Monthly Archives: May 2011

Moms in Business Unite Conference Notes – Using Technology to Market Your Business with Lorraine Robertson

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I’m in the first session of the day at Moms in Business Unite in Atlanta and am enjoying hearing Lorraine Robertson talk about how to use technology/social media to market your business. Here are a few notes.. Pardon the format as I’m not editing as I take notes.. just trying to get the information out to you so you can enjoy it with me!

 


Speaker: Lorraine Robertson
Twitter: @askwifey
Session: Using Technology to Market Your Business

 

Why Use Social Media?

– Raise Awareness
– Increase Sales
– Build Branding
– Engage with Consumer

Large Brand Facebook Success Example:

– Coca-Cola is the biggest Facebook Fan Page with over 26 million Fans.
– They let the fans really drive the Facebook page
– Enlisted Maroon 5 to create a song for them
– Booked Maroon 5 for 24 hours and asked fans to choose/create a song via Facebook Fan Page. Great interactive way to engage Coca-Cola fans.

Smaller Brand Facebook Success Example:

– Charles Orlando – The Problem with Women is Men
– Self published author
– Set up blog and social media platforms
– Naturally gravitated toward using Facebook. Responded when people posted questions. Interaction.
– You don’t have to take on every platform out there.

How to segregate different topics on Facebook VS. Twitter?

– Look at who your audience is on each
– Twitter is more open. Anyone can be following you on Twitter unless you block your Tweets.

It’s OK to Tweet something more than once.

Top 10 Social Media Marketing Tips from @askwifey

– Have a Plan
– Do your research
– Be selective
– Understand the rules
– Don’t be overwhelmed
– Pay attention
– Make a schedule
– Provide good content
– Be engaging
– Be authentic

I hope you enjoy reading my notes from the Moms in Business Unite Conference as much as I’m enjoying being here!

 

Summer Problems Caused By Nature

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Summer Sun Guest post by Eirian Hallinan

The sun is shining, the days are longer and you have waved goodbye to coughs and colds but summer brings its own little irritations. Here are some tips to help.

Sunburn

This is caused by too much exposure to the sun and creates a red and painful skin ailment that can lead to serious skin conditions. Prevention is everything and children should never be exposed to direct sunlight so remember to keep them covered. Loose, light and comfortable clothes are just as cool and offer more cover than strappy summer tops, so are safer. Always put a broad brimmed hat on your child in the sun. Use a high factor sunscreen – at least 30 SPF and reapply it every couple of hours and after swimming. Avoid the sun during the hottest part of the day and keep your child in the shade as much as possible. If your child does get a bit red, give him plenty of water to drink and sponge him down with tepid water. Then cover him with lots of aftersun cream and keep him out of the sun for at least 24 hours.

Stings/Bites

These are usually small, red and itchy bumps that can be painful. Sometimes you can see a hole in the centre of the lump and a sting sticking out of it. Children usually get them if they disturb or are attacked by an insect like a wasp, ant or horsefly. A sting or bite can be quite scary and painful for your child so reassure and comfort him. If the pain or discomfort persists antihistamines and anti-itch ointments can help which are available at pharmacists. If the bite or sting worsens then it is advisable to take your child to the doctor to check if an infection has developed. If your child has difficulty breathing, his tongue swells or you suspect some kind of allergic reaction call emergency medical help immediately.

Nettle Rash

This is a group of itchy, reddish swellings and can often disappear in hours but then reappear somewhere else on the body. It is also known as hives or urticaria. Nettle rash is not caused by stinging nettles although a brush with them can be one of the causes. There are several possible causes although it isn’t always obvious which one it is. It can be a food allergy (for example, to strawberries), pollen, a jellyfish sting, an insect bite or too much sun. It usually passes in a few hours but if you are concerned then seek medical advice. Make sure you check with your doctor before giving your child medication but calamine lotion can be soothing and antihistamines reduce itching and rashes.

Hayfever

This is officially known as allergic rhinitis and is an allergy to airborne pollen from grass, flowers or trees. It causes sneezing, a runny nose and itchy eyes. More common in children over seven years of age but can affect younger children too. There are many medications available but check with your doctor as to what may suit your child best. If your child is really struggling your doctor may prescribe a nasal spray. Generally, the best thing is a long-acting, non-sedating antihistamine syrup and look for suitable medicines containing loratadine or cetirizine.

Prickly Heat

This is also known as heat rash or miliaria. It is a red and itchy rash along with a prickly sensation, hence the name. It occurs during the hotter months and is thought to be caused by blockages in the sweat glands. Young infants and babies are more prone to prickly heat because their sweat glands are not yet fully developed. It can appear anywhere on the body but more commonly on areas that are exposed to the sun or in folds of skin. It is irritating for children but not a serious condition. It usually disappears in a few days. The best thing you can do is keep your child cool if they are suffering from an outbreak of prickly heat. You can place them in a cool bath and pat them dry. Dress them in light, cotton clothes that enable their skin to breathe. Synthetic clothing won’t allow this. If your child is really irritable and unable to sleep then an antihistamine syrup should help.

Eirian Hallinan is Parenting Journals’ newest team member. She believes healing naturally first, especially when it comes to infant colic.

 

Bosch Tassimo Home Brewing System – Make a Cup of Coffee Just How You Like it!

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Bosch Tassimo Home Brewing System

I’ve never been much of a coffee drinker.  I was too intimidated by the choices; Java, Mocha, Grande, Tall, cappuccino, Espresso… what does that all even mean?  It’s like alien speak to me.  If I dared ask any of the “aliens” that spoke the language (ahem…can you say “Boutique Coffee Shoppes”), they looked at me like I was a “human” and smirked their way through the answer.

Happily, I don’t care what that stuff means because I can now have a good cup of coffee… at my own home.  No drive through, no intimating ordering process, and I can add whatever I want to my cup of coffee after it’s brewed just by using a beautiful device from Bosch called the Tassimo.

Recently I stopped drinking my Diet Coke w/ Lime every day around 2:00 when the “sluggies” hit me.  I felt tired and it gave me a lift.  I like that! I noticed a pattern… my friends kept telling me that a cup of coffee might be just what I need.  I’m not sure why that’s better than Diet Coke but I wanted to give it a try.

Bosch’s beautiful Tassimo re-introduced me to the world of coffee.  Before I had a chance to randomly rush  the isles of Publix looking for coffee pods for the Tassimo, my father, who is an accomplished coffee drinker, and, visiting for my daughter’s birthday kindly went to Publix and came home with a package of Maxwell House Tassimo pods.

TassimoTa Da! Now we had everything we needed to try out the Tassimo!  Excitement was brewing (pun intended).  Typically, we did not follow the directions explicitly because we were anxious to enjoy the coffee.  The water reservoir is quite large and includes a charcoal filter so you don’t really need to use bottled water, (like my dad).  A very clever design feature is the bar code reader that scans the bar code on a “pod” and sends that information to the “coffee computer” telling it which style or type of drink you are preparing to brew.  Fabulous!

Once the “pod” is in place, and it will really only go in one way, just turn on the power and after a very short cycle the coffee will begin to fill your cup!  Quick.  Really quick!  The cup stand is adjustable so you can use cups larger than those tiny espresso cups.  Which is nice if you or the kids want a big hot chocolate, which, by the way, is a drink option for the Tassimo!  The “brew” time can be manipulated by a front mounted button if you prefer a different “intensity”.

Several brands make drink “pods” for the Tassimo so if you are interested in good coffee, quickly, in an attractive package, and as a really attractive price you should take a good look at the Bosch Tassimo.  My dad has his eye on mine but I am protecting it!  I like it!

Bosch Tassimo Details:

  • Makes coffee, tea, cappuccino, latte, crema, espresso and hot cocoa
  • Makes drinks in about 1 minute
  • Includes an exclusive flow–through water heater for faster, quieter brewing
  • Space saving design ideal for apartments, dorm rooms and countertops
  • Smart bar code technology allows the brewer to adjust each beverage with the proper temperature pressure and amount of water
  • $129.99

Bosch offers four Color Accessory Kits for the TASSIMO T20 Home Brewing System, strawberry red, mint blue, lime green, hazelnut, featured in the photograph collage above.

A Bosch Tassimo would make a wonderful gift for Mom, Dad, or a graduate.  Click this link to learn more about Bosch Tassimo on Amazon.com or you can visit the Bosch Tassimo website here.

Follow Tassimo on Twitter and on Facebook.

GIVEAWAY!

We are giving a lucky reader a Tassimo T20 with the 4 color inserts and a traveler mug!

To enter, leave a comment below telling us why you want to win (coffee addict, for husband, to make tea, etc).

Extra entries:

Earn 20+ extra entries by doing one or all of the following:

 

Disclosure:  I received a Bosch Tassimo and promotional products as a thank you for my participation.   My review is an honest opinion based on my experience with the product and was not influenced by Bosch.

Alicia Hagan, Editor

Sony Invites Consumers To Imagine Their Lives In 3D

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SONY INVITES CONSUMERS TO IMAGINE THEIR LIVES IN 3DNew Contest Harnesses the Power of Social Media; Highlights the Impact of 3D on Consumers’ Lives for Preserving Personal Memories

First there were 3D movies in theaters, then 3D TV in the home and 3D cameras. Now, for the first time, Sony is giving consumers a chance to have their most meaningful life event filmed in 3D through a social media-driven contest titled “Your Life in Sony 3D.” The grand prize: a 3D video of the winning idea – shot on Sony professional equipment and aired nationally on 3net, the 24/7 3D network recently launched by Sony, Discovery and IMAX.

Unveiled May 9 on Sony Electronics’ Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sonyelectronics, “Your Life in Sony 3D” invites consumers to be active participants in the 3D phenomenon. Entrants can submit a short event description along with a personal photo in any of four categories: Sports & Recreation, Arts & Entertainment, Cause & Community or Life Milestones & Events. After the four-week submission and voting period, the five most voted-on ideas, plus an additional five ideas selected by producers at 3net and Sony, will be chosen. These 10 finalists will then be judged by an expert panel — Buzz Hays, executive stereoscopic 3D producer for Sony’s 3D Technology Center in Los Angeles, and director Scott Stewart (“Priest”) — who will choose the contest winner.

“3D is delivering an entirely new type of entertainment experience that consumers want – whether it’s “Priest” on the big screen or the excitement of the World Cup on TV,” said Stuart Redsun, senior vice president, marketing communications, Sony Electronics. “Now, for the first time, consumers can be fully involved in the 3D process, and get to see their own stories told in 3D.”

“Our goal at 3net is to provide the most compelling and engaging in-home entertainment possible,” said Rod Riegel vice president, marketing and communications, 3net. “We believe that by integrating a unique, user-inspired component, we can demonstrate to consumers the kind of closest-to-real experience that only native 3D can deliver.”

In addition to local and national media exposure, the winner will also receive a hands-on tour of the 3D production truck used for the event, as well as an edited 3D video, a Sony 3D HDTV, 3D Blu-ray player, and 3D personal video cameras. The edited video of the event will air on the 3net channel as well as in Sony stores nationwide. A 2D version will also air on the Sony billboard in Times Square.

The “Your Life in 3D” contest will be promoted through a Facebook ad buy beginning May 13, a 3D promotional spot to air on 3net beginning May 13 as well as in 3D at Sony stores nationwide.  A 2D version of the spot will appear on 3net.com and Sony Electronics YouTube channel.  Banner ads will also run on Crackle.com.

Visit www.Facebook.com/SonyElectronics for more details about this contest.