It is hard to believe that not that long ago I was flying across the country from South Carolina to San Diego, California to attend Social Media Marketing World for the very first time.

I was excited.  I was curious what it would really be like. I new there were going to be so many awesome people there that I wanted to meet in person, but would I really get the chance to see them in the midst of the sea of people that also would be there?

Would they be kind in person or act like they were ‘too cool' to talk to me?

These were just some of the feelings I experienced BEFORE I stepped foot on the San Diego Convention Center for the highly anticipated event.  But the rest of this post is going to share with you what I DID experience and more into the WHY I am so thrilled I attended.

In this blog post I am going to share with you 12 reasons that made Social Media Marketing World 2016 Phenomenal.

 

 

12 reasons That Made Social Media Marketing World 2016 Phenomenal

 

1. Michael Stelzner

I've been impressed with Michael Stelzner (@Mike_Stelzner)  for as long as I've been following Social Media Examiner.  That's going on three years now.  And knowing he's a great Christian man that has done such smart business and grown a company around the industry of social media are just a few of the things that made meeting him in person a big highlight of my attending #SMMW16. When I walked up to Mike to introduce myself, I put out my hand to give him a handshake and said, “Hi Mike, I'm so excited to meet you. I'm Heather Heuman.”

It was his response that quite literally made me giddy inside.

He said, “I know you. Your Sweet Tea Social.”

Well, color me happy, I could have literally fallen to my feet at that moment. But alas, I did not. I kept my composure, spoke with him just a a little while longer after getting a photo with him. Throughout the conference I had people near me looking like they were nervous, yet wanting desperately to have a chance to meet Mike.  I even had the pleasure of taking a couple photos for people and initiating a conversation with them so that they could connect with Mike.  And again, Mike Stelzner showed up authentically each and every time.

During Mike's keynote at the beginning of the conference, he delivered strong data about social media, the extreme power of live video in 2016 [and beyond] and really set the tone for the conference on all we were going to be hearing regarding Snapchat, Facebook Live and much more.

Tweet Worthy Takeaway 

2. Organized & Intentional Networking

Have you ever been to a conference where you want to network with key people you'd love to meet or get to know better, or HAVE the opportunity to meet new people, but there isn't much time for it? Well, that is where Social Media Marketing World shines! They had so many built-in opportunities to interact with people that were interested in similar topics, similar platforms and even similar businesses. Some of these were taking place during lunch hours like Table Talks and Meet-Up Rooms. Plus, there was the fabulous resource of using Slack, there were wonderful chances to network months before the conference.

3. The Speakers

I have yet to mention in this blog post yet that I actually had a very unique experience at Social Media Marketing World and that is because I actually was helping with the event staff put on the event.  That means I was ultimately a volunteer and had a role throughout the conference.

My main role was a room host which meant that I had an assigned roomed that I had various responsibilities such as head counts, making sure the speaker had all they needed, assisting the track leader in the room, temperature of the room, etc.  Therefore the main line-up of sessions I was able to attend were those that took place in my room.

That said, Michael Port (@MichaelPort) was my favorite speaker that was in the room I was hosting. His session was labeled a ‘Workshop' that actually took place during the lunch timeframe. The room was PACKED with not even any standing room.  Had to get the A/C cranked up to cool things off.  As he delivered ‘Heroic Public Speaking: How to Give the Best Presentation of Your Life' the audience was engaged, captivated and literally brewing with excitement.

While doing some swapping with my fellow room host, I had the chance to enjoy Michael Hyatt's session ‘How to Develop and Sell Products to Your Blog Customers'. Michael Hyatt (@MichaelHyatt) knocked it out of the park. I really enjoy listening to his podcast so I wasn't sure if I was going to hear content I already knew. THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. I feverishly took notes.

A few key takeaways from Hyatt's session:

1. “Invest in killer design (even for a digital product)” -@MichaelHyatt @heatherheuman

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2. Brain dump your ideas (in something like Evernote) and make sure all those brilliant thoughts that come to you while you are in the shower get written down so you can act on them when the time is right.
3. “If people don't pay, they don't pay attention.” – Michael Hyatt @michaelhyatt @heatherheuman

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4. Pricing Principals:  We tend to under value what we have to offer. Don't price yourself too low.
5. It's easier to start low and raise prices later.
6. Prices that end with odd number tend to do better according to research.
7. Do research on your competition and then set your price point.

4. The Superb Customer Service of the Staff & Volunteers

Now don't let the fact that I myself was on staff as a volunteer skewed my perspective on this. A little background on me from the customer service industry is that my very first job when I was 16 years old was working at Chick-fil-A. I've learned excellent customer service from the very beginning of my work history and to say that Phil Mershon and his leadership of phenomenal service with excellence is almost an understatement.  Everything from people cheering along to fun upbeat music as people got off the escalator ride, to smiling, attentive helpful people at the Virtual Networking Ambassador table, the staff and volunteers were trained and delivered quality care to the attendees.

So even when I wasn't ‘working' my shift, the smiles, kind gestures and friendliness was contagious. Huge shout out to Jaci Feinstein and the amazing support team that made my job even easier and more fun!

5. Saying Thanks Face to Face

So I went to San Diego with a list. Not just a list of people that someone said was awesome. I'm talking about a very personal list that I wanted to make sure that I met some amazing people. No, I'm serious. Here is ‘my list'.  Of all the people on my list I'm quite pleased that I almost met them all. So Amy Porterfield and Lewis Howes, do know that it was not by lack of effort but just limited time since I was volunteering this year. But I'm super elated I get to hear their sessions via the Social Media Marketing World Virtual Ticket!

Michael Hyatt was one I was so glad I got to meet. He seems like the coolest dad on planet Earth and who openly talks of his love for his wife Gail that almost makes me feel like I want to get to know Gail better too.

My list also had people that I have been listening to via their podcast for years like Amy Schmittauer (@SavvySexySocial). I finally caught Amy on the last day and had a chance to tell her how much her authentic and super-fun unique personality gave me the jolt of confidence to know me being quirky, zany and fun in my branding was totally ok since that is who I truly am.

I had the pleasure of meeting Chris Rudolph (@FreedomBizGuy), a super business coach that I've had the wonderful pleasure of working with over the past several months that feels more like a brother.

Since I was volunteering much of the event I took the approach that if I saw anyone on my ‘People to Meet In-Person at #SMMW16 that are Fantastic Folks' at any point, I would embrace the opportunity and have my phone ready for a photo! Because if I kept telling myself it would happen later in the conference, well, later just might not come.

Then there were very calculated situations where I MADE IT HAPPEN and I didn't leave it to chance. I had been tweeting with Neal Schaffer (@NealSchaffer) about connecting weeks before the conference.

I ended up having a chance to speak with him for several minutes at a private Tailwind gathering one evening.

And guess what?

He's a real guy that has a family too and is out here being the best in his business he can creating opportunities and we actually had a great real conversation.

At first I was completely acting like the school kid meeting the president.  But after about 2 minutes, I loosened up and really felt that I had a chance to get to know Neal just a little better. And guess what?  He was just as awesome in person as he is with his content online.

 

And then the other fun experience was finally meeting up with Mark Schafer. With some messaging and interacting a little on Facebook prior to the conference and then some live Tweeting after a morning keynote, I was able to meet Mark Schaefer for a few moments in the networking plaza. And that was before I heard his keynote on the final day (coming in the next point below). Now even as I am writing this blog post, I'm adding to my list of books I need to buy and read, “The Content Code”.

 

6. On-the-Edge-of-Your-Seat Keynotes

As over three thousand people poured into the main hall each morning and late afternoon for the keynotes, there was a buzz of energy that cannot be denied. When Gary Vaynerchuk (@GaryVee) delivered his keynote in an interview style format by Marcus Sheridan (@TheSalesLion) on ‘Testing, Hustling and Outrageous Transparency in the Digital Age' I was ready. I was prepared for his F-bomb drops. That is absolutely authentic to who he is but it certainly isn't natural for me. But despite a few blurts of profanity throughout his message, the depth of his passion could not be denied.

The audience, or crowd of roaring fans, as he took the stage electrified the energy. It resonated with me that he spoke of having run two successful businesses for nearly 15 years before he even began talking ‘on the stage' about business advice for others. He's really walked the walk and has so much rich experience to share. I really was glad I had the chance to see and hear him.  Though I was on the second row of his keynote, I didn't get a chance to shake hands with him.

Maybe at another event? I'll say yes!

As you may have guessed the keynote panel including Joel Comm (@JoelComm), Kim Garst (@KimGarst), Shaan Puri (@ShaanVP) and Mari Smith (@MariSmith) led a very fantastic dialogue on live video and about why the future of live video is very real and here to stay.

Businesses and brands must realize that the social marketing trends as we know it are shifting and they tides aren't going to roll in a different direction any time soon. The platforms may change, and I nor any of the panel see Facebook going away at all, but what we know is the way that people are wanting to consume their content, their information and their entertainment is very much going live.

Lastly, Mark Schafer (@MarkwSchafer) delivered the final keynote of the event and I was blown away with his insight and wisdom on social media marketing and how marketers and businesses alike are wanting instant return on their investment.  I felt SO VALIDATED when I heard him speak the words that there is an awareness phase, a reach phrase and then an ROI phase.

So many businesses just want to leap to the ROI phase their first 60-90 days on social media. The phrase social media is a marathon and not a sprint holds even more meaning to me after Mark's presentation.

And who ever would have thought Mark Schafer was so darn funny? I mean, this guy seriously had some lines that really caused me to laugh, and laugh, and laugh some more. He might have to give Andrea Vahl (@AndreaVahl) a run for her money with his great talent for humor.

 

7. The Sunsets

Since I have a slight addiction to photography, especially with landscapes and natural beauty I was elated to see so many gorgeous sunsets while in San Diego. Unfortunately I can't say I saw any sunrises, even though my east coast internal body clock woke easily every day at 6:10am.  All you had to do was look around and enjoy God's painted artistry all around each evening.

 

 

 

8. Relationship Building on the USS Midway

The USS Midway was a fantastic place to kick-off wonderful networking for Social Media Marketing World.  After first getting inside for the first time I was surprised. As I prepared what to wear that evening I thought that everything was ‘on top' so I imagined a very windy evening on the water. Thankfully the temperatures were going to be in the 70's that evening so I had dressed for warmer weather.  To my pleasant surprise, a lot of the food, drinks and networking took place within the USS Midway which meant no breeze and quite a great atmosphere for networking, building relationships and finding new friends.

After getting aboard the USS MIDWAY, Chris Ducker (@ChrisDucker) was one of the very first person's that I saw. I've enjoyed getting to know Chris via Periscope over the last 9 months.  It was great to finally meet him.

 

Meeting Jay Bear (@JayBaer) and speaking with him was wonderful. He's such a down-to-earth brilliant guy and after connecting with him about the college search for one of his kiddos, we learned he'll be coming to Columbia, SC this June, my hometown.  Looking forward to following up to make sure he knows some cool sights to take in while he's here in my neck of the world.

Everyone was enjoying delightful beverages, enjoying marshmallows covered in dripping milk chocolate and enjoyed super fun conversations. The atmosphere was literally joyful the entire three hour event. Speaking of live video, Brian Fanzo (@ISocialFanz), is someone that I met on Periscope nearly a year ago. So it was no surprise that it was super fun catching him a moment while he was doing a live video broadcast with Periscope.

9. Selfie Heaven

There's no denying that my camera-lovin' self also enjoys having fun with selfies.  Before I feel the need to explain, I'll do it anyway. When I attended an event in 2014 and I handed my phone to other people, I was so sad to see that photos I was really looking forward to seeing of myself and with someone I was meeting for the first time like Kim Garst and Peg Fitzpatrick were all blurry because the people taking the photo weren't staying still. So it was then that I mastered the art of taking selfies because I wanted to be sure the quality was going to be a great picture! So, that's the background to my love of selfies and I'm sticking to it.  It was my thing really before it was a fad even when I was using my Canon 20D camera.

Here are some super awesome people I was so happy to meet in person for the first time as well as some people that I was glad to see again!

 

10. Phil Mershon

Let's face it. When I decided I wanted to attend Social Media Marketing World and I was going to volunteer little did I really know everything that went into the process of this event being organized and amazing! I had the pleasure to enjoy a fun dinner one of my first nights along with Wade Harmon, Nathan Chan (@NathanHChan), Publisher of Foundr Magazine and several others to include Phil Mershon.  It was really during this dinner that I had a chance to get to learn more of Phil's awesome story of how he came to work for Social Media Examiner. If you haven't heard his story, it's awesome and you must ask him about it next time you run into him. Huge kudos to Phil of being a strong leader with his amazing team of staff that made this event the wonderful conference it was for social media marketers, business leaders and more.

 

11. The Friendships & Mentors

It goes without saying that attending Social Media Marketing World for the first time was a mind blowing experience not only for networking with new amazing people but because it afforded me the opportunity to nurture great friendships with people I have come to truly love getting to know over the last several years.  Kim Garst has been someone I've respected and adored from afar as a Godly women but also just as much for her kind demeanor and super savvy business sense.  She's such a wonderful mentor that I am so happy to see each and every time our paths cross in person!

My sweet pal and friend Heather Myklegard (@HMyklegard) strategically planned to arrive in San Diego three days BEFORE Social Media Marketing World began so we could have some fun enjoying the ocean breeze and enjoying the chance to mastermind in person since I live in South Carolina and she lives in Virginia.

Those days before the conference were fun filled indeed. I'll spare you the gorgeous beach photos and the amazing food we enjoyed on Ocean Beach.

Knowing that I can attend a fantastic conference for work that has great networking, events, a beautiful city of San Diego to explore and time to enjoy great friendships makes me know that I'm already looking forward to attending again!

 

12. Volunteering

This year I had the pleasure of going to Social Media Marketing World as a volunteer or ‘Staff' as my lovely shirt read.  It was a great experience and the opportunity to work along the Social Media Marketing World team of Social Media Examiner was a phenomenal experience. Anyone that is interested in attending the conference can look forward to learning later this year about volunteering opportunities for the 2017 Social Media Marketing World event. I give it TWO THUMBS UP and would recommend it to anyone that enjoys serving with a joyful heart and wants to add a totally new and fun perspective to your trip!

Final Thoughts

No matter whether you attended SMMW16 this year or not, I hope you are already excited to come back again or be motivated to make sure you will be going next spring for the first time.

A huge shout out to the speakers. Everyone appeared so prepared and ready to deliver fresh presentations each day.

If you attend this year, I'd love to see your comment sharing what ONE THING helped make your experience PHENOMENAL? It could be from my list or maybe you have a completely difference thought? I look forward to reading your thoughts.