Behind the Login

Come see what the Self-Publishers Online Conference looks like inside!

We know you may be wondering what makes SPOC an "online conference" rather than yet another "telesummit," so we put this page together to show you.

How SPOC is Different from a Telesummit

Many telesummits are nothing more than a collection of conference calls that are thinly-disguised sales pitches. We want your experience at SPOC to be much better and much more than that.

Our goal is to create an online environment that gives you many of the benefits that you get from attending a live conference without the outrageous cash drain that often accompanies it. Even if the registration fee for a live conference is reasonably priced (and it usually isn't), you can easily double or triple your out-of-pocket expenses with the cost of travel and lodging. With SPOC, you can enjoy the conference from the comfort of your telephone or your home computer. With our Standard and Premium passes, you can have the SPOC experience without even attending the phone sessions!

SPOC uses custom web software developed by Logical Expressions that simulates the benefits of in-person access to vendors, speakers, and other attendees. One of the best things about a live conference is that it provides convenient and direct access to resources and talent related to a specific industry. That's exactly what we try to give you with SPOC.

Two Ways to Interact

We give you two ways to interact with the other virtual attendees as well as the vendors, organizers, and speakers.

• Seminar Rooms: Get call-in information, free handouts, and information about the seminars and speakers. Communicate with the speaker, organizers, and other attendees through the Seminar Discussion area.
• Exhibit Hall: Find the self-publishing resources you need in one convenient place.

Sound like fun? It is, according to past attendees:

"If I haven't said it enough, let me sing your praises loud and clear. In 25 years of professional conference attending, never (ever) have I gone from one session to the next completely wowed."
~ D.S.

"This conference was incredible. I learned so much. It was so nice not to regret missing a conference because of its location or timing, family, work issues, etc. I hope you do it again and again and again! Very enlightening seminars. Glad I participated."
~ A.F.

Take a peak for yourself by checking out the page images below.

Seminar Rooms

The virtual "seminar rooms" at SPOC are specially-designed Web pages with everything you need to know about a seminar. Seminar pages include the following features:

• The title, description, and scheduled time of the seminar.
• Audio controls for attendees who want to listen through their Internet connection.
• A link to the handout for the call (if one is offered).
• A link to the seminar audio recording (for Standard and Premium pass holders).
• The speaker's name, photo, and biographical information.
• NEW feature for SPOC 2010: A moderated Seminar Discussion area, where you can post questions and respond to other attendees.
  To protect your privacy, your posts and comments only show your login name. Your email address is NOT made available to other site visitors.

The image below shows a sample seminar room page from SPOC with the features highlighted:

Exhibit Hall

The virtual "exhibit hall" at SPOC gives you information about self-publishing resources that can help you complete your next book project. Exhibit hall pages have these features:

• Title and description of the product or service.
• Link to the vendor Web site.
• Some vendors include special offers specifically for SPOC attendees!

The image below shows a sample exhibit hall page from SPOC with the features highlighted:

What More Could You Want?

Actually, that's a serious question. Do you have ideas for how we can make SPOC an even better online conference experience? Don't by shy! Feel free to contact us and share your thoughts. It's the next best thing to a mind meld!