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Moms, Dads and Kids is the Only |
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in Alberta. WE NEED YOUR HELP! Please click on the Balloons to share your favorites with us!Question to ask yourself?
Isn't it appropriate that the month of tax begins with April Fool's Day
and ends with cries of "May Day"?
In this edition, I share one of my Ahh Moments, A quick 5 Question survey - Click Here - that I would truly appreciate you taking the time to complete...and to show my appreciation I will send you a gift for your time, as I know it is valuable. We have included some ideas for how you can: promote Your Business in our Ezines; update in our distribution; and participate in some media exposure.
My Listening Ears are ON!
You know that I set 12 different Resolutions...one for every month of the Year - Remember? I Triple-Dog-Dared you to do the same, so how are you doing?
t's April and I am 3 for 3 for the year. March was my month to LISTEN. I tried to turn my mouth off - I knew it would be hard. I asked questions; while at my Author Events at Chapters and Indigo I listened to why Parents are buying our book, What did I say to get them interested, what did they say? I have also chatted with many advertisers and asked what you - my advertisers - are looking for? How can I help more? What can we do to provide more benefit for our readers and advertisers in our 2010 edition and we have some great things in the works.
I had a few AHH moments and I want to share them with you.
The first one (and this ins not new) but no one knows exactly what to expect this year and everyone is looking for ways to tighten, stretch and still accomplish reaching their goals. Goals are more important now than ever before. People I have talked with are looking at the long term plans right now, hence the questions in the survey. Comments I was hearing related directly to a story that I was reading about "What we can learn from a farmer?" by Roy H. Williams. Let me share some of it with you.
"Farmers know that any crop that matures quickly is one that will have to be planted again and again. So should the farmer invest his time and energy in a recurring crop, such as grapes, apples or cherries when he knows it takes much longer to mature before they bear fruit. He also knows that he can plan on reaping a lifetime of harvest from that single planting. So Roy states? Why can't business-people get this through their heads? Demanding instant gratification, the typical advertiser plants only the crops that develop most quickly, the ones that must be planted again and again. The seeds he plants most often are ads that make a limited-time offer and create an artificial sense of urgency. But when the sale ends - Saturday at 9pm - so do all the benefits from the ads. The advertiser must then go back to the beginning and start all over again.
Most business-people advertise poorly because they lack faith in the law of seed-time and harvest. They won't believe that the seed of their message is growing beneath the soil of the mind when there is no visible evidence of it. The self-inflicted punishment for this lack of faith will be a lifetime of promotions, special events and discount hype as they frantically plant one short term crop after another.
Roy says "Don't fall into the trap of artificial urgency." Get in step with the law of seed time and harvest. Invest your energy in long term advertising. Say things the customer is sure to remember when she has need of your product or service. Don't put an "expiration date" on your message. In the beginning, you'll need a great deal of faith and patience, but when breakthrough finally arrives, you'll harvest a bigger and richer crop with every passing year."
The one other Ahh moment - And this is my Favorite!
Came from a Heather Pheasey; a mom with two children who took the time to come out to meet me at Indigo this past Tuesday. She already has a copy and we were talking about when and how she uses the book, and by the way she had mentioned she uses our site about 6-8 times a month - then she so profoundly said -
"What I love about your book and website is that it is not cluttered with advertising." I asked what she meant by that and her response was:
"I love just being able to read about all the places and that there is not advertising banners on the website in the directory - I am focused on the store I am researching."
It took me a moment, but in her mind the content that you - the Advertiser have all provided to put in the book wasn't an Advertising Pitch to her. It wasn't salesy, it was information and she uses it to make her daily life easier. - That is when I felt like I had truly accomplished helping someone. Someone who was as frustrated as I was about finding Places to take the Family.
So Thank you to all my Advertisers - for believing and seeing my vision to help make life easier and for being the PIONEERS who "got" what the book was about. Thank you for not being the wait and see type.
You are helping parents - Everywhere!
Our Distribution is increasing!
We are on target to reach our 50,000 circulation. We are doing a number of Pilot Projects between now and July to ensure we reach that goal. We are working with many businesses and charities such as Recreation for Life Walk, STARS in both Edmonton and Calgary, Frank Flaman Foundation, Welcome Wagon, Easter Extravaganza and Backpacks For Kids for Fall as well as Magic 99. You will also see our publication in every room at the Delta Calgary South - Thanks Grant. If you are involved with and event or charity where they need donations, we would be happy to donate books on YOUR BEHALF. So let us know how we can help the people in your area... especially when they are organizing an event or fund- raiser geared toward supporting their patrons.
And recently we have been in the news Thanks to a MOM who passed the word onto someone she knew. He just happened to be Marty Forbes from The Calgary Sun. Click Here to view the Article.
Travel Alberta also recently contact us and will be featuring some of 
FREE Family Fun in their Summer Family Fun Stay brochure, which has 850,000 copies distributed. Extra exposure for everyone! Watch for it in your local newspaper in JUNE.
And here is one event you can support:
Saturday, May 2nd, is the Recreation for Life Walk/Run out in Sherwood Park, AB. They have loads of fun family events and activities.. including a whole area just for kids. They are putting together "race kit" packages for 400 adults and 200 for kids. If you have an item you would like placed into the kits, Tracey would love to hear from you. They will need the items prior to April 20th. We have donated a Book for all 400 Adults.
Please note, they are not looking for coupons or discounts; tangible products or promotional pieces are graciously encouraged.
Or, you may wish to organize your company or group to participate, CLICK HERE to download an informational package.
For further information, call Tracey at 780.464.8013 or Click Here for more info.
Email: info@recreationforlife.org
Are you interested in Extra Advertising Exposure?
5 Question Survey. - Click Here!
As mentioned I have been listening to your feedback and I am curious about your interest in putting together Networking opportunities. As well I have been playing with some advertising campaign ideas that many advertisers seem to be interested in to help bring extra exposure to the theme of being "Family Friendly" as well as co-operatively building awareness of the vast and great businesses with in our resource guide. I envision an emotional fun annual campaign that we could do either print and/or radio advertising and feature some businesses with in the advertisement. I believe that by working together we can all become stronger and gain from the power in numbers. I am very excited to get feedback and about the outcome.
If you could Please take just a few moments to complete our 5 questions it will help me provide and build the right package for you.. Click Here Now!
For those who take the time to complete the survey, I will be sending a special surprise to you upon completion. Be sure to include your name and address on the survey.
If you would prefer to send me a email with ideas or comments, click here.
How you can get your Product in our Ezine
It's Easy - You just have to share it with us!
Everything we do is to help all the businesses in our publication, we would be NOTHING with out YOU.
Two times a month we send out a Double Opt in Ezine that is view by 92% of whom are women who make 85% of the household decisions and we are close to reaching 2000 viewers. So why aren't you sending us your new Spring products, your sales information, your events or information on the charities you support. Our most clicked on item on our website is the Calendar of events, parents are looking for places to go, things to do EVERY DAY.
Here are the topics of our upcoming Ezine's. I typically need information least one week prior to help Sharon and I with scheduling.
Don't worry and over think "will this fit?" We will find and work things in - somewhere.
I triple dog dare you to put us on your radar and treat us as your secret salesperson: click here to share your stuff.
- April we are promoting Spring, Easter, and new beginnings.
- May: We will be helping Child Find Alberta with their 40th anniversary as the Month of Hope. Please let us know if you have any inspiring stories or products that we can add to either of these Ezines. We are also promoting summer camps is you have any openings that need filling.
- June is our History of Alberta Month. If you have anything historic, seasonal openings, let us know... as well, we are doing a contest with the Whyte Museum in Banff.
- July is about family vacations. We are looking for anything to do with planning, travel, keeping kids occupied and entertained. Canada Day will start things off in July and we will be posting any Canada Day events in the 2nd June eZine as well
- August and September (dare I say it already?) are Back to School, new starts...
Send us your information or ideas TODAY! Click Here
Come See us!
On Friday, April 3 and Saturday April 4th we are helping ChildFind Alberta fund raise and provide FREE Fingerprinting for children at the Moms, Pops and Tots fair, Booth 340 and it runs both days from 9-5 pm.
Kimberly will also be attending the Growing Rural Tourism conference in Camrose on April 6 -8th. I have a table at the conference so be sure to stop by if you are a Family Friendly Rural Tour Operator and lets find a way to get you inside our publication.
April 17th I am at the Indigo on Signal Hill in Calgary and If you have any thing you would like to send me to give away to moms that come see us, be sure i have it before April 14th.
Fun Finding Fridays - Starting in May.
Would you like to exposure your business, event or attraction to our Ezine subscribers? Book a day and have us come to your location - with Moms and Kids? We are starting a Fun Finding Friday events and we are visiting fun places across the province. I will be having at least one friday in both Calgary and Edmonton a month and am looking for places to promote and visit in Rural areas as well. For example we are going to the Ellis Bird Farm with moms and they are providing us with a unique tour of the facility and a small seminar about the birds and I have already been talking to moms about going and the feed back is exciting. So call me and lets come visit your location, event or business. 780.945.7400
Have the Best Day Ever, And be sure to get your taxes done.
Kimberly Schick-Puddicombe
Mom, Publisher and Fun Finding Expert
P.S.: A warm "Welcome" to all the new subscribers who have joined our Moms, Dads and Kids community! I'm thrilled that you are on board. You're going to love all of the Marketing & Promotional Ideas, Cool Tips for your business!
P.P.S.: Are you on Twitter or Face Book? Let's connect on line! Visit us at Twitter or at Facebook