This is a guest submission from fellow work-from-home mom, Jessica, Creator of Mom Fuse.
Mom Fuse is a resource for moms and an online magazine. They feature recipes, provide honest product reviews, have lots of give-aways, showcase some fabulous finds, and help promote moms who own their own business.
You Know You're A WAHM When...
"When you're checking email and responding to them while feeding your child (in my case children. I have 4 month old twins) and listening to your husband ask, 'I'm hungry, what's for lunch?' Also in that time the phone is ringing, the dog needs to go outside, and you realize you've been watching the Disney channel all day."
To submit your WAHM story, please send an email to lori at lbpublicrelations dot com.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving
Instead of sending my clients Christmas cards, I send them Thanksgiving cards. I am so grateful for their support in helping me to be a work-from-home mom. I express my gratitude in a hand-written note within a Thanksgiving card.
As a work-from-home mom, I am thankful for...
As a work-from-home mom, I am thankful for...
- My clients!
- Media professionals who interview my clients and invite them on air, or place their stories in print.
- Media professionals who offer honest feedback when my story ideas aren't going to work.
- Fellow PR professionals who I bounce ideas off of and share resources.
- My computer and Internet access!
- Quick recovery when the Internet goes down.
- Clients who pay quickly!
- HARO - for all the free emails from reporters looking for sources to interview.
- The opportunity to be creative through writing press releases, pitch letters as well as blog and print articles.
- God - for protecting my business and always providing hope.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
How to draw traffic to your website
I recently received this email:
I'm not sure what is available to me as a WAHM with my own internet retail site. I do blog, and I do have a newsletter, but what else can I do to help me gain more traffic (it has been gaining traffic since I opened (in Feb 2008), but I'm thinking that I may have hit a wall lately. I do my own SEO work, but wonder if I'm missing a big piece of the puzzle?
Here’s my tips about drawing traffic to your website.
The great thing about internet marketing is that we no longer have to rely on traditional media (newspapers, magazines, TV) to publicize our message. We can now market directly to our customers. However, the internet is not a one-way marketing vehicle. Use the various sources within the internet to develop relationships and position yourself as an expert. Social marketing should be done on a regular basis. You can’t just create a blog or MySpace account and forget about them. You must use them regularly. Link back to your website as often as possible when creating and using all of these social media sites.
Blogs
If you have a blog (which all companies should have a blog), search other blogs, read them and make genuine comments. If you have a babywearing business, read and comment on the blogs of pregnant women and women with babies. If you have a cake company, read the blogs of chocoholics and those who love to bake. You can read more about the powerful marketing effects of blogging on my website.
Forums/Yahoo Groups
There are many forums and or groups within your community or in the internet world. Does your city have a forum? Mine has 380 Guide. My community has a forum specifically for moms. Whatever your niche or target market there is a web forum out there where people are talking about your type of products. I suggest you become a member and these forums or Yahoo Groups and participate in the conversations. Don’t use the forums to directly sell your product, but provide your expertise when members have questions pertaining to your industry.
MySpace/FaceBook
According to MySpace for Dummies, “A social networking site is a site that allows users to create individual profiles in hopes of making contact with other site users that share similar interests of goals.” Businesses that create profiles on MySpace or Facebook have an excellent opportunity to generate a lot of “grass roots buzz.”
Traditional marketing tactics have always been a release-it-and-forget it process: place an ad, run a TV commercial, post a billboard. With on-line media outlets like MySpace and Facebook, it’s a two-way communication process. You simply can’t just create a MySpace page and hope for friends. It’s important to use the “tools” within each site to build relationships. Ideas include commenting on your friends’ pages, creating your own videos and posting them on your profile page, sending your friends bulletins about upcoming events and articles of interest. Be careful not to spam. The on-line social participants expect to be able to comment, leave questions and are uninterested in one-way dialogs.
YouTube
Another social networking site that provides beneficial marketing opportunities for spas is YouTube. Simple and effective video cameras are very affordable these days. Short videos about the services you provide, product demonstrations, wellness tips from your technicians and tours of your facility require little editing. Sites like www.onetruemedia.com allow you to clip your videos and create montages which you can then post to YouTube. Once you’ve created and posted your videos, there many marketing opportunities within YouTube for you to reach customers: share it with the friends attached to your account; post a message on a bulletin board; and invite friends to subscribe to your account. Your YouTube videos can also be posted on your blog and within your MySpace and Facebook profile pages.
eMail Marketing/eNewsletters
I’m a big fan of user-friendly on-line email marketing programs like Constant Contact, which allow companies to easily and effectively create high-impact, professional quality emails. The key is to provide valuable content within your eNewsletters – don’t just advertise your products and services. Valuable content includes success stories; photos of customers using your product; and news about your company; I always recommend that customers have an “Over at our blog” section with links back to posts for customers who may not have read your blog.
Twitter
Twitter has many faithful followers who are loving the marketing results they are seeing with Twitter. I haven’t played around in Twitter very much. However, the blog for New World PR, writes about Twitter quite frequently. You may learn more about the marketing vehicle over there.
I'm not sure what is available to me as a WAHM with my own internet retail site. I do blog, and I do have a newsletter, but what else can I do to help me gain more traffic (it has been gaining traffic since I opened (in Feb 2008), but I'm thinking that I may have hit a wall lately. I do my own SEO work, but wonder if I'm missing a big piece of the puzzle?
Here’s my tips about drawing traffic to your website.
The great thing about internet marketing is that we no longer have to rely on traditional media (newspapers, magazines, TV) to publicize our message. We can now market directly to our customers. However, the internet is not a one-way marketing vehicle. Use the various sources within the internet to develop relationships and position yourself as an expert. Social marketing should be done on a regular basis. You can’t just create a blog or MySpace account and forget about them. You must use them regularly. Link back to your website as often as possible when creating and using all of these social media sites.
Blogs
If you have a blog (which all companies should have a blog), search other blogs, read them and make genuine comments. If you have a babywearing business, read and comment on the blogs of pregnant women and women with babies. If you have a cake company, read the blogs of chocoholics and those who love to bake. You can read more about the powerful marketing effects of blogging on my website.
Forums/Yahoo Groups
There are many forums and or groups within your community or in the internet world. Does your city have a forum? Mine has 380 Guide. My community has a forum specifically for moms. Whatever your niche or target market there is a web forum out there where people are talking about your type of products. I suggest you become a member and these forums or Yahoo Groups and participate in the conversations. Don’t use the forums to directly sell your product, but provide your expertise when members have questions pertaining to your industry.
MySpace/FaceBook
According to MySpace for Dummies, “A social networking site is a site that allows users to create individual profiles in hopes of making contact with other site users that share similar interests of goals.” Businesses that create profiles on MySpace or Facebook have an excellent opportunity to generate a lot of “grass roots buzz.”
Traditional marketing tactics have always been a release-it-and-forget it process: place an ad, run a TV commercial, post a billboard. With on-line media outlets like MySpace and Facebook, it’s a two-way communication process. You simply can’t just create a MySpace page and hope for friends. It’s important to use the “tools” within each site to build relationships. Ideas include commenting on your friends’ pages, creating your own videos and posting them on your profile page, sending your friends bulletins about upcoming events and articles of interest. Be careful not to spam. The on-line social participants expect to be able to comment, leave questions and are uninterested in one-way dialogs.
YouTube
Another social networking site that provides beneficial marketing opportunities for spas is YouTube. Simple and effective video cameras are very affordable these days. Short videos about the services you provide, product demonstrations, wellness tips from your technicians and tours of your facility require little editing. Sites like www.onetruemedia.com allow you to clip your videos and create montages which you can then post to YouTube. Once you’ve created and posted your videos, there many marketing opportunities within YouTube for you to reach customers: share it with the friends attached to your account; post a message on a bulletin board; and invite friends to subscribe to your account. Your YouTube videos can also be posted on your blog and within your MySpace and Facebook profile pages.
eMail Marketing/eNewsletters
I’m a big fan of user-friendly on-line email marketing programs like Constant Contact, which allow companies to easily and effectively create high-impact, professional quality emails. The key is to provide valuable content within your eNewsletters – don’t just advertise your products and services. Valuable content includes success stories; photos of customers using your product; and news about your company; I always recommend that customers have an “Over at our blog” section with links back to posts for customers who may not have read your blog.
Twitter has many faithful followers who are loving the marketing results they are seeing with Twitter. I haven’t played around in Twitter very much. However, the blog for New World PR, writes about Twitter quite frequently. You may learn more about the marketing vehicle over there.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Media Hit!
For Plano Aesthetics and their Dr. TED Diet.
CBS 11, Dallas
November 5, 2008
"Diet Fools Body Into Thinking Woman's Pregnant"
Click here to see the segment.
CBS 11, Dallas
November 5, 2008
"Diet Fools Body Into Thinking Woman's Pregnant"
Click here to see the segment.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Let thine heart take courage; There is no disappointment in the Lord
During the life of a freelancer, there are peaks and valleys with project work. With a slower economy, many freelancers are experiencing valleys. I'm not completely in a valley but, I do want to add some more project work.
Anyway, I came across this quote and it seemed to apply to my life as a freelancer as I try to market myself.
"During seasons when we wonder, “How did I get here and when can I leave?” it’s best to look for our God-given opportunities instead of focusing on the obstacles. That’s the way to do something with our nothing. — David C. McCasland"
My God-given opportunities are to provide excellent public relations service!
"Wait and, in waiting, listen for His leading; Be strong, thy strength for every day is stored. Go forth in faith, and let thine heart take courage; There is no disappointment with the Lord. —Anon."
I read this passage from "Our Daily Bread." I read this every morning. Later that afternoon, I got a call from a potential new client for some writing services! Thank you God!
Anyway, I came across this quote and it seemed to apply to my life as a freelancer as I try to market myself.
"During seasons when we wonder, “How did I get here and when can I leave?” it’s best to look for our God-given opportunities instead of focusing on the obstacles. That’s the way to do something with our nothing. — David C. McCasland"
My God-given opportunities are to provide excellent public relations service!
"Wait and, in waiting, listen for His leading; Be strong, thy strength for every day is stored. Go forth in faith, and let thine heart take courage; There is no disappointment with the Lord. —Anon."
I read this passage from "Our Daily Bread." I read this every morning. Later that afternoon, I got a call from a potential new client for some writing services! Thank you God!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
How to Hire PR That Works
In her book, "Media Training 101: A Guide to Meeting the Press," author Sally Stewart provides some great tips on hiring quality public relations. Here are some questions she encourages you to ask...
Who is going to be working on My Account?
Be aware that senior consultants may be the ones to meet with you during the new business pitch but then may hand your project over to junior staff members who have little experience.
When you hire Lori Bittenbender as your PR freelancer, I can guarantee that I will be working on your account. I am a senior-level PR professional and I work daily in media relations. You will have the benefits of my 10 years of PR experience working on your account!
Do I really need a big firm?
If you have a small company, then a PR freelancer or a boutique firm can do excellent PR for you at about half the cost! Visit the services section on my website to see what I can provide your company.
How should you be billed for the work?
As Sally explains in her book, "it is most cost effective for the client to pay a monthly retainer which is arrived at by the agency estimating how many hours it will take them to do the work every month." I always provide my clients a very detailed report at the end of the month that explains all of my publicity services provided. Sometimes it can take me an hour to write each report!
How will I know it's working?
Sally explains it beautifully, "...you need to give your public relations plan time to work. Getting a story or putting out a press release always takes longer than you think it will. You need to be working on multiple stories at the same time to build up your pipeline of results. It takes media lists, phone calls and more phone calls and pitch letters to accomplish it." Sally says that at the end of three months, you should start to see results. I've always managed to get results for my clients within three months!
Lori Bittenbender Public Relations
I look forward to seeing how my creative publicity proposals will build your brand and credibility, as well as position you as an expert and influence your target audience.
Contact me at lori at lb public relations dot com.
Who is going to be working on My Account?
Be aware that senior consultants may be the ones to meet with you during the new business pitch but then may hand your project over to junior staff members who have little experience.
When you hire Lori Bittenbender as your PR freelancer, I can guarantee that I will be working on your account. I am a senior-level PR professional and I work daily in media relations. You will have the benefits of my 10 years of PR experience working on your account!
Do I really need a big firm?
If you have a small company, then a PR freelancer or a boutique firm can do excellent PR for you at about half the cost! Visit the services section on my website to see what I can provide your company.
How should you be billed for the work?
As Sally explains in her book, "it is most cost effective for the client to pay a monthly retainer which is arrived at by the agency estimating how many hours it will take them to do the work every month." I always provide my clients a very detailed report at the end of the month that explains all of my publicity services provided. Sometimes it can take me an hour to write each report!
How will I know it's working?
Sally explains it beautifully, "...you need to give your public relations plan time to work. Getting a story or putting out a press release always takes longer than you think it will. You need to be working on multiple stories at the same time to build up your pipeline of results. It takes media lists, phone calls and more phone calls and pitch letters to accomplish it." Sally says that at the end of three months, you should start to see results. I've always managed to get results for my clients within three months!
Lori Bittenbender Public Relations
I look forward to seeing how my creative publicity proposals will build your brand and credibility, as well as position you as an expert and influence your target audience.
Contact me at lori at lb public relations dot com.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
You Know You're a WAHM
When it's OK to be interrupted from sending an email because there's something so exciting outside and we must look out the window!
The trash man has arrived!
I'd love to share your "You know you're a WAHM" story. Send me your name, company and story to lori at lbpublicrelations dot com for consideration.
The trash man has arrived!
I'd love to share your "You know you're a WAHM" story. Send me your name, company and story to lori at lbpublicrelations dot com for consideration.
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