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?

Press Release on Upcoming Yoga Retreat in Woodside

Anusara yoga instructors Rebecca Snowball (left) and Chrissy Graham will co-teach yoga during a unique health and wellness retreat February 27-28 at the newly renovated Stillheart Institute in Woodside.

1. Here's the deal. Rebecca Snowball, very cool yoga (anusara) teacher in Menlo Park, is new client, for carriefreelance (that's me.)
2. Here is the Press Release I just wrote up about her upcoming yoga retreat in Woodside end of February.
3. I'm experimenting a bit, and trying out "tweet release" to see what happens.
4. Will keep you all posted!

* * * *

"A Return to Stillness" at Stillheart Institute, Woodside, CA, 2/27-2/28
Silicon Valley Based Yoga Teachers Offer Weekend Retreat for the Stressed


Menlo Park, CA, January 25, 2010. No sooner have we taken down the festive decorations and diligently listed our New Year’s resolutions, that the stress and demands of real life set in in all their post-holiday glory and we feel a little --ok…a lot … off track. Menlo Park yoga instructor Rebecca Snowball has the cure for what ails us, with a weekend program (February 27-28) of yoga sessions, healthy eating, and hiking in the woods designed to help fast track yoga enthusiasts back to their element, as well as regular folks who want a change of scene and a little refresher on “up dog, down dog.”

The weekend retreat takes place at the Stillheart Institute (http://www.stillheart.net) in Woodside, CA, which features 26 sleeping rooms, a “Great Room” with large fireplace, a fully-equipped kitchen, a large dining room, an indoor swimming pool and hot tub, a large studio for yoga and intuitive art, and massage rooms and steam rooms, as well as two saunas, and 16 forested acres with extensive hiking trails.

Rebecca states: "The retreat is a unique opportunity for participants to enjoy sacred space for themselves in a serene and nurturing environment, and to reconnect with their true inner selves. This is something we don’t get the opportunity to do everyday.”

Rebecca is a native of Dover, England, and immigrated to Mountain View, California with her parents, where she gew up. Now a certified yoga instructor, she began practicing yoga in 1995. Like many students new to yoga, she held the common misconception that yoga was simply stretching and relaxation, and couldn’t imagine sitting through a slow moving class when she was used to running, aerobics, and weight lifting. It only took one class for her to see the light, and she soon discovered a centered calm and an increased connection to herself. In 2000, she created Yoga Soul, her thriving business. She currently teaches group, private and corporate classes, and enjoys blending yoga, dance, and live music in special events and workshops. She specializes in proper alignment and “flow” classes that link one pose to the next through breathing.

Chrissy Graham is also a Certified Anusara Instructor. Her goal in starting was to heal her body, and to find a higher path of fulfillment and enjoyment in life. Chrissy studied directly with John Friend, Anusara Yoga's creator. Chrissy teaches classes, workshops, and mini immersions throughout the Bay area, and brings a dynamic, and supportive energy to her classes. Both Chrissy and Rebecca are instructors at Devi Yoga in Menlo Park, and Avalon in Palo Alto.

The weekend includes two yoga classes, lunch and dinner on Saturday, continental breakfast on Sunday, and indoor pool, hot tub, hiking, and rest time. Overnight rooming is available for double and triple rooms, ($290 and $250), with day passes available that include yoga with lunch ($125), and lunch and dinner ($145). For more information and to register, visit: http://www.yogasoul.com/event-Stillheart.html.

5 Reasons Why Your E-Book Needs an Editor

There's no argument that e-books (I'm talking about the self-published ones) are one of the latest greatest evolutions to hit publishing in quite some time. Bloggers, writers, and social media enthusiasts can gather their real life experiences into an e-book. They can compile their blog posts like Darren Rowse at Problogger and turn them into super successful e-books. Entrepreneurs can offer their e-books at no cost to provide potential clients with samples of their expertise, or test the market by selling their books at varying prices. And while there's a lot of talk about the design, and marketing of books and e-books, very little is written about the writing process and editing of e-books. My guess is that many business owners and entrepreneurs figure they have gone as far as to write their books, so why not just edit themselves and save time and money? To me, that's like going for a walk around the blog and then setting out to do a 10K race the next morning. It just doesn't work that way, and it's a costly lesson to learn. In fact, it's a big mistake, and here's why:

1. You need another set of eyes. Ever prepare a meal and think it's fine, and then offer a taste to someone else who asks why there's so much salt or pepper? You can't ever really assess your own meal, just like you can't be your own final judge of your writing. Why? Because you're too close to it. You need a professional who can objectively review your e-book and check it for: tone, voice, style, consistency, grammar and punctuation (remeber them?), formatting issues, clarity, search engine optimization, and more. Those who rely on spellcheck are in for a rude awakenening...I've been really shocked at some of the mistakes I've seen pass spellcheck. If you are self-publishing and don't have the benefit of an editorial staff working with you already, all the more reason to find an editor to work with.

2. Your designer is not your editor. Assuming you are outsourcing the design of your e-book, keep in mind that designers design, and are not wordsmiths or copywriters. They need to understand well enough the topic you are writing about so they can include whatever graphic elements best convey your concept, but they are not going to spend their time reworking your top paragraph on page 3, your chapter title on page 22, or your overview or summary, nor checking for typos, missing words or elements, etc. Nor do you want to pay them for this, since a designer's time can be expensive and should be spent letting them do what they are best at: the look of the book, the treatment of the typeface and font, graphics, photos and illustrations, etc.

3. Editors save you money. There are 2 main types of editors: developmental editors who review all aspects of the book and can provide guidance on its overall consistency and scope; and copyeditors who will mainly focus on grammar, spelling, readability, and marketability. If you can find an editor who does both and work with them at the outset or early stages of the project, you can confirm that your focus is on track for your market, and that your outline (you should have one) will hold together and make cohesive sense. If your book is educational or has a tutorial focus, your editor can make sure that you are doing your job in explaining the concepts properly and objectifying them so they are clear to others. If you leave all this to chance, or hire an editor too late in the game, you may be wasting your time on a concept that never worked to begin with, or did not hold together, much less grab the readers' attention.

4. Editors can help you reach the finish line. One of the notoriously challenging aspects of writing is finishing your book, even if it is a relatively short e-book at 50 pages or less. How often have we heard the phrase: Help, I can't finish my book! Many people set out to write a book but never do. Working with an editor shows that you are serious. An editor will help you stay on track with your book project and make sure you are accountable.About a year ago, I helped a writer who was stuck about halfway through her book, by suggesting she fast-forward to the future so that the final outcome of a decision was apparent. Then, she could go back and finish out the rest of the story. It worked.

5. What's Reason #5? You fill it in. I'd like to hear your stories about working with editors and how it affected the final outcome. How did you find your editor? What kind of changes did they suggest, and what surprised you most about the process? Would you work with an editor again, and why?

Final thought...no matter how many technological advances we see in the world of publishing, certain fundamentals will always remain the same. Remember "the four C's." Your writing and your e-books have to be clear, compelling, cohesive, and customized for the audiences you are trying to reach.

What Do I Tweet About?

I have been asked this question several times over the last few weeks by many small business owners, and it's actually a great point. With all the apps and systems floating around when it comes to Twitter -- Tweetdeck, Seismic, Hootsuite (you know who you are ) - one can easily get lost in the management of Twitter and indeed forget all about the content, which even at 140 characters is supposed to be the point, right?

So, for those newish to Twitter who want to get started, or those more experienced who feel they are getting a bit "Lost in Tweetspace," here are a few pointers:

1. Observe. Take a step back before you post anything and do some twitter mini research on what folks in the twittersphere are tweeting about. Of course, you can check the trending topics that come up on your home page, but it's also helpful to check out your followers or even random posts, both in your areas of interest and topics that might be less familiar to you. Take note of who is having a lot of interaction with their followers, and why that might be. Is there anyone particularly funny? Dramatic? Wise and Witty? Are there those who always tweet quotes by others, or news and gossip stories, or the infamous and dreaded "what I had for breakfast tweet?" Make a note about what piques your interest and also what seems most effective in terms of the community.

2. Think Strategically. Just as with blogging or any article writing, there are a million topics one can entertain discussing, or tweeting. Just because you have a platform to express yourself on all of them doesn't mean you should. If you are trying to promote your business, consider your tweets as microblogs and use them to show your knowledge and expertise. Include links to articles that relate to your industry, statistics or trends that are relevant, and your opinion on an important area of discussion. You can also tweet links to videos, photos (twitpics), music, and other types of files. If you have an event coming up, or offer a product or service, it's fine to give yourself a "plug," but keep self-promotion balanced with being a resource, or you will lose your followers. Also, keep your niche in mind and try not to tweet about multiple subjects, or you will confuse your brand. Don't be afraid to be human once in a while. Your followers expect you to let go once every now and again.

3. Be Interactive. Twitter is not about doing a quick tweet and signing off for the day. When you log on, check out the discussion stream and see if there is something useful you can add to it. References twitter names so that those in your group know you recognize them. You can also retweet a particularly good post, as well as participate in follow Friday. Thank those who have posted helpful information. Need help with something? Try tweeting a question. Don't forget that you also need to build trust, which is done online by defining who you are and living up to what you have promised. If you say a link is coming the following week, make sure you post it. If you have a money back guarantee on a product, make sure everyone knows it.

4. List Random Thoughts. Most of us are unaware of how many thoughts pass through our minds during the course of a given day. Become more aware of your internal monologue and how your thoughts and ideas might translate to others. If they reveal something unique about your brand, personality, intellect, and values, they're probably worth tweeting about.

What are your ideas?

What's Your Marketing Style and Can You Afford to Be Annoying?

We all know the Shamwow guy, and he's irritating, right? The headset, the fast/smooth talking, the offer on to of offer on top of...well, you get the idea. And still, don't you find yourself watching him every time his infomercial comes on, annoyed or not? I know I do, even though I practically have the entire offer memorized, from the buy one get one free, to the add-ons consisting of a quick vegetable chopper (who wants to cry anymore when they slice an onion?), to yet another add-on -- the cheese slicer. Watch that baby slice and dice. Who could live without these things?

We could, but we probably won't for long, because smart marketers do several things right, even when they are annoying:

1. Identify your client's problem, and make sure they are aware of the problem, and offer yourself as the solution.
I might never have realized my current paper towels are shameful compared to the powerful absorbent qualities of the shamwow if I hadn't seen this tv demo on how great life could be, if only I switched. And look how easy it rinses! It would really be nice to get everything clean in one swipe. This product and brand is the only solution to my problem

2. Create a sense of urgency.
I'm starting to really believe that if I don't take care of this countertop problem soon, I will never be able to live with myself. Besides, phone operators are waiting to take my call. They could run out of supplies, or stop production tomorrow. Some of life's greatest treasures are short-lived.

3. Offer value added big-time.
OK, so I get the Shamwow, and the vegetable slices and the cheese grater, and even an extra cheese grater on top of that, as a reward for my due diligence in the liquid absorption category. Yay for me. I'm already thinking of who I can gift the extra cheese thingy to.

Marketing lessons learned: identify the problem, offer your unique solution, create urgency, and offer extra goodies. For all you online marketers out there, that means having a great product, writing captivating landing pages and product or services offers, showing why you are unique in what you do, making your offer urgent and time-sensitive (have a limited run, discount only good through a certain date, etc.), and throw in lots of bonuses and goodies to make your clients feel special, because guess what - they are. And if you do your due diligence in this, I would argue that you can afford to be somewhat annoying. Send that extra e-mail if your deadline is indeed running out. Send the sales letter with the yellow highlighter if that's the best way to sell your book. Make another video if you have to. If your products are good, your audience will stay with you and grow.

Now I'm off to wipe down my kitchen counters, but I really can't go on this way with my regular paper towels. It's getting downright embarrassing.

The Cost of Tweeting and How to Write a Twitter Proposal

Over the last few weeks, I have met a number of prospective clients who are considering hiring me specifically to tweet for them. If the marketplace is a sign of the times, this is an interesting evolution in social media and communications. The public, and specifically business owners and entrepreneurs from all walks of life -- are seeing Twitter as the essential social networking tool. Not that they aren't on Facebook and Linked In. But they perceive Twitter as the magic social media button, and to their credit, they realize that it isn't as deceptively simple as it seems. Ironically, it can take weeks, months, and even years, to figure out how to make 140 characters really work for you. Of course in business, every second counts, and business owners expect a reasonable ROI in a reasonable amount of time, and if they are willing to outsource it, most likely they are looking for "Accelerated Twitter Marketing" 101. "Good on them" for realizing that they probably do need to outsource this function if they want a focused and target Twitter campaign. Why?

Because ironically, for a platform that seems relatively simple on first glance, Twitter is actually rather complex when you figure in a variety of factors, such as Twitter apps for viewing and organizing, such as Tweedeck, Seesmic Desktop, HootSuite, and many others; Twitpic and TwidVid which link with media uploads for instant viewing (think Capt. Scully and the Hudson River); advance tweeting (Social Oomph); links to other applications such as Facebook and Friendfeed; applications like Twello for searching and others for following...the list goes on. Last spring, I completed a 2-week Twitter project that involved not a single tweet, but rather researching folks to follow through criteria I came up with, as well as best practices. I learned a lot, and it was a great social media exercise about learning criteria in who to follow. In any case, all that is all from a technical standpoint.

From a marketing standpoint, there is also the question of content, style, and brand. If you tweet constantly about food but your business is clothing, you are probably going to confuse your audience, and confusion is something you cannot afford in online marketing, or anywhere else in business for that matter.

So, in putting together a proposal for clients, I took all of the above into account when coming up with schedules, pricing, function performed, and desired goals and outcomes. My proposals have looked something like this. (See below). If you are either a vendor starting to sell your Tweeting services, or a client looking to see if the person they are going to hire knows what he or she is doing, you should consider this template:

______________________

*Project Description
Tweeting for "John Adams"

*Desired Outcome
Improved online visibility for John Adams, increasing his brand, expertise, and credibility, as well as highlighting information products, special events, publications, etc.

*Approach
Carrie Freelance will meet with John to discuss his marketing needs, existing tools and strategy, desired goals and outcomes, overall marketing strategy, etc. Carrie will devise a Twitter strategy that serves as a dynamic extension of John's brand, and will grow community, resulting also in increased sales, stakeholders, customers, etc. Carrie will also work with John to develop content guidelines and roadmaps for a given week or time period.

*Schedule of Tweets and Interactivity
Carrie Freelance will devise the most effective schedule of tweets for a given topic, and also serve as the Twitter liaison in John's community, to provide interactive responses as they arise. The schedule may vary depending on results and other variables, from several tweets a day to more or less frequency, as determined to be most effective.

*Fee
When establishing your fees, there are factors outside tweeting that you need to take into account. Whether you quote an hourly rate or a flat project rate, should consider the following:
-set up profile, account, and home page design if new user
-any client meetings you will be attending
-e-mail, phone, and other correspondence
-follow up - ie. tracking results and comprising any summary reports
-integration of twitter with clients existing tools, such as web site and blog, e-newsletter, etc.
-monitoring the Twittersphere for activity relevant to the client's business
-industry research and resources as appropriate for client's business

Since there are quite a few variables that can change from day to day, it's best to quote for a range of time, such as a monthly fee, so you can allow for all scenarios.

Terms and Conditions:
Fill in as appropriate for your business.

Overall Timeframe:
It can take at least several weeks to get a Twitter account off the ground, when you consider the need to acquire followers, develop a tone and style, determine the best content for your audience, etc. So remind your client that progress should be assessed over a matter of months, at the very least. Also be mindful that it's quality and not quantity. Better to have 100 loyal followers who are going to become vital members of your community, rather then 1,000 followers who don't much care about your business or products.

Note of Caution: I strongly advise against basing your rate on the price of a word or on 140 characters. Why? Because some tweets may come easily and be obvious, while others might require research, attached links, or other background work. Also, do not set up automated posts or following techniques. It is best to do customized searches so you have more control over your audience results.

Now it's your turn.

Consultants: I'd like to hear from anyone who had recently put together a Twitter proposal. What did you learn? What factors did you consider? Did you get the business?

Businesses: Are you looking to hire a Twitter or social media consultant? What criteria matter most to you? What is your strategy, and how does Twitter fit in with your overall marketing plans?

Drop me a comment and let me know!

San Francisco Slow Food Founder Lorenzo Scarpone Hosts Abruzzo Benefit Dinner with Acqua Pazza Restaurant

My Dinner with Lorenzo, Tullio, and Valerio

The Cause

Over the holidays, I had the pleasure of attending a luxurious and mouth-watering four-course Italian meal and press event at the fabulous Acqua Pazza restaurant in San Mateo, organized by San Francisco public relations specialist Susie Biehler. Not only were the Neopolitan dishes a delight, but half the proceeds of the evening benefited a special cause -- helping out the Galano Dairy Farm in Fossa, Abruzzo, which was decimated during the Abruzzo earthquake of April 2009. Dina and Enzo Galano now live with their family in the side room of one barn that was left intact. The dinner benefit helped fund a temporary shelter for the Galano's cows before the harsh winter snow and wind set in.



Restaurant owners Enzo, Tullio, and Valerio Rosano partnered with Slow Food San Francisco Founder Lorenzo Scarpone to host the event, which also included an emotional slide show he presented highlighting the damage done to the Galano Farm.

The Rosano brothers' mother "Mamma Carmela" -- whose century-old Italian recipes grace the Acqua Pazza menu -- flew in from Naples, Italy to prepare a special authentic Abruzzese menu for the occasion.

"When things settled after the quake, the G8 Summit convened in L'Aquila," said Enzo Rosano. "So we served a meal inspired by what was served when the Summit's members met on July 9. This meal gained a lot of notoriety in Italy and we were pleased to honor it here."

The Meal

While sometimes I find Italian food can be heavy, the dishes served were light and yet full-bodied, and by far some of the best I have had. As a native New Yorker who grew up with frequent visits to little Italy, and who also traveled to Italy, I am thrilled to say that this was the real deal. The meal began with antipasti, consisting of tomatoes with mozzarella and basil. The mozzarella was creamy, light, and not oversalted as can frequently be the case. The next course, homemade spaghettini with regional Abruzzo sauce, was just the right balance of hearty tomatoes and spices. Trust me, you cannot make this at home. For the next course there was a choice of veal en croute with local truffles or Branzino Acqua Pazza, or the fresh fish of the day that was so picturesque, I had to photograph it. My veal was tender and delicate, served with wonderful roasted potatoes and vegetables. Dessert was an assorted tray of rum soaked, fruit adorned, and cream filled delicacies perfect for satisfying one's sweet tooth during the holidays, although they were so good that visits year round are definitely in order. The meal was complimented with delicate and fruity wine pairings from the region.

Get Involved

Visit Sustain Abruzzo for information on how you can support the Abruzzo community, and host a fundraising event.


About Acqua Pazza in San Mateo, CA

A breath of fresh Amalfi Coast air in downtown San Mateo, Acqua Pazza opened in June of 2008 and is run by the Rosano brothers: Enzo, Tullio and Valerio. (Read history: http://www.acqua-pazza.com). The spacious interior, washed in sea and sand colors, includes a 15-seat outdoor patio, 70-seat main dining area, and an eight-seat bar. Acqua Pazza is available for full buyout, yet smaller private parties may wish to reserve the eight-seat "Positano Room" or 30-seat "Capri Room" on the restaurant's mezzanine. Special offers at Acqua Pazza include a live performance by Italian pop star Pasquale Esposito every last Wednesday of the month, a three-course Sunset Dinner menu offered daily from 5 to 6 p.m. for $20, and a $20 per person all-you-can-eat-and-drink happy hour daily from 5 to 6:30 for parties of six or more.

The restaurant is located at 201 E. 3rd Avenue in San Mateo, CA. Dinner is served nightly from 5 to 10 p.m. and lunch daily from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Reservations are recommended. All major credit cards are accepted. For more details, visit www.acqua-pazza.com, or call 650-375-0903.

reBlog from altitudebranding.com: The Secret Social Media Skill

I found this fascinating quote today:

Just because Twitter is only 140 characters doesn’t mean that spelling, grammar, and clarity don’t matter. In fact, I’d argue they matter more because you’re communicating in such a compact package, and you’ve only a moment to make an impression (or break it). You can still make your Facebook updates coherent and well-composed. And by all means, if you’re blogging, you’d better be working on the fundamental skill that helps you articulate your thoughts.altitudebranding.com, The Secret Social Media Skill, Jan 2010

You should read the whole article.

How Much Backstory Do You Need to Complete the Picture?

Over the holidays, I finally got my chance to see the entire "Casablanca" from start to finish. I had only seen parts of it over the years on television, and while I knew the infamous music and the basic storyline, as well as all the famous quotes - here's looking at you, kid -- round up the usual suspects -- it was quite different seeing the whole thing in a revival movie theatre. I was surprised that about halfway through, the filmaker took us through about a half-hour backstory expose of the love story between Bogart and Bergman, and their romance in Paris before the German occupation of Paris in WW2. The flashback was perfect. It showed the intense romance between the two main characters, the events leading up to the spread of the war, the key moments that captured everything we needed to know about the affair. There was not a single unecessary detail or extraneous moment in the entire sequence, and the transitions before and after were seamless.

So, I got to thinking about flashbacks and backstory, and how important they are to telling your story when done right. In many ways, they must have all the qualities of good writing to begin with. There should be something urgent about them. They should contain important details that move the plot forward and expand the depths of the characters. I thought about other great moments, and humorous ones as well, like those scenes in Woody Allen's "Annie Hall," when we see flashbacks to Alvy's youth growing up next to the Cony Island roller coaster screaming at the family dinner table, juxtaposed with Annie's conservative household. I also remembered reading about how in the making of "The Big Chill," director Lawrence Kasdan had originally planned a flashback sequence at the end of the film to show the characters' college lives together, and then decided to leave it out, realizing that the story was complete without it.

And what about books? Who can forget the classic example of "Rebecca" by Daphne DuMaurier, the story of a marriage told entirely in flashback; or, "A Christmas Carol," where Scrooge's past is used to explain his current character and foreshadow his grim future should he not change.

The dreaded "flashback" sequence as a cliche, is something all novice writers are adamantly warned against doing. Start off a story that way and you're guaranteed to lose your audience. However, that does not mean that both in fiction and business writing, you neglect to "fill in the blanks" for your readers. Some of the best books ever written and films ever made include key flashback scenes that are so well done, they provide just that missing information needed to make the story complete for readers and viewers. In fact, many marketing specialists suggest that we tell our stories when speaking in public and writing our "About" pages for our blogs and websites, because they are part of our brand, and set us apart from others. Also, they allow our audiences to identify with us and make a connection. This enhances the relationship, and inspires trust. And in the end, we want to do business with those we trust, right?

So, what's your backstory to how you got where you are today, and what obstacles did you have to overcome? Can you tell it well in a presentation or speech? Can you write about it in an original and fresh way? Will you tell it all at once, or in parts? Can you offer it in an introductory video? Remember, the fundamental things apply...

3 Steps to Your New Marketing Plan: Step 2 - Aligning Strategies with Goals and Getting Organized

Welcome to Step 2 in my "miniseries" on developing a marketing plan for the new year. In Step 1, "Freeing the Monkey Mind," I described the most important step in getting the ball rolling for your plan, which involves freeing yourself from the editor side of your personality for an hour or so, so you can jot down your wish list of goals and projects. The idea was not to worry about timelines, budgets, complexity of projects, or any feasability issues. Hopefully, you found the worksheet at the bottom of the post helpful in providing a basic structure for your plan. Maybe you even found some surprises, and some goals you wanted to reach without even knowing it until the moment you wrote them down....good!

Now it's on to Step 2, where it's time to revise, revisit, and revamp, so that your plan will become a realistic blueprint you can use as a foundation for action in the new year. This is basically done by taking a more critical eye to your first draft, and aligning strategies with goals, as well as editing your goals to make sure they meet your objectives.

You will notice in the photo above that shows the second draft of my plan, that I added in red at the top:
"Goals," and that I added: "Sustainability; Income; Learning; Visibility; Community." Note that "Income" was not in and of itself the only goal, as I know that doing what I love and am passionate about - helping others with their communications - is just as important, because if I don't like what I am doing it won't yield the productivity and results I need to sustain myself.

Next, I took the rough notes I had from Step 1, and reworked them into a more organized structure that led to the following categories:
Networking and Education (personal growth)
Note: I also separated free tools, activities, and events from those with a fee, so as to remind myself that new projects, events, and tools cost money, and that budgeting ahead of time was key! Items that cost money, for example, include conferences, courses, books and other materials, memberships, certifications, and also include the cost of doing business, such as office supplies, travel, mailings, phone, etc. Free tools include programs I knew about and some of which I will try, including: Animoto, webinars, craigslist, social media, blogging, video, and others.

I separated the 2 kinds of technology, practical and future, into 2 categories, as follows:
Technology Ongoing - this means tools I need everyday to run my business, such as blogging platforms, social networking shortcuts, etc.
Technology New (to learn)

Obviously since this is a business, I had to write a separate column for strictly Income Generating items, whether they be through social media, informational products and online marketing, client services, etc.
The tools and strategies are flexible and can be adjusted over time, but it's important to get the core ideas into your plan. You will notice under 3B, that I further outlined Informational Products into specifics, such as e-books, a boutique idea I have had for a while, an autoresponder course I have also wanted to try out, and other ideas I had for expanding my services and client offerings.

Under the last item, Social Networking, I was already familiar with the tools, so I basically added strategy notes that were very specific and tied into platforms I was already using. For example, I already have a Facebook FAN page, so my goal for the year is to increase my number of fans. In the case of any new programs I wanted to try, such as Squidoo, I placed a question mark beside it to highlight that it was new. There was some cross referencing here between the New Technology section and Social Networks, but I allowed myself some crossover.

After revising "Step 2," I was pleased that I had a more formal structure then in the first draft, and that I had identified key areas of the plan I needed to move forward. I was also OK with eliminating some items that either did not fit into my ultimate goals, or were simply too much for one year. For example, podcasting will most likely have to wait, as it's more important to me now to learn screencasting and increase my subscribers.

You may find some of these categories useful as you refine your plan, but of course it will need to be customized for your business goals and needs.

So, to sum up Step 2:
1. Review your first draft and establish firm categories and a format that will provide structure to your goals.
Systemically go through each item in your first draft and add it to your new framework, making sure that it meets with your objectives.
2. Make sure that all your goals meet your objectives, and eliminate any extra projects that you don't realistically feel you can accomplish
3. Start thinking about your budget, and put an asterisk next to any new endeavor or item in your plan that costs money. Leave the task in your plan for now, but later on when you do your budgeting, you may have to eliminate some items on your wish list.
4. Plan on spending extra time on your income generating ideas, as this is your bread and butter, after all. Are there ideas you've seen others do, that you'd like to try? Is this the year you're going to write your first e-book, or launch your blog, and can they be monetized? What kind of products can you create that your subscribers or audience want, and how do they want to receive them? Is this the year you're going to try public speaking, or coaching?

Try your hand at Step 2, and good luck on your second draft. In my Step 3 post on Saturday, I'll discuss finalizing your marketing plan on the computer, some tips for taking on new and possibly scary projects, and allowing for changes and updates to your plan. See you then!

3 Steps to Your New Marketing Plan for 2010: Part One - Freeing the Monkey Mind

Part One: Freeing the Monkey Mind

Over the weekend, I set out to create my new marketing plan for 2010. When I thought about my year in review as a freelance writer and editor, I realized I had accomplished more then I thought I could on a number of levels: client projects, technology, new media, learning. But I still felt I needed more of a blueprint for 2010, and a systemized method of checks and balances. Why? Because often unless we write things down, it's easy to drift, maybe get distracted, maybe even lose focus. And yes, OK, a certain amount of drifting is good, and indeed necessary to be creative and productive. But it feels good to know you have a dedicated plan to serve as your foundation.

So, writing a marketing plan when one is a writer should be easy, right? Not so much.

In terms of process, I knew there would be several stages in getting where I needed to be. As it turns out, it took 3 drafts to really get it right. For the first draft, which I'm dealing with here, I allowed myself to free my monkey mind. For those who don't know this expression, it's a term coined by the writer Natalie Goldberg, who in her excellent book "Writing Down the Bones," describes how we all have the monkey mind editor in us, who quickly criticizes what we have written down the second we write it. Bad, very bad. By editing yourself right away, you don't give yourself the creative freedom to get anything down on paper, and you're only sabotaging yourself.

So, for the first stage of your plan, let loose. Take a pad and pen, or write on your computer if it's more comfortable for you, and jot down all your goals for the year, in no particular order, just as they come to you. Don't worry about money, timetables, or projects that may end up being too complex or time consuming. Your unconscious has probably been working on this without you even knowing it, and you may find the ideas come quickly and readily. My ideas came out as general lists that were basically all over the place. (See photo!) I knew I wanted to write an e-book, and also do guest blogging. I wanted to explore more affiliate marketing programs, and also make sure I attended specific conferences and workshops. There was also new technology I wanted to learn or spend more time with, such as using Posterous more, and comparing it to Tumblr. There was also practical technology I needed to learn to change some day to day aspects of the way I worked. I wrote down everything I could think of for about an hour, with very little revising, except for the markings in red pen you see in the photo.

Spending the hour that I did on this exercise was great. It gave me the freedom to explore all my options before Step 2, when I needed to provide more framework and structure to the plan. When I reviewed everything I wrote down, I made e key notes for Step 2. You of course will have your own notes based on your rough outline and lists. For me, I realized:

1. Technology Needs to be Broken Down
I had too many programs and applications listed in a way that wasn't organized. I needed to draw a distinction between everyday practical technology that I needed to function, vs. new programs I wanted to learn and that I would gradually integrate into my systems of operation or not. Step 2 would take care of this.

2. What About Budget?
OK, so my wish list of going to a Twitter conference in Paris and an e-news workshop in the Hamptons would have to be reigned in a bit. In the next phase I would go over budgets and decide what I could realistically afford.

3. Strategy Needs to Align with Goals
I could have spent hours adding new tasks and plans to my marketing blueprint, but there was a disconnect. For one thing, there were too many goals to accomplish in one year. Secondly, there would be no point spending weeks and even months on a goal if it didn't ultimately tie in with a goal, or mission statement. I would also deal with this in Step 2.

So get your pen and paper out, flip open your laptop, and get started on your first draft! To help you out, I'm including a handy template you can fill in, with some suggested topic areas. Feel free to add your own. And stay tuned for Part 2 of this series on Thursday, where I will address aligning strategy and goals more fully, as well as some other surprises I learned along the way.

My Marketing Plan for 2010
First Draft - Any Ideas That Come to Me

Social Media:
_________
_________
_________

Events:
_________
_________
_________

Blog:
_________
_________
_________

Informational Products/Income:
__________
__________
__________

New Programs to Learn:
___________
___________
___________

New Client Services to Offer:
____________
____________
____________

Resources to Research:
_____________
____________
____________

Financial Goals:
____________
____________
____________