Pod Camp Western Mass 2010

This was my horoscope for this day….

…It's always more challenging to sail against the prevailing winds and today you'll get your chance to demonstrate your masterful navigational skills. But don't waste energy just fighting the emotional tides. Instead, choose a route that enables you to get out of the tumultuous currents completely. Once you have relaxed and caught your breath, continue on your way with determination.

Today I attended an event that took me outside of my comfort zone. It took me out of my house and away from the safety of my ability to hide behind the computer screen. It was an event that I so looked forward to and yet at the same time feared beyond reason. Once upon a time in my life I was quite the social butterfly but with the computer age came the ability to be socially content without ever leaving the house. Today I stepped outside of my house, outside of my comfort zone and into a world filled with vibrant, wonderful, gifted and giving people. It was a struggle against my “emotional tides” but as with any other struggle in life, the rewards of this day are immeasurable!

Part one of today’s event was something called Pod Camp Western Mass. It was an event designed to bring together a number of people who wanted to learn more about Social Networking using the Internet. As a Realtor, Social Networking plays a key role in being able to deliver the services that my Clients need. I attended this event in the hopes of learning how to better reach out not only TO my clients but FOR them as well.

I attended four sessions during this conference or un-conference as they prefer to call it. There were two sessions before lunch and two more afterwards. In the first session I learned that as in any social situation, behind the computer screen or otherwise, you’ll only get out as much as you put in. The more effort and information about yourself you put out there, the greater the rewards.

In the second session I learned that “efficiency” is a double sided task. It’s not enough to do things quickly, or within a set scheduled amount of time, but you must also consider how effective what you are doing is towards meeting your goals.

During the lunch break I learned that sitting at one table only allows you to meet, greet and get to know the handful of people at your table. If you really want to experience social networking in the real world, you need to get up from the table and move around the room. The same is true behind the computer screen. If you only network in one place on the Internet, Imagine how many opportunities to meet the people who can affect your life in a positive way are lost.

After lunch, session three was about a computer software program that can be invaluable in social networking. In this session I learned that taking the precious time to learn how to use the tool can save you precious time in the end in making the tool work for you!

Session four was the one I felt I needed the most…in session four I learned that there are no excuses! If you are going to be successful in any business using Social Media, you need to use all of the tools that are at your disposal including the ones that are a little harder or a little less comfortable to use. All you get when you use excuses is half baked results!

After a full day of learning and socializing in real life like I have not done in YEARS, part one of today’s event left me feeling exhausted. Part two of today’s event was an after party being held at a local Tavern. In all honesty, I’d had enough of social networking for one day. I’d had a lot of fun and learned a lot of useful information. I really didn’t feel the need to continue the interaction, I was drained. I drove home, came in the house, sat behind my computer screen and watched the tweets pouring in from the local tavern. One kind soul actually messaged me and asked where I was. I was too much of a coward to tell them I’d had enough and was staying home so I dragged myself away from the safety of my computer screen and headed out once again.

Part two of today’s event really was the icing on the cake! I’d forgotten just how great it feels to be out in the world interacting with like minded individuals. Thank you Pod Camp Western Mass for not only helping me learn some important ways I can build my business using the tools of the Social Media trade but for getting me past the “tumultuous currents” and the “emotional tides” and for reminding me that “social networking” face to face works just as well if not better than hiding behind the computer screen!

I want to dedicate this blog post to ALL of the attendees at today’s Western Mass Pod Camp 2! Thank you for such a wonderful day! For making me feel welcome and appreciated! A special thank you goes out to Steve Sherlock for making me realize my excuses were crap! Another special thank you to Kelly and Tom Galanis just for being the wonderful people that you are! Thank you Morris, Keith, Pat, and Jason for just being totally awesome! Thank you Alfonso for not thinking me a lunatic for trying to hunt you down! Thank you Dan for getting me to that after party! And finally, thank you Lesley…for always being there FIRST!!