And so, a new recipe for my blog has been simmering and is now finally ready to be served (you love food analogies, remember?!).

As I continue to educate, inform, entertain and enlighten you about all things social media, I am going to frequently categorize my posts in a way that make it very clear how I feel about the subject du jour.  Here are some of the ingredients I’m toying with:

One Smart Cookie – highlighting individuals or companies that really “get it” in terms of their social media activities.  For example, I’ve written about the Fairmont Empress in Victoria, and my most 2009 most influential Tweeters list!  And then there’s my good friend Leslie Irish Evans, who has unlocked a key to attracting quality “likers” to her Facebook fan page (1500 in less than a month).

Half-Baked – these are ideas or promotions or people that had “sort of” a good idea, but managed to leave a key ingredient out of the recipe, or perhaps took the project out of the oven a few minutes too early.  Kind of like restaurants that aren’t using Twitter or promoting a “Groupon” special without adequate followup.  Or maybe choosing to Tweet during surgery?!?

Crumbs – unfortunately there are too many of these types of examples, using social media as a way to blast info to all of us but have no clue how to use the tools to create conversations, relationships and profitable visibility.  Or they appear randomly and infrequently on their social media sites and have left us to wonder if they are past their expiration date. It would be easy to cite many of these “crumb-y” people, but I’ll try to keep it to a minimum!

On the back burner, several more categories are stewing, such as:

• One Tough Cookie –  for those that have made a bold move or overcome some obstacle to create success in social media
• That’s the Way the Cookie Crumbles – for those those attempts or campaigns that just go bad for whatever reason and there’s nothing you can do about it (but might deserve an “A” for effort!)
• Cookie Cutter –  for those that show an utter lack of originality or *gasp* have been shown to have copied another’s recipe!
• Fortune Cookie – for those with a creative, forward-thinking idea that will change the way things are done – even if it’s a bit in the future (having a house for sale “tweet” about itself to attract new owners)

So there you have it – the recipe for the One Smart Cookie blog!  And like any good friend that always seems to end up hovering in the kitchen (no matter how small the house is!), you are probably wondering how you can help.  So put on your apron, pick up your whisk and send me ideas and examples – it’s a big ponderosa out there and even as hard as I try, I can’t read about everything! 

I look forward to your contributions below – ready, set, bake!

NOTE: Divine inspiration for this concept must be credited to Warren and Betsy Talbot, Betsy Moore and Katy Woodworth – ALL very Smart Cookies!

The Biggest Loser is proof - less is more! NBC Photo

I say yes.  And less is more.

After reading an appropriately short blog post by Laura Petrolino at Flying Pig Communications this week, I was inspired to think through how someone could communicate what they do in 10 words or less.  Sounds impossible at first blush, right?  But I think it’s brilliant.

Some people can say more in 10 words than others can say in 60 seconds. I’m sure most of you are familiar with those typical “elevator speech” introductions people practice to death before networking events.  In my Director role at BNI, we more accurately call them “sales manager moments”, since you are educating your sales force (other BNI members) about how to bring you referrals.  And sometimes those 60 seconds can seem like 60 minutes with all the thoughts some cram into their message trying to cover ALL that they do.

But using just 10 words is so perfect.  It forces you to really think about what benefits you provide, rather than WHAT you do.  It requires you get incredibly clear on the exact words to use, since you only have 10 of them.  Imagine if someone said to you right now - you have one minute to grab only 10 personal  items before your whole house burns down.  Yikes, so what are you going to take?!  You take what is most meaningful and significant to you – and that’s exactly what your message should be.   Only that which is meaningful and significant. 

I believe it doesn’t really matter to others WHAT we do, because their top priority is WHY they should care.  Remember that old adage - WIIFM?  What’s In It For Me!

You might wonder what I replied to the blog post in question – and my response was “I help Smart Cookies share their brilliance via social media.”  And even as I type that, I realize I could be more specific about why that matters to someone.  My intent was to “compliment” them being a Smart Cookie and being brilliant, and pair that with my knowledge of social media to help them.  But I bet I can do better.

My favorite response on the blog came from a good friend, and she replied “I show adults how to run away from home.”  Now that, my friend Betsy Talbot, is a brilliant answer that tells me exactly what I can get from you and makes me want to drop everything and find out more.  And that’s a lot of power for 10 little words.

So readers, please tell us what your 10 word description is – I can’t wait for the conversation to begin!

My pet peeve – or at least, strong dislike – are those social media users who post messages on Twitter via Facebook BUT never come to Twitter engage in follow up conversation. 

I hope you read the whole sentence before you dash off a nasty note to me – I’m not saying you shouldn’t post from Twitter to Facebook.  I understand the efficiency of creating your message once and “pushing” it to the various social media platforms.  BUT, what I don’t understand are those Facebook users who do push info to Twitter AND don’t come to Twitter for the follow-up conversations and relationship building.

Here’s what I see happening – and I’ll use a restaurant as an example.  If Restaurant-A-Rama (RAR) only posts messages on its Facebook fan page with distribution to Twitter et al, they are creating a monologue relationship.  They have “spoken” to us on Twitter, but aren’t there (on Twitter) for the Q&A or to monitor the feedback.  I may see a tweet that RAR has 1/2 price ribs tonight, but if I want to ask what type of sauce they use, or if they can accomodate my birthday party of 12 or if I just want to tell them they are my favorite restaurant in the city, it probably falls on deaf ears.  I want a dialogue – is that too much to ask?

You cannot monitor the Twitter conversations that come from your message while you are on Facebook. You have to come play with us in the Twitter sandbox, spend a little time, build a little sandcastle and let us get to know you – where WE are.  If I reply to RAR on Twitter and they don’t reply to my inquiry, thank me for my retweet or share additional information, they have missed the opportunity to build a relationship with me – and isn’t that the point of social media? If I feel ignored, I’m probably not buying from you, no matter how creative the message was.

Anyone can buy ads, post them all over town, on the radio/TV, and take whatever business comes from that.  Expensive, often not effective, and not very personal. But if you want to build customer/client relationships and be a good member of the community, you cannot force feed us one-way messaging on social media and then not participate in whatever ensues.  That’s an infomercial, and most of us will go running and screaming from you, far and fast.

So what to do? Go ahead and post your message once, using one of the many tools that offer this service.  It will go to Facebook, Twitter, et al.  But then allocate 10-15 minutes per day (or many times daily) to come see what has transpired on each of the platforms – and talk to us.  We assume you got into social media to be social, so we appreciate your feedback, your insights, your offerings.  Dialogue is king.

Karen is One Smart Cookie

I’m excited to announce the new, improved identity of the former Incredible Chef persona that used to grace these pages – please welcome One Smart Cookie Marketing!

One Smart Cookie Marketing focuses on making other “smart cookies” look smart.  Utilizing the appropriate marketing and social media tools, we help thought leaders, experts, influencers, and gurus get their message out to their target audience and earn the visibility they deserve.

Definition from the Cambridge Dictionary – a smart cookie is someone who is clever and good at dealing with difficult situations 

Okay, so maybe the marketing situations you face aren’t that difficult, but they are to you!  So why not hand these duties off to someone who is good at dealing with them and is clever, to boot?  That’s me, One Smart Cookie.

I love the name for another reason – it gives a nod to my background both as a personal chef and as one who has spent the past year specializing in social media for restaurants and food & beverage companies. But I’ve discovered there are many more out there, outside the food community, that are looking for One Smart Cookie too.  And so the focus broadens – although there will always be a special place in my heart – and in my list of clients! – for the foodies.

So who do I want to help now?  I’m looking for entrepreneuers (real or wanna-be) with that great big idea, thought leaders that influence large communities, authors and speakers that are subject-matter experts, and those on a mission to impact their world in some way.

These leaders know there is power in marketing and social media - but they aren’t sure quite how to use it yet, even though they know how important it is.  They are educated, eager to learn, computer savvy, and are hungry to make their stamp on their world.  They don’t mind rolling up their sleeves and doing the work, because they know the importance of being authentic in their communications. And they are willing to pay the price to be guided in the areas they are unskilled.

One Smart Cookie -meaning me, Karen Rosenzweig! – brings more than 20 years of marketing, social media and public relations to the mix.  You bring the big idea, and we will help you craft creative messages, find the people that need to hear about you, and display your brilliance.  It’s an easy recipe and it will be a beautiful, fully-baked masterpiece when we are finished.

Stay tuned for more details – it’s going to be quite a ride!  I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions in the comments – please share!

31 flavors of blog posts in 31 days!

I thought I knew, but I think I better make sure before we go much farther – and definitely before I start my “31 blog posts in 31 days” project today! 

I hope I haven’t confused anyone, but my business is going through a bit of a metamorphosis these days, and I’m re-focusing this blog to ensure I’m on track and reaching those I most want to help (and work with!). So I’m following the wonderful example set by Darren Rowse of ProBlogger fame, and I’m committed to posting every day this month – and I’m confident I will have found my stride by April Fool’s Day.

Last July I launched this blog as I began the transition from working as a personal chef to helping restaurants and food companies navigate the crazy world of social media.  The blog began as “Life Is a Buffet” but has now been folded into my Incredible Chef web site here and serves as my home page.  And don’t look now, but I’m working on a company name change, to more accurately represent my services, so look for a sparkly new moniker soon! But I’m getting ahead of myself…

So what is this blog now?  I am here to help restaurants and hospitality companies with their communications and marketing efforts.  It is a many-splendored thing I offer - guidance with social media, email marketing, blogging, twitter, facebook, word of mouth networking, promotions and contests – all very fun and exciting things to drive more business to their companies and increase their visibility.

I believe I offer something unique to my clients – public relations agency experience, personal chef savoir faire, demonstrated social media expertise, and most importantly, an unabashed love of helping people in the culinary world talk about what they love to do.  Seriously – how many of my breed do you know??

So today I start the task of showing you exactly what I can do and why you should believe me.  And it’s going to be a fun ride!  So tell me, what do you want to know about this world I’ve described?  Please let me know below in the comments and I’ll be back every day this month, delivering information cooked-to-order, just for you…bon appetit!

The gold spatula - an undeniable sign of retirement for a chef

Who throws you a retirement party when you are self-employed?

Good question. Is it your former clients? Is it your colleagues or your competitors or your friends or your family? All of the above or none of the above?

I just want my gold spatula.

Yes, what I’m trying to say, is that after nearly six years as a personal chef (The Incredible Chef!), I have decided to “retire” that business.  It was a decision long overdue, because I essentially had stopped working as a personal chef awhile back anyways, when most of my clients stopped booking cooking dates, didn’t return my calls or pushed their appointments farther and farther out. I think my business knew it was done before I did.

However it took some time to come up with the retirement concept, since I am not “of that age”, despite what the hair color in my photo might say (very premature, I promise!)  Originally, I decided to put my personal chef business six feet under, send it swimming with the fishes, declare it dead as a doornail…you get the point. I even mentally planned a “funeral”, wrote a faux obituary, thought about details for a wake – but no, that was not the answer.

Who me, retire?

Retirement.  That’s what Brett Favre would do…(I apologize to my non-football friends, few of you as there may be)  Retirement sounded much more kind and gentle and acceptable – and like my man Favre, I could change my mind someday and come back.  Even more than once.  Doubtful but yet a possibility.  So retirement it was.

So where the hell is my gold spatula?

I drafted a short email message to distribute, letting everyone know the update – since I know they were all sitting on pins and needles.  Or not.  Funny thing about these kind of emails – people that you haven’t heard from in ages come out of the woodwork and say nice things about you!  Very nice…almost like listening to your own funeral – oops I mean your own retirement party.  Nevertheless, the comments were kind, sincere and made me feel quite appreciated.  And then it happened.

Within the first 24 hours of drafting my “retirement” email, I received not one, not two but FIVE phone calls asking me if I was available to cook that week.  WTF??  Is this some kind of cosmic joke, I wondered.  Where have all you people been and why did you wait so long to need me?  And it should be noted, NONE of these five people had gotten wind of the retirement announcement.  Weird. Odd. Funny. Sad. Lots of emotions.

I had to wonder – what was the message in this?  Were these calls a “bright shiny object” luring me back into cooking before it was too late? Or were these calls “a test” to see if I really meant it (retirement)?  It was a difficult couple of days analyzing the signs but I’m pretty sure I know the answer. 

To further illuminate, the reason I finally retired the personal chef business was to concentrate fully on my developing marketing/social media consulting business for restaurants and the hospitality industry.  I had been juggling cooking and consulting the past six months and neither emerged as the bread-winner (so to speak) and neither was thriving.  So I made the decision to fully give up one (personal chef) to let the other one bloom.  Didn’t that happen in Sophie’s Choice? But I digress…

I will add that I received another three calls that week (for a total of 8!), after the retirement email was distributed, asking me to cook again.  Unreal – but easily identified as more bright shiny objects.  I think.  I have fully focused the past week or two on the consulting business and felt both a renewed energy (from me) and renewed interest (from others), so I know I’ve made the right decision.

But I’m still waiting for my gold spatula…

But, this idea is just bursting to be shared, so I’m going ahead with it – and guess what? It actually will be supported and guided by the 3 words I chose. Double bonus!

So today I embark on the “do 20 actions 10 times each in the year 2010″.  The reactions have ranged from “20 things? That’s a lot!” to “10 times? Big deal – that’s easy!” to “interesting”.  And I agree with them all.

But, I do believe this idea will give a blueprint to the year, and provide consistent, specific goals throughout the year that will provide balance, improvement and perspective to my life. And that’s a good thing.

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. – Aristotle

I will spare you the details of the entire list, but I’d like to share a few of the activities to give you an idea of where I’m headed.  Plus, maybe you can help me accomplish some of them – don’t be shy!

One of the first business books I plan to read in 2010

Read a business book

- I already have a monthly book club that typically covers fiction/literature/etc. and I read my fair share of food-related books…but this year I need to consistently stay up on general business trends, ideas, best practices, etc. that will support my social media coaching endeavors.  Fitting in 10 of these books will be a challenge, but well worth pursuing.

Attend live arts performances – Every time I attend a concert, play, comedy show, or the like, I am so inspired, energized and entertained.  And I always wonder why I don’t go more often! So, I will do more to support the great cultural opportunities we have in our area - have any suggestions?

Meet new Twitter friends in person – It’s so easy to have “friendships” on Twitter, but how many of your followers have you actually met? Would they know your name if you walked up to them in person and used their REAL NAME, not “Hi, I’m @soandso? I was thrilled to finally meet some Twitter friends face-to-face this year - @kathycaseychef, @ChefRobinL, @nancyleson, @SeattleMaven, @HeinzMarketing, @JeffreyJKingman – just to name a few.  And it made it so much more interesting to tweet with them – and know that they’d actually reply and/or help me!  If I can meet at least 10 more of these Twitterific (ugh!) people in 2010, I’ll be very happy.

But I want...

Eat gluten-free or sugar-free for a week

- I’ve tried every diet under the sun (sound familiar?!) but one thing I know for sure…when I restrict my gluten/wheat/carbs intake, I feel much better and lose weight.  Ditto with the sugar, but that’s much harder thanks to my favorite two words – dark chocolate!  Taking a seven-day break from these tasty treats about once a month should help keep my diet balanced and keep my health in check.

Teach a Twitter class, with at least 15 attendees – I’m focused on improving my presence as a Social Media Coach and am committed to helping people learn to use social media tools well for fun, business or whatever they desire.  And I believe there’s more than enough interest to fill at least 10 of these classes, either beginner or advanced. And I should mention, another goal is to work for at least 10 non-food related companies this year, to diversity my experience and knowledge.

Swimming with the dolphins in Puerto Vallarta - definitely a 1+ night getaway!

Go on one-night (minimum) getaways

- I must admit my dogs (Buddy and Griffin, the amazing cocker spaniels!)  have ruled the roost in this area.  Rather than work at finding a suitable housesitter, we often choose not to get out of town for a weekend or take that week-long vacation or go camping, because the dogs either can’t go with us or there’s no one to stay with them. That must change!  Also, if I am to meet another goal of visit a different state 10 times, that will require doggie care – must find ASAP! I’m sure someone would love a few weekend getaways on the Edmonds waterfront with a partial view…hmmm???

So there you have it – a quick glimpse into my 20 actions to be repeated 10 times each, for a terrific 2010!  What do you think? I’d love your feedback and/or your own ideas and goals – let’s hear it!

However, after reading social media advisor Chris Brogan’s post Wiring Yourself for Success,  I’ve been inspired to play the game of choosing just three words to guide my actions, frame my thinking and measure my results for 2010. It’s a scary exercise for someone used to writing many words and describing things in greater detail – but here we go.

First, a clarification on Brogan’s process, which he began in 2006. The selection of three guiding words for the year is different from setting resolutions and goals since those two things have end points – meaning once you accomplish them, then what? You have to continually come up with more, better, etc. The use of three big-picture words as a compass point allows there to be constant growth, improvisation, interpretation, adjustment, etc. – similar to Keith Ferrazzi’s concept of performance goals vs. learning goals in his best-seller “Who’s Got Your Back?”

Here’s an example Ferrazzi gives:  You want to lose 10 pounds.  That’s a performance goal – you either hit the mark or you don’t.  Which means if you lose 9 pounds, you potentially could feel that you “failed” and fell short of your goal?  (this is why many people fail on diets!) The other side of the coin would be to set a learning goal of taking classes to cook healthier meals.  This has a long-term effect that will likely allow you to achieve your performance goal, but even if you don’t hit the 10 pound loss, you still have gained a valuable skill in your life with long-lasting health benefits. So, we want learning goals, yes?

Without further ado, my words for 2010 – Balance, Improvement, Perspective.

Balance – this is an concept I think about a lot, and continually strive to achieve. Am I playing more than working? Am I eating enough of the right kinds of food? Does my client load make sense and support my overall company goals? Do I spend too much time watching reality TV?

By choosing balance as a compass point for the year, I can measure virtually any idea/option/choice against its alternative.  The cool thing is, the definition of balance will be different on any given day (depending on the circumstances), which will allow me to live more “in the moment”, a concept previously not well-known to me! This will be a big change, for sure.

Improvement – isn’t this something we all hope for, in most areas of life? And therefore it makes a great barometer; instead of setting unreachable numerical goals, there can be satisfaction by at least being “better” than yesterday, or last time we tried. It seems many resolutions are blown the first time you do (or don’t do) something, so there’s no way to really satisfy the intention.  But if there was a continual raising of the bar over time, isn’t that a better measure?

Obviously, change doesn’t just happen.  It’s a process, slow but steady. In the book “Good to Great”, Jim Collins talks about successful businesses and how continual 1% improvement has such a significant cumulative effect.  For example, If you could improve a behavior or accomplishment by 1% per day (a small feat, right?), you’d be 50% better in about 7 weeks.  It’s hard to be motivated to go from selling 100 widgets a day to 150 per day, overnight. However, continual incremental improvement makes the goal possible, and worth working towards.

Perspective – whoa, this is a big one for me…and maybe for you too. As the saying goes, everyone just wants to know the WIIFM – What’s In It For Me! We all have our unique perspectives of life and what transpires, and it’s often so hard to put yourself in another shoes and wonder how it is for them. Or is that just me? Also, keeping perspective as an over-arching theme this year will help minimize the “woe is me” attitude or “life isn’t fair” feelings from creeping in. 

As author and marketing whiz Seth Godin noted in a recent blog  “The problem, of course, is that people don’t always think like you…If they only thought like you, of course, and knew what you know, then there wouldn’t be a problem.”  Isn’t that the truth?! I often find myself feeling overwhelmed by some minor detail or small thing that isn’t going the way “I” thought it should, or someone who doesn’t agree with me, so a little perspective should do wonders for my actions this year. I can’t wait to see what life looks like through someone else’s glasses!

So there you have it – 2010 is all about B.I.P.  Balance. Improvement. Perspective. I’d love to know what your three words are, if you’d care to share in the comments. This is going to be a fun ride – hang on!

In my last post, I wrote about shuffling down life’s buffet table to plant myself in front of the “let’s help food companies with Twitter” section.  All was good, things began to take shape, prospects appeared, personal chef clients stayed in hiding.

Then the FIRE HOSE let loose!  No kidding, in the next 24 hours I would be:

• bombarded with introductions to more than five different food companies that are interested in help with social media (my ultimate goal!)
• taking calls from several people about Twitter in general so they could tell me how they have it “handled” on their own (gee thanks)
• handed two potential personal chef/catering clients (read: bright shiny objects)
• overwhelmed with a multitude of my colleagues’ messages  and Tweets of support/congratulations (thank you)
• given great content and direction from a proven sales coaching pro
• soaking up great wisdom from a brilliant, strategic PR professional who gave me my next big idea (so unexpected and gracious of her!)

Whew – talk about drinking from a fire hose! My head has been spinning as I try to make sense of all the opportunity and sort through the priorities.  The problem, if there is one, that so much time is spent reacting that I don’t have time to be proactive and DO THE WORK!

Now I’m not suggesting that I “have it made” now, by any means.  I would even go as far to say this hasn’t resulted in one red cent – yet.  But the seeds are planted, possibilities are growing and the word is spreading.  Are there any more clichés I could use to express my excitement?!

This flurry of activity came after an afternoon walk on my Edmonds beach, where ideas typically “show up” and I get clarity on so many things I didn’t even know I needed answers for – all while supposedly picking up beach glass!

The new analogy I discovered on the beach was that my new business direction was akin to a repositioning cruise – say what? That’s when the cruise lines move their ships from one port to another (say, Alaska to the Caribbean) at the change of season and have the challenge of fewer passengers due to the one-way voyage, odd itineraries and lack of port visits.  However, the advantages for the passengers are much lower prices, more time at sea and a relaxed leisurely trip.

So I figured – food companies that hire me right now (at the beginning of my voyage) for their social media advising are going to get a great deal (financially and energetically) as I “reposition” my business. While I may not have a set course (who does in this new world?) and make all the customary tours, I am going to give them a terrific, value-packed ride through exciting territory while we cruise through this changing sea of social media!  To wit, companies will embark from one port (maybe where they aren’t very visible) and we will sail to a brand new exciting port (where they have new followers, engaged customers and everyone knows their name)!  I have no doubt these companies will get far more value that they ever expected – what do you think?!

So, what about that bright shiny object syndrome (BSOS)?  Well I wrote about BSOS in my other blog this week, on the Seattle Women & Business Examiner site.  The gist is that as I began to pull away from personal chef work towards social media, the “bright shiny objects” came flying in to distract me, and take my eyes off the direction I wanted to.  And maybe that’s how repositioning cruises started, come to think of it…but I digress.

This week’s BSO’s came in a relatively harmless-looking package, appearing to be financially rewarding and worthy of my time.  In fact, they were even posing as “helpers”, to pay the bills while I chased after this new business venture of mine – ha!  These were opportunities to do small catering gigs, which are really not my expertise, but they were flashing dollar signs at me.  I could do the events fairly easily, make a few bucks, and be done – much easier than the kind of energy I had to put in with ongoing personal chef clients.

But I quickly recalled the lessons learned last week from my “lifeline” friends – this is not the direction I’m going!  I had to remember that if I want to make room for the new business (social media), I can’t keep hanging out in the old ‘hood (cooking every day!). And while it pained me to pass up the catering opportunity, it was a relief to be rid of the stress, planning and energy I would expend – which would ultimately take time from my emerging passion to help food companies use social media in exciting new ways.

To sum it all up, what I’ve learned these past few days is that you have to reposition yourself away from the bright shiny objects when the fire hose cuts loose – no joke!

So tell me what you think about all these signs I keep getting and the direction my repositioning cruise is headed – I’m all ears!