Gwen Bell Dot Com

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Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PDT

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Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PDT

July News! It's a New House*, BlogHer + Birthday Bonanza

Gwen Bell — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:59:31 +0000

BlogHer is only two weeks away (today) and I'm focused on that. I am, partially.

With my right eye I'm watching all the BlogHer related tweets.

With my left, buying a house.

Joel and I put in an offer on July 4, it was countered and we accepted and signed (and signed and signed) the counter. Our closing date is July 27, Joel's birthday. The day before my birthday, July 23, I'm flying to BlogHer in Chicago. To rock out with my BlogHer friends for the third year in a row (check out photos of the previous year in the slideshow above). If I love conferences (and I do), I love this one above all others. To my mind, it is the ultimate conference. More on that in a moment. First, house info...

I wish we were selling a crushed red velvet lip sofa at our moving sale this weekend, but we're not. We do have a lot of other things we're letting go of. Including stuff I actually like. 80% of my stationary has got to go. Which might sound like not a lot, but whenever we wander into a shop selling stationary, Joel asks if I'm going to the Productivity Porn section. There will be furniture, clothing, the works. If you'd like to come, send me an email (gwen at gwenbell.com) and I'll shoot you an invite.

After the moving sale, I'm majorly gearing up for BlogHer. I've lost track of the number of parties I'm attending. Which is ok since Kirtsy has a PDF party guide. That you can print. And carry around the conference so you know where you're going, whether you're eating there and who's hostessing. This sold-out(!) conference is an annual event that never fails to surprise and delight me. This year there will be karaoke, there will be lunches, brunches and there will be Tim Gunn (!!). There will be more events than last year. I'm super stoked.

I have sponsors to thank and contests to let you know about. The short list, I'm handing out prizes at the SocialLuxe Lounge, chillaxing with Nintendo, co-hostessing BowlHer and rocking the mic at the MamaPop soirée. That's the abbreviated list - there are many, many more suites, parties and events - plus the conference itself. Exciting news and announcements soon. I'll live-blog/tweet the conference again this year. Because that's the point of all this, right?

Partying at conferences, buying houses, celebrating birthdays. July is heating up, y'all.

*I say "house" - the thing is a loft. Joel wants me to clarify and rightly so. It's a loft (I've nicknamed it The Pop Loft), not a House house. Capital H. That doesn't stop the government from giving us some dollars for buying it. w00tles.

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Fifty Books for Our Times | Newsweek Books | Newsweek.com

Gooey [Flickr]

gwen bell — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:56:28 PDT

gwen bell posted a photo:

Yellow Fruit - Tastes Like Nasty Cucumber to Me [Flickr]

gwen bell — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:56:12 PDT

gwen bell posted a photo:

Last Night's Sky [Flickr]

gwen bell — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:55:51 PDT

gwen bell posted a photo:

Laughing at The Teahouse [Flickr]

gwen bell — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:55:38 PDT

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Babies! [Flickr]

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Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PDT

Participatory Marketing Network: Gen Y's Are Not Yet Taking Flight on Twitter

10 Best of Boulder: Bites, Sips & Fixes

Gwen Bell — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:05:15 +0000

I've been in Boulder a little over a year and a half now. Anyone who follows me on The Twitter knows that it's a place I like to share bits of as often as possible. It occurred to me I have never shared my top ten places to snack, sip and be happy in an easily digestible list. So here it is. These are places that stand the test - I take friends who come in from out of town, I have made friends with the owners or staff, I love not only what they are dishing up but dig the panache with which they're dishing.

Whether you live here or you're just passing through, check out:

1. Urban Fusion: Happy Noodle House

A new establishment (they opened in early 2009) the Happy Noodle House serves up what I'd call urban-fusion Asian. They recently hosted a happening tweetup (where Twitter friends get together in real life), their drinks are sparkly and fun, the staff is sincere. Visit for: group seating, to meet a few new locals, the extensive mixed drinks menu and their pickle platter.

2. Lingery Breakfast: Luciles Creole Cafe

If you're looking for a place where you almost always have to wait on the weekend, try Luciles. The wait is worth it. Start with the chicory coffee, move on to the Hanks eggs if you've got a big hunger (whenever I get it, I get the half portion). Love a lighter breakfast? Try their handmade granola. Love mornings at Luciles - if you can get a spot on the front porch, do so. Warm fuzzies.

3. Savory Indian: Bombay Bistro

After testing numerous curry joints, I always end up back at Bombay Bistro. It's the last place I think about, but the one I most enjoy. The korma is to die for. The naan is melt-in-your-mouth. The staff always aims to please you. And maybe it's just me, but I find the lush pink decor and kitschy euro-pop music mixed in with Bollywood tunes delectable when paired with a filling curry. (I hear they also have sold-out cooking classes.)

4. Cafe Atmosphere: The Cup

I think I have tried every cafe in Boulder. I like The Cup best. There are a number of reasons why, but above all, The Cup is the most wired of any cafe I've tried. If the internet does happen to go down you can ask the staff to toggle it and they will. I love when it's warm enough to roll open the front garage door. During the school year it is usually packed with laptop nomads. I love: Bhakti Chai with a shot of espresso (dirty chai).

5. Gourmet Happy Hour: Mateo

Everyone and their mother does Happy Hour in Boulder. And I have tried most of them. If you're looking for a classy, quiet place to spend a happy hour, visit Mateo. It's a bit further down Pearl, making it a quieter place to enjoy a glass of white on the patio. They have house-made fries that will make your mouth water. And their small helping of home-made gnocchi? Trust me on this one.

6. Quick Asian: Moongate

Another favorite, Moongate, has an extensive Asian menu. It is directly across from The Cup (#4) and I often run over for a quick bite between meetings. If you're vegetarian, try the peanut sauce tofu dish. Comes with uber fresh broccoli. I love that they can get you in and out in under ten minutes if you're taking it to go. Less than thirty if you're staying. Great place for lunch meetings on Pearl St.

7. Weekend Coffee: Vics

I am a sucker for an Americano. Vics does them better than anyone else in town. I've tried other things off the menu and they don't compare. I'm not sure why. I don't drink anything else from Vics, but I dig their Americano.

8. Pub Eats: Mountain Sun

A Boulder stand-by. Hand-crafted beers, more than edible pub food, a friendly environment. This place is packed during the winter months. Lots of vegetarian options (the veg burgers will turn a meat-eater's head), loaded chili and super fresh salads. Out-of-towners, be sure to check it out to get a sense of the local Boulder flavor. (People, not food.)

9. Tea Silence: Pekoe Sip House

I'm writing this from Pekoe right now. The tea here is unreal. Try the Organic Honeydew Melon for something summery, light and endlessly drinkable. If you're more into decaf, I love the Evening in Missoula.

10. Truly Boulder: Dushanbe Teahouse

Every trip to the Teahouse is thrilling. The menu changes with the season and I'm so in love with their chai (you get one refill when you drink in-house). Their apps hit the spot every time. When there isn't a wedding happening you can sit outside and relax to the sound of the creek rushing by. Yes, pretty much the best thing ever.

Now, what's your Best of Boulder (or Portland or wherever you are)? Let me know - I'm always looking for a reason to try a new place or, for that matter, new city.

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Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT

Summer nights with my grandfather

Gwen Bell — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:16:18 +0000

My grandparents used to live in a parsonage in rural North Carolina. I was little at the time. One of my favorite things to do during the summer was go stay the weekend with them.

At night when Murder, She Wrote came on my grandfather would call me over to sit in his lap while we watched Angela Lansbury use her wile to solve murder mysteries. If he hadn't shaved recently, he'd rub his chin against my forehead and laugh as I hollered at him to stop. If he had shaved, he smelled like aftershave. He always wore a white v-necked t-shirt in the evenings.

My grandfather (I call him Bub) would eat a bowl of cereal as we watched the show. Most of the time he would eat Wheat Chex. Out of a green pyrex bowl. A bowl so big he had to hold it with both hands. Usually he would put a spoonful of Jif peanut butter on the side of the bowl and take a scoop of cereal and a bit of peanut butter with each bite. He did the same with ice cream.

I remember it stormed a lot during those summer nights. I would go to bed, all the windows in the house would be open, and I'd listen to the sound of the rain as it hit the roof and the trees around the house. I didn't go to sleep right away. I thought about the things I was going to do the next day. I wondered what everyone else still awake was doing. I never guessed it could be something mundane, like brushing their teeth. I imagined elaborate dinner parties went on late into the night. I figured if you were grown up and could stay up as late as you want you would probably spend that time doing something really fun.

Farah Fawcett died today. She was an influencer when my mom was young. Mom had Farah Fawcett hair for a while. She kept it feathered during the late eighties. There are photos of my mom wearing absurdly short shorts. She had killer legs. I think my grandparents try to keep those stashed way below the ones they deem classier pictures.

My grandmother used to tell me stories about how my mom tried to get my grandfather to stop smoking. As a kid she would draw an X in permanent marker on his cigarettes (he smoked Vantages for many years), she wrote him letters through the years begging him to stop smoking. Before she died she put the pressure on a little more. I don't think she thought it was fair that here she was, dying, never having smoked. And there he was, nearly double her age, living and smoking up a storm. I think that might have just made him smoke more. I don't think he knew how to quit right then.

Mom didn't die of Hodgkins Lymphoma, really. She died when her one good lung, the one that wasn't full of cancer, started filling up. She had a magic wand that suctioned stuff out of her lungs. She stuck it down her throat and pulled out the phlegm, parts of her lung. The sound it made was the sound of an airplane taking off inside a vacuum.

Many years later, Bub stopped smoking. A combination of things, I guess. Vision complications. Doctors orders. I'm glad Bub has stuck around like that peanut butter he used to eat that still reminds me of those late summer nights in the parsonage. That was before I went to live with them for good. When we could just watch Murder, She Wrote and pretend like dinner parties lasted all night. Before tiny black Xs grew into the sound of airplanes taking off in a vacuum. I miss those nights with my grandfather sometimes.

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Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT

Envisioning Web Empathy

Gwen Bell — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:07:08 +0000

Technology... the knack of so arranging the world that we don't have to experience it.- Max Frisch

I write this post out of real concern for all of us living our lives out online. In it, I'm talking about what happens when we allow technology to interfere with developing empathy for another human being. I don't offer any simple solutions because I don't think this is an easy fix, but I do think the question needs exploring.

Influence v Empathy

What would you do to be seen as an Influencer?

It's the hot button right now in the circles I play in. Would you endorse a product you actually hate? Would you publicly belittle a company to make your own "brand" appear superior? Would you pretend to be someone you aren't?

What price would you pay to be an Influencer?

An Influencer isn't necessarily the person with the most page views per month. She might be the person with a lot of Twitter followers. Or he may have a very highly focused message that reaches a small, but influential, group of people. A person can become an Influencer overnight by blowing a whistle, alerting the public about a security issue in an application, launching a project that changes the online landscape. The problem comes when we get so focused on pumping ourselves up that we forget the very things that make us human.

In the race for numbers are we forgetting to cultivate empathy?

Watering Angry Seeds

The Chicago Tribune last week ran a story about a woman who claimed she was pregnant with a terminally ill baby. For months she wove her story. The lie was revealed when she gave birth to a baby that wasn't alive. In fact, the baby was a doll. A commenter realized it - she has the same doll in her home. That's when the story unraveled.

I recently had a conversation with a business owner who said that even though they know he is accessible and customer-service oriented (he answers his tweets and emails promptly), one of his customers used Twitter to voice a minor complaint. The complaint was passed around the web.

The catch was that the customer was in the same room as the business owner at the time. The complaint could have been made in person, the problem fixed. But because the customer made a stink about it in the online world, the reputation of the business was put on the line.

More and more people are taking their grievances out online without even trying the traditional avenues of redress.

The Power of a Tiny Lie on the Web

A blogger's misunderstanding propagated across the web led United Airlines stock to drop in price by 75%in September 2008.And while that was an extreme case, this type of misinformation is happening now on a smaller scale, across the web. You may satisfy 98 out of 100 customers but the two who are dissatisfied and post about their experience on the web can have a greater impact than ever before. One or two customers saying they are disappointed in your service add up. Fact checking (in person, when you can), telling the truth and empathizing with a person or group of people leads to compassion on the web.

Developing the Capacity for Empathy on the Web

Spend your time cultivating the seeds you want to see grown. Rather than insulating yourself in the cloak of technology (or using the technology to ambush a brand, a company or another human being) practice using it to uplift.

This social media wave will pass. What do you want to be remembered for when it does? What do you want your company to be remembered for?

I'll finish with an excerpt from Piero Ferrucci's, The Power of Kindness:

If this capacity [for empathy] does not develop sufficiently or if it is thwarted, we are in trouble. If we are insensitive to the emotions of others, each relationship becomes an impossible charade. And if we see others not as living subjects but as things, on par with a refrigerator or a street lamp, we allow ourselves to manipulate and even to violate them. When instead empathy is fully developed, our existence is immeasurably richer and more varied. We are able to step out of our selves and enter into the lives of others. Relationships then become a source of interest, of emotional and spiritual nourishment.

A Tiny Lesson in Love

Gwen Bell — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:24:11 +0000

Living with pop bonsai can be compared to a romantic relationship or a close friendship.

It requires a certain amount of care and attentiveness, but also provides a lot of satisfaction. If you fail to demonstrate through little everyday acts of kindness how much you care for the other person, and fail to notice subtle changes in them, eventually a gulf will form between you, and as it widens, love will wither and die. If you keep a tight rein on them and refuse to let go because you love them so much you want them near you all the time... well, need I say more? Creating an environment that is pleasant for you and your companion alike takes some effort. - Lisa Tajima

I am creating a pop bonsai wall. So I sought out a book on the subject, Pop Bonsai: Fun with Arranging Small Trees and Plants by Lisa Tajima. The quote is the first full paragraph I read when I opened the book. I breathed, relaxed and smiled.

How true, how vital, to demonstrate through tiny everyday acts of kindness that we appreciate the ones we love.

What's Your Pocket Rocket? 5 Fast Fixes for Your Inner Entrepreneur

Gwen Bell — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:15:24 +0000

Last week I got an email from Heather at No Pasa Nada asking to interview me for BlogHer. Each time I see Heather it's under extreme circumstances. Like at The People's Party or some other insanity at BlogHer. I'm not sure we've ever had a conversation in person longer than, "Oh, hey!!" or at a voice level quieter than the raucous Mardi Gras-style party. That was last year. This year's BlogHer may be no different, but even if it's just another conversation in the bathroom (like the one I had with The Bloggess last year) we're going to make something happen.

So, Heather wanted to interview me for her BlogHer column, of which she is the Queen (aka Contributing Editor). Which was exciting. Heather asked me about how the economy has impacted business. She asked about how I handle accolades. She asked awesome questions. I wanted to add on to the interview because I've gotten a few follow up emails asking for more.

So, in addition to the interview, I give you more bang for your entrepreneurial fanny pack. Just a coupla five things I've learned from never having a real job (except for that one in Japan for a few months). When I wasn't busy being a student, I've been busy learning to be an entrepreneur. It's a work in process.

1. Do good AND do well

Lose the notion that doing good and doing well are mutually exclusive. Too many women believe that the only way they can make a contribution to society is to live like Mother Teresa. There's no crime in making money while you serve others. Use your money to do good. - Nice Girls Don't Get Rich by Lois P Frankel, PhD

Holy smokes, what a relief it was to read that! You mean you can do good and do well? Well, yes. You can.

And if you give your time to causes that pay you you'll have more money to give to causes you love. See the circle of giving? Alright, I'm not going to go all spiritual here, but the point is, you can stick to your guns and develop pricing and what you'd like to get out of the deal. Number one thing I hear when talking with other women entrepreneurs? I don't know where to start! Number 2? I don't know what to charge!

Answer questions one and two before opening your business. Not after. Trust me on this one.

2. Ask more questions

I recently opened a new business account. The last one I had ended up being a money suck. Rates were jacked up out of the blue. Hidden fees assessed willy nilly. This time, I'm not going to let that happen. I pummeled the woman handling my account with questions. Before I opened it. I asked her:

- What, if any, are the hidden account fees?

- Can I hook my account up to QuickBooks? Is there a charge?

- Who can I talk with on a regular basis to monitor the health of my accounts?

- How secure is your online banking? What kind of encryption do you use?

- Can I get one of those pretty picture Visa business credit cards?

(Yeah, that last one. I really did ask. And I asked a whole lot more. She seemed overwhelmed. I can't say this loud enough: overwhelm people with your questions!)

3. Make it legit

Making your fledgling company legal in the eyes of the tax people probably sounds like a pain and a hassle. It is neither. It is a pain and a hassle if you run into trouble. (Two resources I've found to be helpful with understanding the steps to legitimacy: Entrepreneur.com and SBA.gov)

4. Don't compare, dumb down, minimize or otherwise tiny-fy yourself

This is huge! Even if you're a micro-brand, even if your product is "tiny" or "just starting out," the level of confidence with which you talk about what you do is the level of confidence your buyers have in your. Forever and ever, amen.

Perhaps because it is a micro-brand it is just that much more special. Think about it. You can't buy it in a big box store. It's not mass produced. Bottom line: it's unique. The more one-of-a-kind, the more you can charge.

5. Invest in a USB-powered glitter pocket rocket

You may think this is a joke. It isn't. Surround yourself, your workspace, with the elements that make you happy. This is for your long-term health. It's easy to burn out as an entrepreneur. If you surround yourself with the things (and people) that encourage you to grow, you'll grow. So ask yourself: what's your pocket rocket?

Speaking of BlogHer. If you're in the Denver/Boulder area and want to join us tomorrow for a BlogHer pre-meet & greet, please do. Would love to compare notes on your (inner) entrepreneurial experience!

Hands on Social Media Sessions Gathering Steam Around the Nation

Gwen Bell — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:59:24 +0000

This weekend, Gabrielle Blair and I hosted a couple of Hands on Social Media sessions in Boulder and Denver.

This one, featuring Gabby speaking about Delicious, will give you a sense of what we cover at the sessions. They are relaxed, user and beginner-friendly. Meant to give you initial insights into what social media is all about, there are a few more happening - in Salt Lake City tonight and tomorrow in Houston, Little Rock next week. Be sure to go if you can - they are free thanks to sponsorship from Microsoft.

Learn more, and to register to attend. If you'd like to follow along on Twitter, the hashtag is #hosm.

What's in Your Cup? A Boulder Cafe Uses the Social Web for Good, Growth

Gwen Bell — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:12:03 +0000

Wendy Ball, one of the owners at The Cup Espresso Cafe in Boulder sat down with me for thirty minutes one recent afternoon. In this interview, she shares her experiences with the social web since we first sat down to get The Cup started with it (in March, 2009). These are her experiences and results as a small business owner in downtown Boulder, Colorado. This is an edited transcript and has been offered here as a case study with permission of The Cup's owners, Wendy and Chris Ball.

Follow The Cup at @thecupboulder on Twitter. Find them on the web: http://thecupboulder.com. View more photos of the cafe & baristas.

Q. Wendy, we (finally) sat down to talk about the social web on March 23, 2009. What has been the biggest success you've had with social media? Was it worth the investment to sit down together and get you trained up?

A. Allowing our customers to see what we're all about when we're not running around all frantic. Using Twitter allows us to expose people to our likes, the local food we're eating, our hockey passion. We're giving people insight that isn't all coffee all the time. One thing a lot of people don't know is we named our cafe The Cup in part because of the Stanley Cup. It's hockey related. There are at least seven businesses in downtown that we have regular conversations with - we ask each other, "how's it going?"

The lunch specials at Bimbamboo are great deals, and it exposes what they do at a low cost.

I tweet new baked items, like today, a new gluten-free sweet potato zucchini muffin! I tweet about them in order to get feedback.

Q. What's your favorite part of being engaged w/the social web as a small business owner.

A. I love to follow hockey players. I follow Christopher Walken, cyclists, the local Slipstream cycling team.You can go find those people. Lance twitters and he's eliminating the middleman. There are no misquotes, no interpretations. You get more directly from his mouth than from a media agency.

Q. So you wouldn't have a PR firm tweet or publicize on your behalf?

No! I want to tweet for the connection I get with other people. I tweet on a whim, on the spot.

It's absolutely about getting to know other people, especially business owners on the other end of Pearl Street . (Interviewer's note: Pearl Street is the main street/pedestrian shop area in Boulder.)

Q. On April 21 you put your Twitter handle at the checkout counter. Has that produced any tangible results?

A. After putting that on the counter we've gotten more followers. It has sparked more conversations. People were asking about us on Twitter. We're going to add our Twitter handle to the coupons that go out in the newspaper.

Q. Has it been a really huge time commitment to get started as a small business with social media?

A. No because if I'm busy I don't Twitter. It doesn't take up a lot of time. People will learn once they get going. There are no forced tweets.

Q. You have events like cuppings, coffee tastings. What's happening with those?

A. The cupping on April 12...people came because of Twitter. People saw it on Twitter but most already knew about it.

This week we had another cupping but nobody came to it because of Twitter even though it was retweeted by Daily Camera, Elephant Journal and Boulder Chamber of Commerce. I still totally believe it plants seeds.

Q. What other changes are coming for The Cup in the social web? Plans for the future?

- educating people about their coffee choices

- encouraging people to think critically about what they're drinking

- you should be actively drinking your coffee

- drink coffee consciously, and drink concscious coffees

- when we do something new, let people know about it

- retweets usually based on new initiatives, composting - including the bike initiative

- we plan to do other promotions like have a gluten-free week

Q. What advice would you give other small business owners looking to get started with social media/the social web?

- don't be afraid

- it's not time-consuming

- it should be an avenue for letting people know what's happening with their business, customers like to know what's going on beyond what just came out of the oven

- have fun with it! It shouldn't be looked upon as anything that needs maintenance!

Q. Final thoughts?

I would never have started if you hadn't encouraged me. On the list of things to do, it was very low but you encouraged it.It's alive and you're part of it and you're growing with it. There's a lot more to it than self-promotion.

---

What creative initiatives have you seen small businesses using to make the most of the social web/social media to connect with new and current customers? What are you currently doing that has been effective? Share your thoughts in the comments.

If you found this post insightful, consider subscribing to the feed or subscribing to this blog to your Kindle.

The New Gwen Bell Site + What it Means for You

Gwen Bell — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:41:27 +0000

Hi! Welcome to the new, inner glowy GwenBell.com. I'm your hostess and wanted to give you a quick tour of what you're seeing. In the case of an emergency, the nearest exit is the "x" on your browser tab. In the unlikely event of a loss of pressure, you might want to have a backup plan. This site is not intended to provide oxygen but you can take a deep breath and relax now. You've made your way to a friendly place on the web.

First off, the layout. Each page has a modular layout so you should be able to find your way around. It's meant to be an approachable, fun site. And action-packed. This was a tall order for my designer (I'll tell you all about her in a minute). Let me know if there's anything you'd like to see. I've gotten and incorporated feedback from users that has been invaluable to me (special thanks coming up).

Top nav is pretty self-explanatory. You can learn who I am, who I'm working with, what I'm doing, where I'm speaking and how to hire me. You'll find my blog under that glowy blog tab up at the top. On the far left side of the page you can find all of my social web shenani-tabs. Find me and say hi! I love to mingle.

In the footer and throughout the site you'll find some of my favorite creatures: hedgehog monsters! I have a baby hedgehog named Go and he doesn't look quite like these cuties, and as far as I know he can't dance, but there is definitely an undeniable likeness.

Krystyn Heide from Squaregirl is the designer behind the site. I can't say enough good about Krystyn. She recently relaunched her personal site as well as Hope Revo. She captured the essence of what I was looking for in my site. It was meant to be warm and inviting as well as professional. I think she nailed it. Krystyn, you rock! I give Krystyn virtual high-fives and a glowing recommendation if you're thinking of migrating over to Squarespace.

The site will be updated three times a week so if you haven't yet done so, please click on the orange RSS button on the left-hand column of social web tabs. It will subscribe you. Unless you want to just cruise over from time to time. Which is also totally swell.

I owe huge thanks to the many folks who helped in the creative process of this site. I'm sure I'll forget a few, but I definitely want to send thanks out to:

The Kirtsy Chicks: Laura Mayes, Laurie Smithwick, Gabrielle Blair

The guys + gals from The Cup: Ryan Oelke, Wendy Ball, Thai Patton, Chelsea Brady - thanks for all of your encouragement and for reviewing the site as it was in development!

Fantastic speaker + marketer pro: Holly Buchanan thank you for the feedback!

Women of my heart: Jenny Slade, Maggie McDonald, Monica Danna

Designers that shared their insights: Theresa Brady, Jeffrey Larrimore, Patrick Reynolds, David Stagg, Paul Salamone, Heather Carson, Seth Jenks

Folks who gave me permission to use their lovely photos: Emily Lewin, Ed Schipul, Aimee Greeblemonkey, Holly Hoyt

Folks from the WordPress days: The guys at Intense Debate, the team behind WordPress

Finally, the guy that saw me many a late night creating, trimming, pruning, loving, and (rarely) cursing this site into existence: Joel Longtine

You all rock and I couldn't have created this site without your constant, caring love and attention. I appreciate you.

Next up: an intimate interview with a small business owner on her journey from starting out in the social web to using the tools to connect and grow her business. It's a fun interview. {You're subscribed so you'll get it in your feedreader, yeah?}

Newsflash: We're All Shilling

Gwen Bell — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Update: During the transition from WordPress to Squarespace (06.08.09), the post comments were lost for this post. If you commented before the transition, I've included them in one huge comment at the bottom of this post. Apologies for the inconvenience for you all. Thanks for your understanding. Sometimes transitions have glitches.

Mainstream media is mostly about money, so they reveal every time they have a financial conflict of interest. But bloggers are more about influence than money. So they have conflict of interest all over their blog, with every post. For example, every time you link to someone, you are hoping for some sort of acknowledgment, or some sort of good karma. Do you need to acknowledge that so as to protect your readers? Of course not. -Penelope Trunk, Brazen Careerist

Two weeks ago I was a guest panelist at Girls Night Out on Twitter. The conversation centered around working for brands. Earlier that day I had interviewed Stephanie Precourt about the article in BusinessWeek for which her blog was highlighted. More conversation is now centering around whether or not those of us being paid to blog (I'm not paid in cash to blog here, yet, but it's literally a matter of me hitting the "Activate" button) should disclose. There are arguments for and against.

Today, IZEA, formerly PayPerPost, announced its plans to pay people to tweet about brands. In Mashable's coverage of the announcement, the comments ask if Twitter can remain "pure" with folks being paid to tweet. I contend that Twitter has never been, nor will it be, "pure" when it comes to brands. Whether you're cognizant or not of the fact that you're representing a brand, you are. All the time. Even when you talk about other people you think people should follow on Twitter, you're giving them an endorsement. Whether it's person to person, person to product or person to service, you are paying attention and asking others to pay attention to something.

Guilty By Association?

The day after that #gno I was heading out the door to SeaWorld on the same trip that Julia Allison got righteously beat up for "shilling" for on Gawker. I think Gawker and Valleywag have a thing for (beating up on) Julia and I know she can take care of herself. But I was there, in the photos. People mentioned me in the comments. I sat at the cafe shaking my head. Am I now shilling, too? Guilty by association, one of my friends emailed me, with a link to the articles. But that's weird. I don't feel guilty. I don't feel like I owe my readers an apology because I disclosed that Busch Entertainment was footing the bill. I didn't get a check out of the deal (to some people's horror - I was confronted about the fact at #gno) but felt that the experience was worth the time invested. I had fun. It was vacation-like. I got to meet people like Steve and Tara. Julia was apparently paid cash to go on the trip. That's the issue Gawker took umbrage with.

The Hybrid

So, I kept digging. Externally, internally. Is it ok to get paid to post? Is it ok to get free things in exchange for a review of a product? Is a hybrid ok? Should I take cash only? I've conducted countless off-the-cuff interviews. There's no conclusive, one-size-fits-all answer. The FTC is probably about to find that out, too, if they haven't already. In the interview with Stephanie Precourt I asked:

Q: When we see a ball player, a country music singer or actress wearing this brand of sunglasses or that brand of shirt because they were paid X number of dollars to wear it (or given it for free), do you feel we’re being marketed to or manipulated? Do you think they should say, during their interview at the Grammy’s reception, “by the way, ———– paid me ———– to wear this dress?” Is there any difference in this situation than for us as social media consumer/producers?

Stephanie: I feel the same way sometimes, but would not want to suggest I am some kind of celebrity. If a celebrity I think is fashionable is wearing something that I like, I don’t care if they paid for it or it was given to them. If they chose to wear it, then I think that is enough influence. I think my readers know me well enough that if I choose to talk about something, it’s because I actually think it’s cool and it’s not only because I got it for free. It’s something I will allow in my life or to reflect on me no matter who paid for it.

I think it will get really old if I have to post a picture of my baby and say: I bought this outfit for her with my own money! But I think it’s honest, and a plug for the company, if I was sent something she is wearing and in the post I mention that. That’s just how I feel and want to continue to be honest. In the social media/blogging setting I think we’re going to have to be up front about what is sponsored or given to us at all times in order for our other words to be taken seriously by our peers. And vice versa.

Enter Penelope Trunk

The room was riled up as the panel talk drew to a close. I was near the front of the room and had seen Penelope Trunk honest, vocal...some may say offensive. This was my first BlogHer, 2007. Chicago. Watching Penelope speak her mind to a packed room, I left inspired rather than pissed. I seemed to be one of few willing to admit a shot to the arm of honesty felt good. About a week after my interview with Stephanie, Penelope Trunk wrote: Which means that the arcane conflict of interest rules are to protect the newspaper, not the readers. And this, by the way, is why newspapers are going down: because they are more about themselves, and their hierarchies, and rules and structures, than they are about what their readers want. Readers should not care about the business dealings of the writers or their publishers. Readers just want good content. [emphasis mine]

The Wallet

I carry a wallet around town. I got it for free and love it. When someone asks me about it (it happens frequently) I say that I know the guy who thought it up, drew up plans for it, created it at the factory and now has this one tiny product out in the world. It's a creative triumph. I don't mention that I got it for free. I just tell them the story behind it. And here's the rub with pay-per-post. It's not that I think I should/shouldn't disclose (even though I usually do on my blog but don't in person - why should I differentiate?). I think that when a blogger gets free stuff, but isn't paid for her consulting time, she's getting "stuff" to craft a story. If I craft a story around a brand, it's worth something. In the case of the wallet, a woman was climbing a mountain once. She fell. When she came out of shock she realized her wallet had been shattered. Demolished. It had been in a bag she was wearing around her waist. It was underneath her tailbone. And you know what? It may have saved her from paralysis. Who knows. But I'll bet you can't say that about your wallet.

The Power of Story

You see that story? Now you want in. You want to know more about the company. You want to hear more about the woman who fell. Her background, maybe. How long has she been climbing? What is the wallet made out of that it absorbed her fall? The power of story is in its ability to keep you asking questions. Last night as I left Pixar's latest film, Up, having watched it for the second time (it's not that much different in 3D, I don't think), I wanted to know what happens next. That's the power of story. That's worth more than a few hundred dollars a post. Or a hundred dollars a tweet.

A powerful tagline, like a heartbeat, can last for years.

And what's the power of Twitter, really? You can plant the seed of a story. I don't accept cash to blog or tweet yet. Because I think the value in the power of story I can tell is worth more than a few hundred dollars a post. The story I tell can be retold by the company itself, in its marketing materials. It can be retweeted. Its worth isn't readily quantifiable.

Define "Paid" The question isn't "should we be paid to blog/tweet/spread the word about a company we love." The question isn't even "how do we know they really love or even like the company" for which they are evangelizing. The question should be, "what is the value of the advice I give, the consulting I do, the post I write and the tweets I share." That's a harder question to ask. And I don't think the answer is in any of the blog posts I've read. It's definitely not in the comments section. You're going to find that answer for yourself by researching what the market is offering, what your time/energy resources allow, what you determine is the value of your storytelling. And whether or not your responsibility to the brand includes crafting a story. (One reason I haven't decided to go with IZEA is that I don't want to craft a story in a vacuum for your company. I would prefer to do consulting, get to know you, become professional friends with you, as a client, before crafting a story.)

Back to the wallet. I contacted Mike, the friend who owns the wallet company. Based on the story of his customer who fell, I told him he should change his tagline. To Jimi. It'll save your ass.

Your Storyteller Value The final question is this. Is the stuff you're getting for free worth the story you're telling? And if not, can you put a price on it that will make it worth your while to share the story? Determine the value of your storytelling. And make the decision for yourself. We're all being paid to tell our stories. If the payment is a good feeling at someone responding with laughter to your story - and that's enough for you - then be aware of that. If you like being paid attention to - and that's sufficient - know that. I'm going to agree with Penelope Trunk that readers don't need to know you were paid to write a post. I think the knowing you need to focus on is knowing your worth as a storyteller.

It's a tougher, but far more important, question that you need to answer for yourself.