Thank you - 2009

It's that time of the year again. This is a post I look forward to as it allows me to aggregate the many ways I'm thankful in one place. In 2009, the community has grown to include the many professionals who have introduced themselves in the about you page, as well as the members of the fan page on Facebook and the stories you shared for Twittertales.

There are many other amazing contributors in the comments to each post, and the #kaizenblog chat participants on Twitter. For the back story on kaizen and blogging, you will find more information at the initial post. The chat has really evolved to touch upon some of the more advanced aspects of blogging and social media strategy. 

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Thanks go to the conference and workshop organizers who invited me to share my experience with other professionals in 2009. Warning, lots of links in this list to provide proper credit.

• Beth Harte and Li Evans, who organized the Online Media Bootcamp
• Drexel PRSSA and Rick Alcantara, who organized the Social Media Revolution Breaking Boundaries panel
• the excellent team at Mediabistro, in particular Kirsten Cluthe, who invited me to speak at the Mediabistro Circus about the Age of the Customer
• Ann Handley and the gracious team at MarketingProfs, who invited me back at the B2B Forum to focus on developing robust online content to keep prospects and customers engaged
• Chris Penn and Whitney Hoffman for organizing PodCamp Philly, where I had a session on writing engaging content
• Chris Brogan and Justin Levy at New Marketing Labs for inviting me to participate to the Inbound Marketing Summit and talk about writing engaging content for the next Web and the socialization of information
• Hajj Flemings, who put together and opened one of the best programs on branding, BrandCamp09, and asked me to speak about using social media for career advancement in a tough economy
• Andy Sernovitz and the Social Media Business Council for inviting me to share a case study from my day job
• Jennifer Zeszut, CEO Scout Labs, who invited me to join a talent-packed panel at Web 2.0 Expo on real-time marketing: operationalizing social media
• Whitney Hoffman, Chris Penn and Chris Brogan for inviting me to facilitate an unconference session at the Web 2.0 Expo Web2Open on PR, not propaganda
• Seamus Condron and Kirsten Cluthe of Mediabistro for having me back on a dynamic panel on Social Media and the Customer: Focus on Community Management, my additional take on community manager, social, and the organization

That was a mouthful, indeed. I would have liked to attend more conferences to continue learning from colleagues this year. SxSW in the spring was great. If you're interested in my posts from the sessions, I have a few good ones on Kathy Sierra, Charlene Li, Brian Solis. 

Here's what I learned at the Inbound Marketing Summit.

Thanks to the staff at SlideShare for selecting most of the presentations I posted in 2009 for special mentions on the site's home page.

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Thanks go to the team of contributors to the two eBooks on marketing, the 2009 edition and the 2010 edition. And I do hope you continue to enjoy the post by guest bloggers during the holidays.

Thank you

Who and what are you thankful for as you look back on the year? How can we continue to collaborate to connect ideas and people in this forum, at events, and throughout social media outposts?

[image by psd]

© 2006-2009 Valeria Maltoni. All rights reserved.

Comments

[Lance]

Valeria,
You consistently put out great and meaningful material here - and that makes it wonderful to be here and take in all that you give of yourself. May 2010 be a year filled with continuing amazingness in your life and journey.

[Jack Hadley]

Thank you, Valeria, for all you have taught us this year.

[DJ Waldow]

Valeria -

Thank YOU for continuing to pump out consistently kick (tail) content on your blog, sharing interesting links on twitter, and just being an all-around cool, helpful, thoughtful, caring person.

Toasting my 2nd cup of morning coffee to YOU ... right now. No, really. I am.

DJ Waldow
Director of Community, Blue Sky Factory
@djwaldow

[Brian Driggs]

@Valeria

Thanks for such a great 2009. I've learned so much from reading (and participating where I could). It all rolls up neatly into your motto of connecting ideas and people - and that's turning out to be a ship I want to sail as well.

Terms like "social media" and all that ironically sugar coat what is essentially the golden rule coming into its own in the digital realm. You consistently share thoughts and ideas with us and then participate in the discussions that follow. Your sincerity comes shining through and that's what makes your site different.

You're a positive vibe merchant, Valeria. Here's to harmony with and amplification of those vibes in 2010. Cheers.

[Diego]

Thank you Valeria for your great articles!

All the Best for 2010,

Diego

[Angela Connor]

What a wonderful comprehensive list of thank you's. I am an avid reader here and have benefited greatly from your content. I should follow your lead and thank people individually for the opportunities afforded me this year as well. As far as what I'm thankful for...the opportunity to publish a book and get so many people supporting it. I'm also thankful for being invited to speak to some really great people about growing online communities and enlightening many who said that most speakers were going over their heads as far as how social media can benefit them. I look forward to reading your content next year. All the best.
Angela Connor
@communitygirl

[Valeria Maltoni]

@Lance - thank you. Glad the content is useful to you. I'm working on shifting emphasis more towards marketing evolution in the coming year.

@Jack - very kind of you to stop by.

@DJ - you won't mind if mine is an espresso cup or a capuccino, right? Here's to another year of useful conversations with lots of learning for us all.

@Brian - the more the merrier on the connective thought frequency. Somehow we will need to be even more this way in the coming year. So many are in fear and in their insecurity are divisive and small.

@Diego - keep creating enjoyable sound narrative.

@Angela - way to go on the book. That is indeed an amazing achievement. Thank you for reading and participating to this community and the larger business community.