I’ve gotten used to geeky events and they’re what I expect. Branding isn’t much of a thought. You’re judged more on content than looks. We can even stomach bad presentation skills if the information is good enough. That was my blog too. Until now with the redesign! Now I feel like I can hang with the cool marketing girls I met this weekend at the Startup Princess Retreat (#princess on Twitter).
Let me start with the energy. The room could’ve generated it’s own electricity if you just hooked up a generator to Gwen Bell. Add the rest of the presenters and you’d be able to sell it back to the power company. I couldn’t sleep that night or on the way to Wendover for a quick getaway. My husband wanted me to stop talking!
Have you ever noticed that a lack of sleep greatly prohibits multi-tasking?
Amazingly, women from the retreat along with people following it on Twitter met the last night at a trendy cafe and talked some more. At that point I couldn’t recall my own name.
After hearing Holly Buchanan speak I realized again how marketers have stereotyped women as they go after the mythical Soccer mom. She clearly showed us how to re-write our sites to reflect different styles - including the most common style of woman, the spontaneous connector (I’m sorry I can’t remember her term right now.) Anyway, we pretty much all related to that group. I could go for a whole presentation just on web copy and design for the most common type of woman (generally speaking of course).
I missed Gwen Bell’s presentation but she really played up the princess theme - wearing wings everywhere. I’ll forever remember her with wings and her magic wand. Apparently she wore wings all over town, drawing attention whereever she went. Which was a great way to market for Startup Princess (too bad no flyers to hand out). She started inventing the Startup Princess Twitter group and showing everyone how to get involved. I got some new followers. The enthusisasm! The love! Oh, and she met her finance on Twitter.
Barbara Jones fascinated me with her experience in the music industry. She was promoting no name bands who became big names. She got gutsy and started a company where women can participate in word of mouth marketing for fun perks. In other words, she became a Startup Princess - the gutsy women who start their own businesses. I signed up immediately.
Gabrielle Blair has great fashion sense as she should as a Design Mom. I’m sure you’ll see that when you see our pictures. She had everyone captivated as she explained her blog’s rise to fame. Somehow she manages to be mom to 5 kids and still be hip! Must learn. Thanks to her sponsorship and Kirtsy we had internet access and people could try what they learned on the spot.
Kirtsy is so cool, now can we have a Wikipedia for women!? The popular crowd doesn’t actually allow editing any more, except if they approve! Now I need to sign up.
The presentations were beautiful slideshows and polished but real. I loved seeing old friends and meeting new ones (if I wanted tshirts designed, I’d talk to Cheeky and Swank. I love the concept of You Can Make This. I think of all of the ways they could spin off: seat covers and utility sewing, maternity clothes, ski pants and sports gear, and home decor.
Loved meeting Ellen and coaching Quinn because she immediately implemented what she learned. Take a look at her store - Created By Mom. I met many more great women who I’m now cheering on as they start and grow businesses. Fun times.
