Why I Should Be An Izea Insider

Izea has a pilot program to help them spread the word about IZEA sites, products, and services, create a stronger bond within our existing community, provide product insight, and assist in continuing innovation. They are looking for some people to give them a hand and want to know why we think we are an excellent fit for this position.  What do you get for doing all this for them?  Well, there is no hourly rate (darn!).  However, you will get a $1500 travel fee, Ted Murphy’s phone number with access to him, a blog makeover, the ability to try out new products before anyone else, recruiting bonuses, Postie Packs, etc.  As you can see, there are a ton of fringe benefits.

I wish I could say I was one of the very first members, but PPP launched in July 2006, and I joined a few months later in September. I originally started my blog to stay connected with family and friends in Green Bay, Wisconsin, while I settled into life in Illinois. Back then, I only had my daughter, who seemed to grow up in the blink of an eye. As a stay-at-home mom, I needed extra income. Since 2004, I have been freelancing for various companies, creating websites, and taking on similar projects. That additional income covered satellite TV, daily newspapers, and internet access. It also allowed me to step out of the “mom” role and reconnect with my identity as an adult. However, as any freelancer will tell you, work can be inconsistent—sometimes there’s plenty, and sometimes there’s nothing.

One day, I stumbled across PPP on someone’s blog (I don’t even remember whose) and decided to sign up. That journey began with them and spanned over the last two years. My blog has chronicled the highs and lows of family life—including a miscarriage and the birth of my son. I’m a work-from-home mom and a professional blogger, managing five blogs alongside my freelance work. I consider myself fortunate. My income now is enough to pay for the extras my family needs and wants (like a basement remodel!). So, I must be doing something right!

What do I know about marketing? Quite a bit! One of my freelance clients even considers me their social media manager. I’m active on platforms like StumbleUpon, Digg, Mixx, Reddit, Yahoo Buzz, Kirtsy, Blogging Zoom, and more, and I have recently joined a new bookmarking service called Tagfoot, which is still in beta and invite-only. I use social media to promote my blogs, and I am on several social networking sites such as Facebook, Namyz, Ryze, LinkedIn, Twitter, SocialSpark, Entrecard, and various forums. I was also a moderator on the Izea forums for six months and currently moderate at Chicago Moms Like Me, a social networking site for Chicagoland moms. Additionally, I’m a member of MyBlogLog and BlogCatalog. My experience and connections have helped me build a solid online presence, and here’s a look at my blog’s stats since October 1st:

I’ve achieved these numbers largely thanks to social media, and I’d be highly effective at recruiting a team for several reasons. First, I’ve been a part of this community for a long time and know many posties personally. Amy hosted a baby pool for me on the forums when my son was born! During my time as a moderator, several posties spoke up to keep me on board, which shows I had a strong rapport with the community. I’m also well-acquainted with members like Robyn, Elizabeth, Corrin, Christine, Julie, Breezie, Drew—to name a few. There are many more, but that’s just a start.

I’m always happy to help—like in this forum thread, where I shared tips about Bluehost and Hostgator. I often receive emails and tweets from people seeking advice, so I think I’ve earned a reputation for being approachable, which would make recruiting a breeze!

What events have I attended? 

Blogworld last year:

PostieCon and did a cake plow (that alone should score me some bonus points):

I attended the Social Networking Conference in Miami in January of this year. I ran into Ted there. However, I didn’t bring my camera, so there are no pictures from that conference. I also worked at a booth here, so I know how to do that.

I attended the Sony Mommy Bloggers Event with Laura and Heather in April, who also are posties:

In May, I went to Agency Bootcamp here in Chicago:

I was invited to the Pampers Mommy Blogger Event in August:

Izeafest:

Also, I have been invited on October 23rd to attend the Epson and Sparkplugging Girls’ Night Out (pictures to come).  As you can see, I’ve attended several blogging events and conferences this year.

I would have loved to attend SNSX, Blog World Expo, and BlogHer conferences, but the travel expenses just didn’t fit into our budget this year, especially with the economic downturn. I have a trusty laptop that goes everywhere with me—I use it so much that some of the keys’ letters have worn off! While I don’t have an air card, my husband mentioned that once my cell phone contract is up at the end of the month, he’d like to upgrade me to an iPhone (so I’m open to any phone recommendations). You can use an iPhone as a hotspot, so maybe that counts as a workaround?

I would love to have Ted’s ear. Several things bother me about Izea, and I would love to hear what he says about them. I have to be honest—I don’t think my actual resume is this long!

What do you think?  Should I be picked as an Izea Insider?

EDIT:  Here’s a pic from the Epson/Sparkplugging Event:

I was also asked to join the Social Media Club here in Chicago. I missed last night’s meeting because I didn’t have a babysitter, but I will try to attend the others.