Speed Dating

Speed Dating Collective Bias Style

Building the foundation for a good relationship takes time.  But who has any “extra” time these days?  You want to make sure that you’re investing your time wisely – engaging with a brand or blogger that fits with your direction, gets your style, and can commit long-term.  So how do you find your match?

Sure, you can send out shotgun emails hoping that it hits the right inbox, that it’s read, and that you’re speaking the same language.  Or you can stand at a party full of people trying to “network” their way through hundreds of others, hoping that they stumble across the right one.  Or you can try a new approach – one that’s more likely to get you connected to the right partners.

#cbbwe at BlogWorld has taken the old “speed dating” concept and updated it with a twist.  We’re offering two different types of sessions to participating brands and bloggers.

Brands on the Radar

Rather than just sending out our team to find brands to participate, we started by asking our Collective Bias community what brands they would really love to see at an event like this. Then we opened up that question to the larger blogger community. (Haven’t expressed your opinion yet? Vote here or tell us who we missed that should be asked to the dance!) We’re approaching those brands to see if they “get” that bloggers want to engage with them.  We’re hoping that many of them see the value in showing up to start the conversation.

Bloggers on the Radar

As we talk to brands about participating, We’re asking them which bloggers are on their radars.  Who do they think they want to meet?  What type of blogger are they looking for but have yet to find? Who can we help them engage with at #cbbwe?
Two Events in One

Speed Dating Collective Bias Style is not your usual “crowd everybody in a room and hope it works” speed dating event.  You know the ones you’ve seen at every conference where people talk to the person on their right, or huge swarms of people surge around brand tables as if they were at a job fair?

First, in our Brand’s Choice Speed Dating sessions, we’re taking the list of bloggers that are on the brand’s radar and created a series of closed sessions.  Then we’re adding in a few folks who fit the profiles of our brands but may not have crossed their inbox yet. Over the course of three 50 minute sessions, our brands will meet 15 bloggers each and our bloggers will meet 5 brands each.  They have 10 minutes to find out if they’ll get past this first date or not. Exchange information, plans, and philosophies and either wait for the bell to move on, or arrange to chat more later at the Poolside Event because there’s too much to say.  Either way, this will be fast-paced fun!

Next, after the BlogWorld Expo Networking Event on the expo floor, we’ll be having our Blogger’s Choice Speed Dating session. That brand you told us you really wanted to connect with? They’re right over there! Get there first and you will have up to 10 minutes to make your case. Not as quick on your feet as you used to be? Line up and polish your pitch while you wait. With six 10 minute sessions, every brand can see at least 6 bloggers.  But don’t avoid a line just because there are already 5 people in it – you never know when a brand or blogger might feel they’ve already said all there is to say to each other and move on. Two minutes, five, or ten – it’s all good – but when the bell rings? You’ve got to get out of the chair!

Didn’t get your chance to talk to that one brand or blogger that you’ve really been trying to connect with all weekend? It’s okay.  We’ll have bowls on the tables to put your cards in and of course, you can always hunt them down at our Poolside Event later that night!

Either way, we’re looking forward to seeing you in Las Vegas at #cbbwe!