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Did Someone Say Chocolate?
OK, I was just trying to catch your attention. The truth is, my article covering the San Francisco Chocolate Salon is out in the June issue of Bay Area Business Woman online, and is here for your enjoyment. For the article, I interviewed several successful Bay Area women chocolate-preneurs and found out some of their secrets of success. It was a tough assignment, but someone had to do it. And I learned some great higher truths along the way, the main one being: light, dark, or milk, with nuts or without, plain or fancy packaging, you gotta love chocolate. So, thanks so much to editor Debora Costner for
giving me this sweet opportunity!
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About CarolineJaffe-Pickett
Caroline Jaffe-Pickett is an award winning writer and editor, with nearly 100 published articles on topics such as real estate, education, health and fitness, and food and lifestyles. Her work has appeared in magazines such as Redbook and American Health, and newspapers such as Bay Area Business Woman, as well as Our Town and the West Side Spirit (Manhattan Media Group.) She has a strong interest in the environment (green issues) and sustainability, as well as the arts.
She is the winner of the Heekin Foundation novel-in-progress award, a finalist for the Katherine Anne Porter award for short fiction, and 3rd Place winner for her short story "Art" in the West Side Spirit "The Word is New York" contest.
In addition to article writing, she currently enjoys helping clients with new media projects such as e-newsletters and blogs, web site content, writing and editing, social media, public relations coaching, and corporate profiles.
Recently named one of 39 writers to follow on Twitter
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Editor's Note
Sometimes, You Just Need to Paint a Flowerpot
Greetings!
Click on photo to see my video of Sunset mag Celebration Weekend
One of the things I enjoy most about living on the Peninsula is the annual Sunset Magazine Celebration weekend, which features live music, delicious food, wine and cheese tastings,
celebrity appearances, and lots of chances to win vacations and other giveaways. This year my press pass allowed me full access to all the cool events, and I used the opportunity to create a video using my latest favorite video tool, Animoto, which for you communicators out there looking to do more with less, is a great way to turn your photo into video, add music, and impress all your friends. You can enjoy the video here.
Some of my favorite finds of the day were: sampling Silver Moon gelato, trying out cheeses and chocolates, and painting my own pot (yes, that's it in the photo), which allowed me to have great conversation with the groovy women at my table, and release my inner artist. Apparently my planter was so impressive that several women almost walked off with it when I paused for a moment to take a photo. Did I know when I woke up in the morning that I would be doing this? No! But that's kind of what summer is all about, so I hope all of you are out there enjoying your summer, and maybe doing something a little unexpected. Go out and find your planter to paint. You deserve it. |
Where's Carrie?
I'm thrilled to be covering as PRESS, the Affiliate marketing conference in New York City, August 9-11, where I'm lining up some juicy interviews to bring back to you all in my blog and newsletter. I'm still learning a lot about affiliate marketing, but I'm sure I'll be full of ideas and info when I get back. The three-day conference includes an exhibit hall with affiliate merchants, vendors, and networks, as well as multiple tracks of educational sessions covering the latest trends and information from affiliate marketing experts. The keynote speaker for Monday, August 10 is the incredibly-cool-you-must-subscribe-to-his-blog Chris Brogan, President of New Marketing Labs, and keynote for Tuesday, August 11 is Peter Shankman, founder and CEO of The Geek Factory.
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Social Networking Update
The 10 Commandments of Social Media
By Lon Safko
*Reprinted by permission
1. Thou Shalt Blog (like crazy).
2. Thou Shalt Create Profiles (everywhere).
3. Thou Shalt Upload Photos (lots of them).
4. Thou Shalt Upload Videos (all you can find).
5. Thou Shalt Podcast (often).
6. Thou Shalt Set Alerts (immediately).
7. Thou Shalt Comment (on a multitude of blogs).
8. Thou Shalt Get Connected (with everyone).
9. Thou Shalt Explore Social Media (30 minutes per week).
10. Thou Shalt Be Creative (go forth and create creatively)!
Commandments 1. Thou Shalt Blog (like crazy)
Blog. Please. That's the first priority. Set up a blog, a personal blog, a business blog. It's easier than you think. Use an existing blogging site such as Blogger.com or GOingOn.com or install your own branded blogging site right on your own server by using WordPress. And, WordPress is free.
Commandments 2. Thou Shalt Create Profiles (everywhere)
Create your profiles; do it now before someone else takes them. Once
they are gone, they are gone forever. That's called cyber squatting. So
get out there. Use Open Social to make filling in your profiles as easy
as a click of a button.
Commandments 3. Thou Shalt Upload Photos
(lots of them)
Upload
photographs. You've got them. Don't upload the one with you with a
lampshade on your head - counterproductive; but other photographs?
Absolutely. Customers want to see and participate. You want to give
people a face to go with your company.
Commandments 4. Thou Shalt Upload Videos
(all you can find)
Videos.
You all have got videos. I don't care whether it's training videos or
customer videos, grab your video camera and go interview some of your
customers. What's better than seeing your customer's smiley face on
your Web site? And it doesn't cost anything.
Commandments 5. Thou Shalt Podcast (often)
Podcast.
If you're too cheap to get a camera, use the free audio software that's
in your computer. That's what I did. I created 48 audio podcasts. If
you take the podcasts I did for my book and played them back-to-back,
they run 24 continuous hours of interviews. You can do that. It's free.
It just takes time.
Commandments 6. Thou Shalt Set Alerts (immediately)
Set alerts. People are talking about you. You probably need to know what they are saying and you want to participate.
Commandments 7. Thou Shalt Comment (on a multitude of blogs)
Comment.
Commenting is like going to a cocktail party. You wouldn't walk into a
networking event, walk up to a group of people talking, and tell them
your name and what you do in your business. That would be rude and
unacceptable. Listen first. Read the blogs and add comments. You can be
controversial, that's okay. But participate. Get involved.
Commandments 8. Thou Shalt Get Connected
(with everyone)
Get
LinkedIn. Put it in your email that you have a LinkedIn account, you
have a FaceBook account, and that you have a Twitter account. Make it a
part of your heading on your letterhead, because that's how you
propagate. That's how you sell it.
Commandments 9. Thou Shalt Explore Social Media
(30 minutes per week)
Explore
social media. Give me thirty minutes a week, that's all I'm asking.
Friday morning grab your coffee, lock yourself in your office, and give
me thirty minutes. Just Google something. I promise you within the
first 30 days you will be excited. You'll be as excited as I am. You
will get excited because of the ROI.
Commandments 10. Thou Shalt Be Creative
(go forth and create creatively)
And
the most important commandment is creativity. That's all. It's just
creativity and having fun. But you know what, that's what your
customers want. They want to see transparency. They want to see
authenticity. They want to see you having fun. They want to be able to
relate and communicate.
Read more of Lon Safko's Social Media Bible blog
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