A couple of weeks ago Cori Padgett from Big Girl Branding did a post that was so valuable, that I felt like I was stealing from her when I downloaded the free PDF of questions and answers from 61 Entrepreneurs. This post and PDF was such a great read it inspired me to this idea of getting an e-product and social proof out of Blog World Expo for those of you who are going.

Unfortunately, I am not going but I wish I were. I love conferences and conventions, great way to meet and network with people, and to meet people you have talked to online. Blog World Expo would be a great place to glean ideas, wisdom and some social proof, as well as pick the brains of the big names.

Being a photographer, who has photo’ed a few well known bands in the Gothic, Industrial and New Wave Genre, I know what it means to have proof that you were there and you are among the elite and the cool. Having the proof to show you were there hanging out with the band or the big names of the blogging industry, because YOU ARE A BLOGGER TOO!

So here is my anti-paparazzi approach to getting an e-product and social proof out of Blog World Expo, that you could either sell or give away on your blog.

1. First you’ll need your camera, because you’re going to want to have picture with famous bloggers and industry heads while your there, you’re going to use this later in your e-product.
2. Have a pad of paper handy to takes notes with the big names you talk to or interview.
3. Have a cheap electronic recorder on hand that you get from Radio Shack, to record the big names, if you are granted either an interview that they are ok with you recording. You can use this as a podcast or part of your e-product you’ll put together.
4. You might want to have some sort of release, or dual copyright statement so that they can use the recording and stating you have the copyright and permission to use it on your blog, if it’s a recording. These are easy to find, just Google model release and word it to your specs.
5. Take pictures of you AND the Big Names, together, arm in arm or hanging out having a drink or SOMETHING. This will be your social proof when you put your e-product together, or you can just use them in your gallery on your blog. Don’t forget to put names to those pictures when you make your gallery.

Ok, so you’ve taken a bunch of pictures at Blog World Expo, and you’ve talked to a bunch of big and medium sized bloggers, now what? Well do like what Cori did, put together the best of the conversation or interview, maybe 3 lines of advice from them to the new blog owner.Be sure to include your picture with the big name blogger in the e-product to give social proof that yes, you were in fact there, and you did interview them.

Giving people something of value, even the simple advice on making their blogs work, from other big name, well known bloggers is always a good give-away. Give it a nice format, and a cover, and use it as ethical bait for your email list sign up, or just give it away. If it’s really good, sell it, yep that’s right, SELL IT!.

If you have recorded interviews, you can package that up as well if you give it away or sell it, the more the better. If you have a video camera you could even do video interviews, and use this content for your blog, or give it away as an e-product or sell it as well.

All of you who are going(I’m Jealous) to Blog World Expo, you have a chance to make some connections, some new friends, and a product and possibly some money. Go talk to people, network and have a great time.

Trust me, it’s easier to do than it sounds.

Enjoy a few pictures of social proof from photoing bands for the past 10 years…