on May 11-13, 2017.

The primary focus of the Summit is on themes connected to innovation, entrepreneurship and business development, leadership, creativity, inspiring and life changing stories, success stories and career development.

Date: 11-13 May, 2017
Place: Studentski centar, Savska cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Cost: 300 kn (~€40) – 1500 kn (~€200), depending on when you buy tickets!

Learn More & Register for LEAP Summit Now >>

What other reasons are there for attending LEAP Summit? What lasting impressions did it leave for you? Leave your answers in the comments below…we read every one!

How to Succeed as Influencer #SparkMe

May 28, 2016 By 0

Influencer“Influencer marketing is the fastest-growing channel, ” according to the latest poll from influencer marketplace Tomoson. Everywhere Agency‘s Founder and President Danica Kombol reaffirmed this at the first day of Spark.me conference in Budva, Montenegro. You can read more about her talk, “Marketing Under the Influence” here. Today, I want to focus on how you get noticed by people online through social media and blogging. It is not something that comes by accident.  It requires hard work and an innovative strategy. At its core, being an influencer is having the power to create an effect, change opinions and behaviors, and drive measurable outcomes online. Here are five effective ways to become more savvy and succeed as an influencer. There has never been a better time to get started.

#1. Find your voice.
In any given field, there will already be big-name influencers who have been building their authority for years. Rather than trying to compete, find you voice in a targeted topic or field. You have a unique perspective and approach in how you look at things, so why not write about it. Do not underestimate YOUR story.

#2. Be authentic.
The entire notion of influencer marketing is built on authenticity. Tell YOUR story! Do not write for a brand or post pictures online for the whole purpose to be found by a brand. Brands hire services of an influencer though the purchase of your social media space. Brands that are great to work with will give you a lot of freedom to create content that is authentic to your space, but also creatively incorporates their product or service to your brand. However, there are ground rules as it concerns to being paid to represent a brand. Make sure that you use up-to-date disclosure information on your blog and social networks, according to the FTC’s list of ethics rules.

#3. Partner up.
Don’t be reluctant to find and partner with other bloggers or vloggers. One of the best ways to expand your reach outside your current audience is to guest post on high-traffic sites. Ideally, reach out and see if you can become a regular contributor to those sites. This will allow you to steadily build your audience while also receiving referral traffic to your own site. When using this strategy, watch your analytics carefully to see which sites are most effective in terms of targeted traffic. It may be tempting to post to high profile sites, but if you’re not getting results, you’re wasting your time. Note: don’t avoid smaller, niche sites just because of their size! Sometimes smaller sites with loyal audiences that can send the most targeted and enthusiastic visitors.

#4. Take it offline.
Most of your influence can built up online. That’s where you’ll be spending most of your time and investing most of your resources. However, most influencers also spend some time building their authority offline, through live speaking engagements, teaching classes or doing interviews. It is great meeting people face-to-face and hearing what they enjoy about your site or what stories they really connected with them personally. Writing a book can also be a huge boom to your career as an influencer.

#5. Be responsive and active.
Being active on social media is more than posting on your own accounts. You need to be engaging and participating in a variety of communities. This means showing up at other people’s Twitter chats, commenting on other people’s Instagram posts and tagging others on Facebook. Join Facebook groups and share insights with no expectation of getting traffic or any other benefit. In other words, get out there and make sure people in your field see you and get to know you as an expert.

People expect influencers to be approachable and responsive. This means consistently responding to emails, social media mentions and blog comments. While you don’t have to respond to every comment or question, it helps to let your readers and followers know that you are at least reading them.

Becoming an influencer doesn’t happen overnight. It requires a lot of time and a whole lot of hard work. However, if you stick with it and follow the five steps above, you have a reasonable chance at achieving influencer status… maybe sooner than you think!

What would you add to this list? What other strategies are you using on your path to becoming an influencer?

Can’t Stop the Feeling: Prepare for Spark.Me

May 6, 2016 By 2

Spark.me is less than a month away! And today, Justin Timberlake drops a new song that expresses how I feel. I may have modified some of the lyrics ;), but turn up the volume and dance with me.

“I got this feeling inside my bones. It goes electric, wavey when I turn it on. All through BUDVA, all through MONTENEGRO. We’re flying up, no ceiling, when we in our zone. I got that sunshine in my pocket. Got THIS good song in my feet. I feel that SPARK in my body when it drops. I can’t WAIT FOR END OF MAY, moving so phenomenally WELL. You gon’ like the way THIS CONFERENCE rocks it, so don’t stop. Under the lights when everything STARTS. Nowhere to hide when CONFERENCE getting you close. When SPARK.ME STARTS, well, you already know. So just imagine, just imagine, just imagine…SPARK.ME WILL MAKE you dance, dance, dance. Feeling good, good, SPARKING up on you. So just dance, dance, dance, come on. All those things I should do to PREPARE, but you dance, dance, dance. And YOU ARE leaving soon, so keep dancing…”

I CAN’T STOP THE FEELING! How about you? 😉

10-Tips-for-Spark-MeHere’s my TOP 10 checklist to help you prepare for Spark.Me, so you can continue to dance your way to Budva, Montenegro, on May 28-29, 2016.

  1. Search Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for anyone talking about #SparkMe. You can then determine if you want to follow them and start conversations ahead of Spark.Me. This works amazingly well for people who might be a bit shy. Make sure you are also using #SparkMe hashtag, so can people can also find and engage with you.
  2. Visit the speakers blogs or youtube channels for ideas of how things are going in their lives or in their businesses. Before meeting them, maybe you’ll read that they just closed a B round of funding, and thus might have budget for a project with you. It’s free intelligence before a conversation.
  3. Check out the partners for Spark.Me. Visit their web pages. What do you know about them? Are they a prospective vendor for you? A client? Do you see some business value in meeting any of them?
  4. Write some of your best work in the days leading up to Spark.Me and have a great post launch on the day of the event. The likelihood of people checking out your blog during or just before an event is high. JUST DO IT! 🙂
  5. Consider writing posts that might help you form conversations at Spark.Me. For instance, if you’re looking to work with startups, write a blog post about how you’d help startups get funding. Thus, people who might investigate your blog ahead of time might also know what you’re thinking about and will engage you.
  6. Consider making a video about something and posting it to your blog. Videos will give people an even better opportunity to observe you and see what you’re about. It might also help with the people recognition factor, as seeing you in motion might improve their chance of seeing you at an event. 😉
  7. If you’re going to take lots of photos or videos at Spark.Me, check your gear to make sure you’ve got everything (charger, media transfer tools, spare things, etc.). Consider any extra batteries or power supplies you might need to bring with you.
  8. Backup your laptop before you travel. You might not think about it, but there are many chances to destroy your data once you’re on the road. Make sure that’s not going to happen.
  9. Pack business casual clothes and comfortable shoes for two days and a nice black dress or button-down shirt & nice pants for the cocktail party! And, DON’T FORGET YOUR SWIMSUIT to wear while you enjoy the Bečići beach. 🙂
  10. Practice, practice, practice your elevator pitch explaining who you are and what you do. Be crisp. Make it easy to say. Be very clear. If you’re looking for work, be clear that you’re available for a few extra projects. It seems that lots of folks beat around the bush or don’t exactly know how to have a beginning, middle and end to a conversation. REMEMBER, YOU ARE AWESOME! TI SI SJAJAN/SJAJNA!

Look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones. For now, make sure that we are connected on all these social networks: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Periscope and Pinterest.

Why Bloggers Should Takeover Another’s Snapchat

April 20, 2016 By 1

How-To-Do-Snapchat-TakeoverWith over 7 billion video views per day and close to 200 million users, Snapchat is becoming the go-to platform for bloggers looking for new ways to increase brand awareness and connect with a younger (at heart 😉 ), creative and engaged audiences. Read my top 10 Snapchat Tips here. For creative bloggers, you are beginning to see an effective new strategy called a Snapchat Takeover.

What is a Snapchat Takeover?

A Snapchat Takeover is when a blogger allows another blogger to “take over” their Snapchat account and create a story from her unique perspective. Takeovers typically happen for a day, and both bloggers start telling their fans across all their social media channels to watch her “take over” story on Snapchat. By leveraging the attention of their audiences, it also helps bloggers gain new audiences with increase exposure.

5 Steps to Takeover a Snapchat Account Effectively

#1. Establish Goals.
Before developing the campaign or approaching a popular snapper, you should determine what you want to accomplish from this Snapchat takeover. Goals and objectives such as “increase Snapchat followers” or “drive awareness for a product launch.”

#2. Find the Right Blogger.
Finding the right snapper to host the Snapchat Takeover is more complex than simply reviewing vanity metrics (e.g. number of followers, impressions), though these baseline metrics are useful in forecasting a campaign’s reach. To determine if a blogger is a good fit, watch their stories and see how they engage with their existing audience across other social channels.

#3. Coordinate and Plan the Date.
Prior to the Snapchat Takeover, the person taking over the account should develop a campaign outline. We think Snapchat Takeovers are best when you have something happening that day, like an exclusive event, product launch or unique experience. Mention it at some point in your story. Remember: authenticity is key to a successful Snapchat Takeover, so overly-scripted material should be avoided whenever possible. Be sure to allow enough time (1-2 weeks) to promote the campaign.

#4. Promote The Takeover.
Both the blogger taking over the account and the Snapchat account owner should promote the Takeover extensively across all social channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and on their blogs) in the weeks and days leading up to the campaign.Promote-Snapchat-Takeover#5. Takeover and Document.
Give the snapper access to your Snapchat channel, so they can create their story. Watch the campaign. Record any engagement that occurs. Screenshot “snaps” and download the story within 24 hours of the beginning of the Takeover. Snapchat erases all stories within 24 hours, so don’t forget to document your campaign. Here’s an example of how Jovana Biga also known as atomski_mrav3 took over our account.

Why You Should Participate in a Snapchat Takeover

Snapchat Takeovers offer bloggers a way to authentically connect with audiences and increase brand awareness in a fun, creative way. Because Snapchat doesn’t currently have a way for users to find new channels, Snapchat Takeovers are also an effective way for bloggers to grow their followers and gain exposure. Lastly, Snapchat’s storytelling format lends itself exceptionally well to covering events, etc. As such, many bloggers // snappers are giving their audiences an intimate, authentic experience that would otherwise be impossible to create on other platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.

10 Snapchat Tips for Bloggers

April 13, 2016 By 1

snapchatSnapchat is getting bigger and bigger, and it’s quickly becoming a favorite tool for a lot of bloggers. Why? Because it’s the perfect way to engage with your followers on a more personal level while promoting your blog. Here are 10 tips that will help you become a better Snapchatter.

#1. Snap daily.
Snap often, but always keep in mind the message you are sending. Always add to “your story.” Adding to your story allows your followers to view your snaps for 24 hours, rather than the 5-10 seconds as a direct-snap allows.

#2. Share “uncurated” moments.
Share some parts of your daily life, behind the scenes at events and your process of writing a blog post. The more authentic it is, the more your followers will appreciate you and continue to follow you.

#3. Don’t go “snap cray-cray.”
It can be tempting to start snapping everything at first but limit yourself if you can. Generally, people will unfollow if it share more than 3 snaps of the same thing // subject. I don’t show every single moment of my life, but rather the moments that are either entertaining or bring value to my brand.

#4. Talk to the camera.
This can be hard at the beginning, but your followers really like to hear your voice. So, talk to the camera, and let your personality shine. 🙂

#5. Chat with your followers.
Ask some questions and chat with your followers. This allows you to connect with them in a very powerful way, since it’s a direct line of communication.

#6. Watch other people’s stories and engage with them.
At the end of the day, I usually sit down on my couch and watch people’s stories like i would watch a sitcom. I might not have time to do it more than once a day or even daily, but this is one of the reasons that I love Snapchat. It reminds me of the early days of Twitter. I feel like I am getting to know the personalities of the people, and I have some great laughs at people’s creativity — and I tell them!

#7. Have fun.
The beauty of Snapchat is that allows you to show your true self, so don’t overthink it and have fun. I may have had a “hammer time” in my story one day. 😉 Vogue!

#8. Partner with fellow bloggers and takeover each other’s accounts.
I first discovered this concept while listening to a GaryVee exclusive video as a newsletter member. What a great concept of promoting a fellow blogger and widening your brand. It was great to see what my followers thought and how much the fun my fellow snapper had sharing her launch of an event for work with my followers. Here’s how to do a Snapchat Takeover.

#9. Share your blog posts.
Don’t forget to tell your Snapchat followers every time you have a new post on your blog. This way you will get more attention on your post.

#10. Use Other Social Media to Promote Snapchat.
Snapchat doesn’t have a public friends feed that will show people that their friends are viewing and engaging with your content. As such, a great way to build your audience is through your pre-existing followers on other networks.

Also don’t forget to follow Real Posh Mom on Snapchat (realposhmom)! We’d love to hear from you in the comments, too. How have you been using Snapchat? Any tips you’d like to share?