Alternately titled: How Blogging Made Me Lose My Shyster Radar, A Cautionary Tale

A few days after returning home from BlogHer ’11, I was doing my normal grocery shopping at my neighborhood grocer. As I stood selecting bananas in the produce department, an announcement sounded from the PA system. “Right now, for a limited time, all patrons can receive free gifts and experience brand new merchandise not yet available in stores.” I was admittedly intrigued, especially by that four-lettered “F” word – free.

I made my way over to the area of the store where this “exciting” event was taking place. A charming young man in a chef’s uniform soon appeared and started working the audience by demonstrating a handy-dandy, all-in-one, fruit corer and juicer. He deftly handed them out to everyone alluding that if you stuck around long enough, that orange plastic gadget would be your ticket to something special.

It pains me to tell you how hard and fast I fell for this ploy. I stood there and watched while he demonstrated the “brand new merchandise not yet available in stores except for today”. Essentially I was watching a live infomercial. And this young man was well practiced and slick. He had us laughing, he had us sampling salsa he whipped up in a matter of seconds and he had us imagining all the wonderful fresh foods we could make if we had this revolutionary product in our kitchen.

Little by little the crowd fell away and as the demonstration came to an end there were around 10 people still at rapt attention. Why did I stick around? Because I expected that the long-suffering and faithful would be rewarded once again with free. By this point in the presentation, I was getting antsy. I only had a limited amount of time that I could be at the store because of prior commitments and I was running out of time. When would Mr. Charming start handing out the free stuff?

Oh, silly me. When we got to the point in the presentation when I thought it would happen, he asked all of us to come a little closer and he lowered his voice so that not everyone around could hear the good news. He made his offer to the desperate shoppers clutching their orange plastic gadget as if they were the keys to a new car, “This ‘brand new merchandise not yet available in stores except for today’ is sold on TV for $39.99 but right now, I am authorized by the company to offer it to you, the special ticket holders, for only $29.99. And if you act right now, when you buy five, we’ll give you the sixth one for free.”

Embarrassment and disappointment washed over me as I realized not only how easily I had been played but that I was also not going home with a free “new merchandise not yet available in store except for today”.

What does this have to do with blogging and blogging conferences? As a blogger, I have received numerous products for “free” in exchange for my honest opinion about them on my blog. At conferences, I glide through exhibition halls full of people wanting to give me free stuff. I come home with a veritable treasure trove of new, shiny products. I am not saying there is anything wrong with that. It’s something we as bloggers all enjoy.

My grocery store experience simply served as a reminder that life outside of our blogging world is the same as it’s always been. The only “swag” at grocery stores is put in plastic (or reusable if you bring your own) bags and comes with the receipt showing how much you paid for it. You might get an orange plastic gadget, but only if you’ve lost your shyster radar, like me.

We may already be a few weeks into 2011 but it’s still a good time to consider your vision for the year ahead. That’s why at Blissdom, we will have the 2011 Community Vision board at our booth. If you are attending Blissdom, you will have the opportunity to come by our booth (pick-up a gift from us!) and become part of the community vision for 2011.

See those concentric circles that make up our logo? Do you know what they represent? Our logo was designed to represent community, mutually beneficial interactions between brands and bloggers, and how we are all interconnected. As our header says: friend2friend, me2you, one2one.

Each of us has something in mind for the year ahead.  And no matter whether your dreams are little or big, they help define how you see yourself and how you present yourself on your blog. It could be that you are coming to Blissdom in order to define your goals for your blog. Or you may already know exactly what you want to accomplish this year, you’re just looking for the tools to make it happen. Wherever you fall on the spectrum of vision and dreaming, we’d love for you to make it part of our One2One Network Community!

Take those dreams, those visions, those goals, put them on the community board and OWN them. We’ll have instamatic cameras on hand so that we can put your awesome self next to your vision. Together we will create a kaleidescope of the amazing things that we hope to accomplish this year!

Even if you are not attending Blissdom, you can still be apart of the vision board! Leave a comment on this post and we’ll put it up on the board!

Then let’s see where the year takes us, together!

Our very first project of 2011 was giving our members the opportunity to preview an episode of CMT’s first scripted sitcom, Working Class starring Melissa Peterman and Ed Asner.

Melissa Peterman plays Carli, a single mom of three kids who has moved to the suburbs to try and give her kids a better life. She works at the deli counter of a posh grocery store where yoga pant wearing moms sip lattes in the middle of the day and yuppy customers buy pricey baked goods for their dogs all while she tries to make the milk last by watering it down. Ed Asner is Hank, her surly, war veteran co-worker who uses military metaphors to explain life to Carli. The dynamic between Peterman and Asner is pure, comedic chemistry as they show each other up with witty one-liners.

The cast also includes Steve Kazee as Nick, Carli’s lovable but irresponsible brother who lives in her home and helps take care of her kids. Well, at he makes sure that it appears he’s taking care of them! And Patrick Fabian is Rob, the owner of the store where Carli works. She’s new, doesn’t know he’s the boss, and hits on him at the deli counter when he tries to buy a sandwich. And as they say, hilarity ensues!

As the series progresses there will be star-studded guests appearances including Reba McEntire (Peterman’s former co-star from the series, Reba), and the always funny Ryan Stiles of Who’s Line Is It Anyway? and The Drew Carey Show.

Working Class will premiere on CMT on Friday, January 28th at 8 PM/ET followed by a second new episode at 8:30. Several of our members have already viewed the premiere episode plus the attendees of the Blissdom conference, next week in Nashville, will get to view it on Wednesday night with Melissa Peterman in attendance!

Working Class has received strong praise and raving reviews from our members. Many of them are moms who really appreciate that this is a show they can watch with their families without worrying about profanity or adult situations being shown on the screen.

“If you are looking for a new show that you can watch with your kiddos in the room, this might be for you. This show seems to be taking a bit higher ground than television shows of late which…is refreshing.” ~Jennifer of Hope and Faith Creations

“I also found the episode to be family friendly. I would have no trouble allowing my entire family to watch it.” ~Tonya of Nebraska Hockey Mom

“This  is a great show, especially for women and it also makes a great show for the whole family to watch together.” ~Josely of Juciest Deals

“This show is definitely a family-oriented, funny sitcom to watch.” ~Naddez of Naddez’s Goody Corner

“I love that this show is easy to relate to and most importantly a show that my whole family can enjoy.” ~Nancy of Finding Blessing in Everyday Life

Another highlight for our members is the real-life nature of the characters and plotline. As women struggling in a difficult economy, they feel like they can relate to what Carli is experiencing. Working Class truly hits home for the working class.

“What I really liked about Working Class, … is that it has such a real quality to it. Life isn’t always unicorns and daisies, especially for a single, working class mom. They don’t sugarcoat the struggle, but you don’t feel sorry for Carli, either. You see the fire, ambition and drive in her character, and you can’t help but root for her success.” ~Jessi of Mama’s Got Flair

“The show is funny, down to earth and totally relatable.  It portrays what so many women are going through and dealing with on a daily basis.” ~Bridget of Being Frugal and Making it Work

“As a single mom, I can relate to her struggle to make ends meet, hold down a good job, parent her children and still keep her sanity.” ~April of Blessed Beyond Measure

“It is great to see it be close to reality of what times can be like especially as a single parent trying to get by and raise a family.” ~Canadian Coupon Mom

“I love that Carli is so normal, with the problems and issues that many moms face everyday, especially single moms.” ~Dawn of Checking It Out! With Dawn

“I think what I really liked about this show is you have this woman doing her best to make ends meet. She is just a regular woman with kids and the ability to juggle life. She is funny and does her best to try and make things work for her family!” ~Jennifer of For Such A Time As This

We appreciate our members taking the time to watch the premiere episode and write their honest opinions about it! And a big thank you to CMT for giving us the opportunity to spread the word about this hilarious and timely new show!

Remember, Working Class premiers on CMT on Friday, Janary 28th at 8 PM/ET with back-to-back episodes!

To keep up with what is going on with Working Class, follow @CMTShows and #WorkingClass on Twitter and “Like” Working Class on Facebook!

A “365 project” is code for taking at least one picture everyday for an entire year. January is often a popular time to start a 365 project along with weight loss resolutions, trips to the store for organizational paraphernalia and plans (once again) to save money every month so that Christmas spending doesn’t sneak up on you. That being said, 365 can be started any time or day of the year and is fun, attainable goal.

If you love taking pictures, no matter your skill level or type of camera, you’ll find that a 365 project can be very fulfilling and rewarding. My favorite part is looking back over a year’s worth of pictures and remembering all sorts of little details that may have otherwise been forgotten. I’ve also noticed a marked improvement in my skills, all from spending time with my camera, a little bit each day.

Another fun twist is to choose a particular subject to photograph every day, for instance:  food, flowers, toys, cars, etc. Or choosing a particular way to take a picture:  using the camera on your phone, instant film cameras or shooting only in black and white. Use your imagination to create a 365 project that is unique to you!

We have found several of our members with 365 projects!

• Melissa of A Little of This A Little of That, participates in an online project here. I’m particularly impressed with the photo of the icicle, it’s stunning!
• Christy has a blog site dedicated to her 365 project. Her kiddos are adorable!
• A very popular place to keep your 365 photos organized and viewable is on Flickr, as Deanna has done. I love the details you can see in the picture of her cat. Find Bridget’s photos there as well! Her maternity shots are priceless.
• Dianne participates in Mommytography’s 365 and posts her photos on her own photography site, Bunny Trails Photography. The ‘fence lines’ photo is beautiful and compelling.
• Jennifer is using her iPhone to do her 365! Look at that mug of hot chocolate!
• Lu of Hyperactive Lu puts her photos right on her blog using a label to distinguish them from other posts. I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who takes pictures of random food items!

What about you? Do you 365? Let us know in the comments so we can come ogle your pictures, too!

Janine is author of the website, Twofer Mom, mother of twin girls and co-conspirator of the Buzz Cooperative with O2O project manager, Linda Sellers. We’re so pleased that Janine was able to take a few moments to answer our questions about blogging, brands and business!

1. What do you like most about interacting with brands?

I’ve always been a talker. If I like something, I talk about it…a lot. When I started blogging and was first approached by brands because I was talking about them I was shocked they were listening!

I think what I like best about directly working with brands is that I can see the impact I have. People let me know when one of my videos helped them decide on a product. And brands do listen when we provide constructive feedback in our reviews making not of what we like most and maybe what isn’t working.

2. What is one thing you do as a blogger than you feel contributes to the success of your blog?

Well, I don’t have crazy traffic but I have consistent traffic. I think what makes my blog most successful is regular postings, authenticity (have you seen some of my disclosures?), and the cross promotion I do across the web (including Facebook, Twitter, and even email) for my posts.

3. What has helped you grow the most as a blogger?

My first conference ever, Blissdom 2009, changed the way I looked at blogging. I was still getting my feet wet at that conference but left thinking of my blog as my own little business.

As a freelance marketer, I have the skills to promote myself but I realized I wasn’t being strategic about it. Now I try to have a strategy when it comes to what I write, and who I pitch if I am looking to partner with a brand on a series.

4. In what ways have social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook helped you as blogger? Have they hindered you at all?

Well, there’s the drama on Twitter that can really get your distracted and slow you down if you decide to engage in it.

Other than that both platforms have really been fantastic tools for research, connections, and most definitely friendships!

5. Who are the mentors in your life? And who has been a key guide for you as you’ve built your business?

Well, my dad was ALWAYS my hero. He was a savvy business man, and great at managing relationships. He passed away when my twins were just 3 weeks old but my brother and I bounce things off each other thinking of what Dad would say to do. So I guess my second mentor is my brother (@ideaware on Twitter).

My brother will give me pep talks when I need them, and help me flush out ideas. He’s also really great at balancing family time with work as he owns his own business.

6. As a mom and a businesswoman, we know you are hardworking and loving it. When you do get a chance to pamper yourself, what do you do first?

Read. I love to read and while I don’t read fast, I love getting lost in a book. I’m also good at scheduling time to meet with girl friends – even if that sometimes means bringing the kids so they entertain one another while we chat. What I’m not great at is scheduling date night so I want to work on that this year.

One of the most popular resolutions made at the start of a new year is to lose weight. Gym memberships increase, pantries get cleaned out and people head to the bookstore or Amazon.com for the year’s newest diet. With that in mind, we were very pleased to be able to offer our members the opportunity to review and try a new weight management program from best-selling author, Cynthia Sass.

Sass, whose first book, The Flat Belly Diet – a New York Times best seller, released her second title, Cinch!: Conquer Craving, Drop Pounds And Lose Inches last week, just in time for the New Year.

Cinch!, a 30- or 25- day program, focuses on getting cravings under control and teaches a healthy way of eating that can be continued beyond the thirty days. Our members are finding it very helpful!

From Mom Blog Network – “In my quest to loss 100 I have read countless books, viewed advice found on websites and considered more than my share our diet pills. None of these things ever put it into perspective like Cinch! … This single book has been a solider by my side helping me retrain my brain how to eat, stay on a healthy track and do what works for me in the process.”

From Obsessive Coupon Disorder – “If there’s one thing I especially like about “Cinch” it’s how Sass fortified her chapters with ‘side bars’ on related topics.  This is where her “diet” book becomes more. Sass incorporates mini-history lessons on topics such as: coconut yogurt, soy, chocolate, grapes, frozen vs. fresh, organic farming, emotions in relation to weight and there’s even a superb question-and-answer section.”

From Frugal Plus – ” Did you think you would see a recipe featured in a weight-loss book  for California Chicken Cilantro Burrito Bowl?  I luv cilantro and chicken, and this is one of my favorites!”

Another popular resolution is money management. Between credit card statements reflecting Christmas spending arriving in mail boxes, W-2 forms trickling in and tax forms showing up, this time of year definitely finds people thinking a lot about their money.

It may be that you want to make sure that you support your favorite charities more often this year. GiveBack can help you achieve that goal. It’s quick and easy to sign up and you will be able to direct funds to any charitable organization that has a tax ID.

What are some of your resolutions for 2011? What tools will you use to implement them?

Keonte’ Smith is the blogger at Mommy 2K. She’s mom to one son and godmother to one goddaughter, she lives in Maryland (all her life!) and loves the outdoors. It was wonderful to catch-up with Keonte’ and hear her answers to these questions that we’ve been asking all of our featured members.

1. What do you like most about interacting with brands?

Availability. It’s amazing what social media has done to strengthen the relationship between the consumer and the brand. Now, brands respond almost instantly to any questions or concerns that are presented thanks to sites like Twitter and Facebook. I am even impressed by some of the “real-time” conversations. No more sending an e-mail through a contact form and waiting for a “textbook” response from a customer service representative. The team members behind the brand are more involved, dedicated, and genuine about providing the consumer with the information they need and quickly. It’s nice to know that my opinion and feedback matter. I am viewed as a person instead of a problem.

2. What is one thing you do as a blogger than you feel contributes to the success of your blog?

It’s funny that you ask this question. I lack all of the things that are mentioned (lol), minus the authenticity. While I would love to be more consistent with my posting schedule, am in desperate need of a blog makeover (help me!), have no clue about SEO (do you mean Ne-Yo?), and need to work on interaction with my readers, I strive to be myself.

Everyday, I browse the blogosphere at a plethora (love that word) of blogs. All are different in their own right, but too often I see the same ole blogger. I have fallen into the category of “mommy blogger”, but the truth is I write about my life. It just so happens that most of my life revolves around motherhood. And that, I don’t mind at all. Call it what you want.

I believe I am successful because of my presence. You can find me involved in several groups, involving diverse topics, and an assortment of opinions. I’m almost like a Visa — everywhere you want to be (minus a state where the weather is currently above freezing…geez).

3. What has helped you grow the most as a blogger?

Not to sound too corny, but COMMUNITY is a powerful thing. I started early joining communities and networks, such as this one. I was given opportunities I may not have been able to get on my own. It also helped that I was waiting patiently at every door when these opportunities presented themselves. “Knock-knock…who’s there?…Me, Keonte’” You know how it goes. I didn’t want to miss the chance, or think “what if?” I never had a plan. I just dove right in and tested the waters. I made several online friends and began seeing their faces in some of the same social circles I was in. I haven’t looked back.

I have attended a few local blogger events as well, but no major conferences. That is on my list of “to-dos”. I believe I have a promising future in blogging if I can expand my knowledge by attending a conference. Besides, I want to meet all the wonderful people I chat with on a daily basis. They are my inspiration.

4. In what ways have social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook helped you as blogger? Have they hindered you at all?

Twitter has been a great help to me as a blogger. I am able to promote my post, stay up-to-date on the latest news in the world and blogosphere, and network. I can also find great businesses and promotions in my area. I’m all about the local events. I love supporting them when I can. That leads me back to the whole COMMUNITY thing.

I use Facebook differently than I use Twitter. I interact more with people I know IRL (in real life) on Facebook. Most of them aren’t hip to Twitter, or have a strong dislike for birds, either one. I post my blog posts to my wall so that I can combine my virtual world with my real world. I want people to see inside my daily life. It’s fun to keep in touch.

5. Who are the mentors in your life? And who has been a key guide for you as you’ve built your business?

The obvious answer is my mother. She is a hardworker. She raised me as a single parent, but I never felt our struggles. I contribute much of wonderful childhood to the support of great family. I have a lot of strong women to look up to.

Although I’ve never met her, I also love Oprah. She would be more of a role model. It may seem like the easy answer, but there is no denying that she is the ultimate business woman. I’ve always had an admiration for those who came from nothing and create a whole lot of something from it.

I lack the ability to follow-through on my dreams, but I am working on that now. Watch-out world, I may just give Oprah a run for her money (can you say “big shoes to fill?”).

6. As a mom and a businesswoman, we know you are hardworking and loving it. When you do get a chance to pamper yourself, what do you do first?

As a mom, I rarely use the words “me”, “myself”, or “I”. For some reason I fall at the bottom of the priority list. Lucky for me, I am not super needy. I am rather simple. When I get the chance to pamper myself, I just like to enjoy a cocktail with friends via T.G.I.Friday’s (classy aren’t I?). I may get my eyebrows waxed, go window shopping, or splurge on a milkshake (such a risk-taker). I don’t go all out. No trips to the spa with waxing, manicures, and pedicures. I don’t even know the last time I’ve gone (judge me later). I float through life on simplicity. I love to shop, but I won’t die if I can’t purchase the latest designer sweater. To me, pampering is doing something for yourself that make you feel great. And sometimes having the freedom to decide is incentive enough.

Jenny is a stay-at-home mom of two children with another one on the way. She co-authors the blog, Mommin’ It Up with her cousin, Emily. While reading through her “100 Thing About Me” list, I learned Jenny is not short for Jennifer, she is just Jenny, she can do a “wicked Jan Brady impression”, and that she drinks a glass of chocolate milk each morning! Here are a few more things that we learned about Jenny, the blogger.

1. What do you like most about interacting with brands?

I love sharing things that work for me with my readers. Whether it’s the perfect pair of jeans, technology that makes my life easier, or an awesome new toy or activity for my kids. I love passing that along and making it a win-win-win for the brand, my readers, and myself.

2. What is one thing you do as a blogger than you feel contributes to the success of your blog?

I think the fun interaction between my blogging partner, Emily and myself, gives our readers something to look forward to. And we both have a commitment to being real and authentic, to sharing the pretty and the ugly with our readers. We believe sharing the hard stories of life & motherhood is where we and our readers grow the most.

3. What has helped you grow the most as a blogger?

Consistency in posting has helped me get better as a writer. Practice makes perfect as they say! And my readers really motivate me to grow. I WANT to be good for them. I have a strong desire to produce good content, to entertain, and to share solutions with them. And they’ve given me so much back, feedback, that has helped me to grow.

4. In what ways have social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook helped you as blogger? Have they hindered you at all?

Twitter and Facebook have been a huge help in connecting me with readers and peers. As well as helping me to answer random questions like, “What should I make for dinner?” and allowing me to vent once in awhile.

5. Who are the mentors in your life? And who has been a key guide for you as you’ve built your business?

My parents are my biggest mentors. They really did an amazing job of raising three kids, and if my husband and I do half as well as they did we will consider ourselves a smashing success as parents. As far as business goes, Emily and I look to our good friend Andrea Deckard at Savings Lifestyle.com as our business mentor. She always has answers to our business-related questions for us!

6. As a mom and a businesswoman, we know you are hardworking and loving it. When you do get a chance to pamper yourself, what do you do first?

I know this sounds cliche, but I cherish time to READ. Getting in bed with a good book is the way I usually “pamper” myself. If I had unlimited funds, though, I’d get a massage every week!

The past three weeks have been full of excitement and anticipation. Over 500 of our members entered our BlissDom ’11 giveaway contest! There were 1300+ comments, hundreds of tweets on Twitter and posts on Facebook all spreading the word not only about the BlissDom contest but also about One2One Network. Thank you all for your participation!

We are pleased to announce to the winners of our three prizes!

• 2nd Place Prize of one full conference ticket including Wisdom Workshop pass is Dede of Real Moms, Real Kids and @SuperMomMom on Twitter!
• 1st Place Prize of one full conference ticket + 2 nights in the Opryland Hotel is Amy of Coffee With the Mrs. and @TheMrsC on Twitter!
• Grand Prize of one full conference ticket + 3 nights in the Opryland Hotel & airfare up to $500 is Stephanie of The Candid Pastor’s Wife and @StephaniePete on Twitter!

Congratulations DeDe, Amy & Stephanie!

But wait! There’s more!

Don’t forget, there is yet another chance to win a BlissDom ’11 conference pass ($349 value) or a $350 Visa Gift Card from One2One Network! Be sure to sign into your One2One account and join the GiveBack blog posting campaign today! You have until December 15th to submit your post! It could be an early holiday present for you!!

This week we get to know Jennifer Leet, the blogger behind the site, The Dirty T-Shirt. Jennifer is a homeschooling mom of three. She started blogging to update family about her children but quickly found a passion and talent that turned into a business. While she mainly does reviews and giveaways, you can still find Jen posting about her life, whether it’s her SlimFast weight loss journey or keeping those family members in the know about the kids! Be sure to take a minute to check-out Jen’s site and see what she’s up to today!

1. What do you like most about interacting with brands?

I take my interaction with brands very seriously as I like to be viewed as a professional woman. Because of that I love when brands actually take the time to get to know me and that true working relationships can be formed. For me that is the core of my interaction with brands and I love it!

2. What is one thing you do as a blogger than you feel contributes to the success of your blog?

I have a very clear posting schedule and minus a few things popping up here and there I like sticking to it, it keeps me on track and on top of all my work. I also believe that an eye catching site is important and strive to bring that to all my readers.

3. What has helped you grow the most as a blogger?

The thing that has helped me grow as a blogger is listening to others who are leaders in the field, learning from their mistakes and accomplishments and applying that to myself. I can take criticism and turn it into something positive.

4. In what ways have social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook helped you as blogger? Have they hindered you at all?

I love that Facebook and Twitter are around and they help me greatly as a blogger, the only time I feel that either of those is a hindrance is when you are judged by stats, I don’t suffer in that department but I do not like being compared to anyone, I am me and proud of that fact, I don’t like being considered a number. I understand it, just don’t like it too much.

5. Who are the mentors in your life? And who has been a key guide for you as you’ve built your business?

Mentors in my life…that is a tricky one. In my blogging life I would like to bring attention to two women whose opinions and work ethics are admired by me and they are Lori Falcon and Jennifer James. Both are smart, work savvy women who get things done and they are the two women I first virtually met when I stepped into the blogging world and I have learned so much from them. They and my husband are key guides as I build up on my knowledge in business.

6. As a mom and a businesswoman, we know you are hardworking and loving it. When you do get a chance to pamper yourself, what do you do first?

There is a chance to pamper myself??? Where? How? I kid! I do not get a lot of time to do that but when I do I like to take the opportunity for a massage, and laying by a pool soaking up the sun.