I’ve been home for a few days now and am still trying to digest everything I experienced over the weekend. The bottom-line is that Disney World is pretty awesome. I tried to think of a more eloquent way to say that, but pretty awesome it is.
I’ve always been fan of Disney, but never considered myself a SUPER fan. We love the movies, Disney Channel/Disney Jr. and all the characters, and we had talked about taking a trip to Orlando when the kids were older. Thanks to the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, we were able to take this trip earlier than planned.
While we were on Disney property, we were privy to presentations on new initiatives, campaigns, and so much more. The food was absolutely amazing and thanks to the Disney Try It campaign, my daughter ate polenta and a sweet potato fry. As a kid who lives off yogurt and goldfish, I consider this a huge coup.
On conference day, my sister and husband took the kids to Animal Kingdom and I joined up with a fabulous group of bloggers from across the country.
We heard from speakers like Olympic Gold Medalist, Shannon Miller and marketing consultant and author, Jackie Huba, who spoke on building a fan base through the study of Lady GaGa.
In between the sessions, we got to make friends with Sully and Mike Wazowski from Monsters University and the Storm Troopers from Star Wars.
I left the conference day with a few key takeaways.
1) Surround yourself with the right people.
This is huge! We need to be surrounded by people who inspire us, who challenge us and who support us. If someone is bringing you down, drop them like a hot potato.
2) In your writing, write as if you are writing to your best friend.
In retrospect, this seems so obvious. The more personal a story seems, the more engaged we’ll become.
3) To grow your followers, customer base, etc. – focus on your 1%.
While numbers can make us feel good, we need to be focused on those that are truly engaged with us. Think about things that you are a 1%”er” for. What are those companies/brands doing that keep you engaged? Learn from them. Emulate.
4) Stop comparing (I know it’s easier said than done.)
Shannon Miller said it best when she told us that overnight success is usually not overnight. We don’t often see the years and years of hard work that went behind said achievement. Focus on you and DO GOOD WORK. Someone will notice.
5) Above all else, play nice.
I can’t say this enough. There needs to be more “please” and “thank you” and less expectations and demands. Help someone else out. Smile at a stranger. Share a lead. Show appreciation. People will remember you for it
After the conference, my family spent the last few days touring Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and eating at Epcot. We rode rides, swam in the pools and just generally enjoyed being together as a family.
Thank you Disney for allowing my family to make some truly magical memories!
Disclosure: I attended the Disney Social Media Moms Conference and received discounted rates and tickets to various events and attractions. My family had a fabulous time and all opinions come from our experience.
It was so great to see you again at Disney, and your kids are just too adorable! I’m still processing everything that we learned and experienced but your recap has reminded me of lots that I need to remember. Great post!
So fun to hang out in a place other than Raleigh! Love the pic of you guys with the kids in the Mickey ears. We saw that out our window and I kept saying I should get a picture of us there but never did!
What a great post, Erin. A really good wrap-up. I’m so glad you all had a wonderful time.