Blogging Rewards

One of the great, unexpected rewards of blogging has been getting to know other professionals in the blogosphere.  Even though I've been working online since 1996, I never built friendships with colleagues the way I have since I started blogging in September 2004.

One of my favorite bloggers who has become a good friend is Paul Chaney of Radiant Marketing Group.  He's passionate about blogging and has been a supportive ally.  Patsi and I interviewed him for our Build a Better Blog ebook and he was our very first guest Expert on Conversations with Experts in April 2005.

I have no recollection how I stumbled on Paul's blog, but I did.  I contacted him while putting together our blogging book and he's been a colleague ever since.

Now to the rewards of blogging.  Paul lives in Mississippi.  We connect via email and once on Skype when we were discussing a project.  We've never met in person.  Until now.

Reading Paul's blog yesterday, I saw that he is in Beverly Hills for a conference.  I immediately sent an email chastising him for not letting me know.  The upshot is, we're getting together tonight to meet in person.  I get to meet an online friend in person and that is a very wonderful thing. No doubt it will cement our friendship and you never know what kind of business opportunities will evolve from just getting together over a drink, in person.

I love the Internet and I love what blogging has done for me and my business!

Comments

[Paul Chaney]

Denise, it was a privilege and a joy meeting you last evening. Professionally, you're top-notch and personally a great person to get to know. Like you, blogging has created for me friendships I cherish and trust will be life-long. We try to talk to people about all the benefits blogging provides, and sometimes we sterilize it (at least I do) by making it sound like just another marketing tool. It is far more than that. It's a friendship building tool. It is a life-enrichment tool. It is a way to connect me to people I would never had the opportunity to meet and relate to otherwise. I'm so very happy to number you among my best and closest.