Meeting Up Offline
10/29/2006
Over due thanks to Clara Nelson at AMA for coordinating a very fun Bloggy/Marketing Wonk last week in San Diego. 
About 15 people joined the conversation. How I wish we were at a round table instead of a looong one - it would have made it easier to jump into the interesting multiple discussions which ranged from trust and ethics in blogging with Sybil Stershic to Bill Neal talking about CGM and research and Lou Molinair trying to figure out what the blog deal was all about.
Special thanks to CA bloggers author Mary Hunt who drove 80 miles (!), Cynthia Trevino and Tim Jackson who gave up part of their Sunday night to sip California wine and talk blogs.
Once I again I experienced one of the most powerful benefits of blogging and taking the time to participate in a social media community. The relationship building process is simplified and the time factor of establishing a relationship is collapsed. Significantly.
My conversation with Tim Jackson, the MasiGuy - who is as passionate about blogs and Masi bikes offline as he is on his blog - began with not a handshake but a hug. Not only did we talk about blogs (and his new tatoo) but I was able to ask him about his trips to Europe and Australia in more that a superficial way.
Building community online is pretty awesome (just ask Mack or Ann) but nothing beats putting names and faces together in-person. After months of reading a blogger your expectations are established about what that person is all about. Although personas offline may differ from online (the on/off line energies .. someone may be more outgoing online and talk less in person, etc.) Authenticity is difficult to mask.
Meeting-up ofline is one more reason for bloggers to stay true to the Blog Mantra of Honesty, Transparency, Authenticity and of course Passion. Honesty, Transparency, Authenticity are the building blocks of establishing trust. Sure is difficult to do business without it - online or off.
