Lip-Sticking

Smart Woman Online: Yours Truly

Dear readers, as we count down to 2006, Jane presents something innovative - well, maybe just unusual. You will be the judge.

Since this is our last interview of the year, and since we plan on making changes to this blog come 2006, we thought it appropriate to bring you a special interview - with our alter-ego, Yvonne, the one who really writes this blog.

Yvonne qualifies as a Smart Woman Online by virtue of the fact that she coined the phrase. Locally, in her hometown, she's often referred to as that "Dickless Marketing" lady, a phrase often accompanied by a snicker. We're happy to report, the snickers are turning into chuckles...and more and more people are able to now say "Dickless Marketing" out loud. There are still those who refer to Yvonne's book as merely Smart Marketing to Women Online...and Yvonne doesn't mind. But, when she meets a brave soul, male or female, who can actually SHOUT the name across the room - it just tickles her pink!

Let's hear what Yvonne has planned for Lip-sticking, and marketing to women online, for the new year:

Lip-sticking: For newbies, explain the purpose of this blog and why you write as 'Jane.'

Yvonne: This is kinda fun! I always knew that talking to myself would pay off someday! Okay, this blog is focused on the women's market. Online. When I wrote my famous book, Dickless Marketing (to newbies, notice how often I use certain keyword phrases in this interview; if you would have your blog get noticed by search engines and other bloggers, you need to provide your keyword phrases within your content, NOT just in your tags!) my goal was to show small business owners - male and female alike - that the women's market online was where they should be putting their time and talent. And, how to do so, via the voice of 'Jane', who represents the women's market online.

In order to keep the momentum moving, I had planned on starting an online newsletter. When I was encouraged to blog I pooh-poohed the idea. But, finally gave in. Boy am I glad! This has been one of the most amazing things I've ever done! I love blogging -- and connecting with people all over the world. Say, as you like to note, Jane, what's not to like about that?

Lip-sticking: This blog is approaching year 3 - do you have changes in store? What's on the table for 2006?

Yvonne: Hmm...I like to surprise people. You know, creep up behind them in alleyways and shout, "Boo!" I get a whole lot of neat stuff when they drop their bags and run off screaming.

No, really...I'm kidding. I do like to surprise my readers and the only way to do that online is to throw new things at them via the blog. If I give it all away now, how can I create mystery?

Okay...I'll give you a hint: first of all, Jane, I'm giving you a vacation. It's time to add MY voice to this blog. Second: there will be fewer posts, but more focused ones. I hope to be more useful... I'd like to add more blog and website reviews, more substantial information on the women's market online and...more. I do have one surprise that I won't reveal. Stay tuned!

Lip-sticking: We're reading a lot of 'stuff' on the effectiveness of blogs, on the overwhelming undisciplined nature of the blogosphere, and on this type of communication being a passing fad - what do you think?

Yvonne: First of all, Jane, I don't pay you to read trash. Why aren't you following the blogs I gave you to read? Anyway, that's what all of that 'stuff' is - trash. Honestly... Mainstream Media must be running scared to keep writing it. Here's what I think...based on my experience...

1. Blogs are only as effective as the person managing or writing them. Without a clear focus, and a goal, a blog is just a journal - which is not a bad thing. I read lots of 'journal blogs' and I learn a lot from them. Never forget, if you're a professional blogger - writing for a BUSINESS - those journal bloggers are your CUSTOMERS. Don't you want to know what they're writing about you?

2. For the undisciplined nature of the blogosphere - it can appear that way. To the uninitiated. But, we bloggers (professionally speaking) take our writing very seriously. We are building disciplines into our postings. This is still a new communications tool...no one can really say where it will be next year...I for one will be watching it evolve over the next few years, and actively participating wherever I can. Sometimes being 'undisciplined' is another word for innovative.

3. Passing fad? Was the fax machine a passing fad? Was the personal PC a passing fad? Is the Internet a passing fad? Passing for a fabulous way to connect and grow your business, maybe.

Lip-sticking: Who are your favorite bloggers in the whole Universe?

Yvonne: You, Jane. :-) (how self-serving can one get???)

No, really...I can't answer that. I cite my favorite bloggers all the time. I find new ones every week. To be perfectly honest, I favor women bloggers. Not because they're better or more lucid or anything else...it's just that I need to understand them in order to make this blog work. So, I support women bloggers - no matter what they write.

Lip-sticking: What's on your writing agenda for the coming year? Any new books in the works?

Yvonne: So glad you asked, Jane. Yes, I have a couple of new books coming out in 2006. One is a book I've been talking about (on my other blog, Aha!) for such a long time, I'm sure folks think I'm never going to finish it - that's The 'How to Write a Book' Book...with advice on writing, but more importantly, essays from published writers talking about how they wrote their books. Interested parties can email me if they'd like to add an essay to this book, which will be offered as a free download on WME Books, until it gets too big. Then, it will be sold for a small fee, with the proceeds going to support other writers and a charity of my choice.

My other book is the second in the Dickless Marketing series. SMARTER Marketing to Women Online. That, too, is taking longer than anticipated. I may need help with it. Help from the readers of this blog. I'm writing on multiculturalism, on changes in what women do online, and on blogging - the social network aspects as it applies to the women's market. What else do readers want to know? And, should I copy Robert Scoble and write the book on the blog???

Lip-sticking: So, we always ask our interviewees...if they shop online. Tell us how much of your holiday shopping was done online. And, tell us how important the touchy-feely part of shopping is to your shopping experiences.

Yvonne: I did ALL my shopping online. I HATE going to the store, even the grocery store. People are so -- rude! First of all, parking is a chore. Second, I always get the cart with the broken wheel. Third, when I get to the check-out counter, someone is always coming or going, or the person in front of me insists on paying with a check that won't clear. <big sigh> How much wasted time is that??

As for the touchy-feely thing - sorry. Don't understand it. I know what lettuce feels like, I know what bread feels like, I know what tomatoes feel like. I don't need to go to the store to feel them. When it comes to clothes, I have some trusted sites I shop at - sites that give me what they advertise, that make it easy for me to check-out, and that give me several options for returns, if that becomes necessary.

I'm a big shopper - it's in my blood. Shopping online gives me the opportunity to get what I need (even groceries - yes, I buy a lot of groceries online) in much less time with much less effort. This opens up lots of time for other things - like romance. And no, I'm not revealing anything personal about my love life! There are other kinds of blogs for that! [so I hear, I don't really know, or course]

Lip-sticking: As a sign-off comment, tell the readers what your favorite Sunday comic is.

Yvonne: Hmm...it has to be Pickles, because of the cat. I also like Non-Sequitor.

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That, dear readers, is that. We hope you enjoyed learning more about the voice behind Lip-sticking. We hope you'll participate in future posts and give Jane more to write about. As for Yvonne, she's never at a loss for words, as you just discovered.

Say, what's not to like about that?

Jane's Fit by Five Focus

This is the last Fit by Five for 2005. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think? Fit by Five in 2005.

1. At Rosa Say's blog, Talking Story, she calls 2005 the "year of the blog." Her description of the blogosphere is so focused, Jane felt you needed to see it for yourself, "2005 has definitely been the year of the blog, and I feel so fortunate that I somehow arrived in this playground of learning and virtual community camaraderie."

We have certainly learned a lot from Rosa. We know there is still so much value to gain by including Talking Story in our daily read...we are eager to see what 2006 brings.

2. Over at Jack Yoest's blog where Business Sense, Military Precision and Timeless Truth abide, Jane is included in his year-end best marketing blog picks. If you dig deep into Jack's blog, you'll uncover some excellent writing and thought-provoking insight. Jane is honored to be among those Jack and Noah chose to spotlight.

3. We feel we must honor Josh Cohen who did such an outstanding job with this week's Carnival of the Capitalists. Once again, as we note almost every week, the Carnival is a useful introduction to new blogs, new thoughts, mind-tingling insight, and more. Check it out. You won't be sorry. [Jane especially likes this quote from his Carnival postings: “Try always to be the person your dog thinks you are.” -Jan Purnel]

4. Faithful Lip-sticking readers will know that Jane [aka Yvonne] has been invited to speak at next month's WOMBAT - word-of-mouth "basic training event," in Orlando. We were waiting to see it announced on the website before going into details. Our presentation will be on "How-to Get Women Talking." We need your help, dear readers. Jane will be focusing on blogs...and their social networking power...and how women are at the core of social networking. Prove us right - or wrong - by offering your insight into the power of blogs to get women talking. We'll mention your name...

5. It's been some time since we mentioned one of our favorite bloggers in the whole universe - Anita Campbell over at Small Business Trends. We had to include her in our final 2005 Fit by Five, for her recent post on the Top Ten Promising Small Business Opportunities for 2006. Anita is so well-connected, via her expert resources on her blog, and through her new radio show, that she exemplifies small business success. Jane applauds Anita's powerful mind - and her focus on business trends. Her advice is real and actionable. Her blog is one of the net's best business resources. We think her Top Ten is a must-read...as is everything she writes! [yes, WME Books, Yvonne's other business, is included in Anita's #2...for which we say, thank-you! that was NOT an influence in our posting this today, however.]

As the old year winds down, and the New Year fast approaches, we hope you will take time to review, dear readers. Review your moments of joy and your moments of sorrow. Think long and hard about what you hope to accomplish in 2006. Focus on what worked, not on what didn't. Use this blog, and the others mentioned here, to help you build a solid foundation to get your business moving in the right direction. Talk to the girls... we won't steer you wrong!

And, contemplate this:

He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool...shun him.

He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, is a child...teach him.

He who knows, and knows not that he knows, is asleep...wake him.

He who knows, and knows that he knows, is wise...follow him.

What's not to like about that?

Jane Markets Blogs

Monday morning- well, okay...it's not moring. It was when Jane logged on, but various distractions have prevented us from moving along at the pace we would have chosen. Hence, it is now afternoon.

No never mind. It's still Monday, right? Here's the latest, from Jane's trolling the blogosphere in search of marketing to women online advice: blogs, blogs, and more blogs.

We're curious, dear readers - how many blogs do you read? Do you read journal blogs or is your concentration on business blogs? Are there a select few that you subscribe to - from the millions and millions logged in at the blog search engines? Do you find blogs worthwhile - or, are they too much information?

We ask these questions in response to some recent news articles and blog posts we've read talking about the worthiness of blogs in business. As we approach a new year, we're planning changes in how Lip-sticking is presented. No, not in design, in content. When we began Lip-sticking, our focus was on marketing to women online. We were, and to a large extent are still, the only blog with this unique focus - to teach others how to market to women online.

Over the last two years, we have found ourselves writing posts on marketing online, in general; on what men want online; where the teen and tween market is going; and various other topics - all of which feed into our goal to market to women who shop online. At one point we attempted to include  fiction in our mix, but that did not go over well.

All in all, going forward, though we do not plan on abandoning our marketing to women online focus, we hope to bring you more news, via the blogs we read, relevant to business marketing and how the blogosphere is helping, or hindering, your success in being online.

Meanwhile, over at our good friend Toby Bloomberg's Diva Marketing blog, we see a Carnival of sorts. If anyone has her pulse on marketing in the new millennium, it's Toby. To Toby's credit, she has put together a veritable cornucopia of information from across the blogosphere - and Jane is thrilled to be among the blogs she cites. [we LOVE Michele Miller's pooch-picture!]

We also notice that our friend and top-blawger, Dennis Kennedy, has posted his awards for the Blawggies (Dennis, we would have only used one -g-). It's an informative read, and introduces some blawgs you may not otherwise find. Dennis is one innovative guy - along with Matt Homann - who posted a family pic for the holiday. Jane must remember to CALL THEM...since we have a question or two only they can answer. [no, the questions are not for free legal advice; we have our own Tom for that.]

Our last message, before signing off, is to encourage all to partake of Evelyn Rodriquez's January pilgrimage to Thailand. It's her return to the Tsunami tortured land she was vacationing in a year ago. Share in her musings and photos as she mingles with people - young and not so young, alike - and communes with the spirit of life. In the end, it's all about the spirit of life and the people, isn't it?

We think 'it'...whatever that may mean ... is about the people, everywhere. It's about exchanging ideas and stories. It's about looking into one another's eyes and actually hearing in our hearts, what is written there. We wish Evelyn well. Her descriptive postings are vivid with the colors and smells of a world we will probably never see. Her words and pictures give us pause. We know they will help shape our perspective for the New Year.

Dear readers, we hope you are enjoying a relaxing holiday, be that what it may. We hope there are friends and relatives around you. We hope the children in your midst are cuddled, protected, and revered. We hope you are embracing your Moms and Grandmoms, your Dads and GrandDads. Sisters and brothers, cousins and neighbors. We hope your pets are providing that unconditional love, as only pets do. And, we hope you are looking to 2006 with a sparkle in your eyes.

Jane is. Stay tuned.

Smart Man Online: WOMMA's own Andy Sernovitz

This week we're bringing you some good, old fashioned Word of Mouth Marketing, dear readers. Via Andy Sernovitz, our Smart Man Online, and president and founder of WOMMA: Word of Mouth Marketing Association. Seems to us that this is something the marketing and advertising world should have started LOOOooonngg ago! But, it took someone innovative, visionary, and SMART to do it. Someone like Andy...read on and find out how YOU, too, can get Word of Mouth Marketing to work for you...

Lip-sticking: Let's start way back, to the beginning of advertising, if that's possible. If word-of-mouth is so powerful, why did we turn to print and radio to get clients and customers? Why not just stay with the tried and true, like the village market, where word of mouth testimonials were so powerful?

Andy: WOM is powerful, but it's harder to work with than traditional advertising. Only recently, with the Internet, blogs, etc. has WOM become something that we can actually do something about. We finally have the techniques to encourage it, amplify it, and make it work within a marketing plan. The other thing that has changed is that WOM has happened TO advertisers. The voice of the consumer, amplified by blogs, is suddenly a real concern for brand image. No one can ignore it, so we're finally learning to make it an ally and an asset.

Mass, traditional media still works - and it's an effective way to reach a lot of people. WOM ads a deeper, more genuine 1-to-1 conversation to it.

Lip-sticking: Jumping into the 21st century now, to the Internet and blogs and blogads and all the ways people connect today -- can you share some insight into what all this 'collective' conversation means to WOMMA?

Andy: Real people finally have the tools to make their opinions heard and their opinions count. There is a core of smart marketers who get this consumer-in-control idea. They've been fighting for this at agencies, brands, and on their own. WOMMA provides a home and a platform to act on this situation and do the right thing.

Lip-sticking: When we were growing up, there used to be a sing-song phrase that went something like this, "Telephone, telegraph...tell a girl." It was meant as an insult but -- doesn't it sum up the reality of word-of-mouth? Aren't women better at this than men?

Andy: It's not about women vs men vs teens. It's about which populations are most excited, enthusiastic, and vocal about products they love. [rightly so, Andy...but Jane needs to introduce you to some Mommy bloggers...]

So, for some categories, women are powerful influencers. But you get equally powerful matches in other categories (such as teens and videogames). I'm not comfortable with that stereotype, because like any stereotype it isn't fair to the people described - and it enables lazy marketing. Marketers need to work hard to understand exactly who feels a passion for each and every one of their products and find a way to earn their recommendation. [point well-taken]

Lip-sticking: To go a step further, women control much of this country's wealth -- we're responsible for buying more than 80% of the goods and services bought and sold in the U. S., as we're sure you're aware. We're also starting new businesses at twice the rate of men. How many women do you have in senior management positions at WOMMA?

Andy: Well, only 3 people work at WOMMA, one woman. As the only senior manager at the moment, so my feminine side is it. But stay tuned as we grow a balanced team. [keep us updated - the world is watching, and we will talk...]

Lip-sticking: Tell us about WOMM events. What's coming up? How can our readers get in....at a discount?

Andy: How about I talk about the conference in Orlando in Jan. --> Word of Mouth Basic Training (WOMBAT!). It's the first-ever event focused on practical, hands-on how-to training. We want to help marketers learn to do this right, and the right way. The focus is "what to do" - 16 how-to courses, 16 case studies, 8 major authors, 60+ expert speakers. We've already started with a blog, newsletter, and podcast that teaches ethical WOM.

Faithful readers of Lip-sticking: use code yvonnesentme to save $100. [Do plan on attending, dear readers - Jane, aka Yvonne, will be there demonstrating How to Get Women Talking! Say, what's not to like about that?]

Lip-sticking: Tell us more! We want the inside scoop so we can pass it on.

Andy: WOMBAT is the first tool to teach WOM [word-of-mouth]. There's been lots of discussion, but very little teaching. I think we've got the triple-crown of teaching here, with a blog, a podcast, and an email newsletter. Over time this will be the definitive WOM library.

Lip-sticking: Aha, we LOVE libraries! But, WOMMA is relatively new...isn't it? What took you (not YOU, but you the group of professionals who are WOMMA) so long to create this engaging association? How successful are you? Can we expect to see you around for some time to come?

Andy: We're a bit over a year old, with more than 225 corporate members. That makes us the fastest growing association in recent memory.

It all started when a critical mass of marketers "got it" and needed an organization to fight for the core issues: ethics, measurement, and best practices. As soon as we opened our doors, hundreds of experts came out of the woodwork - so clearly this was waiting to happen, and we were in the right place at the right time. We'll be one of the major marketing associations for a long time to come -- and we expect to see our emphasis on ethics have an impact on all marketing.

Lip-sticking: Ok, we get it. Word-of-mouth works. We think we've always gotten it. To be honest, we think everyone gets it. So, why do we need you? Seriously, talk is cheap, isn't it?

Andy:  1. Ethics are everything. We need a strong voice to fight stealth marketers, teach ethical practices, and protect consumers.

2. WOM happens, but WOM Marketing is a complicated practice, like all marketing, and a group like ours serves as the education center.

Lip-sticking: We can't let you go without asking you to provide a comment on personalization. Women love it -- we're not sure men notice -- but it's a difficult goal to achieve with everyone so worried about privacy. How do we get WOM working along with personalization, and not invade anyone's privacy?

Andy: WOM is inherently personalized, because we're talking about real consumers talking to their friends. When we understand and respect the authenticity of the consumer-to-consumer conversation, everything is personal.

Lip-sticking: Who does the shopping in your family -- you or your wife? How much shopping do YOU, personally, do online? Were you an early adopter? What trait of online shopping appeals most to you? 

Andy: We both spend insane amounts of money online, in equally irresponsible quantities. We've been doing it since the beginning (I was in the dot com business in 93!) My favorite part of online shopping is speed. My least favorite part - browsing is less fun, you don't get to touch the stuff.

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Word-of-mouth marketing - in a learning atmosphere, with experts (we're one!) who can teach YOU how to get the word out: say, what's not to like about that? We'll see you there, dear readers.

Jane Presents: A Christmas Fit by Five

As the days wind down and Christmas creeps ever closer - Jane wishes all a very merry holiday. Understanding the various holidays, in addition to the Christian celebration, is an important part of being female-friendly. After all, women are the caretakers of the holiday season...all year long. For this week's Fit by Five, let's have a short lesson in holiday celebration.

1. Hanukkah: Commemorates the re-dedication of the Temple at Jerusalem. Hanukkah was first celebrated over 2,000 years ago after the Jews, under the leadership of Judah the Maccabee (the Hammer), recaptured the Temple from the Syrians. Because the Syrians had occupied and defiled the Temple, it had to be ritually cleansed. The Jews needed to find oil for the sacred lamp - according to legend, they found only one jug of oil, enough for the lamp to burn just ONE night. Amazingly, it burned in the lamp for EIGHT days and nights. These eight days and nights became the Hanukkah festival, which Jewish people have celebrated ever since, in many lands and under many different circumstances.

2. Christmas: In the western world, the birthday of Jesus Christ has been celebrated on December 25^th since AD 354, partly to replace the pagan worship that was commonplace in those days. Today, the holiday is a wonderful catalyst for enjoying the precious and simple pleasures of being, if only for a brief time, close together in the warm familiarity of friends and family, renewing relationships and sharing memories, in honor of Jesus's birth and his teachings.

3. Kwanzaa: This is a non-religious celebration which originated in Africa in the 1970s. It is based on African harvest celebrations. Kwanzaa begins on December 26th and lasts for 7 days. This holiday reflects an ancient, living tradition and culture reflecting the African thought and practice of seeking the moral meaning of life.

4. Our Lady of Guadalupe: A Mexican celebration which precedes Christmas. The celebration is in honor of the Virgin Mary. Each year, it is accompanied by parades, traditional dress, fireworks, feasts, concerts, dances and parties. Afterwards, preparation for the Christmas season begins in earnest. The first of nine posadas is held on December 16. These are fiestas, which represent Joseph and Mary's arduous pilgrimage on their way to Bethlehem, and there are nine posadas, from the 16 to the 24 of December, because they symbolize Mary's nine months of pregnancy. [from GoMexico - at About.com]

5. Omisaka: Japanese New Year's eve celebration, one of the most important holidays of the year for the Japanese. This is a festive evening - spent eating well and preparing the house for the three-day New Year celebration. "The first three days of the new year were the most joyful time. I used to look forward to them each year. During these three days, everybody was free from his or her daily chores. Fathers are free from going to work; mothers free from housework; and we, kids, were free from study. We were not only free from study but also allowed to do various things that were prohibited otherwise. I could watch TV as much as I wanted. I was allowed to have a sip of rice wine, which minors are prohibited to drink. The New Year's break was a special time of total freedom and joy." [from an interview with Mr. Hisato Kawata - Indiana East Asian Studies]

6. Broken Claw: Jane would llike to add content from our Native American friends who have a large variety of events which are as much a part of the overall holiday festivities as are all of these other religious and cultural events. Here is a link to many, many Native American stories - full of imagery, lore, and the very essence of what makes the human spirit so strong. They are timeless...as are all the celebrations of the season.

Learning about the world's holiday celebrations - discovering little nuances in each holiday festival - embracing the diversity of being human - is mandatory in a world connected via the Internet.

If you take the time to realize that women everywhere are the prime caretakers of home and hearth, and holiday celebrations, that we not only accept this duty with solemn respect, we embrace it with eager happiness, you begin to understand the power of using this time of year to woo us...

It's not hard to win us over -- if you stop to consider: Women LOVE the decorations. We LOVE the emotional attachment to history, the cultural perspective, the way our family values are tied up in neat, red bows, and we especially LOVE the individual heritage carried from one generation to the next, via these heartfelt celebrations. Show us how important those elements are to you, too. And, you'll have us at Hello.

What's not to like about that?

Jane Carnivals with the Best of Them

Did you notice that Jane was MIA for a few days, dear readers??

Life, that rude, insistent child, has been demanding more and more of our time. We are delighted to be so busy, and having so much to do brings a measure of reflection to our lives. Naturally, the season begs reflection - a thoughtful review of the past year; of goals met and goals left by the wayside, in the shuffle of a worn deck of cards.

At WME Books, our main business, we've achieved many of the goals we set for ourselves, and found ourselves wanting in others. Our success was accomplished via the hard work of the WME Books team, which can be found here. One team-member is missing...our recently added Admin, Carla, a beautiful young woman who is too shy to have her picture taken (but we will catch her unaware in 2006, we promise.)

This fine Monday morning, Jane wonders if you've taken time to reflect on YOUR team? Where is your business today - is it on track for 2006, or did you have some unexpected struggles that kept you running in place? Has the economy - the rise in gas prices - given you heartburn, or worse, impacted your company's bottomline in a negative manner? Are you among the strong - those folks who shake their fists at Fate and perservere? Or, are you wringing your hands and cursing the darkness - when there is light just outside your window?

At Lip-sticking, we believe in the 'give to get' principle, that being ZigZiglar's "the more you help others succeed, the more successful you will become." That's why our team is so important to us. Their success is our success. Their hopes for the future become our hopes for the future. Their goals become our goals. We must credit the Fortune Innovation Forum for reminding us that leaders lead by example, not by blame. And, that work should be play.

Can you say the same, dear readers? Are your workers or partners or teammates happy in what they do? Are you encouraging creativity - offering free time to daydream, during the regular workday? Are you sponsoring contests to get workers thinking about next year- where the 'prize' is a day off or a weekend at a spa or tickets to the 'big game'? Over at MIT, Professor Von Hippel says the consumer is your best bet when it comes to innovation; he calls it 'Democratizing Innovation' and he has written a book (free download) on it.

Are you learning to embrace this concept - challenging though it may be? When your own customers take your products and craft them into something more suited to their needs - they essentially become unpaid workers - offering YOU an opportunity to capitalize on their creative results. Are you complimenting them for that? Are you creating customer evangelists of them?

Jane wonders how many of you will still be blogging at the end of 2006? We are here for the long haul. Thought we are planning to make some changes - to become more relevant - to engage more voices - to be nonsensical - even a little mysterious - at times.

As the blogoshpere grows and continues to support the cacaphony of loud voices it has become this year- as the platform we call the blogosphere changes, in subtle and not so subtle ways, over the next year - Jane will be watching and recording, and noting how many women's voices are making themselves heard. We are especially interested in business partnerships - those unlikely matings of men and women, Moms and Dads, college students and business professionals, and... of the baby boomers who shuck the chains of corporate America to become entrepreneurs, promisng the next big idea or the next really wild product.

We hope these energetic, innovative, creative folks...full of hope and expectation...will tune in and offer their comments. We believe the world is waiting for them; waiting, perhaps, for YOU. Are you ready?

Now, before we sign off...we encourage you to visit the Carnival of the Capitalists today, over at Coyote Blog. And, after that, check out the ThirdAge Carnival over at The Hip and Zen Pen. Bookmark these Carnvials - they offer some of the best online reading (and advice) FOR FREE - that you will ever receive. We will be watching blog Carnivals carefully in 2006 - watching to see what becomes of them.

Jane says, "There is nothing not to like about that!"

Smart Woman Online: Christine from Stonyfield Farm

Dear Readers, Jane is tickled red and green with sparkles to bring you today's Smart Woman Online, Christine Halvorson. Christine is a professional blogger - that's right - she gets paid to blog! Her work is featured at the Stonyfield Farm website and blog. She's a delightful young lady, warm and friendly, and a bit witty, as you will see in this interview.

We feel fortunate to be able to bring you this fun post, since we met Chris at the Blogher conference last year, and heard her speak. Read on for your holiday treat...[and don't write nasty emails 'cause we didn't say 'Christmas'...we celebrate the holiday...with lots of folks, some of whom are NOT Christian]

Lip-sticking: You're one of the few 'professional' bloggers that we know. That sounds so official! Tell us a little bit about how you came to be a blogger at Stonyfield Farm.

Chris: The blogs at Stonyfield Farm were entirely the idea of our CE’Yo (that’s what we call him--really) Gary Hirshberg, who saw the potential of this tool for building relationships with our already-loyal customer base.

Once he had the idea, he advertised for a blogger/writer, I found the ad, applied and there I was! That was in March of 2004 and we launched five blogs on April 1, 2004. [corrected dates; we had 2005, but Christine tells me it's 2004: which only makes sense! Today's date: March 7, 2006]

I have a journalism background and that seems to have lent itself well to the position which, at the time, was very much an experiment.

Lip-sticking: We're curious -- how much time do you spend blogging and ... where do you get your content? Is it original, or pre-thought out?

Chris: Our content is certainly a mixture! Sometimes I do include what could be described as Stonyfield "P.R." news—but this is pretty rare. If we have a press conference, for example, or get a nice award, I’ll blog about that in a chatty way, but I am definitely under orders not to make this a p.r.-vehicle or an advertising/marketing vehicle. [congrats! you are doing a fab job!]

So…I blog about things we care about—getting junk food out of schools [hear, hear] and getting kids to eat healthy; supporting women who want a healthy lifestyle; organic dairy farming and organics in general; and parenting.

Content comes from the news wires, from my head, sometimes from people sending me interesting tidbits; sometimes my own interviews and, of course, other blogs. But, I have to admit, with four blogs to maintain and prescribed content "themes" to meet, I don’t spend as much time reading and linking to other blogs and bloggers that I would like. It’s simply a matter of efficiency.

It’s easier for me to link to a New York Times article than to find THE definitive blog entry on a particular topic. I spend about half of each day working on the four blogs—that includes reading, research, writing, editing, posting, maintaining. [might we offer to help - check in with US or Blogher - who else do you need? ;-) ]

Lip-sticking: Do your 'higher-ups' dictate what you write?

Chris: Not at all. Sometimes I wonder if they’re reading! (No, just kidding.) My only directive from our CE’Yo is to "be real"—and I try to be funny. And sometimes there are things I obviously "have" to write about…but, nope—nobody dictates the content.

Lip-sticking: If you weren't a blogger, what would you be? For instance, if...the blogosphere went away next week (horror of horrors!), would you become a marketing manager? Or, a skywriter? Or, would you just fall to writing a print newsletter?

Chris: I’ve been down the printed newsletter route. That is soooo 1980s. I don’t think I’d do that, but whatever I do has to involve writing, writing, writing. Marketing manager? No way. That’s the opposite end of my personality, I think.

Another part of my job at the moment is to write our web content and, so, that would be a back-up position, I guess, if our blogs went away. At 47, I’ve probably missed out on my chance to be the next Paul Simon (the singer, not the late politician), so that eliminates one career option.

Lip-sticking: Tell us what you like about blogging for Stonyfield Farm and what you, maybe, don't like. We'll be discreet, we promise.

Chris: Spam control is the bane of my existence! There, I’ve said it. As a writer, I also don’t feel all that comfortable any time technology glitches rear their ugly head. I don’t like the interruption to the "flow" of the writing and I don’t like having to figure out even who to go to in order to get the problem solved!

That said, I love blogging. I get to read the news, stay on top of issues, write what I want in an editorial (opinionated) fashion, and serve our wonderful company in this way. Our company’s mission is to change the world and, so, it’s exciting to be part of that.

Lip-sticking: We met you at Blogher last year. What an experience that was! All those women bloggers in one place! You talked about the experience of being a professional blogger, and we were so impressed. Will you be returning to Blogher in 2006?

Chris: I hope so! It hasn’t been decided yet, but I certainly did enjoy meeting crazy women bloggers. I expect the 2006 crowd will be 3 times the size because the organizers all handled the first one so well. Word is out! Watch out world! [crazy women bloggers - sounds like we have a reputation!]

Lip-sticking: Now, tell us about Stonyfield Farm, especially about the Strong Women series. Oh, we just LOVE the website! Jane considers it female-friendly to the max! Who's responsible for that success?

Chris: Well, having a blog that deals with women was a no-brainer for us. We were already involved in a series of events called "Strong Women Summits" that brought women together with experts to get them thinking about health, fitness and—tada!---changing the world! Since we had several of these events already by the time we thought up the blogging idea, we already had a natural database of potential interested readers for a blog on that topic. It is the most popular in terms of subscribers, among our four blogs. (Yes. Subscribers. We offer an "email this entry" option.) So, I write the content and it’s a wide-range of topics. I have fun with it.

The Bovine Bugle is our next most popular blog. There, farmer 'Jonathan Gates' writes about his daily life as an organic dairy farmer in rural Vermont. Readers love it! He’s a great writer. We got a note once from a woman in a skyscraper in Manhattan who said it made her feel like she was down on the farm in the middle of her city and it was a wonderful break in her day.

Lip-sticking: You offer coupons on your website at Stonyfield Farm. Do lots of people download coupons? Which link is accessed most? Are your visitors primarily female or male (or don't you know?)

Chris: The majority is female (as are the majority of yogurt-eaters) and the coupons/sign up for newsletters page is the most popular, followed by the recipes pages. We have a ton of recipes—all of them pretty low-fat—so they appeal to a female audience.

Lip-sticking: What about YOU - are you an online shopper? Will you do much of your holiday shopping online this year? If so, what's your favorite comparison shopping site?

Chris: Oh, my. I do shop on-line often, but only at a select few websites. That’s largely an attention issue. I can only keep track of so many places I like to go and that I like their products. I have rarely used the comparison sites, sorry to say. I usually buy things on the low end of the price scale, so I don’t have to comparison shop. Again—that whole attention span issue!

Lip-sticking: Leave our readers with a favorite quote from a favorite celebrity or author. Someone who inspired you to be who you are...maybe your Mom??

Chris: Wow! I’ve been a journalist for 25 years! That means I’m the one who’s always asking this question. Nobody’s ever asked me this before…so I really had to think.

I don’t think I have a quote. My Mom—whom I lost in 1990 at far too young an age—inspired me to be who I am simply by supporting every single crazy scheme I ever came up with, unconditionally. Plus she lent me her car all the time.

She had a love of reading and a great sense of humor. I guess those qualities seep through my writing life, for which I’m eternally thankful.

*************************************

Wow, this interview is one of our favorites, dear readers. Did Christine not support so many of the things Jane has been telling you all year: that women like to connect with other women, we eat more yogurt (okay, we didn't say that, but we said women are more health-conscious), and we're time-pressed, so we love shopping online. The best part was - her tribute to her Mom. Makes us all teary-eyed. 

Say, what's not to like about that?

Jane's Latest Fit by Five

A big announcement before launching into today's Fit by Five - we have it on good authority from Andy Sernovitz of the Word of Mouth Marketing Association that these two jobs are begging for professional gals or pals to snatch them up:

Editor Blogger
Webmaster/Graphic Designer

Now, on to the Fit by Five from the FORTUNE Forum... 5 Outstanding Things about the Forum and 5 Things We Think They Could Do Better Next Year.

5 Outstanding Things about the Forum

1. They dove into their blog head first, not feet first. Jane congratulates FORTUNE for recognizing the true value of blogging. It's about the people. ALL the people - not just CEOs or best-selling authors or folks with 'innovative' titles.

The Forum continues, even now, after the conference, to offer excellent content, real conversations, and even podcasts. Wow! Jane thinks she's in love!

2. The Innovation Conference was really about innovation. It wasn't just a group of business men and women talking innovation. The panelists, both male and female, gave sound advice (such as: Linda Sanford from IBM saying, "It's all about innovation that matters, that solves real business problems." And, repeated comments on giving your business over to the customer; finding ways to attract and keep innovative workers; using the collective minds of our retirees; recognizing the value of "productive friction.")

3. Towards the end, the talk turned to 'social responsibility'. A focus we hear the next generation is especially tuned in to. Talk centered around the fact that young people are looking for work with a purpose. Someone (we didn't write down who) said that Creativity is a group process. Burt Rutan, who aims to take us all into space (Jane is NOT going; she will email you) said that companies need to learn to have "confidence in nonsense." Without fun, he said, there is no innovation. HE was a lot of fun!

4. We were encouraged by the talk of revamping our education system here in the U.S. For a very long time, Jane has wondered why we continue to force our children to adhere to 'standards' set by our grandparents. What was good for them is not relevant to today's children. Innovation, high technology, and a grasp of the mysterious is what drives business today. It's not that baby boomers and seniors don't see it, or don't 'get it' -- it's that we poured the foundation - and a good foundation it is - now, the generations to come must build on that foundation. And, it must SUPPORT any crazy ideas they have. It must be strong enough to bear their weight, but flexible enough to bend to their will. That was a strong message which came through loud and clear, at least to Jane.

5. Throughout the event, Jane noticed something many other people probably ignored. We noticed that there were a LOT of left-handed people there. Those of you who are right-handed may think we are being silly but - science will prove us right: left-handed people rock!

5 Things We Think They Could Do Better Next Year

1. We've saved this for last, or, almost last. FORTUNE, we think you might have introduced the guest bloggers to each other. If you purposely did not (for whatever reason), tell us why because we don't understand. We had so hoped to meet a few of our own...only to be disappointed.

2. Signing in as 'press' was neat - it was Jane's first time being considered 'press'... but, the excitement was short-lived. Being press meant we were not allowed to get one of the neat red bags FORTUNE was giving out. We tried to get one - only to be rebuffed. "No, those aren't for you," we were told. Jane lusted after those red bags the entire time we were there!

3. This point continues to baffle us: why is your blog not connected to your website? Yes, we know...it's part of the Innovation Forum, and was connected to that. And, now that the forum is over...it's connected to - nothing. We love your blogroll, we love your interviews and podcasts, we love your focus on the TOPIC and the people who represent that topic, be they small business owners or Fortune 500 CEOs. But, we don't understand why, when we visit the Fortune Website, we can't click into the blog! What gives?

4. As we mentioned in an earlier post, we think the panelists could have mingled a bit. Surely these powerhouses of business could handle a small crowd? If mingling was too scary, why not have some sessions where the attendees could actually chat, one on one, or in a group setting, with the panelists? Jane was repeatedly frustrated by the moderators hogging all the interactive audience time. Every now and then there seemed to be a little too much, "I'm running the show, we'll do it my way" for Jane's tastes. Next time, make the moderator's shut up and turn the question and answer time over to the attendees.

5. Last...we must admit...there weren't enough women. On the panels. There were women. And, impressive ladies they were - no more nor less than the gentlemen there - but... the girls were far outnumbered. Far outnumbered. We hesitate to criticize FORTUNE for that - since we were not on the program committee, we can't say that FORTUNE didn't TRY to get more ladies...but, we can say - if the ladies you invited could not make it, we can help. Jane has suggestions. We can scare up enough ladies to improve your numbers. Ladies that will get the house rocking and rolling! In a good way, of course. 

There you have our Fortune Fit by Five - for this week. There may be more to come, in the New Year. Jane has pages and pages of notes. And, we are regular visitors at the FORTUNE blog... where very innovative things are happening.

Dear readers, can you say, what's not to like about that?

Jane Gets Serious

It's almost quitting time at the office. Jane is not sure how that happened. Seems like it was just 9:00...a few minutes ago!

As the night sky turns dark, and we resist turning on the office light (our co-workers constantly berate us for sitting in the dark, but we like the shadows), we would like to bring you another What's Working and What Isn't post. Relevant to marketing to women online, which - as many folks have told us - also works for marketing to guys who shop online. In fact, it's relevant to marketing online, to anyone.

We discovered this blog today. Our critical eye is disappointed by blogs such as this. By blogs (and websites) that ignore the visual dynamics of the web. The web allows small businesses to be exciting, colorful, innovative, interactive, friendly, and direct. At Managing Innovative Thinking + Design we find...nothing exciting, no color, a lack of innovation - though they have the word in their title, nothing friendly or direct, and little interactivity.

What's Working: let's start with the positive, shall we?

The blog offers resources. Link after link of them.

Ok, now on to What's Not Working: everything.

We mean no disrespect, and it's not in our nature to be cruel...but there's so much missing from this blog, it pains us to report on it. There is little to compliment on the 'design' though the blog is supposedly about design. The colors are pale and painful. The links, in bright pink, hurt the eye. The background - in taupe, is bland and unappealing. The font is so hard to read - we just gave up trying. This blog screams: software tool!

We don't know that it's generated by a software tool - but we know that if a real person is behind it, he or she needs to go back to school and play with Crayola crayons for awhile.

There is NOTHING in this blog's profile - a good indication that it isn't a real blog, and the content is suspicious - with no commentary.

We don't have time to go into more detail today. In fact, we just wanted to show you this blog to make a point: blogs are conversation starters. They're personal connections. They're a means to give your company a voice. This means posting more than link after link after link - it means adding a well-designed header that gives the viewer an idea of who you are and what you stand for. It means having something to say about the links you offer. It means asking questions...and providing some tiny bit of information about yourself.

<gigantic sigh>

Jane is sorry - but, we peeked at the SourceCode and discovered the blog is managed by a company called Bright Creative. Well, their website may be bright and even somewhat creative, but their blog is NOT!

It fails more than the female-friendly test. Jane and her friends will not visit it, we will not add it to our blogroll, and...those of us who know how, will peek at the sourcecode, find out who really manages it ------- and wonder, what is David Shea thinking? Author of The Zen of CSS Design... well, he may know CSS and websites, we don't think he's much of a blogger.

In the world of marketing to women online - don't make David's mistake. His blog makes his whole business look - shabby. Women are not in to shabby.

And, there is so much NOT to like about that. Tomorrow, we will have another Fortune Forum Fit by Five: with content we meant to post over the weekend. Stay tuned!

Jane Explains

Dear readers, Jane has been strangely silent for a few days - suffering from Holiday overload! Perhaps you relate.

In our silence, we accepted the new ad you see in our blogads box...today's being one about Internet porn!!This is being generated by MSNBC...as you will discover if you click the ad. We think it's a sneaky way to gather clicks...but, that's the Internet for you.

Jane apologizes if today's ad offends anyone but we were assured by Henry Copeland at Blogads that MSNBC will be changing the ads daily - to reflect current news trends, we supposed. That today's ad is about Internet Porn is NOT in support of it. We support MSNBC's right to report on it. We wonder what YOU think - not about porn, per se, but about its popularity?

Jane will write more later - with information you can use in your efforts in marketing to women online. Without resorting to porn.

Hmmm...in light of changes we plan on making to this blog, we sign off with a soft sigh. More later, dear readers.