**Full Disclosure: This is my entry for the scholarship opportunity for Blog Elevated. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own.
I started this blog a little over two years ago with really high hopes of making it big and great. However, reality hit me with a hard smack when I started to realize how difficult it was to get a blog off the ground. Over the last year, I’ve seen growth in my space and it excites me! But now I need to really focus on kicking it up a notch.
I recently heard about a (fairly) local conference – Blog Elevated – and I think it’d be an awesome way for me to learn how to take SensiblySara to the next level.
One of the cornerstones of Blog Elevated is sharing, encouraging, and learning from others. Our motto is Be Inspired, Be Professional, Be You.
That motto is the motivation behind this scholarship entry!
Being Inspired!
Three things that inspire me to blog:
1) My husband and two boys. I know, I know … it sounds cliché, but they really give me the best prompts for my posts! And when I have a DIY project idea, my husband is usually the guy that makes it happen.
2) Paying attention to the small, sometimes insignificant, things. It can be easy to find inspiration when you are actively seeking it out (especially when you are taking photos!). Also, sometimes the small things aren’t as trivial as we think they are.
3) Using photos. I often craft my posts around photos that I’ve taken. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, so when I start with a photo to tell my story, the words come more easily.
One thing I want to learn at Blog Elevated? I want to learn how to make my story-telling skills better!
Being Professional!
Three things I’ve done to up my game (so far!):
1) Treat my blog as a business. If I don’t, who will? In order to accomplish this I am reliable and fulfill all of my obligations.
2) Reciprocation. I feel like the biggest way to get comments on my blog is to leave comments on other blogs. Also, I interact with brands on Facebook & Twitter (they notice!).
3) I joined MomDot. I love that the group of {mostly} ladies are so generous with their advice and information! I don’t often have advice to offer up, but when I do, you can bet that I return the favor!
One thing I want to learn at Blog Elevated? I want to learn how to tell brands I am worth something (monetarily speaking) when responding to emails.
Being ME!
Three things I’ve learned from blogging:
1) I CAN do things that scare me. I am less of a scardy cat than I’ve always played myself up to be. (I recently managed to face my fear of heights on the Sky Deck in Chicago!)
2) More than anything, I want to be able to pull my weight in my marriage. I would like blogging to help me do that. I want SensiblySara to be my income.
3) Blogging has afforded me a whole host of friends (an extended family, really) all over the country! And I love it!! All of these wonderful people are smart and beautiful and I am glad to call them friends!
One thing I want to learn at Blog Elevated? I want to learn SEO and photography tips so I can make my work stand out!
More than anything, I am excited about Blog Elevated teaching me the things I need to know to take SensiblySara to the next level. But I am excited about spending a weekend with people that understand the things that my husband does not. Thanks for the chance at the scholarship, Blog Elevated!
If you are interested in attending, purchase Blog Elevated tickets ASAP! The conference will be held in Houston, TX from September 19-21.
I look forward to reading your posts and hope you get the opportunity to attend and grow! Good Luck!
Thank you so much, Marla!
I have always enjoyed reading your blog and hope it will succeed in the next step! Keep faith and you will get there, Sara! (hugs!)
Thank you!!
I think your blog is amazing and I can tell you have been working hard on it! I hope you can attend the conference. Good luck!
Thanks Andrea!
That sounds like a wonderful opportunity to learn more about blogging. I’d love to go to a blogging conference someday. 🙂
I think it is great that you are looking for ways to build your business. I just started mine a few months ago, so I will be keeping an eye on what you are doing to get some tips. 😀 I’ve already picked up a few from your previous blog posts.
I hope you get the scholarship to the conference!!
Thank you! And you are doing awesome, from what I can see! If you have questions, feel free to shoot them over!
That sounds like a great experience. Good luck continuing to grow your blog!
It sounds like a great conference! I can’t wait to hear about how it goes.
Good luck, Sara! I hope you win – this looks like such a fun conference!
I hope that you get to go! It sounds like a wonderful experience and best of luck and success!
Blogging has taught me about doing things that scare me too. It’s the only way we can grow and so often leads to fun I would have NEVER had if I’d let fear decide for me!!!
I look forward to reading about your progress and learning more about blog elevated. Good Luck with everything.
See you next month in Houston! Congratulations!
Thank you! See you there!
Congratulations on earning the scholarship, you deserve it! I wish I could be there with you!
Thank you! I wish you could be there, too!
Congrats on winning!!! 🙂
Thanks Alison!