As you’re probably sick of hearing, I have been ill for nearly 3 months (although getting so much better and even contemplating my first slow, gentle jog in a day or two!)
Quite gratefully, I had been approached by the PR company behind Vonage– a company specialising in communication solutions for small and home based businesses – to come for an evening with two blogging experts to get some inspiration about how to turn this writing lark into an actual focused business.
Although nothing to do with sport, fitness or health, it was a good excuse to get out of the house and meet some new bloggers. On top of that, I’m always curious to take a step back from Project HB and actually survey it for what it is today, after only a year of me tapping away on my cheap- laptop in my PJs. Not quite a business as such, but a thing.
A thing that, if google is to be believed, people on internet now actually think is a reliable source for fitness class reviews, and for some bizarre reason, seem interested in what I have got to say. Can you imagine?! Little old hide-in-the-corner, foot-in-mouth, inwardly bashful idiot me. You all cray cray for reading and actually enjoying this drivel, but I love ya for it.
Aaaanyway, off I trotted to the PR company’s offices which- rather niftily – were RIGHT next to the day job (so I experienced what it’s like not to turn up sweaty and late for an appointment, for probably only the 3rd time in my life). I nestled into the group next to the wasabi peas and felt good to be re-entering into society and not sitting at home in a rib brace watching eastenders for the 12th week in a row. People! Wasabi Peas! I was a real human again!
We were given a short presentation by MD of the sponsor, Vonage, who told us a bit about how they can provide separate business lines, a transcript service for VMs and other such fancies that would make our little businesses seem professional (you can read more about their services here). I had a nice little vision of me, in a converted attic, with a BUSINESS LINE, answering calls to HB HQ, (yes I’m dressed in a pink jumpsuit) and thoughtfully crunched on another handful of wasabi peas.
Then, we were treated to a good couple of hours of incredibly detailed and interesting information about all things bloggery. Elizabeth and Emma have been running blogs for a good few years now, and were introducing us to all sorts of technology that someone of my ripe old age has no business understanding. Google plus? What are you?! Where did you come from?! Did you just get so clever you invented yourself?
Anyway, they were super helpful at giving us tips on how to make the most out of these little social platforms us bloggers run, giving food for thought about how to interact with you lovely people who bother to tune in even though all I’ve really been doing these past few months is moaning about coughing and a cracked rib.
I came away with a nicely wasabi-pea-heated mouth, but more than that, a thousand ideas for videos and twitter chats. I’m also placing the blame firmly at Emma and Elizabeth’s door if you soon find yourself having to endure real-time videos of me doing angry, furious, red-faced burpees.
