Mommy's Helper - Mom's Market Ezine
Issue #114
Wednesday, January 25th, 2006
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Editor's Rambling:
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Note from Anita
This past week I’ve been able to rediscover the true blessing it really is to be a work at home mom. As some of you know I do work outside the home on a very part time basis. I had been asked to fill in full time for a co-worker who was going on vacation and agreed. I must say that I’m only half-way through this week and I’m really ready to go back home! For the past four days I’ve had to get myself and my children up at 4:00 am, take them to the sitter’s house and not pick them back up until 5:00 pm. (I’m missing my kiddos!) Once we return home at about 5:30 pm we now have to rush through the evening routine of homework, dinner and bedtime. Quality family time? We haven’t had it this week, that’s for sure! Once we’ve tucked the children in bed it’s time to start my other “job” online. It’s really been a challenge for me to keep up with a quite busy home business while spending 12 hours a day away from home to say the least. And I know that there are quite a few of you out there who are still forced to do this on a regular basis … my hat’s off to you! Take the time right now and pat yourself on the back because it’s not an easy job. Super-mom has to step up to bat for that … without a doubt!
Till next week...
~Anita DeFrank
Mommy's Helper
Note from Kara
There's not much to say this week, since the product reviews are still a very large part of my daily tasks. More are being added daily, and Mom's Market is now up to 30 product reviews total. If you would like your product included, you can do so here:
www.MomsMarketOnline.com/review-info.html.
I did happen to find a resource yesterday that I have worked into my candle business. It's a gift registery where users can add products from many different stores online. I'm still playing around with it, and there's a few set backs to the set up, but for the most part I'm happy with it. You can check it out here:
My Gift List(Note: there are two different sides to sign up to - merchant and shopper. You'll need to sign up to them each separately)
The computer problems continue, even though most of it has been taken care of. If you were curious why this was a tad late today, it's because I have been fighting with my computer all morning. Last week I was hit with spyware, and I thought I had everything fixed over the weekend. I was wrong, and the issue has been starting again. Almost time to take it into the shop I'm afraid. :(
See you next week!
~Kara Kelso~
Mom's Market
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Article
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Implement Good Marketing Ideas
There are millions of marketing ideas around you everywhere you look and the next good idea is merely just a glance, a thought or brainstorm away. Every successful business has at its core a series of marketing ideas that are used to propel its promotional activities. All of these marketing ideas dovetail into one another and are designed to gain and maintain a loyal customer base who will buy and sell their products.
If you need marketing and promotional ideas, then you can start by brainstorming your thoughts on paper or on the computer. Start by thinking about your product and/ or service and then think about your customers. Then allow these thoughts to lead to others. Remember - one small idea will lead to many others, which then allows you to narrow it down to the most appropriate ones. Alternatively you can do a web search for the specific marketing ideas you are looking for by doing some preliminary research it may well spark some additional ideas that you can implement on a more purpose built level for your specific business.
When devising a marketing plan, you need to include the best marketing ideas, which requires creativity. If you lack the time or talent to be creative, there are marketing agencies that can help you with this. They will build a complete marketing strategy for you from the ground up. Agency staff members have seen hundreds of different campaigns and know what works and what doesn't.
The marketing strategy that you device for your business should be doable. All the ideas that you have come up with to make your marketing plan should be implement able, else they are of no use. While implementing your marketing strategies you may face hurdles like budget constraints, or staff constraints or even lack of skill required to implement the strategy, you have to know how to overcome these hurdles.
While finalizing the marketing strategy you will also have to decide on the tactics and the tools that you will use in any particular campaign. The tools could be to run loyalty programs, or have direct emails sent to the client, or pay attention to the packaging and the promotional material that you will be using. A mix and match of various tools and tactics will make a good and successful marketing strategy.
Scott F. Geld is the Lead Supervisor of Marketing Blaster, a Pay-Per-Click traffic source that repeatedly beats the major search engines in Conversion and ROI Ratios. Visit us online and see for yourself at:
www.marketingblaster.com~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Childcare
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30 Kids Party Favors for Pennies
Party favors needn't be costly, just a simple remembrance of the good time guests had at your child's party. Each of these party favors cost under $1 per guest, some only pennies apiece. Shop dollar stores and discount outlets to stock up on these clever party favorites. Use individually or mix and match, using your party theme as a guide.
*Craft stick picture frames (decorated by party guests) with a polaroid of the party child with each guest
*Small plastic toy, stickers, stringed beads, coins, etc. inside an inflated balloon
*Glow necklaces and bracelets
*Small pack of crayons with coloring book
*Book matching the party theme
*Frisbee
*Bubble liquid
*Sidewalk chalk
*Puzzle
*Beach ball
*Tattoos
*Balloons
*Pencils
*Hair ornaments
*Watercolor paint set
*Address book
*Tiny Notebook
*Plastic Tiara
*Lollipops
*Pez Dispensers
*Seed packets to plant
*Unused fast food toys
*Fast food coupons worth $1
*Homemade modeling clay and a cookie cutter
Make and Take Party Favors:
Kids love to make crafts and these double as party favors when kids get to take them home...
*Personalized and decorated foam sun visor
*Handpainted and decorated sunglasses
*Personalized and decorated bookmark
*Handmade potpourri sachet
*Handmade refrigerator magnet
*Handpainted suncatcher
*Handmade beaded jewelry
*Homemade soap
Party favors should not be so expensive as to rival the gifts given to your child at his or her party! Keep it small, simple, memorable, and easy on your pocketbook.
Patricia B. Jensen is a mother of three and kids party enthusiast. She is the webmaster and owner of
http://www.kids-party-paradise.com - a comprehensive resource for kids party ideas and complete party plans for many popular themes, including invitations, cakes, decorations, games, costumes, favors, and food.
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Coffee Break
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The Hazards of Working At Home
Moms that choose to stay home with their kids know what they are getting into, namely, a 24/7 job that offers few breaks sans vacation.
That is why I think that moms who choose to run a home-based business are utterly out of their minds. I should know. I am one of those women. Think challenge to the nth degree.
Here’s a list of things you can count on happening, so be prepared.
1) You’ll buy 12 reams of paper for the printer and fax. Yet the very minute you need that paper there’s only one sheet left and a colossal collection of artwork tacked to the dining room wall thanks to the kids.
2) You’ll teach the kids to answer the phone professionally—because you never know who will call. Family, friends and colleagues all remark how well trained your kids are when answering the phone. Then, a key person for the success of your business calls and gets “Yeah, what?” from a child with a mouthful of peanut butter.
3) Yes, you CAN work in your pajamas from home…if you don’t mind being surprised by UPS or FED EX when you’re the least glamorous.
4) When it comes to Word documents save, save, save as you go because the minute you’re pleased with your work somebody’s chubby little fingers are either going to pull the plug or somehow magically erase the entire document that just took you hours to create.
5) The minute a customer needs to fax you is the precise minute you discover the kids have used up all the ink and while trying to fix the matter it ‘blows up,’ singeing your hair and awing the kids who all chant, “Do that again, Mom!” And then UPS shows up….
6) There is no working through lunch or dinner EVEN if the project you are working on needs to be done YESTERDAY. Just ask a brood of kids to wait ‘just a few more minutes’ and you’ll soon feel like the only caribou among a pack of starving wolves.
7) As soon as your toddler has a diaper blow-out and you’re into it with both hands, the phone will ring, your older child will answer promptly and professionally and then hand you the phone. And then UPS shows up….
Your husband won’t understand why you MUST leave the house as soon as he returns from his away-from-home job…but the singed hair, trail of copier paper and smoking diaper should be enough clues for him to figure it out.
9) Be prepared to type with one hand while hugging up a clingy toddler who wants you to look HIM in the eye and not the monitor.
10) Your business cards will make great confetti for toddlers and the perfect ‘tickets’ for the older kids when playing make-believe circus outside...and you'll be running to collect them all right when UPS shows up.
Working at home will be the toughest job you’ll ever have, but quite possibly the one you’ll love the most precisely BECAUSE of the kids.
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Are we having fun yet? Send your comments to LisaBarker@jellymom.com
Jelly Mom™ is syndicated through Martin-Ola Press /Parent To Parent. For more information, please contact editor@parenttoparent.com
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Recipes
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BROCCOLI CHEESE DIP
* 2 (10 oz.) boxes of frozen chopped broccoli
* 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
* 1/4 c. sour cream
* 1/2 lb. Mexican Velveeta cheese
* 1/2 lb. reg. Velveeta cheese
* 1 tbsp. garlic salt
Cook and drain broccoli. Melt cheese in slow cooker/Crock Pot. Mix soups, sour cream, broccoli and garlic salt. Mix into melted cheese. Serve as dip with tortilla chips.
More Recipes At:
www.RecipesForMom.comDo you have a favorite recipe to share?
Post them at Mommy's Helper Community (
www.MommysHelperOnline.com/phpBB2)!
Note: Recipes must be quick, easy, healthy, and original. Nothing from a cookbook or a box please.
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Ad swap:
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