Chang-Rae Lee is Writer's Writer

I have only read one book so far by Chang-Rae Lee, Aloft, which left such a huge impression on me that I recommended it to everyone I knew at the time, (this was about 2 years ago), and started to literally deconstruct the book to see how he so seamlessly put it together -- excellent plot devices, snappy dialogue, and such amazing descriptions that I remember reading passages over and over to myself. I don't do that for many people.

So, I'm excited to have now procured an advance copy of his new book, The Surrendered, which is described on the jacket as: a stunning story about how love and war inalterably change the lives of those they touch..."

Laura Miller from Salon.com, writes: "The Surrendered" moves backward and forward in time with an impressive smoothness, nosing out the events that led June and Hector to unite, however briefly, and create Nicholas. Just once, Lee stoops to sheer melodrama (there's a car crash in the book's second half that's a bit over the top), but it's an error of daring too much, rather than of settling for too little, and ultimately, it's forgivable. So are the moments, not frequent, when he strains too hard after writerly gorgeousness, clotting up his sentences with an excess of metaphorical flourishes. In a novel so rich in the hearty pleasures of storytelling, these blemishes are almost endearing, the overflow of a welcome enthusiasm. Also, Lee's reaching does sometimes work, as when he describes intimacy's tentative return to the middle-aged Hector's life, thanks to a tender barfly: "With each night she spent, another diaphanous layer of her presence seemed to settle upon him and everything else, the fine dust of her that he could almost taste on a spoon, on the rim of a glass."

Can't wait to read this and see what he comes up with next.

Tip to Book Enthusiasts Who Can't Wait for the Published Version:
If you go to a good used book store, there's a chance they may have a promotional copy advance copy of the book. It usually says "Uncorrected Proof" or something similar on the cover, or "For Limited Distribution." This version is fairly similar to the final printed one, and is worth getting, as you can read it in advance before all the reviews, and it's usually a less expensive paperback version, although I'm all for supporting authors and purchasing the hardcover version when I can.

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate. 

3 Cool Bloggers I Recently Discovered

It's fun to surf the web every once in a while and discover new resources. Over the last 2 weeks or so, I have discovered 3 new bloggers whose posts I'm really enjoying, and I'm happy to share them here with you. Being that I'm taking care not to crowd my inbox too much, and that I'm being super selective in what I choose to subscribe to, you can be sure I wouldn't be taking the time to read these folks if it weren't worth it. So check them out, see what you think, and let me know.

1. Wake Up Cloud - Self-Improvement Ideas for Conscious People
I stumbled upon this blog by accident and am really glad I did. Henri Junttila is from Sweden and recently moved to Spain. His life story is interesting - he used to be a professional poker player. Then he had a re-awakening and decided to help people with social media and blogs. Here are his own words:

"In early 2009 I decided to stop playing poker because it no longer excited me. I jumped into making money online. While it may sound easy, I can assure you that I had my fears, but I did it anyway because I knew I wasn’t going to be happy playing poker for the rest of my life. I discovered that following my passion is the only thing that matters. I want to be doing what I love all the time. I do not claim to have all the answers, because I am still learning and trying to figure things out, just like you. Right now I am making a comfortable living through my websites, but just a short time ago I felt something tugging, something pulling me towards sharing my experiences and life lessons. That is how The Wake Up Cloud was born. I want to help you become the real you. I want to help you find and follow your passion so we can create a world that we truly want to live in. Something is not right with how things are done right now, so let’s change it!"

Henri offers a 5-day "Discover Your Passion" E-Course that I'm receiving now and finding refreshing. He also offers comforting posts on tasks like writing your first e-book and making your first video, and has a friendly, approachable tone I'm sure readers are enjoying. I think Henri is going to be quite successful, and I wish him the best of luck.

2. Stealthmode Blog and Francine Hardaway
I came across Francine's blog recently when she was profiled in a local coastside publication here. Intrigued by her bio, I found her blog and subscribed right away, as I found the posts an excellent balance of technology, semi-personal stuff, as well as good insights into the future of social media and other technology rights of passage. As someone who has been around a while and seen the various waves of technology - from web 0.0 to web 3.0 and beyond, her perspective is interesting. Francine writes in her "About" page: Self-described geek-to-human translator Francine Hardaway, co-founder of Stealthmode Partners, bought her first Apple product in the (very) early 80s, abandoned it for the supposedly portable Compaq a few years later, and eventually returned to Macs. By the late 80s, she was haranguing her daughters’ journalism teachers for continuing to make the students cut and paste up the school newspaper copy when desktop publishing already existed, and had sacrificed their high school popularity for their greater good. (She also gave them fax machines for Christmas, which they returned.)

Her passion for hardware died when the Internet “came along” and she realized the future was in software. Her first real experience with the power of online communities was in 1996, when insomnia after her husband’s death led her to discover Widownet, followed a discreet year later by Match.com. In the early 90s, she made herself less popular with her friends by insisting that they all learn about email and the Internet, although they all assured her they would be dead before they needed to know it. She started a weekly email list that is now known by people who still don’t read blogs as “Francine’s blog.” Francine’s real blog — for those “in the know”–is right here. She can also be found on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Friendfeed, and every other social network someone tells her about. And, oh by the way, she is a serial entrepreneur who counsels and invests in other startup entrepreneurs at Stealthmode Partners, She can tell you how long it REALLY takes to get beyond those early adopters.

3. Jane Friedman's tag line is: where passion, publishing, and adventure intersect, and it's lines like that really get your attention. And that's just the beginning. You can tell that Jane's passion is books. She is the publisher and editorial director of Writer's Digest Community, and a true writer's writer, it would appear, with literary quotes sprinkled throughout her various web sites, and blog posts titles such as: "Is it Better to be Loved or Understood?" you know you're not in for a superficial read. Jane writes on her About page:

"To the outside observer, I’m obsessed with writing, reading, editing, teaching, and speaking. More broadly, I’m concerned with people, passion, and connecting the two. I’m open to just about any adventure, and even a whole lot of situations (or conversations) that most people would consider boring. I am an unashamed Zen-inspired intellectual who tests INXP on the Myers-Briggs and Type 4 on the Enneagram. I care about joy and beauty, in a broad sense. I’m occasionally even fun to be around. I’m passionate about things big and small: how a good book changes your experience of the world or how a one-second glance from a stranger across the room can alter the day’s landscape."

I also like that every week Jane posts the "best of" Twitter posts of the week on any given topic, usually something literary, which is a timesaver for you and me. Jane is cool. I hope to get to meet her someday. Blog on, Jane!

So, who are you reading lately? What say you?

CarrieFreelance March Newsletter: New Video, Free E-Book

The Butterfly carriefreelance communications newsletter holistic media solutions writing editing public relations e-newsletters blogs social media March 2010 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ in this issue Highlights from carriewriterblog Constant Contact 2009 All-Star New Video and Yoga Client Case Study Free E-Book, "6 Degrees of Twitteration"

Highlights from carriewriterblog.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What's Your Signature Move? What do "The Brady Bunch," Trader Joe's, and Evan Lysacek have in common? They're all used as points of inspiration in my blog to talk about cool stuff like marketing, authenticity, athletic success as a mirror for social media success, that kind of thing. Hey, it's how my mind works. Check out the blog if you haven't lately and please feel free to subscribe. "Everybody's Doing It" Social Media Club of SF Panel Why are so many companies still shying away from social media? I was excited about attending my first event with the Social Media Club of San Francisco/Silicon Valley in February. It was one of the best panels I've been to dealing with social media topics, and I was glad to see it was well attended, with over 80 people in the room and another several hundred watching on justin.tv...a little lesson in the power of simultaneous broadcasts! I wrote a story highlighting key themes of the panel that was also linked on the main page of the social media club, thanks to club president Alyce Linquist. Click on the image for my blog write-up and link to the video. Good News! I'm an All-Star E-Marketer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Validation rocks! I just found out last week I was named a Constant Contact 2009 All-Star E-Marketer. Thanks to the folks at CC for sending me this great note: Dear Carrie, Kudos to you! As a Constant Contact Business Partner, you did email marketing the way it's supposed to be done in 2009. You stayed in touch with your clients with regular email communications. You made sure your list was up to date, and that everyone on it gave you permission to send them emails. Finally, you delivered engaging information that your clients were eager to receive, open, and read. In short, you are a Constant Contact Email Marketing All Star for 2009. We want to congratulate you for being part of this special group. Thank you for being a Constant Contact Business Partner, and for making email marketing a part of your success. Best wishes, Gail Goodman Chief Executive Officer New Video and Yoga Client Mini Case Study ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Those of you who are online friends might know that I was assisting my new client Rebecca Snowball, anusara yoga instructor, in providing marketing and public relations services. Here's a quick wrap-up of what I've accomplished so far in just a few short weeks on this project: *Successful press coverage, with articles about Rebecca's yoga retreat published in the Palo Alto Daily Post, the San Jose examiner.com, and The Almanac. *A packed house, with nearly 30 yogis filling the Great Room at Stillheart. There wasn't any more room, really. *Lots of great photos and video from the weekend, that I'll be using throughout the coming weeks in specific social media channels. *A Happy Client. "Great video!" Rebecca said when she saw it. Yay. Click on the image above to view the video. And while you're over there in YouTube land, please subscribe to my channel and feel free to leave a comment. Download My Free New E-Book, "6 Degrees of Twitteration" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I'm proud of my new e-book and hope you enjoy it. It's a collection of some of my most useful blog posts about Twitter, as well as some of the best resources and applications on Twitter I have found. There's also a handy page at the back for you to keep notes, as well as to keep track of your Twitter profile information and favorite apps. I'd love to know what you think of the book. Leave a comment on my Facebook Fan page, as well as any thoughts about what you like and don't like about Twitter, and I'll use your questions and comments in my upcoming publications as well as here in this newsletter, along with a link to your business.

Caroline Jaffe-Pickett Communications Specialist carriefreelance.com holistic media solutions 650-206-2682 newsletter and subscribe home new! author of Six Degrees of Twitteration Carrie Jaffe-Pickett is an award winning writer and editor based in Silicon Valley. She is the recent author of Six Degrees of Twitteration, and has been published in Redbook, American Health, and numerous publications.

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New Video! Yoga Weekend, Stillheart Institute, Woodside, CA, and 6 Filming Tips

Here is the video I made for my new client, anusara yoga instructor Rebecca Snowball, during her "Return to Stillness" weekend at the Stillheart Institute, Woodside, CA. It was my first experience taking a lot of photos and video of people in motion, and it was really fun. The Institute was such a great place to photograph, lots of natural light and feeling one with nature. I'm so glad Rebecca was pleased with how the video came out. I also learned a few important tips: 1. video works better when you film shorter clips, like 10-12 seconds, and then edit them together in iMovie or whatever program you're working in. 2. When interviewing folks, better to ask them in-depth questions that require some thought, rather then yes or no type questions. 3. the importance of great background music is key. I'm so thankful to talented musician Jamie Gaskin for sending me some downloads to work with. He is only 16, and has a great career ahead of him. 4. People tend to talk way faster when they know they're being filmed. I think it's partly nerves, and also that they aren't used to the process. Remind those you're filming to speak more slowly then they normally would, and to remember to breathe. 5. Keep the camera as still as possible and don't go crazy zooming in and out. I found it worked better to walk toward or away from what I needed to film rather then zooming, just a more natural look. 6. It's OK to crop! As with taking photographers, it's a good idea to have a good variety of clips to choose from when making your edits, but don't be afraid to edit them for length so your video doesn't run too long. I was careful to edit this down to about 3 minutes, the original was twice as long.

What are your video tips?

"Everybody's Doing It" Event Highlights Key Trends & Issues in Social Media

This video clip by MJ Brito highlights panelists discussing the issue of personal and corporate branding, and what happens if and when the two should meet. In this day and age, this coming together is more a matter of "when" and not "if." One topic that came up was Forrester’s recent decision of not allowing their analysts to blog about social media unless it was on the official Forrester blog. Here, LaSandra Brill, Janet Fouts and Erin Robbins take on personal and corporate brands.

* * *

The Social Media Club of San Francisco/Silicon Valley Chapter, #smcsfsv, hosted a very interesting panel recently that really had me on the edge of my seat and thinking about social media in many new ways...which is great! That's what a panel should do. Also of interest was the fact that although there were about 100 people in the room, 780 people were watching on Justin tv, so that pretty much tells you a bit about the power of social media right now. Here's a quick review and summary of panelists' comments:

The Cast:
Moderator: Jennifer Lindsay @jennifered, the A-List podcaster

The Sponsors:
Gold Sponsor: Spigit
Venue Sponsor: Automattic
Wine Sponsor: Stag's Leap (thanks for the wine, it was delicious)

The Panel:
Violet Blue @violetblue
Forbes "Web Celeb," notorious blogger, high-profile tech personality and one of Wired's "Faces of Innovation," regarded as a leading expert in the field of sex and technology

LaSandra Brill @lasandrabrill
Social media enthusiast, avid blogger and marketing innovator, Cisco's Senior Manager, Social Media Marketing Group

Janet Fouts @jfouts
Entrepreneur, social media coach, author and speaker, co-founder of Tatu Digital Media

Erin Robbins @texasfirlerin
Director of Marketing and Communications for Realty World NCA, and communications and marketing professional

Issues and Perspectives:
Why are so many companies still hesitant to embrace social media?

• Many big businesses still don't see the value of social media and need to be educated about it
• There is still a perceived risk and lack of clarity on ROI
• Even if they aren't ready to participate, companies still need to engage in active online listening. It's critical to know what's being said about your brand before jumping into social media.
  
• Recent crises have highlighted the power of social media with world events, and "microdonating," ie. Katrina, Haiti

What about the "snakeoil" social media consultant?
How do we know the consultant we hire is the real deal?

• Social media is still an evolutionary process, but someone who claims to be a "specialist" should be dedicated to continued learning
• A social media certification is one possible benchmark, though not necessarily a dealmaker
• A consultant should establish clear results for a specific social media campaign, so they can be measured
• Don't judge by the number of friends or followers someone has -- look at the degree of engagement
• When engaging in social media for a company, don't start from scratch, but use your existing followers and identity and build from there
• Consider if you have a "symbiotic" vs "parasitic" relationship with your company to figure out the social media equation
  

What About Google Buzz?

• No consensus here. Panelists ranged from being excited and enjoying Buzz, to cautioning it was not ready yet and should not have been released. My personal take: it's not ready yet.

Who's Doing It Right?

• TechSoup, Sonic Net, Southwest, Mt. Dew, Old Spice, John Chambers, John Battelle

Lingering Concerns and Questions:

• What about privacy issues - how do we take advantage of the best that social media has to offer (ie. geolocation) and make sure it works for us, and not against us?

What's the Future of Social Media?

• Augmented Reality
• More outreach to the general population and a focus on adaptation and usability for the wider public

What do you think is the future of social media?

Here's the link for the clip again.

Telling a Story to Build Brand: The Brady Bunch Had It Right

The other night when we were driving back home from appointments in the city, we started singing. Now you might not know this, but I do have a tendency to sing in the car, particularly on trips over an hour. There are several reasons why I like to do this, several of which, as you will see, are tied into my inner marketing guru:

1. for some reason, the acoustics are particularly good in my Mazda 323 and my somewhat thin voice gets amplified to almost a Joni Mitchell-esque quality (OK, I said almost...)

2. it amazes me how without thinking about it, almost instantaneously, I remember all the lyrics from the introduction to "The Beverly Hillbillies," "Petticoat Junction," "The Patty Duke Show," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," and a slew of others, as if I had only watched them yesterday. I remember the lyrics even more then words I had to memorize in school, like poems, or lines from a play, recipes, and even directions and passwords.

3. it amazes me that not only do I remember the words, but I remember every nuance of the tunes, and the images that went with them. For example, the tiny Minnow getting tossed at sea; the beloved Brady kids affirming each other from their hip media grid; Bill Bixby and his son (who was that guy again?) having meaningful beach walks to the tune (people let me tell you bout my best friend/he's a warm hearted person who'll love me till the end.)



4. it amazes me that the memory of the song inevitably leads to the memory of a specific episode, and some rather strong emotion tied into it, and then my husband and I are off recollecting, in rapid succession, the Brady's Hawaiian vacation; the way Mary Richards would wash her hair on Saturday nights; Laurie Partridge running for homecoming queen, just so she can make a point about women's rights, etc.

5. it amazes me that within a matter of seconds, the tag line, or pitch, is clear, and we get it: Get Happy...That's the Way We Became...You're Gonna Make It On Your Own...He's My Best Friend...Swimming Pools, Movie Stars...

So, when businesses are sometimes struggling to find their voice and branding, it's helpful to keep these old sitcom themes in mind. It's no wonder, for starters, that so many beginning bloggers are advised to tell their story and what's unique about them. Why? It makes them stand out, and it makes their brand "sticky."

It's also no wonder that those starting out or changing their business, should seek out tag lines that are resonant, catchy, and evocative. I recently attended a business seminar where participants had to recite their elevator pitches on stage, and in a roomful of about 100 people, over half of them had the worst time succinctly giving their pitch, in a way that was catchy, convincing, and clear.

I'm thinking my advice to them might be: go home and watch tv. The oldies station. Make sure your inner marketing guru is tuned in. And if you don't want to go back to the 60's or 70's, an episode of "Friends" will do. I'll be there for you has kind of a nice ring to it, don't you think?

What's Your Signature Move?

It's like Tolstoy said. Unhappy families are each unhappy in their own ways, while happy families are often alike. Similarly, companies that fail or struggle often are that way due to any multitude of variety factors. However, the success stories are often that way because they share in common one key trait. In addition to being good at what they do, they have certain signature moves or branding that stand out. Whether it's their logo, or what they publish, or the way that they tweet or deliver speeches, you know what company it is in one second.

Much has been written about Steve Jobs, for example, and how each time he launches a new product he wears his "uniform" of jeans and a black turtleneck on stage. Trader Joe's distinguishes itself from your typical chain supermarket by being anachronistic, touting the pirate ship motif and a retro chic look to its newsletter, The Fearless Flyer. I don't eat that much ice cream (OK, I eat a fair amount of ice cream), but every year for my birthday, Baskin-Robbins sends me a coupon for a free scoop, and I'm so there.

Social media expert Chris Brogan has a way of ending his blog posts by asking: What say you?


The Olympics are always an inspiration. Michelle Kwan, one of my all-time favorite figure skaters, had a signature move, the "change of edge spiral," in which she skated on a very strong forward inside edge and did a beautiful spiral, then changed to an outside edge without moving her extended free leg.

OK, so I don't know much about spirals and my triple loop is a tad rusty, but for my business, my butterfly logo has really helped me standout over the years. Every time I share it with someone, I get a positive comment. I don't have to explain what the butterfly means to me, (although I have - it's tied into clarity of expression), because it's more important at that moment that it has significance for the other person. Even though it's my signature, it still has meaning and resonance for others. Another signature move I have is creating customized packages for clients that can address their needs in specific ways.

So what about you? What's your signature move?

6 Life Lessons Entrepreneurs and Businesses Can Learn from Olympic Figure Skating

Keep your eyes on the prize. Don't let anyone or anything distract you from your goals.



A lot of flourish at the expense of substance will be seen through.



If you have a glitch that stops the show for a bit - like your shoelaces coming untied - fix the problem quickly and move on. You'll be admired for grace under pressure, and for remembering the exact place you left off.



Assess the risks of falling. Others may remember your one fall instead of your numerous wins. But even more importantly, what will you remember?




Inconsistency doesn't work. If your jumping pass should disintegrate, spend more time figuring out why instead and less time apologizing.




The reward of being yourself is: you.


Photos: Chang W. Lee/The New York Times

Video: View Copyblogger Brian Clark's Keynote from Affiliate Summit West

Since I attended the Affiliate Marketing Summit East in New York last summer, I've been on the inside scoop getting the latest updates and info. I thought I'd share this video of Brian Clark's Keynote, in which he talks about new media, old media, the fact that today's publishers don't really "get" digital media, and how they're still time for us to make our entrepreneurial mark for those of us who do get it. I've been a fan of Copyblogger for years, and enjoyed his great blog posts on social media, techniques in copywriting, and insights into online communities.

Brian’s companies produce millions of dollars in annual revenue thanks to a mix of online educational content and direct response copywriting, and Copyblogger is read by over 67,000 people. Brian is also the co-founder of DIY Themes, creator of the innovative Thesis Theme for WordPress; the Teaching Sells interactive training program; and the creativity blog Lateral Action.

I hope this video inspires you...enjoy!

Surfing the Web for the Latest Twitter Resources

There have been some excellent resources online lately highlighting some of the new Twitter features as well as applications. I have been exploring them on my own between projects, and found some new and interesting "twists" on Twitter. Here's a snapshot of what my web surfing has yielded:

How to Market Your Business with Twitter Lists
from socialmediaexaminer.com
An excellent post by social media Guru Cindy King on ways to use the new Twitter Lists feature to tune into online conversations, follow other people's lists, brand your own business better by creating interesting lists, and find out what some trending topics are in specific niche areas just by clicking on a list that you follow. You don't have to be followed back. I particularly liked the embedded video by San Diego social media expert Amy Porterfield that demonstrates how to create new lists, add folks to the list, and also follow others' lists. How cool is that?

4 New Mac Twitter Apps You May Have Missed
from mashable.com
In late January, Mashable posted a quick news story on 4 new apps worth noting, which include: Itsy, a mini application that lets you search, tweet, view replies, etc., without a large footprint. This is good to know since many of the apps like Tweetdeck seem to use quite a bit of memory. Twitt is featured, which offers customized themes; Echophone shows conversation histories and has a drag and drop feature to upload photos; and finally, Yoono, which allows you to post updates across multiple platforms. This last one particularly intrigues me as I'm always interested in aggregators, so I'm going to try it out soon.

Review of Twitter Marketing EBook

from twitip.com

There are so many social media books out there, it's hard to choose which are the best resources. Over on Twitip (I love that name), there's an excellent review of Marko Saric's book, Twitter Marketing: How to Go Viral on Twitter. For under $20, the reviewer Jade Craven writes, the book is an excellent value, and contains great information on how to tweet, personalizing your profile, tips on promoting yourself, and increasing your followers.

TweepSearch
tweepsearch.com




This program is still in beta, but when it comes into its own, I think it has great potential, and it has some unique search feature you definitely won't find on Twitter itself. The program automatically filters for recent updates from all your followers, shows all their geographic locations, and how many followers they have. As of now there is no other program that allows you to search your followers. Above is a screen shot of my account when I typed in the search term, "San Francisco." I think this will come in handy for some of the event marketing I am doing.

Listorious.com
Not it's not a mouthwash! This directory of great Twitter lists is a great tool that for some reason still appears to be under the radar for a lot of people. I discovered it a few months ago, and find myself wandering over to the home page now and then, just because it's such a great time saver. You can search Tags by topic or category, do a people search, and you can add your own lists so you can impress people with your creative list building. Go for it.

10 Apps to Advance Publish on Twitter
from rotorblog.com
A recent post had a useful listing of 10 apps for advance posting on Twitter, including favorites like SocialOomph and Tweetlater, and some new apps on the block, such as Tweet Funnel and Future Tweets.
There's also Tweet-U-Later, Su.pr, and others. Don't worry about the punctuation, just try it.

What are your latest favorite Twitter apps, and what if any have impacted your business the most?

For Business Owners: 6 Tips for Communicating with Consultants Effectively

There are hundreds of blogs posts, links, e-books, ads, and web sites focused on connecting consultants with clients. Yet relatively little is written about how we can best communicate in the prospecting stage of the relationship to make sure that the deliverables are clear, the goals defined, the timelines established, and that the relationship will be a good fit.

From my experience on the service provider side being a communications specialist, I have worked with a wide variety of entrepreneurs and business owners and they have all had a range of communication styles when explaining what they need. Some of them talk around the specific problem they are having because they may not be certain what it is yet. Some are so focused on the deliverable that they may not be seeing the big picture. In other words, what they say they want may not quite be it. Others may be so rushed that all they have time for is a quick e-mail that barely describes the project, and then want us to take it from there. Yipes!

On the consultant side, we can do a lot to help guide clients in how to work together most effectively and offer effective solutions and possibilities. Does the client really want a new brochure, or is the real problem that their web site content needs improvement? Do they need to be doing a new video, blog post, and newsletter every week, or is the real challenge the integration of these tools into a cohesive message?

There is quite a bit of mutual education that goes on between client and consultant, particularly in the face of a complex or involved project. Clients might need education on how specific tools and programs work, and what realistic results they might expect. Consultants need to educate clients on their budget, work style, and any specifics relative to their institution or work. In the case of writing, a style sheet should be provided to serve as a guideline to the consultant. If other relevant people are involved in the project, the consultant should be introduced to them.

Clients as well, can follow these 5 guidelines when communicating with prospective consultants before hiring them and signing contracts:

1. The What before the How
   Define your goals clearly and don't get too caught up in the process at the initial stages. A good consultant will point you to the best way to achieve your goals, and will let you know if they specialize in the area you are looking for. For example, instead of saying, "I need a new blogging program using Blogger," state what you are really wanting. "I want to expand my online brand and presence with a blog, and I'm looking for the best platform that suits my needs," for example.
   
   
2. Be Honest, Clear, and Realistic About Your Deadlines
   Don't tell your consultant that you're in a rush with your project, and then take off to the Caribbean for 3 weeks. Conversely, don't say that you're flexible with deadlines and have several months to work with, when in reality you only have a few weeks.
   
   
3. Communicate the Relevant Information about Your Business
   You do not need to relate every detail about your business to the consultant, nor do either of you have time for this. Focus on the relevant details, such as: what goals you are and are not achieving, your audience and desired audience, major accomplishments, and major challenges. If it is relevant, you can also communicate about recent projects that did or did not work well, and provide your view on why those outcomes happened. This can provide valuable background information to marketing consultants looking to get a feel for your business and future strategies.
   
   
4. Expect detailed contracts or agreements from consultants, expect to
   have to sign them, and expect to pay an initial deposit.
   Business owners who may not have worked with consultants before, or who perhaps are working with a friend of a friend or someone who has referred them, may think an informal e-mail or a friendly "smoke signal" means all is good to go. Not so! A written contract or agreement protects both parties, and is an absolute must before moving forward. A good contract defines the terms of service, the fees and payments agreement, the deliverables, and any other conditions or preferences deemed necessary to finalize the relationship. It also provides a useful reminder of the details or stages of the project, which can come in handy for a longer or more complex project. A contract can also help illustrate the detailed phases of a project that the client might not know exist until that point. If writing services are involved, for example, the contract will specify how many revisions are included with the fee, which is very important for clients to know. I have heard many unpleasant stories of consultants having to turn in multiple revisions or even variations of the original project, costing them valuable time they had not anticipated. Regarding budget, whenever money and fees are involved, a contract is also a must, and it is considered standard practice to pay a deposit amount (usually half the full amount) at the time of signing.
   
   
5. Spend the time at the outset to discuss the details - it will pay off later on.
   A little extra time spent at the outset of a project will pay off greatly later on. Rushing your needs will only confuse the consultant. Most consultants like me offer a free hour to listen to you. During these times, I make it a point to get my notebook out, keep quiet, and save my comments and questions for the end. If your prospective consultant offers this option, make good use of it.
   
   
6. Don't change your deliverables midstream.
   Think through your goals well enough beforehand so that by the time you have a proposal in front of you, it reflects what you truly want. Be aware that if you make changes, your consultant will require written amendments to the contract that you both sign off on. This is to benefit both of you, and is standard protocol. If you have an entirely new project that stems off your current one, or variations that you did not expect, it's best to establish separate timelines and agreements on these.
   
   I'd like to hear from anyone else, either on the client or consultant side, who has tips to share on creating effective working relationships, as well as any pitfalls you managed to avoid?
   

5 Lessons Bloggers Can Learn from AllStar Yoga Teachers

Over the weekend I attended the 7th Annual Yoga Journal Conference in San Francisco (video forthcoming), and while I learned a lot about yoga, I learned even more about some of the communications basics I hadn't thought about in a while.

I attended 2 intensive workshops, both of which were about 3 hours. That meant the teacher had an hour and a half class to lead, as well as about an hour and a half to...talk, yes that's right, talk. I have to admit that I really wasn't accustomed to sitting that long in a yoga class -- to just listen without moving. Ironically, this is what yoga in the end is supposed to help us do. Welcome the stillness.

Gradually, I overcame my temptation to drift, and in both workshops I noticed that the audience, some teachers themselves and the rest of us students, were quite transfixed by the instructors. We watched them, took notes, laughed at their funny anecdotes and validated their sadder stories. We thought about the ideas presented to us, created images when the seeds were planted, closed our eyes, opened our eyes, held onto the landscape of their life experience as they presented it to us. While all the while, we were to translate concepts for ourselves. Flexibility. Stability. Primitivism. Forms. Poses. And the famous chakras.

Of course, I started thinking about social media and writing, (you know me...), and realized that their actual classes notwithstanding, these teachers in their elocution had all the elements of what we find in power bloggers. In short, they did what we as bloggers need to do everyday to "validize" (I made up this word for now) our space and that of our audience. Here are the 5 lessons I learned from this experience, that really came out of nowhere, as sometimes the best lessons do:

1. Be Unique in Your Authenticity.

We've all heard about the importance of authenticity in social media, but it wasn't until I attended these workshops that I realized a deeper knowledge of what authenticity really meant. It wasn't so much about the fact that these teachers had originated their ideas, but rather that they had made them their own through their voice, style, and branding. They told a story the way no one else could. They used examples from their lives to illustrate a point, that only they could originate. When you read a really great blog post, or several, it's just that way. The blogger is not only conveying their authenticity, but they are doing it in a unique way.

2. Be Passionate.

The teachers conveyed a definite passion for their life's work. They convinced their audience that not only was there no other choice for them but to teach yoga, but one teacher even stated, "if I don't do my yoga everyday, the world is in trouble." Truly great bloggers also convey a similar sense that they are passionate about what they are doing. There is often an immediacy to their writing, even though they may have labored over their post for hours.

3. Know and Connect with Your Audience.

The teachers spent a great deal of energy making sure they were connecting and being understood by their audience before going on to a new idea or thought. One teacher repeated every few minutes, "do you get what I mean?" If there was the sense in the room that an idea was not clear, the teacher would rephrase her thought in some way until she sensed their was clarity. Similarly, great bloggers know their audience, and communicate in a way that they can make the best connection. That means knowing what words to choose that will resonate the most with readers, what kind of images will be the most powerful, and what style and tone will also be the most effective.

4. Tell a Good Story.

There's nothing audiences and readers like more then a good story. Or a few. Stories serve as great icebreakers, and also give your audience something to identify with, so that they have a context in which to view you. Great speakers, like great bloggers, always discuss some kind of transformational experience they had that was a turning point in their lives, and that's how we relate to them.

5. Be Funny.

A little humor goes a long way, and it's not easy to do. The teachers I had were each humorous at times, in distinctly their own way. Audiences love to laugh, and giving them a story they can chuckle over fosters a stronger community as a whole. Humor is also a great equalizer.

Now that you've seen my yoga/blogger analysis in action, it's your turn. Any parallels from your own life you can draw upon? Does your yoga teacher inspired social media relevant thought?